So, since opinions are pretty much all over the board, buy and install whatever you want.
FWIW, the 3-row versus 2-row (sorry, I remembered it as being a 1-row) thing is just a difference in the parts' house listings, not necessarily what came factory on 'Stangs. I just know that when you specify that you have an automatic (on Autozone's parts lookup system), it lists a 3-row as being a direct replacement. I had to bend the top brackets just a tad and trim some of the rubber out of the top and bottom from them to squeeze the sucker in, but the hose connections are the same. Just leave the tranny cooler line fittings plugged and it's all good.
Everyone dogs on aftermarket parts' quality. Yes, they're cheaper ... hence the price. The way I see it, as long as it's not one of those things that are a major pain to install (like a clutch), I'll sooner take a part with a cheaper price and a lifetime warranty than a part with a higher price and NO warranty, just because it has "Motorcraft" or "Ford" stamped on it somewhere. However, when it's something that is an all-day replacement project, or a very expensive part (rear gears, clutch, engine internals, etc.), then I'll spring for OEM quality or better.
FWIW, I've had my cheap-junk 3-core Autozone radiator for over a year without a problem at all. While I was working for Autozone, we really didn't get many radiators coming back at all for warranty exchanges, especially on the copper/brass units. (The plastic/aluminum junk, however, is garbage no matter where you go.)
I don't buy the "3 cores aren't better because of fins and stuff" concept. Compared to the radiator that was in my notch originally, this thing is friggin' BEEFY. It's got a larger surface area for air to flow over, it's got more area with which to dissapate heat, and measurably, I'm running FAR lower temps in the summer than I was with the original piece of crap. Again, go ahead and throw in a fancy aluminum radiator if you're so inclined, but unless you really NEED that much extra cooling because of the extent of your present mods (18" Cobra rims and Saleen ground effects don't necessitate heavy-duty cooling) or seriously planned future mods, then you're pretty much just throwing money away and buying something just for bragging rights and engine bay eye candy. "Doing it right" is one thing; overkill is another. But that's just my crazy philosophy, I guess.
I could care less what a NAZZZZCAR tech has to say about his theories on what's best for a daily-driven car; his experience involves cars that run 150+ MPH in a circle for 200 to 500 laps, whereas we're just dealing with stop-and-go traffic and/or highway speeds at a max of maybe 65 to 75 MPH. Different performance applications = apples to oranges.
If you're planning on keeping the stock mechanical fan and shroud while installing a big aftermarket aluminum radiator, your options are going to be severely limited. I'd be looking to buy a decent electric fan and DCC controller to go with it, and also take fan-to-pump-pulley clearance into consideration ... plus a 3G alternator upgrade, too, since an electric fan is going to seriously tax an already strained stock 65-amp alternator.