Part of our The Icom IC-7300 Mark II: The Complete Guide.
Whenever a new version of a hugely popular radio launches, the used market for the outgoing model shifts. Here’s what that’s looked like for the original IC-7300 since the Mark II arrived.
Why used prices move at all
The original IC-7300 sold well over 100,000 units worldwide, which means a large existing pool of them changing hands secondhand. As buyers who want the newest hardware move toward the Mark II, more used originals enter the market, and that supply increase tends to soften prices on the older model.
Is the original still a good radio
Completely, yes. Everything that made the original IC-7300 one of the best-selling HF radios ever is still true, direct-sampling SDR, a genuinely good touchscreen scope, a solid built-in tuner. It doesn’t have the Mark II’s receiver improvements, HDMI output, or built-in LAN port, but none of those were fixes for something broken, they’re additions.
What to actually check buying used
Confirm the touchscreen responds cleanly across its full surface, check that the built-in tuner actually finds matches, and ask about total transmit hours if the seller knows them. A well-cared-for used original at a meaningfully lower price than the Mark II is still an excellent value proposition for most operators.
Who this makes sense for
- Budget-conscious buyers who want a proper touchscreen SDR base radio without paying Mark II prices.
- Anyone who doesn’t specifically need HDMI output, the built-in LAN port, or the RMDR improvements for their operating style.
- A first HF base radio purchase where the original’s now-softer used pricing makes the jump from a budget radio easier.
The Mark II is the better radio on paper, but the original hasn’t stopped being a genuinely good one, and softer used pricing only makes it a smarter buy for a lot of people.