TheStairGuide

As a custom deck builder for 16 years, my opinion is simple.
It's all about the price, I have built so many decks with many different composite materials and natural woods, I can honestly say I prefer Trex, I would have to say Cross Timbers is the absolute worst. Cedar is gorgeous for one year, I dont care what product you put on it, it will never look the same again as it does new. AC2 treated is still the most common because of how cheap the material is, yet it is just plain ugly and it shriks like crazy. I have yet to find a composite that isn't slippery.
Unfortunately most people look at composite decking because it says no maintenace yet the average Trex deck costs $10,000-$100,000, that being said you wouldn't go buy a corvette and never take it to the car wash would you? Every composite deck needs cleaned twice a year or what do you expect other than mold to grow on it?
As for almost any deck, despite the material, it really boils down to the professional building it. If you hire your everyday handyman to build you a composite deck it will not last that long, it requires someone who works with it regularly. Composite is much more difficult to build properly than a wood deck. I always offer an 8 year labor warranty on everything I build so going back and looking at the decks I built 3-8 years earlier, Trex still holds up very well, compared to wood. Although I have to agree with a couple comments in here, it does fade a lot. I actually saw someone use Trex with the color Maderia and in 2 years being on the sunny side of the house their deck turned pink.