I don't know why anyone goes for any LE.

You get 99% of the machine with the pro (theme, code, callouts, rules, etc.). You pay so much more for 1% extra. Sure it's cool sometimes, but it's never worth it to me when you can get two completely different HUO pros for the price of a NIB LE.

If you're plan is to never sell it, I'd say go LE.

It will never stack up on a features-for-money analysis. And the people buying the LEs just don't care. If you don't care about the extra money then go for it. Some releases I care about the extra money and wait for the premium. This one I didn't. Never makes the kind of sense that you could explain to anyone.

Im in on the pro. I was deciding between premium and LE as well, but for almost half the price of an LE, you get all the same game play as the others, besides a few extra toys and better armor. I understand the want of an LE, but after watching the prices fall so much on former LEs over the past few years, the pros seem to hold around the same value. The premium being about 1500 more than the pro almost got me, but at the end of the day I look at it as saving that for the next one. But, to each their own, thats why they make 3 versions!

Usually the decision is about wanting the extra game features, so with that in mind the Premium gets you all of that. I'm not really seeing anything compelling about the LE.

I loves me some LE.

Tron LE
End of Line

Before Star Trek, LEs were only $500 more than Premiums, and included a shaker. So they were a good deal and made sense to try and get one before they sold out.

Star Trek that price jumped to $1000+ more. Now, the Star Trek LE is probably the best LE Stern has ever made, an awesome looking machine. So at least they gave some good value to justify the price jump.

Since then, the LE features have started to be pulled back, but the price has not.

Now, for $1000+ you're getting mirrored backglass, armor, Gary signature and plaque.

For this particular title, if I was thinking about it, it would be a premium for me. Plus premiums are plentiful, so there's no need to buy the game sight unseen.

LE vs Premium vs Pro is highly game specific and you can't generalize over all pins. With some games, the LE is a must while others the premium or even the pro is the better option.

Totally agree, I was actually thinking of StarTrek LE when I think of best example of paying the extra for LE. Best LE Stern has released.

Doesn't TRON LE deserve to be in this discussion?

I think the days of buying LE's as an investment are over, so it comes down to the extra bling/features.

TronLE and STLE were outliers. If all LE's were this great, it would be a no-brainer...

Most LE's don't seem worth the money to me...especially KISS LE, where the back glass artwork isn't even distinctive. I think paying up for much cooler artwork/bling is ok, but in this case the Premium looks more attractive to me.

TRON lover here. No I don't think it does. They're talking about LE features vs. price etc.

TRON LE is great, no doubt. But the STLE is truly a work of art. The lighted rails, the powder coat, gorgeous backglass, the art is easily the best of the 3 trim packages IMO too. With the TRON LE you do get some cool features but you get essentially the same art package, cab and backglass minus the chrome vs the pro. I've owned an STLE and now have a TRON Pro. As awesome as TRON LE is I don't think it's in the same class as STLE. Price aside of course. All that said man I'd love to have a TRON LE.

Several factors are important.

Budget. Be honest with yourself. If its totally within your budget, the LE is nice. If it's not, enjoy the game you can afford and ignore the hype.

Features/Art/Overall Package. This is buyer specific. My personal best example is ACDC. I saw the premium at the 2012 TPF. Short of a BIB, it blew me away. The BIBs all sold out immediately and the LTBR did not grab me personally more than the Premium. I was very happy with my game. Music is also huge for me, now that its an option (thank you Stern!). Mustang music was way lame to me. I got a pro to dip my foot in the pool and really liked it. After changing the music I freaking love it! Im ready to upgrade now. I had to have STLE, and freed up money to get it. I paid at the top of the market (after the Metallica incident). No regrets.

Investment. This is a whole different category. I'm not in that category, but I don't have anger for those that do. Speculation is risky and it takes skill to do it consistently. Make fun of guys like Teeke all you want, he knows what he's doing. Guys are not buying Greek islands with the profits, they are usually funding their hobby at best.

What the hell am I doing? Its Saturday for Pets's sake.

Try to convince you? You've already decided. I could care less about the money, so for me it's a moot issue. If you look at the pin and get upset everytime thinking about the money spent, def not for you.

I'm grabbing a premium after they get the game dialed in ,$2k can buy,shaker,chrome trim,color dmd and make it your own

Seems more logical to me that when you will never sell just pick the premium.

Plan to sell it? Then go for the LE.

Tron is perfect example of how overpriced an le can get compared to the pro. Especially when you can mod a pro up to be pretty much an Le.

Depends on the game, each one has it's own warrants for opting for an LE.
In regards to KISS I don't see the draw to get the LE.
All artwork is the same other than the color borders and flames on all models.
LE and Premium have the exact same features. 4 bank drop targets on left, single drop target in front of Star Child area, dancing animated Paul Star Child figure, a real ball lock in Demon mouth, a magnet in backboard to carry ball to platform. As well as RGB color changing lamp grid and RGB general illumination light show. All these features are extra over the Pro model.

No magnets in pro, no drop targets in pro, virtual ball lock in pro.
The best bang for the buck is the premium on Kiss.

I would suggest getting a premium from pinball refinery. They will add mods that are worth the extra cost. I would choose that over an LE every time.

I was LE and now became only prem collector. I most cases I just like the prem more because they fit better with the others in the lineup.

Sold acdc bib; got luci.
Sold mople; got monster.
Sold twd le; got prem.
Got mustang prem...

So prem for me onwards!

I really don't have much of an opinion on this thread because I don't have enough exposure to the different options available. I am curious though what affects the value of an LE pin. I have a Tron LE and it is autographed by Gary stern a john Borg. Apparently the first 50 were signed. Don't know if this is definitely true or not but it's what I read someplace . Do buyers care about this. It didn't matter to me when I bought it. I just wanted the LE version. Did other LE versions for other machines have this as well

No they didn't .

On KISS, I would go premium. The trim looks terrible on the LE. Just powder coat the trim a color of your choice, white would look cool maybe?

In the case of Kiss, just go Premium. The LE package isn't compelling enough to justify the price unless you're just a die-hard Kiss fan and HAVE to. While I'm a huge fan of the foil decals...I could live without them.

If you are deciding between an LE and premium, always go premium. You still get the full featured game, minus maybe some trim and backglass option, and in most cases the premiums are actually more limited then the LE's.

I'm in on Alien LE, as its my dream theme for sci fi/ horror...way good w that decision....

Think KISSLE could be something I really want down the road, but I'll have to see one, play it first...

I suppose I run the risk of them getting snatched up ( maybe they already are)...but suspect there will be an HUO or 2 pop up down the road....

TRONLE? Played both a fair amount...no brainer for me...it's an ultimate pin, period....

Just going on the pro video it seems a great package. The big draws for the prem le correct me if I'm wrong is the real capture plus the magnet ball crossover? I'm just not seeing how a real capture makes any sense. Are the balls captured visible? And real drops? Well not worth the thousands extra. The hovering ball cross over... Just not interactive enough for me to go wow I'm getting the premium for sure. Only my opinion tho. I may be wrong. Hope I am.

at this point I'm going pro and pimping it out

It's not clear that the KISS LE has enough extra features to justify an additional $1900 over the Premium. Unless of course you are a collector and crave the limited number of the LE.

Nothing is an LE when there are other variations with the same features installed.

In most if not all cases the Premiums are more rare then the LE's. How many Avengers Premiums have you seen?

99%? No. More like 75%.

If you meant to say Premium instead of Pro, then yes.