What's better??

cold air intake in general provide larger HP/TQ gains over a short ram intake. The cold air is a longer set of pipes, which reaches into a spot in a fender well, or some area where it can try to capture colder, more dense air. Short ram will be taking in air directly in the engine bay, which will have higher temperatures. Colder air going in the engine is better. Cold air intake owners have to be careful about sucking up water from storms or whatever. If you drove your car into deep water you have a chance at literally sucking water into your engine. Hydrolocking your engine is frowned upon.
 
CAI is better in my opinion. Unless you get a short ram intake with a ram flow, an example is the groupe-m intake (picture shown below). Just don't try to drive on deep puddles/floods with the CAI or your car will hydrolock. Air is compressible, water is not.

FD2RGruppeM01.jpg

Grouppe-M intake on a Civic Type-R (FD2)
 
Some people appreciate the more aggressive sound a short ram intake produces while driving. Cold air intakes are proven performance enhancers.
 
Sounds like cold air is the best route to take. Once they actually hit the market, what is the best, but still inexpensive brand?
 
Most people with the 8ths used Injen or AEM.
 
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