Clearly the Plasma Rifle is a better choice . First base damage is 7 or better so you have a higher chance to break the threshold number on other fighters heat impacts piloting and any ground support mission becomes that much more dangerous, as surface control issue may happen . You have pair it with LRMs if you lose initiative or double down with medium range weapons and go the thunderbolt / 10 route . 2 plasma rifles and 2 thunderbolt 10s would discourage most any fighter .