How different is using subdomain vs. new domain in terms of SEO?

I read many opinions that search engines do not pass nearly any of main domain authority to a subdomain, because it's basically different domain. Some people say that subdomain receives SOME of its main domain authority.

I have no real experience with this, at least nothing measurable, but I think that it makes sense that subdomain is much closer to the main domain and therefore should take at least some advantage over newly registered domain.

What do you think?

The subdirectory strategy concentrates your keywords onto a single domain while the subdomain strategy spreads your keywords across multiple distinct domains. In a word, the subdirectory strategy results in better root domain authority.