The more I play with my FT-450D, the more I find myself eyeing more capable rigs.  I've only been using it on PSK31 since I got it and my SignalLink a few weeks ago, my antenna setup isn't ideal at the moment so I haven't messed with voice at all.

I mainly just want to work a few digital modes and SSB.  The IC-7300 seems to be a well reviewed radio and receives better than my FT-450D, or the FTDX1200 and 3000 I was looking at according to sherwood engineering's chart. I also like that I don't need a SignalLink for it, interfaces directly with a pc which means I could sell my SignaLink as well to help offset the cost of the new rig.

Curious to know what you guys think about the IC-7300.  Worth the upgrade?

Apples & Oranges

the 7300 is insanely popular for many reasons primarily it's receiver and ease of use along with being on the leading edge of avail ham-tech from the Big3.  
when it came time for me to buy another HF rig (back in November) , I didn't buy the 7300-it didn't fit my needs.

ETA: it's make a Really Nice Primary Rig with the 450D complimenting as your back-up (one is none, get both)

Keeping both won't be an option unfortunately, supposed to be saving money since we're wanting to move in to a bigger house within the next year. Sucks, but the up-side is once we move I'm putting up a tower.

In the future I'd like to have an older HF transceiver as a backup rig, a old kenwood or something needing a good home.

The 450d is a good learner rig, the 7300 has a ton of bells and whistles. If I were to upgrade, I'm still not sure if that would be the radio I'd go to, but it would be one of the top contenders.

Figure out how to make your 450 work, with all the filters and stuff, then maybe upgrade, you'll learn using the training wheels.

BTW, my club has a 7300 I borrowed, it was overwhelming for my first HF test rig. I'm happy with the 450, at least until I get a better antenna!

My advice is keep the radio you have and work on getting a better antenna.

This hobby , at least for me, is a constant what can I get next hobby.

You said your antenna setup is not ideal

While few are, sounds like you eould be best served with your efforts going into a new antenna

If you want big improvement in send and recieve, either make or buy a better antenna or two

That will always make the biggest difference, unless you already have a multiband  yagi at 100 feet

Good points on learning what I have.  My main struggle is my current antenna.  I'll focus on that for now and revisit the idea in a few weeks and see where I'm at then.

I also have a ft-450d, which I picked up after starting with an IC-718.  My opinion is the 450d will do what the 7300 will do if you know how to do it.  The 7300 may make things easier if you spend the time to learn the rig.   Both are 100w rigs capable of running digi and phone without issues.  A phrase I was taught early on should serve you well since you stated you are tying to save up some cash is "1 dollar spent on getting a proper antenna is easily worth 10 spent on transcievers".  Perhaps not a direct quote but gets the point across.

Having said that if you have your heart set on a 7300 then get it.   Just be aware you may not see much improvement in what you can do just by changing the rig.

I agree with the last few posts.

Keep the radio you have. It will do everything you need it to do.

We have reached the point in ham radio where basing decisions on receiver specs and all that is almost gilding the Lilly. Yeah, there is a measurable difference. But from a real world standpoint, you will probably never know the difference.

Save your money.  Try various antennas Experiment. Learn. Have fun.

IMO a 7300 is a no-brainer "forever" rig. There's a reason it's popular, the level of
SDR you're getting at the price point pretty much beats everything.

If you're planning on digital modes, it's a single-cable solution.

The only thing I don't like is the touchscreen user interface, and that I got used
to the 7200's ruggedness.

If you get the 7300 you'll never be wondering if your problems are the radio's
fault, and so it takes that out of the equation so you can focus on the important
stuff, e.g. the antenna.

This is an unambiguous no-brainer. The 7300 is the absolute best bang for the buck in the entire history of ham radios. You can pick up a used one for as low as $850 and, short of having a second receiver, have more radio than anything short of a 7610, Flex or Apache. And, since you can sell your 450 for about $550, it's effectively only a $300 upgrade. It's a legit, direct-sampling SDR, the only one on the market except for the aforementioned 7610, Flex, and Apache. Nobody I know who has one has anything but good things to say about it, and the reason there are plenty of used ones is because people keep upgrading to either 7610's or Flex's or Apache's after they get their feet wet with the 7300.

It has one limitation, which is that the TX passband is restricted to 2900Hz, however that is a characteristic of all Icom radios and a consequence of Icom design philosophy.

Agree- just like collecting anything, it does get addicting. Doing research- reading reviews, specs etc. Chasing the next best will never end.

I feel compelled to disagree. I had an IC-7000 back in 2008. It was OK. Shack in the box. Sold it and got a used Flex-3000. That thing changed my life. It was so much better performing it was ridiculous. I went from not hearing anything to hearing everything but not having quite enough power to always make the contact.

A couple of years after that I bought a used KPA-500 amp. That thing changed my life again. Now my teeth matched my ears perfectly. If I could hear them I could work them. Only the worst pile-ups got in the way.

A few years later I sold the Flex and bought an ANAN-100D. Changed my life again. An even better receiver, and one of the best transmitters on the planet. Had way more fun with it.

I'm not a collector. I'm a one radio kind of guy. Life is too short for mediocre equipment. Golf clubs to ham radio, buy the best you are able to. It does make a difference.

I have chased a lot of radio equipment in my short ham radio career of 11 years.

I can hear just about anything with a Kenwood TS-820 made in the 70's I paid $325.00 that will receive what any modern receiver will hear for all practical purposes. Verify that at the Sherwood receiver tests.  I paid $1,000.00 for a Collins 30S-1 amp last year( one of the best IMD amps ever made) for a total of $1,325.00. Have a Heathkit 2060A tuner I paid $275.00 and have a 135 foot dipole that I worked the world with that cost me about $50.00. In fact had an Icom IC-703 that I worked the world with on 10 watts using that 135 foot dipole.
I am not a contester so a modern receiver would have better selectivity then the old Kenwood and a modern rig would be better if you are a hard core contester.
I would argue with you that Anan 100-D puts out a better signal then a Kenwood hybrid using a pair of 6146 tubes.

The only modern radio that I have right now is a Yeasu 897D I bought new 10 years ago and I worked the world with it today with the horrible band conditions  using my old 1970 Collins 30S-1 amp putting out 800 watts on my 135 foot dipole about 45 feet in the pine trees . Spending more money on a modern rig might give you more selectivity and DSP for crowded band conditions.

I have some SDR equipment and yes it is good- there is always chasing the better equipment but the OP was wondering if upgrading his radio to an Icom 7300 was going to be much better then his current rig.
Had an Icom-7300 but sold it to fund other ham radio gear.

I would like to check out an Anan SDR from what I have read they are great. Maybe one day I will just because I like testing out new gear.

If you have the extra money and want to do an incremental upgrade go for it, the 7300 is a great transceiver - it's always nice getting new gear to play with.

7300 hands down.. i have one which is a fun radio to tinker with.   Once you get the radio setup, save the config.    Great little radio..

Prosise