What would you guys recommend? I can get both for about the same price.

This is what I'm talking about:

 

i have an oem ztube fs $67 shipped lmk

 

Found one for $60, so if you can beat that price I may consider

 

To answer your original question:

IMO pipe smoothness and size can vary, but the most important thing to consider is how much heat the pipe can absorb. Shiny aluminum pipes look cool, but are going to get really hot and heat up the incoming air.

I chose to go with a Z-tube because I like a semi-stock look.

 

Only thing I wonder with that is how the clamps to fasten it to the other pieces of the intake attach. It doesn't have the notch kinda area that the ztube does for clamping, as well as I wonder if you clamp too hard if it would cause a deformation in the structure easily or not.

 

I have seen the soft silicone couplers start to press through the little holes in the clamps (like dough going through...something ), but that looks strong enough to not cause any problems like that.

 

Went with the Z tube

 

good choice

 

Z tube