I presently can't envision how this "could save many microcontroller cycles" since the same sort of action has to be taken to generate a clock pulse as would generate a gate pulse. ALE is a gate pulse, but its rising edge can also be used to clock a '273.

There are times when it doesn't matter whether you use a level-gated latch or an edge-triggered flipflop.

If you know that the data you wish to capture is valid well before the strobe that would either clock or gate the device, then you can rely on proper function if you use a clocked flipflop. If you know that the data will be valid while the strobe is active (=true), whether high or low, and persists after the gate strobe is no longer active, then you may be better-served with a gated latch.

The '273 has exactly the same pinout as the '374 (clocked) and '373 (gated), with the exception that pin 1 is an active-low reset, which clears all the flipflops, while, on the 373 and 374, pin 1 is the output enable, as these latter two are tri-state devices.

I personally prefer the '573 and '574, because they have all their inputs on one side and outputs on the other, so no signals have to traverse the devices, except, perhaps, the gate/clock, which is on Pin 11.

I do like the '273, as it can be cleared at power-on.

RE