Is the 383 a better engine, or does the 440 just have more displacement?

Probably the single largest gain in performance by comparing the 451 B block build vs. the 451 RB build is in the blocks themselves. The weight loss from the B block alone compared to the RB block is pretty significant.
According to this article by Andyf, there doesn't seem to be much difference in weight. Sonic Checking the Mopar Big Block | AR Engineering