Is the Artist Mix/Control/Transport worth it?

[BasketCase]

Particularly for use with Protools HD8?

This morning I just narrowly missed out on a cracking deal for a pro control plus edit pack ($831!!)... prior to stumbling upon the sale I hadn't really considered a control surface for my studio other than the occasional glance and thinking "it would be nice... but I could buy another really nice compressor for that much...".

Naturally, I am now hooked on the idea of a nice control surface to use with HD8. I don't think the artist series can compare with a pro control plus edit pack in terms of features (the pro control is about 10 times bigger)...

...but is the artist series still worthwhile? HD8 I think is the first version of protools HD that supported the artist series. Is the support well integrated? Or am I just going to spend a lot of money on a control surface that will only do what a mackie HUI or similar will do as well?

My main concern is, after flicking through so many pages of troubles and woes in this part of the forum about the artist series, that my money is better spent elsewhere... particularly given how early the implementation is with HD8.

*I realise that HD8 is older software. I have no intention of upgrading anytime soon though.