Either one would have been a fine choice. As I recollect, the selection competition was very close. But the framed canopy of the YF-23 gave a slightly higher radar return than the frameless canopy of the YF-22. That might have been the difference.
Aesthetically I'm leaning toward the YF-23. It just looks, well, SEXIER......
Claimed by the flight test manager in the video above, the YF-23 was "much faster" than the YF-22, but he couldn't say by how much as it was and still is classified information.
Should the Air Force Have Picked the F-23 Instead of the F-22?
The F-22 Raptor is the world's best fighter, but was its competitor even better?
Aug 29, 2017
While the two planes were about equal in weapons load and avionics, Northrop's design had better stealth and longer range. That range bonus would have been particularly appreciated today, with the rising influence of China.
However, Northrop brought some baggage of its own to the table back in the 90s. The company had reputation for "test fraud, contract suspension, and fines," the National Interest says. The company's work on the B-2 had incurred huge cost overruns, and the Air Force may have been nervous about repeating the experience.
So why did the Air Force pick the YF-22? Lockheed, by default, appeared that it would manage the fighter program better than Northrop would. The Cold War was over and the defense budget was already headed into decline. The Air Force knew that if it was going to ask Congress for money to fund a fighter that no longer had an opponent, the program had better be well managed.
Another reason the YF-22 won: marketing. Lockheed put the YF-22 through a vigorous flight test schedule that really showed off the fighter's dogfighting abilities, including an angle of attack of 60 degrees and sharp 9g turns that pushed the limits of human endurance. While the YF-23 was likely just as maneuverable as its competitor, Northrop didn't go out of its way to demonstrate that it could.
Stealth War: F-23 Stealth Fighter vs. the F-22 Raptor (Who Wins?)
August 27, 2017
It would have been interesting if the two prototypes had engaged in some kind of "top gun" dogfight as part of the selection process. I wonder if the YF-22 would still have persevered? Maybe it would have come down to the individual skills of each test pilot. Anyway, I like 'em both.
"The tests demonstrated Northrop’s predicted performance values for the YF-23: the YF-23 was stealthier and faster, but the YF-22 was more agile."