I'm choosing b/w two faucets - one has a pop-up drain, and the other has a traditional lever. Is one more problematic than the other in the long-run?

What's a pop-up drain?

I always thought a pop-up drain was the same as a lever drain... If you mean a clicker drain (i.e. press the stopper once to stop the drain, and press it again to unstop it), forget the mechanics, it's just not very practical for living - who wants to reach into dirty and/or scalding water to unstop a drain?

reach into it? how deep is your bathroom sink?

Buster - its sort of easy to reach in when you are already in the tub...

there maybe something very dirty in the sink that you don't want to put your hands into.

if that is the case ab, then I suggest you are using the wrong fixture!