I've had both Benellis and Berettas in different models and prefer the former because of the characteristics you point out -- lighter, simpler, at about the same price point generally as the Beretta depending on model and purely dependable. While Berettas are excellent guns, weight is an issue with me as I may walk five or six miles in uneven country in SD with some up-and-down too.
That said the Beretta A400s are pretty darn nice guns but much more complex running a gas system at 7 lbs+ and mine got very sooty after a short season. The Benelli inertia-drivens can be stripped down to parts pretty quickly and much more thoroughly cleaned with less effort IMO.
Right now I consider the Ben Ultralight in 12 ga with a 24" tube at 6 lbs to be about the perfect uplander in a semi-auto for me though the 20 would probably be as good and even lighter. For late season, wind-driven, wild pheasants I've come to prefer the 12 though. The Ben Montefeltros are very nice guns also and almost as light too but IIRC a mag capacity of one more.
The Ultralights reduce weight in part by having a mag capacity of just two plus one in the chamber.
