It's a good question. When I went from the 465 to the 272C I wasn't convinced that the Cat was a better machine. Now that I've logged a thousand hours on the Cat, I can say that I much prefer it for many reasons. First, the power difference is negligible. Second, there is NO replacement for a nice luxurious cab (air ride seats, AC, cup holder, better joy sticks, and MUCH MUCH quieter machine than the 465). That's actually an important point. The 465 you need ear protection... the Cat is so quiet. The cab is SO nice... and the windows still slide. The Cat's bucket is further ahead too so you can see better what you're doing but it's a bit longer a machine. I work in some tight areas but the Cat still gets around quite nicely so it's not a problem. (also, cat control are easier)
The Case 465's controls are stiffer, the AC is problematic in my exp, the cab is not sealed and the windows get gummed up easily. It's loud, but very powerful. I would say it has a bit more power than the Cat. On the plus side for the Case, they have mastered the ride control for this machine. It is a dream. If the Cat had a ride control system like this it wouldn't even be a contest...and of course it's case controls (up to your preference)
Don't get me wrong. Both are very very nice machines for different reasons. If it all came down to it, I like the Cat 272C better. Does that help?