Coming from the Dyson V8 Absolute, believe it or not, this Shark Vertex has a more powerful suction!  Both vacuums are really nice, high end products, and I love the Dyson for it's cordless ability to quickly vacuum for small lengths of time, but I needed a powerful vacuum that could last for longer than 15-20min, so I got the corded Shark Vertex.  It's very lightweight, very easy to maneuver and does a great job of picking up debris, dirt, pebbles, food, off of the tile, hardwood and carpet.  When it's time to vacuum the whole house, this is the vacuum I use.  Also, great for vacuuming the car, which can take some time.  Just used it for this yesterday and it worked great.  If you're looking for a high end, corded vacuum, this is it!  Highly recommend.