The original criticism levelled at the digital MFD display (as opposed to "steam gauges") was based on the idea that it was harder to read a number than to detect a trend on a digital display - this came directly from Asseline's defence team regarding his misinterpretation of the RA display.
As such, that comparison did not take the "tape" display (from which it is as easy to determine a trend as is is on the old-fashioned displays) into account at all.