for me personally, it's a balance between what models I want and what radio I want. I chose to go with a 6 channel radio and spend the money on new models and parts. I also don't fly scale warbirds, etc that need more than 6 channels. I'm mainly into 3D and aerobatics now. The only thing I would suggest if you go with a 6 channel is make sure it has basic mixing and dual rate capabilities. Highly aerobatic models can get sensitive, so it's nice to have some minor expo dialed in too.