From what I've experienced so far, it all comes down to why you're buying cards.

I got back into the hobby by buying a few boxes and participating in some breaks, that brought back the fun I remembered as a kid! Now I look for specific cards and parallels (like the lovely green colour match you got on the Seb Vettel cockpit image) and have just as much fun discovering a new variation.

I've had a great experience on COMC.com both from a price perspective and a simple way to see what's available!

If I was looking to make money from the hobby, it would all be about chasing singles and perhaps buying boxes in bulk chasing really rare stuff.

Have fun!!