Drive them both.. then decide.
Yes, the 996 interior feels "cheaper" than the 987 cars.. but if you find one with the full leather dash option, it really does help.
As for Z man, he's still 5-10 years away from making a decision and yes, for Zman, the better choice is a sorted GT3 vs a CS or 996 or ... but of course, it costs more.. its worth it
(of course, in another 10 years, a Cayman R might be enough to muddle his decision process yet again
)