If you can only afford one 10 or 12 at dash would you place in dash or on ram mount to the side??

For me it would depend on your console, what's there already? Is there room to fit a large screen? There is nothing wrong with mounting them either way. Some people prefer in dash for safety (not having to look off to the side while running) some don't mind either way. The good news is either way you go you have the other option to add to later.

For me it's on a mount due to glare issues or you can buy a mount that goes in the dash to push it out at a different angle.

Homemade mount on the console. Something like the bass boat technology. When spearing waves, they work best!

Loss prevention was foremost in my mind when deciding how to mount electronics. I spent $2000 on a unit I won't be putting in-dash. Something that expensive attracts a lot of attention; I don't want it to grow legs and run away! A number of boat models I've checked secure the unit in a panel that is then mounted to the console with six to ten screws. All of the ones I checked are sheet-metal screws, not machine screws. A thief with a cheap screw-gun can quickly free the entire panel, cut all your cables (quicker) and leave with your unit still in the panel. You'll discover a big hole and a bunch of cut cables (Xducer, HD Xducer, network, power, and maybe NMEA). Replacing all those is a lot of work and expense even beyond the lost unit. I've seen photos of the case I described here, and the same for bow panels.

I put the big $$$ unit on a removable mount so I can remove and secure it when it's at risk. I also get the advantage of controlling angle for glare.

I put a less expensive unit in-dash, THEN swapped out all mounting sheet metal screws for machine screws with lock-nuts installed on the backside. Now, the machine screws won't back out without getting a wrench on each of the locknuts. This makes it much more complicated for a thief with a screw-gun and the idea of taking the panel with unit intact. He can spin the screws, but they won't back out unless he takes the time to get a wrench on the locknuts under the console.

Thieves want a quick steal to reduce the risk of being caught, and may walk away when their standard method doesn't work. There is still a risk I could lose the in-dash unit, but I've made it more difficult in hopes that the thief is in a hurry and lazy.