It depends on the pattern for me. I don't necessarily like perfectly even lines across a guitar which you can get easier with a book match as you only need 'half' the amount of wood to create that look. A single piece top has more chance of some 'imperfection'. Book matched 'imperfections' though can add to the look.
I have a one-piece top (and back) on my Hollowbody II
As you can see from the image above, there is a lack of symmetry and even a balance of lines too. The angle of the lines also may throw the balance of this guitar out - not that I personally mind as I think this is still a stunning guitar and I love the top/back on this. It has its own character which I really like.
Book matched tops though can give you some more interesting and more uniform/balanced pattern. Any thick lines will be balanced on the top and bottom half, same with gaps etc too. Book matching can also give some more interesting designs.
This Chevron type pattern is only possible because of the book matching. The flatter the top, especially if you don't sand a lot away, the more even the book matching.
These are my favourite 2 tops I have. I personally prefer my Cu24 with the book matched Chevron style top but I like my one piece Maple topped HBii more than my other 2 guitars that both have book matched tops. Some of that is down to the fine wood grain detail that hasn't been picked up by the camera which adds a lot more 'interesting' pattern and the fact that my others are more 'usual' for a non-10top PRS flame maple figuring - the usual horizontal stripes across the guitar - not to say I dislike them but that I prefer these two more.
I think it makes more sense to look at each guitar individually. With my guitars, the 1 piece top beats two out of the 3 book matched flame maple tops in my opinion but another may feel the 1 piece top is more aesthetically pleasing to them - maybe 1 of my other guitars is more to their preferred look. I wouldn't say a 1 piece top was more desirable or 'better'. I would almost certainly prefer a book matched quilt top to a one piece flame maple top - another example of book matching being more desirable to me than a 1 piece - but others may prefer a 1 piece regardless of whether its a flame or quilt book match top
