And for a smallish patch panel (12 port), does that change the trade offs for the keystone vs punch down? And would wall mount vs. rack change that as well? ... #32 May 14, 2022; ...

Yeah, the patch panel is certainly nice to have but if cost runs past $50 or so and you are worried about the budget, it's probably fine to use the RJ45 ends and plug the cables right in.

This one patch panel trick will make all your cables the right length. OK, PatchBox is a product, not a trick, but its goal is to maker cabling a rack neater and quicker By Peter Sayer.