I agree with Mike 100%. It's exactly the same question if you're talking about any tool (and microchips are just a tool). Choose the one which will do the job you need at the lowest cost.
When I say "cost", I mean to figure in not only the price of the tool, but the amount of time, money and effort it will take to use it, balanced against what you need it to do. There is no point in spending money and time to get and use a tool which is too weak or strong for the job at hand.
Torben