Well said. If you are trading size, it's hard to beat the ES. You usually will not suffer from slippage; whereas trading size on the TF could get tricky. From there, it's a matter of looking at the charts and working the numbers. For example, is it better for your trading style to trade say 5 ES vs 1 TF? I think you'll also note how the ES can respect levels more than the TF. If you pull up an ES and TF chart real-time, watch to see how the ES may hold a level and the TF usually pops through to grab some stops and then go. On a pure $ for $ basis, the TF will beat the ES. But high to low range only tells a part of the story. And if your goal long-term is trade size intraday, eventually the ES may be the only/best option.
Controlling risk was a real challenge for me in trading the TF. Problem is, when there are fast market conditions on the downside, the "trap door" opens up and you are 1 or 2 points below your stop just like that. I could never get comfortable trading more than a 1 lot. I much prefer the higher volume and cleaner trading of the ES, irrespective of the trading range. If you can't control your risk properly, the daily trading range isn't going to mean much. BOL