What was the deciding factor in spending $212.00 on a mod? What benefits does this have over other mod that are cheaper?
The deciding factor is you, just like anything else in life. For me, I don't believe that all mods are equal, there are some that are above and beyond the rest, imho. While design, fit and finish all have it's merits, there are other functional differences that make me prefer some over the others.
One of the main reasons why I love my GGTS is the atomizer connection and the way it is vented, it is very tough to flood it and even when I do I can take a few drags and it will no longer be flooded. On some of my other mods, I have to blow them out, in order to clear the flooded atty. There aren't many PVs out there that don't use a press in connector.
Second, because of its design, it can take a multitude of batteries. Which not only changes its function (bigger longer batteries, when I don't want to have to carry spares) but also its form factor (smaller batteries, when I want a small PV). With the ability to have 3.7, 6, 7.2 and 7.4 all in a single PV.
Do these things matter to everyone else? Probably not, but they do to me and that's why $212 for a PV that can actually be configured for what ever situation I want is well worth it.