Helm Electronics Update - Garmin Chartplotter and Ideas

[osubux1]

I have a Freedom 307 equipped with an original Garmin 5212. It also has a Garmin autopilot sitting on the right side. I am looking to do an electronics and look/feel upgrade. I am checking with other owners to get any ideas or inputs I should think about. Here is what I'm proposing:
-New Garmin 8612 (I see Garmin now has 4k chartplotters, but I don't think I need/want that)
-New Garmin autopilot
-New black backing behind switches and Garmin devices (matching the top and bottom, or one single black backing acrylic (whichever looks best)
-New switches replacing the original ones

I'm guessing others have gone this route before. So, I'm interested in any inputs, ideas, or feedback that might help me. One thing I would like to do is actually do a double screen of the 8612's. I'm pretty sure they both will fit without it being scrunched or too tight.

 

[Gulffishin]

Dual 12” 4K screens would be sweet- I could find twice as many hardhead catfish

Are you planning on keeping the yamaha gauge and the small square Garmin gauge too?

Have you considered swapping over to the push button switches with built in circuit breakers and etched symbols/ names on them?

 

[Coastboater]

Here’s a before and after using a simulated carbon panel from New Wire Marine. Laid it out physically with cardboard and templates to confirm usability. The helm is much smaller (Freedom 225) than yours, but you get the idea.