Stryker Aune"Red" DaxaDid a test with my brother with a comparable damage output with gimballed beams, pulse and burst, on a MOVING target:
at 800m distance, and 1600 meter! The target was moving around with a constant speed and constant intervals
Surprise, the damage is about the same.
Beam slides easier "off" the target, making it less efficicient, therefor less effective,
Burst is about 10% more effective below 800 meter, above that pulse is slightly more damage, all measured over a timeframe of 5sec and 10 seconds
again, based on moving target.
It will depend on your combat style
I prefer beams, because it's the future, they make it seem like it's the future, and they are cool to look at!
My PvE build on my Fer-de-Lance includes a trio of rapid fire scramble spectrum pulse lasers- not because they're more effective, but because the special effect makes them look awesome.
That is how shallow I am.