I like both sorts of cards for different reasons.
I like some beaters because either they have some obvious history. Like the ones I had that had been heavily used for flipping. Some of them were waxed to make them heavier. And worn nearly round.
Other beaters I like because things have changed and it's become unlikely I could afford a nice one- or in some cases even a replacement. Like the red Cobb T206 with a Carolina brights back.
But I also like some of the higher graded cards. Some of the T206s I've had for years and a few from Ebay were really nice. A handful of them graded well enough that they're as nice as it gets for that front/back combo. And that's pretty cool too.
I guess when it comes to cards I'm just "easy"
Steve B