Fish finders range in price from simple, handheld fish finders with castable transducers that are under $100, to complex chartplotters with full GPS connectivity, and features like Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Depending on what you are willing to pay, you can get a great model. People are used to ‘getting what they pay for’ and don’t often expect to receive a $900 product for $10.
If you expect this to be true with every fish finder on the market, prepare to be amazed. Allow the Raymarine Dragonfly 4 Pro to change your perception – this high-quality premier fish finder’s list price is surprisingly low. After you look at the features, functionality, and specifications of the Dragonfly 4 Pro, you won’t believe your eyes.
Display
The Raymarine Dragonfly 4 has a stunning optically bonded display has bright realistic colors and is 4.3 inches diagonally across. The high definition display is also made to work in all weather conditions through use of a special anti-fogging and clouding technology. Offering wide viewing angles, the Dragonfly 4’s display is in full color. Unlike many other fish finders, the Raymarine Dragonfly 4 has an LCD screen made specifically for the purpose of being easily viewable outside, no matter what. Antiglare and an LED backlight make day and night use easy. With a display resolution of 480 x 272, this unit always looks great. In terms of the display, you really can’t go wrong with the Dragonfly 4.
Raymarine Dragonfly 4 Transducer
The Dragonfly 4’s transducer really strives to impress with its long list of high end specifications and features. Its dual beam transducer can penetrate 600 feet of water, and utilizes advanced CHIRP DownVision technology for amazing results that look photo-realistic. You can switch between CHIRP Downvision sonar and traditional sonar at any time, so if for any reason you want to revert back to using normal sonar, you can. This Raymarine Dragonfly utilizes a 12 volt battery, and aftermarket rechargeable batteries are available for purchase. The DownVision sonar makes finding underwater structure so much easier and effective – anglers will love this technology.
Even with all these features, Raymarine still didn’t forget to add a temperature and depth sensor onto the transducer. The Raymarine Dragonfly transducer is highly effective, and for the price operates extremely well.
Additional Features
The Dragonfly 4 also boasts features like GPS and smartphone connectivity. These features are what really make this such a great model. The Dragonfly 4 comes with the ability to connect to smartphones via Raymarine’s unique ‘Wi-Fish’ app. All customers need to do is download the free app onto their device and they can begin replaying and streaming sonar information, save screenshots, and share media with a capable phone or tablet.
This Raymarine Dragonfly also comes with a Micro SD card slot, so you can upload maps or store data.
An amazing thing about the Raymarine Dragonfly 4 Pro is that it comes with GPS capabilities. The 50 channel GPS allows users to navigate much easier than ever, and maps can be downloaded to the device. It already comes preloaded with several US lakes, rivers, and coast maps, so it’s unlikely you will ever even have to upload them yourself. This accurate GPS is very unusual for fish finders in the $200 – $300 price range, so it’s a major plus.
Pros and Cons
One of the best things about the Dragonfly 4 Pro is that it is a relatively cheap model, it has several features, and with the purchase of a few aftermarket tools, can practically become a portable fish finder. This model has DownVision and traditional sonar, and these can be toggled which is a huge plus. The phone connectivity also makes things much easier and convenient for the modern angler. The display resolution is great, and the colors are very bold.
Unfortunately, every unit has its weaknesses. The Dragonfly 4 Pro has a slightly smaller screen than many other fish finders, and at only 4.3 inches may seem a little small at times. Even in smooth, clear waters, you can’t expect to use this model at speeds faster than 20 mph. Other models are fine with this speed, but unfortunately the Dragonfly 4 Pro is not one of them. No physical owner’s manual is given with the product, though installation is simple and there are several things. The GPS system is great, though the chart sets are very pricey.
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Conclusion
In general, the Raymarine Dragonfly Pro 4 is a really advanced fish finder. This unit is so great, and there are so many features that it is amazing that this is the price point. Because the Dragonfly 4 Pro is so feature packed, it can be a little confusing to learn. The transducer is very high quality, but can’t handle high speeds. This means that you should get used to going at lower speeds if you expect accurate results. With all these high end specifications, it’s incredible that this unit costs what it does.