This is just my opinion-but I think you first need to decide on your top dollar that you are willing or can spend. Then you need to decide on what options you wish to have or feel you need on a machine. Next go try out all the different makes of machines within that budget. Find the one that feels the best to you that has the options that you want. We all have great machines, but my Janome 7700 may not feel good to someone else & visa versa. I could not live without a thread cutter or the knee lift which my machine has. All the other fancy stuff is just icing on the cake so to speak.
You said you already have a longarm so harp space isn't important, well I also have a longarm and my 7700 has 11" harp space. That is one of the wonderful features I love about it. It gives me freedom to move things around and I also keep my tweezers & small scissors right inside my harp space so I don't have to look for them. They are always within reach. Just because we all love our machines, doesn't mean that you would. Don't just buy a model because a few or many say it's a wonderful machine, it maybe to them, but might not to you. TRY OUT MANY BEFORE BUYING!!!!!