For myself, the most useful feature is the ability to scroll through all of the zones and get a status on what’s going on. I have a lot of zones, 120 active zones to be exact, and checking that through a hardwired keypad is time consuming. I wish I could attach a couple of screenshots so I can show you what I’m talking about but cannot do that here. Followed closely by the push notifications. If the alarm is activated, you will get a notification on your phone.
I understand what you are saying about Elk not producing their own app. I had my reservations about that initially but the 3rd party apps that are available are pretty solid and work well. One of the things I like about the M1 system and Elk itself is that they are pretty open with their products. Most alarm manufacturers, you have to be a dealer to get some support and their equipment is proprietary. Having your architecture opened up so anyone can make a product that will work with your system gives you more options. But that’s just my opinion.
So don’t second guess yourself just yet. The M1 is a good, versatile, system that should run smoothly once you get everything set up the way you want it. My system has been running for 5 years now and, day to day, I don’t even think about what it’s doing. And if you have any questions about anything, don’t hesitate to ask.