I'll agree with you. Buying a new phone every 2 years or so at $200 isn't that big of a deal to me, especially when you think of how much other electronic devices cost. And then nobody brings up the fact that Verizon offered basically $60 off the phone, or technically making the 'activation fee', tax and shipping charges free. So it's like I walked in the store and bought it for $200 and got it the first day possible.
And yes, for all the ******** and complaining about low specs and 720p screens and small batteries, this phone absolutely flies. I've never used a 'flagship' phone as my own before, but I've played with the S4, One, Note 2 and all those. The X is just plain fast. Everything it does is immediate. No stuttering or lag whatsoever, plus the battery lasts all day. I still have 10% left after a 18 hour day.
Every one of the naysayers has probably not even touched the phone, let alone used it for more than 5 minutes at the store. Just a bunch of spec whores who want to look ridiculous with tablet sized phones.