Smoking basics are the same, smoke heat time. But how you arrive at the final result is much different.
Traditional for the most part can achieve much higher temps. Some traditional smokers consider 325 to 350 degrees smoking temperatures where as an electric normally can only reachless than 300. Traditional normally requires moisture, basting, moping, spritzing, saucing. Electric requires none. Traditional will when proberly smoked the meat will have a beautiful smoke ring, not so with an electric. Traditional smokers require tending the fire, electrics nope, no need. Traditional recovers from heat loss very rapidly, electrics recover extremely slow.
I do both and have done traditional for a very long time (since tending Pop's fire box), I have only done electric for a little over 30 years. Im my humble opinion unless you are a really old smoker they are about the same or can be made to appear and taste that way. But I don't think the electric will ever cook better than a tradition. Of course a traditional will never be as simple as an electric. Plug it in, set the remote temp device, and walk away till its done. Nothing else is required. 24 hours butt smoke, put it in, drink and chase women all night, get drunk, go to bed sleep all night, wake up get over the hang over and the butt is ready. Not so with the traditional. Course you can stay up all night partying while smoking but with electric you do have a choice.
They taste the same, they have the same smoke, basically you are swapping the smoke ring (which you can't taste) for a good nights sleep. But I still like the taste of a traditional slightly better. But the electric is just so damn easy.
Hows that?