it really depends on the width to height ratio of the cab. A 150W HPS would get worse results in a short, wide cabinet like a or 3x3x3 than equivalent lumens, and maybe even equivalent watts. It just can't cover the area.
On the other hand, if you had a 2x2x4, the HPS would definitely be the way to go.
Trust me, I only use MH and HPS, but I've seen some very nice CFL grows. It's just about getting lots of high-power bulbs. None of these 13W and 26W pieces of shit. And yes, they can produce dense nugs.
In general, I would agree that for anything over 200 or 250W, you have to go HID. Even 250W is pushing it, but for short and wide grows - like a short SOG for example - it could still be advantageous. HID still can't be as close as CFLs, even with a cooltube. They produce direct IR radiation that can't be pulled away with ventilation. Putting your hand under a CFL and an HID in a cooltube is a way to see this for yourself. The reason is of course that the HID puts out more from a single source, rather than distributed.