You both need to try out all the machines at a quilt show. I think all the machines do the job, but for me Gammill was tops, and that's what I bought, and I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE her! I think the vertical and horizontal channel locks are extremely important features to have--I use them all the time. One feature which is not important to have is the automatic thread cutter underneath--the reason is that it doesn't cut right next to the quilt back, and you have to go back and re-cut all the thread tails by hand anyway, plus, if you want to bury the threads they are cut really short, and hard to bury. It's best to bring the bobbin thread to the top of the quilt and just deal with the thread tails by hand.
I know there are many satisfied APQS owners out there, and I don't want to offend anyone, but my honest opinion to you is that I didn't like that the APQS machines I tried (all of them, at many quilt shows, as I waited years before buying anything) all hesitated to stop sewing when I stopped sewing. By that I mean the machines took several stitches after I intended for it to stop. So that was not a good machine for me--I didn't want to have to adjust to that. I figured there's enough of a learning curve to longarming without that, too. Just MHO, since you are wanting honest observations here.
Since you are planning on going computerized, you really need to look closely at how the computer moves the machine. I know someone who sold the Gammill she loved when she decided to go computerized, because she wanted to switch to an A-1 for computerized stitching. I can' remember the specifics, but there was something about the way the computer would move the machine that she preferred the A-1 for that. I have no intentions of ever going computerized, so I am thrilled with my Gammill, as is. The best thing you can do is to test drive as much as you can, and really try out all the features of every machine, so you'll know what is important to you and what isn't. Everyone has slightly different priorities, and it all makes the world go 'round. Have fun shopping! You'll both love it when you get going.