I have never tried either machine so probably should not be having any opinion but: from what I have read on this board it seems many people really like this Janome. My only experience with a Viking was a Sapphire I bought used a while ago and I am hoping to sell it as I don't like the automatic presser foot. I dont know if this is a feature of all Vikings or not but for me it was very different than any other machine I had ever used. I would see if I could try either these models ideally or if not even another model of these brands and as many other brands in your price range as you can before buying to be sure you can live with the way they sew,sound, ease of use etc. I think all the brands have areas they excel at, are generally good products and can get the job done but they are like shoes-some brands just fit better than others. Just because someone else loves it doesn't mean its the right one for you.