Without a doubt Humminbird is superior in side imaging and down imaging. Especially if running the new Mega units. If looking at great pix and imagery is what you want. Humminbird is your answer.

If you like to find fish using your equipment. Then the Panoptix equipped Garmin is without an equal.Pretty simple to understand and imaging easy to understand.
I run both Humminbird and Garmin. The Humminbird is a Helix 10 Mega. The Garmin is an old GPSMAP 1040xs. Equipped with both PS 30 and PS 21 panoptix ducers.

The only time I run the Bird is to take advantage of Terrova I-Link technology. Especially the follow the contour feature. Use when slow trolling with the Terrova. Other than that the Garmin is the one that is always on. When I see fish on the Garmin I know it. On the Humminbird's it is for me a 50/50 deal. Might be fish might not.

If they ever passed a law that you could only run one. I would sell the Humminbird. The only disadvantage of the Panoptix is the expense. The new PS 22 helps that feature a little bit by doing both Down and Front VU. It cannot do both at once it is either one or the other depending on physical setup. Which can be easily changed.

I changed my ice fishing setup also . That is how much Panoptix impresses me. After using the PS21 on ice for two years . I am going to upgrade to the PS 22. See if you can beg borrow or steal a chance to see one in action on a boat. If you aren't impressed by its abilities. Technology is just not your thing.