2.4 GHz Radio Transmitter Shootout
We get a lot of email here at the Big Squid RC offices, and one that has been reoccurring more and more has been ‘Which 2.4 GHz radio is the best?’ There are a TON of radios out there, and they range from $50 to $500! What’s the difference? Is $500 really THAT much better then $50?
So we decided to take it upon ourselves and try to answer some of these questions. Our LiPo battery shootouts have been very helpful to people, so it seemed only right to treat the radio shootout in a similar fashion.
For our first 2.4 GHz radio shootout, we decided to start small. We know there are a lot of radios around, but we already had a lot in the office, so we took the five newest radios that we had been using around here, and decided to put them up against each other. They had a huge difference in price, from several manufacturers and were all very different styles, so it seemed like a good start. After we announced the five radios we would be using for our testing, we started getting all sorts of emails about why this radio, or that brand was not part of the test. We are already planning a second transmitter shootout, and actually have several radios lined up. If you have a particular radio you think would do well, or you would like to see tested, feel free to contact us and let us know.
The five 2.4GHz radios used for our first shoot out are the following:
Futaba 4PKS
Spektrum DX3S
Traxxas TQ 2.4 with Link
Tactic TTX-240
Futaba 3PL
Think of all these sections put together as a mini review of each radio. We picked the details we felt were important to us as well as our readers.
Each section of our testing/review is below. Try to contain your self and not jump right to the results ok?
Feel in Hand – Without ever turning it on.. how does it feel?
Ease of Use – How easy was it to set up and use the menus?
Features – Do you get a lot of features for your money?
Overall Appearance – Is it a decent looking radio, or just too ugly to be seen holding?
Driving – Hands on, driving a vehicle around the track.
Weight – Can you hold it up for a day of bashing or racing?
Price – How much does one of these radios cost?
Radio Range – How far can your drive a 2.4ghz system before loosing control?
End Results – How did they all rank? Don’t just jump here! Go learn something. 🙂
Update: Now with Cubby’s Final Notes on the Shootout!
Ok, with all that out of the way, lets see how they feel in your hand!
