i have a fluval 4+ pumping 1000 lph and a hai yang pumping 1800 lph the water is pristine and all together they cost me £55 brand new who needs an external
People not wanting to clean out their filter twice a week with messy fish in a large tank perhapse? While internals are OK and a good choice for many set-ups, particularly smaller tanks, their media options (or lack thereof) seriously limit their uses for more advanced/sizeable applications.
I also have a 4+ in one of my tanks. It is basically a sponge filter with a power head. I have sponges with power heads in lots of tanks that cost me a lot less than the 4+. I had to learn that the hard way but I don't throw out much.