Touchscreen vs Button Autopilot Displays

Two ways to run an autopilot

Every autopilot needs a way for you to tell it what to do: engage, stand by, adjust the set course, and return to manual steering. That interface is the control head. Raymarine describes its autopilot control heads as completing an Evolution autopilot system and giving you confident, intuitive access to the autopilot feature set. Most control heads are button-based, touchscreen-based, or a combination of a display and a separate remote. See control head options for the full picture.

Reading a listing for a display means checking what the pack states about the control head: whether it is included, what type it is, whether a remote comes with it, and what drive the system needs. This article walks through those stated details and points to the buying guides. For a closer look at what a control head offers, read autopilot control head features.

What button displays do well

A button control head gives each action a fixed place. Standby, auto, plus, minus: your thumb finds the button without your eyes leaving the water. In general terms, a physical button is a positive press that works when the boat is moving under you. For an open cockpit, many boat owners prefer a button head for that reason.

Buttons on a control head are usually assigned to actions like engaging the autopilot, adjusting the set course in small steps, and returning to manual. The exact labels come from the maker's page for the head you are considering.

A tiller pilot is a special case: it carries its own built-in keypad, so you do not add a separate control head. Compare tiller pilots if that is your steering setup.

What touchscreens do well

A touchscreen puts more information on one panel and can change what is shown depending on what you are doing. Furuno's NavPilot 300 combines a 4.1-inch color LCD with a gesture controller remote, a stated detail from the maker's page. The gesture controller is a button remote that works within 10 meters, so you can steer the autopilot from elsewhere on the boat. For more on handheld controls, see wireless head.

Furuno's line also includes a 5.7-inch color LCD on the NavPilot 1000 and a single-DIN size color display on the NavPilot 711C. These are stated display sizes and types, not a judgment about how a screen looks in sunlight. Compare the Furuno autopilot line on stated details.

One maker's hybrid: NavPilot 300

The NavPilot 300 page describes the gesture controller in plain words: push, hold the button, point to the heading you want, and release. The remote uses Bluetooth signals and works within 10 meters of the autopilot. That is a stated detail, and it shows how a button remote can sit alongside a color display: the display shows heading and modes, and the remote holds the controls you press.

None of this says which screen is easier to read, and the site does not claim it does. The comparison is about what the listing states: display size, display type, whether a remote is included, and whether the control head is in the box.

Control head in the box, or sold separately

Autopilot listings often state whether the control head is in the pack. A complete pack includes the control head and the drive. A core pack leaves the drive out, and sometimes the control head too, for a boat that already has one. Complete pack vs custom and core pack without drive explain the difference.

The filters on this site let you compare packs by drive in the box and control head in the box. That matters more than the screen style: a control head that matches your steering is worth more than a display that does not. See best autopilot with control head and complete autopilot packs for packs that include the head.

Where you steer from changes the choice

Where you steer from changes the choice. In an enclosed helm, a touchscreen is easy to reach and read. In an open cockpit, spray and glare affect any display, and a button remote can be carried in a pocket. For a tiller-steered sailboat, a tiller pilot has a built-in keypad, so you do not add a separate control head. For a hydraulic-steered powerboat, the control head sits at the helm and the drive is a hydraulic pump. See tiller steering and hydraulic steering.

The network also matters. The NMEA 2000 standard describes a CAN-based network that lets marine electronics share data, including commands and status, over one channel. If your display talks to a chartplotter, the network connection is part of the choice. Read NMEA 2000 connectivity for the basics.

Questions to ask before picking

Before you settle on a display style, ask a few questions that the listing may not answer. The answers come from the maker's page or a dealer, not from this site.

• Is the display a touchscreen, a button control head, or both?
• Is the control head included in the pack, or sold separately?
• Is there a remote, and is it in the box?
• Where will the control head be mounted at the helm?
• What steering type does the boat have, and does the pack's drive match it?
• What does the maker's page state about the network connection?

What this site cannot say

The marine autopilot reviews here are comparisons of stated details from maker pages and listings. The site makes no claim about legibility in sunlight, ease of use in waves, or reliability of a given screen. For those questions, ask the maker or a dealer who knows the product.

An autopilot holds a course, but it does not replace a lookout. The U.S. Coast Guard Boating Safety division works to reduce loss of life and injuries by improving the knowledge, skill and abilities of recreational boaters. The page in the sources below is a good starting point for boating safety information.

What to pick for your situation

Questions

Are autopilot displays mostly touchscreen or buttons?

Both exist. Many packs use a button control head because it gives each action a fixed place. Some autopilots, like the Furuno NavPilot 300, pair a color LCD with a button remote. The site compares the stated details of each pack.

Does a touchscreen mean a better autopilot?

No. The screen is how you talk to the autopilot; the drive and sensor do the steering. A pack that matches your steering type matters more than the display style.

Can I control the autopilot from anywhere on the boat?

Some autopilots include a remote. The Furuno NavPilot 300 gesture controller uses Bluetooth and works within 10 meters, as stated on the maker's page. Ask whether the pack you are looking at includes a remote.

Is a button control head easier to use in rough water?

This site has no data on that. In general terms, a physical button gives a fixed target for your thumb, which is why many boat owners choose a button head for an open cockpit. Ask the maker or a dealer for more.

Do I need a control head in the pack?

If you already have a compatible control head, a core pack may suit you. If you are building a system from a bare drive, a complete pack with a control head saves you from buying a separate one. Check the listing for control head in the box.

What does display size on a listing tell me?

It is a stated dimension, such as the 4.1-inch color LCD on the Furuno NavPilot 300. It does not tell you how the screen looks in sunlight or from a distance. Use it for comparing, not as a verdict.