It may be less about what the centrifuge can do and more about the culture surrounding centrifuges. It's my impression that people who are in a position to be using a centrifuge balance them out of habit. Even if they don't need to.

Not balancing them (in the event that it is a self balancing one) may be similar to computer science debates about tabs vs spaces. A difference that's more cultural than important.

I could be wrong, biology isn't my field. This is just my impression from having watched this debate play out several times.