Top 5 Editorial Picks

Five current fishfinders chosen for distinct buyer needs—from compact value to a premium expandable system. These are editorial selections, not Amazon or reader ratings.

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  1. 1
    Garmin Striker Vivid 4cv Fishfinder with Transducer - 4-inch LCD Display - Easy-to-Use Scanning Sonar - Color Palettes, 11.2 Ounces (010-02550-00) | Transducer, 4-inch LCD Display, Easy-to-Use Scanning Sonar, Color Palettes, 11.2 Ounces 4 Inch STRIKER Vivid 4cv Transducer

    Best Compact Value

    Garmin STRIKER Vivid 4cv

    A straightforward sonar and GPS unit for kayaks, jon boats, and small boats.

    • CHIRP and ClearVü scanning sonar in a compact package
    • A sensible pick when you do not need a chartplotter or SideVü
    • Best fit for budget-conscious small-boat anglers
  2. 2
    Garmin Striker Vivid 7sv, Easy-to-Use 7-inch Color Fishfinder and Sonar Transducer, Vivid Scanning Sonar Color Palettes (010-02553-00) | Easy-to-Use 7-inch Color Fishfinder, Sonar Transducer, Vivid Scanning Sonar Color Palettes 010-02553-00 7 Inch STRIKER Vivid 7sv Transducer

    Best All-Around 7-Inch Fishfinder

    Garmin STRIKER Vivid 7sv

    A capable sonar-first choice for anglers who want a useful 7-inch display without moving into a full chartplotter system.

    • CHIRP, ClearVü, and SideVü sonar for fish and structure
    • Simple setup with a practical 7-inch screen
    • Strong value for most general boat anglers
  3. 3
    Garmin ECHOMAP UHD2 73sv with GT54 Transducer, 7” Touchscreen Chartplotter, Garmin Navionics+ U.S. Inland 7' Garmin Navionics+ U.S. Inland with GT54 Transducer

    Best GPS & Chartplotter Upgrade

    Garmin ECHOMAP UHD2 73sv

    The mapping step-up for buyers who need confident navigation as well as high-quality scanning sonar.

    • Garmin Navionics+ U.S. Inland mapping and touchscreen control
    • Ultra High-Definition ClearVü and SideVü sonar
    • A better fit than STRIKER when charts matter
  4. 4
    Humminbird XPLORE Series GPS Fish Finder MEGA Side Imaging+ & HD Touchscreen Display Transducer Included) 9-Inch Display

    Best Side-Imaging Upgrade

    Humminbird XPLORE 9

    A current 9-inch imaging platform for anglers ready to build around serious side imaging and boat integration.

    • MEGA Side Imaging+ and MEGA Down Imaging+
    • 9-inch display with touchscreen and keypad control
    • Recommended configuration: 9-inch, transducer included
  5. 5
    Lowrance HDS PRO Fishfinder/Chartplotter with Smartphone Integration and Preloaded C-MAP U.S. & Canada Charts 10 Inch ActiveImaging HD 3-in-1

    Best Premium Expandable System

    Lowrance HDS PRO 10

    A larger-boat platform for buyers who want premium sonar, mapping, networking, and a serious expansion path.

    • Active Imaging HD and C-MAP charting
    • Wide networking support for integrated electronics
    • Ready to expand with ActiveTarget 2 and the Lowrance ecosystem

Raymarine DSM25 Review

Raymarine DSM25 black box sounder designed for use with the Raymarine A60 or A65. This 500-watt sounder is housed in a box approximately 8-inches by 5-inches with a depth of 2-inches.

The black box, actually this one is grey, must be mounted on a bulkhead or deck area near the display unit as the connection cable length is limited just over 11 feet. Longer connection cables can be purchased.

raymarine dsm25 black box sounder

Raymarine DSM25

The unit is waterproof to IPX7 standards meaning it could be submerged to 1 meter for 30 minutes without damage.

We tested the DSM25 using both the A60 and A65 plotters in two different test sessions using the classic white color palette. Several other colors are user selectable.

Best Prices on Black Box Sounders.

This module is a full-capability black box and gives both Raymarine chartplotter units sounder qualities and features normally only found on a much more expensive fishfinder.

Standard features include auto and manual depth ranging, zoom, bottom lock, and water temperature.

Some of the more exotic features are 3-mode full-color A-scope, four-function zoom, adjustable range bottom lock and shift, and a rotary knob for gain control.

That last one is rare on black box units coupled to a chartplotter display. Gain has 3 auto settings as well as a manual range of 0 to 100.


raymarine dsm25 black box sounder on raymarine a60 display

This is a screen shot of DSM25 data presented on a Raymarine A60 display unit. Though the A60 does not have a very high resolution display screen we still rated sounder data presentation good because of how well it marked our targets.
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