More even...and harder to touch up. I personally like the look of hand-painted cabinets. To me it looks real rather than plastic, and hints at history, like in old houses with layers of paint from generations making their mark.If you use a good brush, paint that levels well and don't over-work the paint, the brush strokes will be very faint.

Here is a link that might be useful: Painted cabinets - how to get the right look

I think both methods are equal in durability as long as the paint is applied correctly.