What you need to ask yourself is if you are going to get the maximum amount of use out of something like this. Take me for example. For my needs, this is overkill. An i5 Haswell processor installed with 8GB's of RAM and a Mushkin SSD drive is a bit much when all you're doing is replacing a Sony Google TV GS7 box that's about to get a Jellybean upgrade and is doing away with Flash completely and also isn't powerful enough to run Flash side loaded on it using a third party browser.......so this is where the NUC comes in.Like I said, my needs are simple. My intent is to use it to watch websites like Hulu, run a Proxy on it for overseas content, connect to my slingbox, watch ESPN go, as well as watch the NBC sports channel online, and surf, connect to Google Music, Youtube.....basic stuff, so the perfect O.S for me was running Windows 7 X64 wirelessly connected to a logitech keyboard / touchpad for couch viewing.Second use was hooking it up to an external 2TB hard drive and running VLC player on it for movie viewing. Like I said, pretty straight forward tasks which other less powerful hardware, including the i3 version could have handled, but like a lot of tech enthusiasts, you want the latest and the greatest. So, putting everything together was close to $600. I knew I'd be fully connected by ethernet, so I didn't pick up the wireless card due to having ethernet points all over the house and knowing the added heat was a factor with the previous gen model; small computers with fast parts, how could you not be concerned, but make no bones about it, the i5 and an SSD drive makes this thing fly. The waiting time on the Sony Google TV hardware with its ARM processor feels prehistoric compared to this. Don't get me wrong, I'm running a laptop with the i5 on it with an SSD right now, so I know what that's capable of, but when you get this thing in your hand and compare it to say a WDTV live box where the dimensions are relatively close, you realize you are dealing with something that's pretty special once you put it all together and get it hooked up and running.So, my random thoughts are this. It's solidly built. It was extremely easy to install the parts. It runs like it should. It doesn't feel all that hot when playing HD movies. The wireless keyboard is a huge convenience. The size factor makes you go wow when you first get it and it looks good....plus it makes you feel smug knowing what a mini tech marvel it is.As for what everyone else will be using this for, that's probably way above my pay grade. I know it will be something that won't reach its full potential in my hands, but that's not the kind of user I am, and not what I purchased it for. Just know that, in my opinion, Intel really hit the ball out of the park on this one to the point that I'm actually thinking of getting another one ( i3 ) for the bedroom. Just remember to purchase that mini HDMI cable or mini hdmi adapter. I nearly forgot that when I ordered it assuming it was just a standard HDMI connection.