Most reviews of this tv console are positive, but a few are scathing. The negative reviews are probably from people who didn’t follow construction directions, or people who are put off that this is not made of solid wood.So let me dispel your hesitation. This piece of furniture is extremely high quality, heavy, solid, looks fabulous, and works perfectly.It is made of dense 1” compressed wood with a durable wood like veneer on the exterior. Looks like real wood to me, and I’m critical.It comes packed securely in many numbered pieces and you should have some basic experience with tools (screwdriver) if you are going to put this together. Above all, you must have patience, and follow the clearly laid out picture instructions. It is easy to make mistakes if you rush. I spent a good three hours putting this together.Importantly, the pieces and hardware are made extremely well with close tolerances. Everything fits together perfectly if you follow the instructions. I like that the hardware is sophisticated (cam screws and locks, for example). Be careful not to lose any of the hardware because there are no spare parts! Slow down. Take your time.One caveat I’ll mention here is that the drawers on each end do NOT have cable holes in the back like the center shelves do. This is unfortunate because you are likely to use the center shelves for things like books like I do that don’t require cable holes (see picture). I knew I was going to need holes in the back of the end cap shelves because I intended to use them to hold two small Sonos speakers. So I rectified this by drilling those holes myself in the thin back piece with a hole saw drill bit and drill before I fitted it all together. Easy to do if you have the tools (see second picture).You are going to be working with the furniture upside down for the entire construction period so YOU MUST PUT A BLANKET DOWN ON A FLAT SURFACE to protect the piece for the duration. I use a packing blanket folded in two (see second picture).The one direction I did not follow was the last step which has you screwing all these seemingly useless cable holders into the back plate. There are easier and more efficient ways to manage cables and keep them from showing. I used Velcro.Overall, this piece of furniture looks better than other consoles I’ve seen that cost over $1000. So I’m more than pleased with the price/quality ratio. Fantastic!