I've shot all manner of positions over the last 50 years. Even did some 3 position rimfire competition.
If I need to engage in load development, test equipment, or perform an initial site in of a scope, nothing beats a solid bench with high quality front and rear rests. It simply, at least for me, is the most stable position and mitigates a lot of shooter error.
However, I rarely shoot off a bench anymore and when I do, it's only for the aforementioned purposes. The reason is quite simply, a bench has no relevance to the manner in which I use my rifles, i.e., hunting deer / varmints / predators.
For a time, I used quite successfully, a bipod in the prone position for varmint hunting. It's quite effective when the terrain lends itself to shooting prone with the limited field a view.
However, many years ago, I switched to a cross stick shooting in the sitting position from a lightweight portable sportsman's chair. The reasons for the change were several, first, this gave me a much larger field of view increasing significantly my shot opportunities. Second, PA is a notorious area for ticks and Lyme Disease and laying prone in the field I often was infested with ticks. Third, as I aged, shooting in the prone became more and more problematic due to a spinal condition I had which worsened with age. Fourth, as soon as the hay grew to ankle height, while still huntable, using a bipod prone was near impossible.
It took a lot of practice and technique development, but I mastered the cross sticks and I love shooting this way. This system allows me to be highly mobile, engage a target quickly on a stalk, and shoot accurately (vital area of a varmint) out to about 300 yards which covers 95+% of my shot opportunities. In addition, I can hunt a field much longer since the chair positions me high enough to see a hog, even with some hay growth you can still get standing hog shots. However, the prone bipod, at least for me, is more stable and capable of extending my range but going to the sticks is a compromise that was well worth it for me.
I spend all my range time shooting off the sticks. I get a lot of weird looks and questions but that's ok, I'm used to it by now. At one range, I'm known as the guy who shoots off " a stick".
I'm infamous or famous - take your pick. 
With this said, if all you want to do is shoot small, tiny groups then I don't think you can beat a bench with a high-quality front and rear rest. I had friend (deceased) and that's all he wanted to do, and he was quite good at it. That was his game. My game is different.
