Another vote in favor of an AM7, or even an AM8 (also rumored), over here 🙂
I have been leaning toward an iOptron HAE69, i.e. 69 lbs or 31.3kg payload if you prefer, but have been advised to, and would prefer, to stick with the same brand [I own an AM5, ASIAIR Plus & ASI174MMC so far, with other ZWO products on my radar, so I hope ZWO will consider my clientele & aspirations seriously 😉 ]
The day ZWO offers something equivalent to a HAE69, at reasonable price, I'll upgrade from my AM5 newly-acquired for the recent total eclipse.
But I won't wait too long, I need this integrated & "learning curved" with mounted solar-specific equipement long before August 2026 for the full solar eclipse I'd like to go watch in Iceland (and the much better one in Luxor a year later).
Besides, my 12" Meade LX200 days optical tube (i.e. from the days their optics were very good), once mounted on a rigid dovetail & piggybacked wich secondary equipments, a dew shield, etc., will quickly exceed the AM5 ratings, and I won't take such risk; there's DEFINITELY a market for that range of payload, therefore.
