Feature:
Great sequencer, I particularly like the pattern work mode, it allows me to create a song piece by piece and the chain it together into a song. Sampling vocals or adding a commanding lead guitar with my stratocaster is easy and painless. A plethora of effects can be added to your final mix. The layout of the keyboard is great, all within your control with quality knobs, sliders and buttons, solid feel to them. I wish it included step sequencing, but I can do that on Cubase AI included.

Quality:
It feels solid, it justifies the cost. Love it.

Value:
8 months since I bought this workstation here at Zzounds, very happy with my decision, would do it again without question.... Got a whole band in this keyboard, it is the foundation of my home studio.

Desirability:
Shwing!!!!!!!!!!!

Sound:
The sound of the XS is why I decided to buy it over the other choices. After long research in the internet, music forums, listening at stores etc, it came down to sound, the sounds on the XS (with proper monitors) are simple the best available. The acoustic instruments are sound just like the real instrument they represent, the organs and keyboards are awesome as well, synths, choirs, pads... not to mention some of the incredible sax sounds! But really, just a superior sound experience.

Ease of Use:
Beautiful sounds out of the box. After you get deeper into it, you'll discover an arsenal of tools to farther manipulate sounds to your needs, or just to experiment. Love the LCD screen. A very complete set of owner manuals and sounds chart. There is definitively a learning curve to get in a zone with it, but that wont take any points away from it, great satisfaction in the process.

Support:
Second to none, if you decide to purchase one, you got to go to Motifator.com, great bunch of people there. You'll get guidance from the Yamaha experts themselves, sound designers and product specialist, that along with a large number of XS users. If you need spoon feeding, you'll get spoon feeding, if you got a highly technical question, you'll get accurately informed till you solid on the matter.

Overall:
I am a happy customer, I will keep looking at Yamaha in the future but the Motif XS is a keeper.