Now that I have more time with the new pads, here are some of my findings:
Polishing pads:
Like stated before, the new finishing pad is significantly more dense. As a result, it really grabs on to the paint, and really slows rotation by comparison. The fibers seem more durable, and more resilient to being brushed out. The cut seems less, and the finish seems on par with the original.
Cutting Pads:
The new pad is much less dense in fiber, and it has a lot more rotation it's cut seems similar to the original, but we're looking at the fiber dense original pad slowing down the overall spin to a degree, vs the new pads more nimble, less dense fiber structure giving way to increased rotation. While the fibers of the new pad mat down quicker, again the fibers in the are much more resilient to being brushed out, where the closed loop fibers found in the original pad can be severely damaged by over zealous brushing. I've scalped about three of them before I had to scale back my brushing technique. I also feel like the new versions are much easier to clean out at the end of the job.
I've spent quote a bit of time with the original pads. I've been using them since the summer of 2014 - before I even had a Rupes tool, and have really enjoyed them. I also have a lifetime supply given my current work load! That being said, I can definitely use these new pads when the time comes to switch over. Until then, I may bulk up more on the familiar original design.