Even if there aren't any bugs, I'd stay away from the 7 for a season or two just to make sure. Digital things can be really finicky. I bought a showdown when they first came out and ended up returning it. I wouldn't be as hesitant to buy one now that they've cleaned them up.
With that said though, the LX-5 has been out for quite some time, and is pretty much the cream of the crop when it comes to traditional motorized flashers. I upgraded from a VX-1P to an LX-5 this season, and haven't regretted it one bit. It's more flasher than I'll ever need.
I also talked to the guys at Marcum when the LX-7 was first being released because I had the same question as you. However, I was also concerned about how the lcd display would hold up in Saskatchewan cold (not central US cold). He said they had only tested it down to -20 and that much colder than that might slow down the display a bit (even if it's heated, that was a bit of a red flag for me). Also, if it got dropped and some digital component broke, $700 is a pretty hefty replacement bill. Personally I'd stick to the 5, but I'm sure others would disagree. If you're in S'toon you can always come try out my 5 sometime if you'd like. Shoot me a pm.
