Yes, the data boxes on the left side of the screen take up a lot of real estate......There is a fix for this in the current Helix models.
I think Humminbird also eliminated some of the accessories in the newer software releases for the 98 series.
If the Helix 9 is the same as the other Helix, it will have an even brighter screen than the 999. The Helix 7 has a higher NIT rating.