Strange. You guys seem to be talking about brake levers, but I think you're really discussing bicycle fit and handlebar shape.
Brake levers are obviously designed to fit handlebars. Less obvious is that they are designed to work with specific types of handlebar shapes. "Aero" levers are mostly designed for a different shape of handlebar than older "non-aero" levers.
The beauty of the older style was that your hands are always moving. Different places on the bar depending on terrain, speed, wind, etc. Reaching down to the shifters frequently. And so on. When people complain about the older gear, I wonder if it's the riding style they don't get. Similarly, when I ride a bike with modern bars and aero levers etc, there's something I'm not getting.
I agree with rhm. Even if when I type in his user name it wants to come up rum.
"Almost the same position" means it's not.
Not all aero levers are mechanically equal.
There was no mention of the brand(s) used in the original post, lever or brake. Or pad age even.
Plenty of variables. Including the bar brand/shape mentioned by rhm.
On my bikes with unique bar and or brake levers (anything not with Cinelli
#63 's with Campagnolo levers), I have an assistant measure some key dimensions such as when I am "on the hoods" to insure my hand to pelvis distance is the same. The result is on many bikes I use an 110 mm stem but on a few I am using a 90 mm to obtain the same reach to the hoods. Test, don't guess.