Too much information...
The problem I find with most pilots and in particular students is that the 1/4 mil map gives them too much information. Their head then gets overloaded with "is it that road or the other road" and the head then becomes 'in-cockpit' rather than looking for the turning point or, more important, the traffic outside.
Overloading the cockpit with printouts of Google this and Google that, IMHO, doesn't do anybody any favours.
1/2 mil is absolutely fine - provided it is studied properly and planned for.
Plan to fly - fly to plan.