The stats of the swords themselves probably would have been be easier to compare.
If you max Sword Expertise, your recuperation time will be zero anyway, so except for the start of the game, speed on a weapon doesn't make much difference (you can not go below zero).
(Net recuperation time) = (base recuperation time) - (weapon speed)
Frost effects all monsters regardless of resistances. I tried a sword with frost on it briefly, but it made the fights too boring. Some people like them for bosses or difficult situations.
Death Blow shakes the screen, though it does not hit that often (I think level 5 is 5%, IIRC). I found this annoying and it didn't help that much in the wastelands (it could kick in on the third hit against monsters I only needed two or sometimes three hits to kill).
Stun is good (once you start hitting, their attack and defense effectiveness is dropped), though if you also have the passive Stun skill some monsters can hang in mid death animation (an area effect spell which does not need a target will force them to finish dying, though).
The first sword would make the game a cake walk (the lower damage would just mean an extra swing might be required to kill something); I would go with the second. Try out each save, and see what you think of the effects and rate of damage for the different swords.
