The Raymarine Axiom Pro 9 RVX isn’t billed as a fish finder—Raymarine calls the device a chartplotter, first and foremost, and at times a multi-functional device (MFD). While the Axiom Pro series does offer plenty of fish-finding capabilities, including some pretty impressive imaging options, it’s better to think of it as a kind of hub for all of the smart toys you use for fishing—the center of an advanced navigation network on the bridge of your ship.
In plain English, what I like about this device is how easy it is to connect to other devices and how blazingly fast it is. What I don’t like about the device is the small number of transducers you can pair with a split-screen and its relatively weak fish-finding abilities. There are some anglers for whom the Axiom Pro RVX models are the perfect match—and if that’s you, you’ll find out why in my review.
The specs on the Axiom Pro 9 RVX are quite impressive—the quad-core processor, coupled with the LightHouse 4 OS, makes this one of the fastest, most responsive fish finders I’ve ever used. The unit also comes with 16 gigabytes of internal storage—on a solid-state drive, no less—leading to even faster loading times. Though the transducer leaves a lot to be desired, the rest of the unit is basically impeccable in terms of specs.
| Max Depth | 3000 ft |
|---|---|
| Imaging | DownVision 600 ft / SideVision 300 ft (per side) |
| GPS | Internal, high-precision |
| Frequency | CHIRP 50/200 DownVision/SideVision/RealVision 300 kHz (320-380 kHz) |
| Transducer | RV-100 |
| Screen | 9” 1280 x 720 HD display |
| Maps Included | Variable |
| Memory Card Slots | 16 GB Internal Solid State |
| Max Waypoints | 10000, 250, 15/10000 |
The Axiom Pro 9 has a beautiful 9” HD screen—it’s a super bright IPS display with an adjustable backlight that you can use in all weather conditions, day and night. The display offers excellent viewing angles, making it a great pick for boats with a lot of passengers.
Modern fish finders are feature-dense, and the Axiom Pro 9 is no exception, so I was happy to see that they offer split-screen functionality—you can display up to four apps simultaneously. With all the features on the Axiom Pro, that’s a huge boon.
The Axiom Pro 9 has all the trappings of a high-end fish finder when it comes to display features. You can adjust the colors of almost every app, change brightness and contrast, and more. The HD on this display is gorgeous—everything looks bright and crisp, which is incredibly helpful when you’re targeting fish.
The user interface on the Axiom Pro 9 is one of the best I’ve ever used. The Raymarine HybridTouch Control system blends a highly responsive touchscreen with button and dial controls, along with a programmable key that shortcuts to your favorite apps and screens. I’ve long been an advocate for hybrid controls—touchscreens alone are somewhat unreliable when they get wet. The Axiom Pro 9 delivers.
I really enjoy the user experience this device provides. It is incredibly fast—a custom-built OS, solid-state storage, and a quad-core processor will do that for you. Raymarine has also loaded the Axiom Pro 9 with animations that act almost like loading screens—little touches like that make this unit a joy to use.
The only complaint I could even offer about the user interface is that it has a bit of a learning curve. That’s because the unit is feature-dense, though, and not because the controls aren’t intuitive or that the menus are poorly laid out.
Raymarine absolutely knocked it out of the park with both the display and the interface—I couldn’t be happier.
Something I could be happier about is the sonar. As you can see from the technical specifications above, the frequencies that the Axiom Pro supports are few and far between—you’re basically capped at 350 kHz. On the plus side, Raymarine is using CHIRP sonar, which is much more accurate than traditional sonar.
The transducer that usually comes with the Axiom Pro 9 is the RV-100; this transducer gives you access to the DownVision, SideVision, and RealVision 3D features we’ll talk about in the next section. As a transom-mount transducer, it’s alright, but certainly not the most powerful I’ve ever used.
One saving grace for the Axiom Pro 9 is the sheer number of different transducers you can use with it. Raymarine develops thru-hull transducers, transducers meant for deep sea fishing, and more. This means the Axiom Pro 9 is compatible with 1KW CHIRP sonar transducers and more, and it makes it an excellent choice for anglers who want to fish in very deep waters.
