I frequently find myself overwhelmed with the sheer number of files such a convention generates.

But the strengths of the single-file approach reveal themselves when you have a lot of small components - it enables you to just glance at a file and immediately know what's going on.

Also it puts a psychological barier against large, bloated components.

this is the most compelling argument for me... but i still find myself having to work with overly-large components written by others. and that's when i end up doing lots and lots of scrolling and losing my place.

i guess that's the difference. single-file components are superior iff you have good team rigor around component size.