I love the design. Looks cool. But $500? Yikes. I'm in the same boat of trying to look for less pricey alternatives for a Cintiq. But in the end, you are going to get what you pay for. Having said that, just wait a bit like you mentioned and it's bound to drop in price, low enough to make you pull the trigger without feeling guilty.

Is this for work office or home office? If it's for work, I'm pretty sure you will be the bell of the ball with all your coworkers.