Originally Posted by
Mugajak
2 issues: itemlevels scale exponentially, so 8 ilevels on a 496 is a percentage gain on the 496, while 26 ilevels on the blue is a percentile increase on the blue item's stats (if they were direct %s, you'd see 26%-of-463 on the 463->489 buy, or 10.88%-of-463 stats for upgrading the epic 496). This doesn't add up at first but over time, the total increase is warranted. If the blue item's slot is worth less in the first place (i.e. shoulders have lower itemization than a chest or OH vs. MH when most weapon attacks only count MH), then the choice becomes even more heavily weighted toward the "better" slot.
Second, and this is a matter for personal preference, that neck can be replaced by a drop on Spirit Kings (assuming normal kills drop one, or at least a 476 by the LFR) which would still be an upgrade over the VP buy, while upgrading the Relic or MH off the stone guardians would put both pieces "out of the league" of likely upcoming drops.
Buying the valor neck is still very much an option, but personally I wouldn't.