PolITiGenomics's David Dooling wonders just what Illumina's GA IIe is. He notes that the IIe is cheaper than the GA IIx and is supposed to produce half as much data as the IIx, but the optics should be about the same since the run times are similar and both machines use the same reagent kits. "If reagent costs are indeed the same, it makes no sense to buy two GA IIe instruments. You would be much better off buying one GA IIx," Dooling blogs.