I find the socks plug up too quickly and are virtually impossible to clean after they acquire biofilms. The mechanical modules really polish the water.
I agree with you on the quality, the Rainbow Lifeguard (now Pentair) unit is much more rugged than hobby quality media filters. If you are industrious enough to change the media every couple weeks, then go with a canister. If you have a tendency to let things slide periodically, then use a media bag, it will guilt you into pulling it out of the sump
You get a bit of splashing when you change out the media, so mount the module in a shallow rubbermaid or in the sump to catch the drips.