The idea of hardware (rather than computer/software) is that it should be fun, quick, and easy to use, and the Push 3 is certainly that. The MPE pads are a joy to play. For me, the Push 3 bridges the gap between "hardware controller" and "instrument" in a way that not many controllers do.
I went with the Push 3 controller version - I wish the Push 3 standalone version was more "standalone" (i.e. better battery life). Hopefully Ableton will release a more viable standalone upgrade version in the future.
In any case, very happy with the Push 3 controller!