I would say if you are debating a chip or a programmer look at it this way. The programmer will not give you on the fly changes. So if you are set on your "hot" program and you want to hook up to something heavier than your boat you will have to hook up the programmer and change it, but with a chip it is just as easy as turning up or down the radio. Plus as stated either a DI or a DP chip will out run a programmer any day. just my $.02.