I hope that Raymarine comes out with more powerful transducers soon, especially for imaging purposes—the weak transducers (and subsequently weaker imaging) are the one knock against an otherwise picture perfect fish finder.
As I mentioned above, the Raymarine Axiom Pro 9 comes with three different imaging features:
The imaging is surprisingly powerful given the relatively low frequencies available with the transducer. There’s excellent range (the maximum depth for imaging is 600 feet), decent target separation, and a super smooth user interface with adjustable colorways. The accuracy of the unit and clarity of the imaging are, however, lower than I’ve seen on fish finders with more powerful transducers.
RealVision 3D is the killer imaging app on the Axiom Pro 9—it offers a composite of the DownVision and SideVision features, letting you see in all directions around your boat. Fish appear in the water as suspended orbs. I’ve used this tool a lot when honing in on where I’m going to fish—though I tend to still use traditional sonar combined with SideVision or DownVision when I’m actually fishing.
I’m impressed with what the Raymarine Axiom Pro 9 can do, considering the limits of its transducer, and RealVision 3D is a particular standout. Again, though, I’d really appreciate a better transducer for the unit—give me something with 1 MHz sonar, and I’ll be pleased as punch.
Remember at the top when I said that Raymarine bills the Axiom Pro 9 as a chartplotter before it bills it as a fish finder?
The incredible mapping features are why.
The Raymarine Axiom Pro 9 is compatible with the following types of map:
Thanks to the internal memory, you can store a ton of map data—tens of thousands of waypoints, and all kinds of routes and tracks. They also provide a lot of different waypoint icons, so you can mark everything from hazards to marinas. The Raymarine Axiom Pro 9 also lets you:
All of this combines to create an intuitive navigation experience—it’s incredibly easy to find your way around a body of water, create routes, and mark your favorite fishing spots. Raymarine also includes its contour charting program, RealBathy, so you can make your own bathymetric charts if you don’t own a particular map.
From being able to use maps from other fish finders (I have a few Navionics maps) to the excellent built-in GPS, I’m incredibly happy with the mapping on the Axiom Pro 9.
Networking is another place where the Raymarine Axiom Pro 9 RVX stands head and shoulders above most of its competition. While my favorite function on the device might be RealVision 3D, and my preferred thing about it is its user interface, the most impressive thing is the networking capabilities.
Here’s a list of what you get:
Incredible! The Raymarine Axiom Pro 9 RVX can act like a sort of all-in-one hub for most of your electronic fishing gear; with all of its built-in networking features, it’s hard to find a device that can’t connect with it.
The other features available on the Raymarine Axiom Pro 9 vary depending on which accessories you connect to it. With AIS, you can get access to messaging and more. You can enter details about your boat to estimate how much fuel you’re going to use on your trip. There are even augmented reality features.
In some sense, the Axiom Pro 9 is as good as the toys you can connect to it. The more accessories you have, the more powerful the unit becomes—a multi-functional device, if you will.
The Axiom Pro 9 has a lot going for it—it’s best in class (or close to it) in interface, mapping and map compatibility, and networking. RealVision 3D is a unique selling point, and the screen size is perfect for a lot of anglers—especially with its excellent HD quality picture.
The sonar and imaging, on the other hand, are somewhat lacking. Who is the Axiom Pro for, then? I’d say it’s best for anglers with multiple Axiom displays or other electronics they want to connect together through a central hub. The compatibility with thru-hull and deep water transducers also make it appealing for anyone who wants to go fishing in the deep, or who can’t (or doesn’t want to) transom-mount their transducer.
With more powerful options for transducers, this would be an absolutely standout pick for a fish finder. For now, though, consider this a chartplotter and network hub with a fish finder attached to it—perfect for people who are looking to keep their devices connected but not as powerful as some other standalone fish finders.
