The 12 inch width seems to create an illusion of a shorter height. I hear folks say this about the Bernina 12 inch vs. 10 inch also, but if you measure it, you see how it tricks our human eye.
For me, every inch of horizontal space is critical because I want maximum room to maneuver a wide ruler when needed in addition to room for the quilt to bunch up.
This machine is a screaming bargain for quilters who are skilled at controlling a mechanical. Especially if they need a machine with garment capabilities (buttonholes, ZZ, stretch stitches, etc) combined with maximum quilt/ruler space. A very smart combination.