I love Viking and the great thing is you'll get free classes to learn how to do it. I have the 5D software that isn't free for my Ruby and I know that you can do split screens with it. I'd go with the biggest hoop, the most support or classes that you can get for your money. You'll need some kind of software if nothing else but to view the designs so having it free is great. I won't say how much I paid for mine even though I did get the organizer free so that I could do somethings with the designs. None of my Vikings are finicky about thread and have been easy to figure out when I'm trying to learn things that I haven't been taught in class yet. This week I start learning to digitize as well so that'll be fun.