There's a world of difference, especially if you have heavy dense soil. The power rake will pull rocks out of the first 3-4", leaving fluffed up, rock free soil ready for seeding. I live in CT and know the meaning of field stone. The power rake will handle fieldstone up to 12" easily. The power rake actually works best when the soil is relatively moist, so it's mainly a spring/fall tool. And if you're dealing w/ sod the landscape rake is useless. The Power Rake eats sod for breakfast, but it works even better in well-broken earth.
The power rakes do take a few days to get the hang of. Renting one for 1 day might not be a good idea. You'll hate it after a day and love it after a week.