Should first impressions (2026 edition) [v2]

For context, I am working with a pretty modest budget so high-end suggestions probably will not land. I want to write something more comprehensive about this later but starting with a quick post to gather thoughts. Looking for honest feedback, not validation.

This came up at a meetup recently and the room was split, so curious what the broader community thinks. Mostly thinking out loud — feel free to push back hard. This came up at a meetup recently and the room was split, so curious what the broader community thinks.