Raymarine Axiom 2 12 Chartplotter | 6-Core, 1800 nits

The Raymarine Axiom 2 12 is the flexible foundation of the Axiom 2 family, a 12-inch multifunction chartplotter that gives you the fast, bright platform and lets you tailor the rest. This is the base chartplotter configuration, focused on navigation and networking, ready for you to add your own charts and build out the system that fits your boat. If you want a capable helm display and prefer to choose your own cartography rather than take a preset bundle, this is the version to start with.

The screen is a 12-inch touchscreen at WXGA 1280 by 800 resolution with a very bright 1800 nit display, so it stays clearly readable in direct sun. Behind it is a 6-core processor with 64 GB of solid-state storage, and that muscle is what makes the Axiom 2 feel quick, charts redraw fast and switching between apps and screens happens without lag. The display uses HydroTough display technology, built to handle the knocks and moisture of the marine environment.

It runs the LightHouse operating system, and because this is the base unit, you add the LightHouse charts that match exactly where you run. Some boaters prefer that flexibility, buying the cartography for their home waters rather than paying for a region they don't need. When you want charts preloaded instead, there's a version of this same display that ships with North America cartography already loaded.

This is the chartplotter configuration, so it doesn't have built-in sonar, but it's fully sonar-capable over the network. It supports networked sonar via Ethernet or NMEA 2000, so you can bring fishfinder capability to this display from a separate sonar module whenever you want it. That keeps the door open, start as a navigation display and add sonar down the road without replacing the screen.

It's built to be the hub of a connected helm. It supports gigabit Ethernet networking so you can tie in radar, additional displays, and networked sonar, and it connects over NMEA 2000 (LEN 1) for engine data, sensors, and instruments, plus Wi-Fi for app connectivity and updates. That expandability means this display can grow with your boat, from a single navigation screen to the center of a full multi-display system.

It's built for the water and designed to be a fast, reliable helm display that handles the marine environment. It draws up to about 15.48 watts at 12 volts, with a nominal 12 volt supply and an 8 to 16 volt operating range, so it's efficient on your electrical system. Physically it measures about 12.36 inches wide, 8.54 inches high, and 7.01 inches deep, and it supports the standard trunnion, surface, and flush mounting options, so plan your helm space accordingly.

It's worth adding a note on the LightHouse experience day to day. The interface is designed around fast, app-style operation, so laying out the exact combination of chart, data, and networked sonar you want on screen is quick, and your setup is there waiting the next time you power up. Because this is the flexible base unit, you tailor everything, your charts, your networked sonar source, your radar, to exactly what your boat needs, and you can add each piece as your budget and plans allow. Over a season you build a helm that works the way you think, all on a fast platform that never makes you wait.

Who's this for? Boaters who want a fast, bright 12-inch navigation display and prefer to choose their own charts and build the system their way. If you want the flexible base of the Axiom 2 line, ready to add cartography and networked sonar as you need them, the Axiom 2 12 is the choice. If you'd rather have North America charts preloaded, or want built-in RealVision 3D sonar, there are versions of this display that add each.