Yes, where durability is concerned, realistically I would consider every advancement a step down. Old air cooled pumps with bearings can last almost forever, but every few years you have a fair expense in changing bearings and seals, not to mention the time and labor, but I think this makes them truly green and a wise investment. The more advancement and computerized things become, the shorter they last, most stuff is the same way, old cars can be repaired almost indefinitely, now they work until the computers fail and are no longer available. Sadly, almost nothing is repairable anymore and consumers are hooked on a disposable mindset and the skills to keep things running are being lost. I don't really see a savings in DC pumps, the energy savings is not high enough to offset the shorter life and higher upfront cost, the only place they really shine is where controllability is needed. They do work great for powerheads because it allows pulsing and more features, but this all comes at the cost of durability, and this isn't just aquarium pumps, my home heating/cooling unit has a DC blower and about every 5 years I need a new card for the blower and for the cost, I wonder if it is worth it, not sure I am saving $500 over a simple AC motor, the only advantage I really see is no static electricity because the air isn't moving so fast.
