MEGA should get you at least 100 ft of coverage on both sides of the boat. You get a clearer image I'd say 20% or better image. Jumping up 2" in screen size played a part in that. Humminbird Basemap cartography is built-in, Humminbird Helix 12 gn2 vs 10 gn3 ... tell much difference except in a lot deeper water and if you was to go with the mega 360 down the road you will need a gen 3 for that to work . I contacted hummingbird to find out what mount I needed for my 1200.00 Terrova trolling motor. And it just got even better. That’s a real bummer if you ask me, it stopped me from adding a 12” helix Gen 2 to my bow at a great price - I want the newest transducer (Low Q) and I’m afraid that they’re going to drop an updated 360 very soon that will have the same compatibility issues. MEGA Side Imaging (New) – The power and imaging detail of MEGA Side Imaging has been moved down into the Helix 7. Pioneered by Humminbird®, the clarity of MEGA Imaging can help you easily distinguish fish from structure, see the direction fish are facing and even target individual species. Because MEGA means more. With new MEGA 360 Imaging®, MEGA now sees in more directions and delivers more clarity. Installation and training for Humminbird Helix Gen 1 and 2 Models. They will only work with the newest Gen 3 Helix or Gen 2 Solix. The transducer is a lot smaller than the MEGA+ so they must have found a way to get MEGA type performance in a smaller, cheaper package. Humminbird announces the introduction of the SOLIX® Series third generation (G3) units, building on the brand's commitment to deliver technology advancements that give anglers a more complete picture of the water and structure around them, to find and catch more fish. Subject: Re: Humminbird Helix Mega Si gen2 vs gen3: Yes, I have all Gen 3 units on my new boat. Learn how to get the most out of your Humminbird Helix. With the turn of a new calendar year, we also have a wide variety of new tools from Humminbird and Minn Kota to help us find and catch more fish. The floorplate on the Gen 3 has a slimmer profile than the Gen 2 which can make it easier to fit into tight mag pouches.-Marking Dot Matrix. Humminbird models share the same buttons, menus and settings except for minor differences. Located at the bottom of the magazine is a dot matrix that the user can fill in with a paint pen to mark their magazines (Mag 1, 001, 002, IKE etc). I have a HB7 Gen 2 up front and a HB9 Gen 3 on the console. ckhawkeye51: Posted 12/4/2019 9:05 PM (#950600 - in reply to #950589) There is a huge difference when in DI. I had Gen 2 on my last boat. In the battle of fish finder supremacy, there are two brands that seem to overtake the rest. We’re comparing Humminbird vs Lowrance in this review because these are the two manufacturers with the most products of the highest quality and the most relevant reputation in the market. I purchased a Humminbird helix 9 mega gen 3 SI + DI. Here’s an overview of what’s new for SOLIX: The biggest changes you’ll encounter are two sonar/imaging advances that will be introduced into the SOLIX G2. the Gen 3 has enough menu changes to make a separate DVD. An example of the “dot matrix” on the new gen 3 PMAGs They gave me this part number for this bracket to mount my SI transducer to my terrova trolling motor. I now see structure, trees in particular at depth up to 120 ft. My Gen 2 will not show the trees nearly as clear and defined as the G3. Includes GPS mapping, built-in Bluetooth, Ethernet networking capabilities and ability to create your own maps in real-time with AutoChart Live's depth, vegetation and bottom hardness mapping. I am working on a Gen 3 DVD. but the gen 2 mega would be my choice if not going with the 360 as Mr S started the bigger the unit the higher the resolution! 2D, DI and SI sonar is covered. The HELIX 12 CHIRP MEGA SI+ GPS G3N features a commanding 12.1" display, MEGA Side Imaging+, MEGA Down Imaging+ and Dual Spectrum CHIRP Sonar.