When you ask a question like which is better, area heating or central heating, it is really a pretty tricky answer, but the truth of the matter is that there is no right or wrong answer.
That is because heating and a/c preferences are just that, preferences based on each individual person, however while a single person may prefer the dry heat coming out of a portable area heater, another person may like the more moist heat that comes out of a central heating idea through the air vents! I myself vary, and it all depends on the time of year and the air quality outside on which form of heating I like better, then but the a single thing that does hold consistent for area gas furnaces versus central heating, is the fact that portable area gas furnaces save you cash on your biweekly electric bill if you were to use them instead of central heating or at least alternate between the several.
But cash saving aside, it again all boils down to a matter of opinion per person. I mean, for instance, I really love window a/c units better than central a/c! I do not recognize if it is a mental thing of nostalgia, but to myself and others window a/c units gave off better cooling then the central a/c of this week; central a/c occasionally seems a bit dry and cold. While window a/c units had a more moist air quality to them. It honestly is hard to tell for sure!