Ithkuc. I not up on the latest in formats and minidisc is not familiar territory.

They both have controls to wire a CD changer remotely if you wish to put a CD changer way in the back and run it through the MD receiver. Which is nice, I would not want to lose the ability to play CD’s in the car if I only had one DIN slot and wanted it all in the dash.
Both faceplates are removable (take it with you when you leave the car). The one not ‘showing’ a slot, features removable and ‘folddown’. Folddown and insert MD I assume, I think they use another term for the faceplate that 'flips' to a flat surface to look as if nothing is there. The guys in my sons group don't care about the flip as much, they just want to remove it each time they leave the car. Bringing its own range of danger, I've seen them just set the flaceplates loose in their pockets instead of the carry case. Prob not to good for them.