So just had a demo day on Sunday and got to try out a bunch of units. Before the event I was most interested in an Optima. Unfortunately, an Optima was not avail for demo so I'm still very interested in it. My impressions of the units before actually testing them out were as follows (and probably using the Optima as a benchmark):

Inspiration: Not that interested...really not liking the single display or that later mixes would require more money to "upgrade".

Meg: Again electronics was my big concern seeing as how the standard doesn't include all that is included with the Optima for the price.
Copis: Interested if I wanted to go manual route

Kiss Classic: Something I could like if I wanted to go the manual route
Kiss Sport: Same as classic, but would prob. go to the Classic

rEvo: To new to really consider and training would be the issue

Now afterwards:

Inspiration: Felt great...Handset was a little awkward, but then again I was in a shorty wetsuit and not a drysuit or longsleeve wetsuit that I would prob be using in the real world. Like the idea of the temp stick, but not convinced it really adds true benefit.

Meg: I can't really judge this one. The unit being used was donated to be demo'd by a nice gentleman, unfortunately he was probably 2 times my size so the harness when all the way down had lots of slack and didn't fit nearly right...so I'm not making any judgements on this one. Breathed at 3 feet really well though

Copis: This one also felt great and seems to offer no adjustment at all. Felt really comfortable in it.

Kiss Classic and Sport: I just didn't like these at all. The mouthpiece with Bail out OC was a nice idea and something I really liked going into it...but then I felt it in the water and ug I hated it. heavy, big, jaw fatigue in the little time I was on them. Also, wow the counterlung design really makes you go chipmunk when u invert, and it never seemed like I could get the sweet spot with manual injection..(course this could be just cause I was new and hadn't really known how to).

rEvo: Also very nice. Felt good, no real issue when inverting. Looked clucky and heavy, was neither in the water. Felt very stable and very easy to reach buttons on the back. Concern is how I reach the buttons when I have wet or dry gloves on...should have asked more about that. The other issue is training...nothing really on the horizon for the rEvo anytime soon. Sure delivery of the unit would be a month or 2, but training would be much later than that. But overall the unit felt great.

Still really interested in the Optima and really would like to demo one in the pool. Might get a used Dolphin first and do some dives on that while my piggy bank gets bigger and I'm able to demo the Optima, but the experience was top notch.

UW connection had some great people there to answer questions and provide support. Ron B. was excellent in his descriptions and honestly of the units without being biased towards one or the other.
Also, got to try out and see the Shearwater Pursuit. Nice computer and something that I will now look at before a VR3. Still have some questions as to what the different levels of computer are.

So this just got me more hooked on the idea of going bubble-less, or at least semi bubble-less first