UCSC uses a similar admissions review as UCB, but it sets the admission threshold lower. Indeed, at one time (possibly still), UCSC took the admissions reading scores from UCB and UCLA for students who applied to at least one of those other campuses.
Whether UCSC is as suitable as (or more suitable than) UCB for preparation for PhD study depends on what particular subjects are of interest.
That UCB and other UCs consider various factors in admissions readings does not mean that an applicant needs all of them to be admitted.