It does depend. If this is a "deep research" project- ie one we are looking at as a technology development, where we want to hack the hardware, then we use the prototype handwired board. And I am very very fast at wiring like that ! Its handy, because you can colour code signal paths, supplies and grounds and I have never had a noise problem that way.

If its for an immediate project, and built on understood tech, like yet another 8052 core project, then I'll make an in-house prototype for speed and cost ( We are so small, the cost of one off prototype PCBs is prohibitive here). Once that board is checked out, then a final artwork is shipped to our makers.

Steve