What do you think would be the benefit of possibly getting a IC-9700 vs the ID-5100? Are all the extra bells and whistles worth it? I know I have to answer that question for myself, but opinions from others help.
I have both, the ID-5100 is gathering dust, the IC-9700 is used daily from home and regularly in VHF/UHF contests from a nearby hill.
If you mostly want an FM radio for the shack, or for mobile, consider a second hand ID-5100. They are not popular and sell for peanuts. Beware they mostly come without any means of mounting the head, you can make a head mount from Perspex (clear acrylic sheet).
The IC-9700 is a top notch SSB/CW radio, with a GPS locked oscillator, such as those by Leo Bodnar, especially with their internal board for the 9700, you can be accurate to around 1 Hz on 23 cms. Mine is used daily on 2 metres SSB. I have used it for meteor scatter, and take part in many contests on SSB and CW from a nearby hill.
Basically, firstly you need to decide what use you want the radio for. Some areas have a lot of FM activity, some hardly any. Equally, SSB on 2 metres is great if you run a regular sked (which I do most mornings), or if you are a contest operator… but VHF/UHF SSB can be lonely. Digital voice can be interesting, but is probably best achieved with a hotspot and a handheld, which allows you to operate from around the house.
73 Dave