TREX 450 Pro FBL vs 450X impressions, owners of both helis PLEASE COMMENT!

[HRPuffnstuff]

I say buy both, fly both and be happy.

[FailureToFly]

That new heli looks amazing and no doubt flys incredibly well but I doubt it crashes well. All the CF would mean alot of expense when it does crash hard.

Even a really bad crash with a 3D or X only warrants about $90 in parts and more likely around $30-50.

There is something very positive to say about the repair-ability of the Blade plastic fantastics if you're not looking for that last few percent of performance.

[RedOctobyr]

Originally Posted by Liftytim

Well said I think.

I'm looking at this comparison thread because I'm about to drop the cash on one of these setups, and having others thrash out the pros and cons of each (or even just identifying issues to focus on) is both very useful and entertaining!

That said...I'm still undecided. Currently erring towards the Blade 450X for easier/cheaper repairs and less fiddly initial setup (first heli after MCPx but flying planes/fixed wing 3D for ages - helps a lot but still a heli-newb).

Tim

I'll chime in, simply because I was in a similar situation.

I bought my mCP X when it came out last year, it was my introduction to CP. I love it, I went brushless in August, I think, which was even more fun. I wanted to try a 450, so I was looking at either a TRex clone (probably a Sport), or perhaps a 450X.

The 450X initially seemed a bit expensive to me, even at the $409 USD Ampdraw price, vs a clone. But the fact that it comes with BeastX really helps "justify" a lot of that cost, to me. That's $200 by itself, otherwise. And having $210 left, to try and get a good clone kit, with ESC, motor, and servos (which can be $150 for a "nice, solid" set, not even fantastic ones) is pretty tough to do.

So, if you want BeastX, the 450X seems like a pretty good deal. That's even ignoring its performance, which people seem quite happy with. The servos are a weak spot, so if you want better ones, budget, again, maybe $100 for just (3) cyclics, to perhaps $150, for a good complete set with tail.

I was looking at building a Tarot (a quality brand) 450 Sport clone, with "good" servos (Hitec 5056MG's, and maybe 5084 tail). Even using a $65 Tarot ZYX flybarless controller, I was probably still above the price of a 450X.

However, I was still leaning towards a clone, for 2 main reasons. One, the clone that I was pricing out would already have "upgraded" servos (which would have added $100+ to the 450X cost, if I upgraded it to the same ones). And secondly, there are a ton of things available for 450 TRex clones. So I can pick from a wide variety of parts manufacturers, at different price points, etc. I can probably get spares pretty cheaply, for instance.

With my mCP X, I'm pretty much limited to buying Blade replacements for it. There's something a bit odd about paying more for an mCP X feathering shaft than you might pay for a 450 clone feathering shaft Granted, at the 450 size, you're no longer dealing with something like an integrated 3-in-1, or specialized servos, so the 450X is more modular than the mCP X is. But I still liked the idea of having wider access to spares sources, more aftermarket suppliers, etc.

I ended up buying a used EXI 450 Sport (flybarred), together with a Tarot 450 Pro (flybarless, ZYX controller), with some batteries, etc, for over $100 less than a new 450X. Time will tell if that was a good decision or not, but I think it was good for me, at least. I got 2 helis for less than I was going to spend on a new Tarot clone build, or a 450X.

With regards to setup, I'm current going through the flybarred machine and setting it up properly. The flybarless one will come later. I have more up-front work to do, but people say you need to be familiar with building/rebuilding anyhow, since you'll be doing it after your first crash So to me, an RTF-style 450 became a bit less compelling than it was with my mCP X.

This is not meant to try and cause/inflame an argument. Just sharing my thought process on the topic

Edit- Also, a clone is less likely to end up grounded because Blade runs out of swashplates, or whatever, and parts go backordered, as has happened on at least the mCP X.

[jetskier416]

My experience with Clones sucked, will never buy anything but name brand again, the 450X will spank any clone out there, I am very happy with Blade products, even with the minor issues, once I become a better pilot I will go for some thing better. The WARP is sick

[Sambuka]

Ok just put a dfc head with beastx on my 450 pro v2 and wow that really just makes the heli heap forward well beyond the blade 450x. The feeling and tight control it gives is just awesome. I love my b450x and fly it all I can but this 450 pro dfc just feels so much better really impressed.

[Maxthepersonz]

Originally Posted by jperkosk

And would you care to elaborate based on what specs and/or personal pre-production test flights you came to this conclusion?

Umm have you seen the video of the prototype? The heli runs on 6s stock. You cant get much better than that. + it has the quality of a compass

[Flying_Amp]

Originally Posted by jetskier416

My experience with Clones sucked, will never buy anything but name brand again, the 450X will spank any clone out there, I am very happy with Blade products, even with the minor issues, once I become a better pilot I will go for some thing better. The WARP is sick

Really! i have both the Tarot 450 pro V2 FBL and the 450X both are great machines, and in my case the Tarot far more reliable!

So spanking the clone i would either say you dont have one, or just a one sided view, please keep it real!

[jetskier416]

I have hade 3 EXI's 450 carbons that at first I thought was a good investment as a beginner, but did'nt take me long to realize that they held me back in advancing, just like the Blade SR. Problem after Problem.

[jetskier416]

Oh and another thing the good guys at my Field, want to fly my 450X