I'd go for the PE770 they always get good ratings, you can always trade in at a dealer later if and when you want to upgrade. Plus brothers are one of the most user friendly brands out there, great for a beginner, and from what I hear stitches as beautiful as some of the more expensive ones. But you do have to use a certain thread with it from what I have heard. I'm sure there are groups online who know all about the machine.