Would you rather have a FU Paladin with no civ bonuses (say Magyar or Spanish) or the Byzantine Cataphract? Which is the better unit to have in most situations?
Obviously the Paladin is much stronger H2H and vs. other cavalry. It also has better pierce armor and HP so it can take more shots from from ranged units and buildings. Cataphract is much stronger against Infantry and against typical cavalry counters such as Halbs and Camels.