[AT&T Samsung Galaxy S II SGH-I777] VanillaCracker:
I'm all for GB

I agree with the OP that GB is the way to go atm. I've been one to mess around with a lot of different roms (since december or so when I rooted), but have always come back to sticking with MIUI (personal reasons - I like the themes, but I like how it's speed friendly; cus I am an extremely quick user, the kind that would be 4 steps ahead of the processor with older phones). Anyway I've used a few different GB roms (more like 20) that I had used for at least a month. And I'll contest that both UnNamed Rom, and the various MIUI builds are as mentioned, smooth as a babies butt :p . I have tried so many times, in vain, to get on a new ICS rom, and stay on it (I really like the concept of ICS), but I can't bring myself to do it. Reasons being: TOUCH RESPONSE. Luckily that is one flaw that everyone can agree on, and is not an opinion. Touch response blows monkey **** on ICS. I can't believe how dead on center I have to press some things, it's really aggravating (for me, especially because of the type of user I am). Feels like a high quality GPS touch screen (assuming a normal quality one is a ***** to touch haha). While using GB (I use AdyScorpius MIUI btw, FASTEST rom I've ever used in my life, it's the ****ing best haha), I can scroll 2 home screens right, tap the top left corner (my email app) all with the phone being able to register it on top with my speed. With ICS, GOOD LUCK trying to be a quick user. I have to constantly re-press things because they didn't register the first time (the screen was still moving partially, or I didn't press it exactly in the center with enough force or w.e). With GB I can flip home screens with a feathery touch of my finger if I wanted to. Can't say the same for ICS. Honestly, I never used Froyo, but parts of ICS (the whole requiring more effort - not being able to do things quicky, having to use more force) seem like that's what froyo would have been like, and GB improved on. Idk if that's true, but regardless what I mean by it is it seems like it's a step in the wrong direction. Regarding the speed of the rom, like swiping across home screens, I've noticed that changes very much with the different kernels used, obviously, so I'm not concerned about that. But the registration of touch actions does not improve, regardless of the kernel. I haven't tried upping it, but I haven't heard too many complaints about it, so I doubt the norm is that everyone is upping their screen sensitivity. If so, LET ME KNOW :D . Idc enough to go back and make a million tweaks to make ICS work the way it SHOULD. If I have to change a million little things just because I want face unlock, and a different layout of things, and data usage monitor (MIUI has built in apps for all that stuff as it is), and for all the "delete" "cancel" butons to be swapped, or for a non user friendly gallery deleting system (press menu button, then the very top option - middle of the screen - is "delete"), then I'd much sooner just stay with GB, which is what I'm doing. There were a few other things I was gonna rant about, but I got carried away with the points I've already written down :D . But I tried out the cMIUI rom that chillzz was putting together, V4 (ICS), based on AOSP instead of Samsung poop, (seems like the best of both worlds) yesterday, and it was really really nice, exactly what I thought it'd be and exactly what I'd want...if it wasn't ICS. Even though it was basically perfect, I still couldn't keep it, cus it was stupid ICS crap haha. I will admit, that if the touch resposne is just something they have to still work out (ICS issss relatively new, compared to when GB started getting speedy - I think), then AOKP will be a hell of a rom in terms of speed/response (CM9 too I'm sure) most likely on par with what UnNamed, and ShoStock are for Gingerbread. Which is fast. I really like ICS, and the concept of it. Benchmark tests always show that it's higher than some of the GB roms in general (despite how slow they seem), which DOES mean that they are more efficient. But until said things are fixed, I'm gonna have to sacrifice the better camera, new format (gallery, menu options, etc) and stick with what I'm happy and used to. Plus this way I won't have to deal with that stupid swipe away notifications crap, as well as app killing. It wouldn't be so damn bad if the sensitivity was better! Anyway I hope you guys learned something from my opinions lol. Please respond if you guys agree or disagree on anything.

Oh just for the record, I ran AOKP for a couple weeks, back in April (it was pretty stable) and Comparing UnNamed (GB), AOKP (ICS), and MIUI (GB), I can say AOKP was by far the best. If i'm to say 1-100% (100% being a perfect battery saver rom), then AOKP was 85-90% good for battery (just seemed like only the actions you made were taking juice out of the battery - no background or passive drain at all), while UnNamed/ShoShock would be at 75-80%, and putting MIUI at 55%. I text a lot. But I can get to about 6pm on MIUI if I turn data off intermittently throughout the day before my phone dies. If i'm not doing a whole lot at all (rare) it'll be at maybe 70% by the evening, but that's rare. MIUI does seem to have a lottt more passive drain though, than any other. More System drain, I suppose would be the correct terminology. Anyway that's just a noob talk opinion, lol.

Edit: Holy ****, I wrote way too much here hahah