I made the mistake to switch to thew "new" marketing hype.
I have two 2 year old Metcal I retired after 1,5 years. The performance was great and it was fast but the quality sucked and tips were insane expensive and lasted not long. I switched back to my faithful old Pace after that. I have around 10 different tips (desolder and solder) and around 15 spares on stock. If I had 25 tips for metcal it would cost a fortune (30-40 euro/tip)
I think I solder more with an iron as Louis. But he does more with hot air as me. I often have PCBs that can not be tested/powered and I must desolder/solder many parts to test. (a few hundred joints a day is not uncommon) Often through hole and often conformal coated. I also switch tips often.
It is a bit a pity there was a huge difference in power in this test. You mentioned it several times but it is the same as with DMM's, many people think they are all equal, good and safe and only see what they want to see and fits their wallet. I see a lot of butchered boards killed by crappy soldering tools. (I also repair PCB's (traces, pads, burned etc))
My old Pace is always around 320C. My Weller a 80W WS81 is always at 450C. It works great at that temp but at 320C it has limitations and works like your Hakko. The Pace PS90 is a Weller on steroids. But expensive. Mine is the old sensatype but I still can buy all the parts. The sensors Pace use are very precise. tips last a long time.
What I see as a potential problem for cartridge heaters is imitation. The performance is for a very huge part tip and power related. Lots of room to cheat.
I think they need high power because the whole cartridge is radiating heat and has not much mass.
For me fast heating is no real plus. I think the ulta fast heating and cooling is not be best for the material but I could be wrong. Easy tip change is important for me . The metcal was a pain with the rubber sheet ( to thick to place the tip in the stand with it) The Weller I unscrew and drop it in a tin can. The Pace has a special tool. I loose the screw a 1/4th turn with that tool. Grab the tip with the tool and drop it in the tipholder. Grab an other one, stick it in and turn the screw. Does not have to be tight. Sometimes I forget the screw but the tips do not fall out (as they are hot)
That screw is a good example of killing a good working system by imitation.