Basically I had to use a breaker last weekend, it was clear I did not need the “heavy duty” as I did not have 6” of solid concrete, but the descriptions of the other options confused me.
What are the differences between SDS, SDS Plus, and SDS Max drills
breakerdrilltools
Related Solutions
Most driver bit sets come with a 1/4" square drive adapter (my small Milwaukee set also came with a 3/8" drive as well, though I don't know if that's common). With that one bit, your driver is instantly almost exactly the same as a 1/4" impact wrench. You'd have to look at torque specs to see if the models you're considering are comparable, but I bet they are. Those little impact drivers have come a long way -- battery life is great and the torque is hard to believe.
I'd only consider a square drive impact wrench for heavier automotive (or other mechanical) use, and only in a larger size like 1/2" so it can provide some real help in removing tough fasteners.
A knockout punch is typically capable of going through thicker metal - at the very least, it will do it faster. A quick search easily finds knock-out punches that can do 10 gauge steel, where most step bits don't seem like they'd do well beyond 16 gauge (though I can't find anything that really says the limit).
For thin metal though, the step drill bit is probably faster, if for no other reason than the setup/tear-down time of the punch (eg, after you punch the hole, you still have to unscrew the punch).
Knockout punch:
Step drill:
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Best Answer
The SDS chuck system was the original developed by Bosch.
SDS Plus is an improvement on the original SDS system, but remains compatible with SDS bits, and is now the most commonly seen on the market.
SDS Max is designed for the heaviest masonry work, and is incompatible with SDS/SDS+ bits.
(source: wikimedia.org)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drill_bit_shank#SDS_shank
It sounds like for your application, SDS Plus would be the way to go, given that they are generally less expensive, and you don't have really tough masonry work to do.