Part of our The Icom IC-7300 Mark II: The Complete Guide.
This question comes up constantly from people who already own a perfectly good original IC-7300. Here’s my honest take on when the upgrade is worth it and when it isn’t.
What you’re actually paying for
The Mark II’s real improvements are better receiver dynamic range, cleaner transmit audio, HDMI output, dual USB-C virtual COM ports, a built-in LAN port for RS-BA1 without a separate server PC, separate RX antenna ports, and quieter running. None of these are gimmicks, but none of them fix anything that was actually broken on the original either.
When the upgrade makes sense
If you regularly operate in crowded conditions, contests, dense DX pileups, where the improved RMDR genuinely matters, or if you specifically want remote operation without a dedicated server PC, the Mark II’s improvements translate into real, felt differences. If you’re buying new anyway, there’s little reason not to get the newer hardware.
When it doesn’t
If your original IC-7300 is working fine and you mostly operate casually, ragchewing, occasional DX, general digital modes, away from especially crowded band conditions, the improvements are real but you may not notice them enough to justify the cost of switching. The original remains an excellent radio on its own merits.
The honest middle ground
Selling a working original to fund a Mark II purchase is a reasonable path if the price gap after resale is small enough for your budget. Just go in knowing you’re paying for meaningful but incremental improvements, not a fundamentally different radio.
My bottom line
- Buying new: get the Mark II, the improvements are worth it for the price difference.
- Already own a working original and operate casually: probably not worth switching.
- Contest or crowded-band regular: the RMDR improvement alone might justify it.
- Want remote operation without a dedicated server PC: the Mark II’s LAN port is a real win here.
There’s no universally right answer, it depends on how you actually operate and how much the specific improvements line up with your real use case.