50% more transmissable is worse than 50% deadlier

That depends on your personal health. 50% deadlier to someone with existing issues that make the more likely to have a bad outcome (death) is worse than 50% more transmissible. The former cannot be managed, but the latter can by isolation or other means.

Not to say 50% more transmissible isn’t also bad, but not the worst, for them at least.

Depends on how one defines 'worse'. Worse for the human society as a whole or worse for you at an individual level. The populist view is ofcourse to think in former terms.