I do think not only do the bound ones look cooler, it makes more sense for us to be using them
The whole point of the bindings is that they keep the elemental on this plane of existence and force them to do your bidding, that is why every time you kill an elemental the bindings are left behind on the ground
I've always liked the idea that mages just form their own elemental from water droplets in the air but canon keeps telling me that I'm wrong, I guess that I can make it look more like that's true with this glyph though.
The ones in WCIII didn't wear bracers!