Participated at pre ICO is more benefit than you invest your money at ICO, when you make investment at pre ICO you got much coin with lower price than you are joining for investing at ICO time.
Price really matters but the most important is its market credibility and the team handlimg the ICO's. As scam project continue to spread around, we should be careful in choosing the right ICO and for us to get some returns from what we have invested.
I'd rather to choose those coins that have already establish market validity and taking a look for its market value to know if this coin have potential to grow or just it pumps cause of the hypes.