I was pretty nervous about ordering a mattress online, but reading all the great reviews really helped press the "Order" button. We tried out some similar beds to know what we were looking for before purchasing this one and what firmness was best for us. First of all, the mattress comes in a roll, which is so amazing in itself. My husband was doubting that it was really a king sized mattress! Within the first cut of breaking the seal, the bed inflates to the size of something that could never have come in the bag it just came out of. We opened it on day three of receiving it, which was within the recommended window and I do think is it at its fullest height of 14". We purchased the medium firmness and it has been great so far. We have a platform bed, so we didn't need a box spring, which added to our savings. I have never had a gel foam mattress so I can't speak to the comparison, but I do know, I never would purchase a mattress that is well into the thousands. This is probably the best thing I have purchased that I feel like I got away with a steal of a deal. It has only been a week of sleeping on it, but can tell such a difference between this and our worn out pillow top. I can't stress how impressed we are with this mattress and that just because it was a fantastic price doesn't mean that it has to be terrible. We are the average family that didn't want to spend a ridiculous amount on a mattress. I really would recommend this!