A known side effect of Ibuprofen (and most NSAIDs) is sweating, so the faster release tabs that aren't in your system as long and thus clear out faster, dont have that aide effect... maybe
I agree, I like the liquid ones better, but I also have the dual ones (ibuprofen and acetaminophen) which I use instead when the pain is too much for ibuprofen alone. I haven't found gel versions of the dual ones but if I did I would get those instead of the white ones.