Originally Posted by TheBOSman

The extra legroom is noticeable. Also note that the MCE rows don't have the slightly reduced seat width. Due to the tray tables being in the armrest, the exit rows do have slightly reduced width, but it makes a bigger difference than you might think to have that extra width in the MCE rows. The seats also feel slightly more padded than the exit rows. Almost all of my upcoming 737 flights (I have none through ORD, all BOS-DFW and BOS-LAX and reverse of both) have switched to the row 8 MCE seat map. I'm still staying in the exit row, until the gate anyway, in case of an equipment change. I would prefer the open middle to the extra legroom as a general rule, but getting stuck in 16 or 17 with someone next to me, when I could avoid it with ease, prevents me from changing out of the exit rows for those either, again, at least not until the gate.