Looked at these in Scheels the other day. New design was almost as eye catching as the $160 sticker. Interested to hear feedback or see one at a cleaning station this spring.
Blade release and trigger lock mechanisms completely redesigned which is great as those are the weak points on the old ones. The new blade release is a single button that feels much more robust than the two side lock buttons on the old style.
Will be interesting to see how power and battery longevity compare. I have both Rapala corded and cordless, and always go for the corded when possible as the previous generation cordless just doesn't have the same power as the 110v. It's fine for some of the walleye I catch but it really struggles on the rib bones of the 24-30" eaters.