TL-WR1043ND (when comparing with WRT160NL) is cheaper, has Gbit switch (instead of 100Mbit as in 160NL), is based on a newer atheros platform.
People are doing interesting things with it already like replacing 32MB memory with 64MB chip (works fine), putting usb hub inside of the case (to have more usb ports) or putting 1.8" hdd and then boot from that hdd instead of flash.