You're going to get a different answer from everyone but I'll give a shot. I've been using Angular for several years now and having used it in a really large application I try to use React wherever possible. Here's why:

• React has been component-based from the start and only now has ng2 tried to take the same approach.
• React is faster to learn, understand, and write
• React is fast and unidirectional data flow lends itself to high performance
• It's easier for new devs to jump onboard to React applications
• Unidirectional data flow coupled with single source of truth (e.g., Redux) keeps things simple and universal. Data dependencies are much easier to detect since they all connect in a central hub instead of through implied dependency injections.†
• React render methods are much easier to understand and debug than ng template. Templates tend to be large and connected to one or more controllers, each capable to mutating the state of the current $scope. In React mutations of the local state must be done explicitly through setState.

If I found myself really needing template bindings in the ng style then I think I'd recommend taking a look at Vue.js since it's a marriage of both Angular and React.

Now, ng2 really is a different platform than ng1 and is now all about components. However, it's still a heavy framework that requires a big time investment to understand let alone master (have you seen the ng2 Quickstart?). Also, it's sort of a given that if you're going to learn ng2 you have to also learn TS, which may or may not be a plus. At least React gives you this option.

† Of course you could achieve the same thing with Angular using Redux or making something similar with say a central Service or singleton. However, the fundamental use of ng-model will throw a wrench into this since it is heavily reliant on two-way bindings.