Hi everyone. This topic may have been discussed before, but it has not been clear to me. I am hesitating between buying an X4 or an SP140.
I really like the lack of torque, and how well the X4 folds, but the batteries…
Should the X4 be sold with a battery like the one in the SP140 I would have no doubts …
Can you give me advice? By the way I´m a PG pilot but I’m a newbie to PPG. Thanks!
Most of the flight time increase of the sp140 actually comes from the increased motor efficiency. There are many X4 pilots running x8 bonka batteries with upwards of 4.5kWh capacity, but they still only get 35 or so minutes of flight time. For comparison the sp140 with slightly less than 4kWh is consistently hitting over 50 minutes of flight time. In the end I would personally recommend the sp140 for most people as the batteries are cheaper and safer, the motor is more efficient and quieter, and all the components will last longer.
As for torque, on most modern frames, it’s very minimal. You could go entire flights without needed to give an ounce of weight shift to compensate for it. If you have already flown a “modern frame” and are still concerned about torque, go fly an old flattop, skytap, or really any other frame without offsets(or aerodynamic torque compensation). Even on those frames torque isn’t bad, they just require constant weight shift in the higher throttle ranges to compensate for it.
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Thank you, it has been very helpful.
The folding of the x4 is a big plus point & it’s a bit lighter by about 3? Kg. But bare in mind the many many many many hours required to build the x4! It’s not a complete kit with full instructions. Yes prob I would go with sp140.
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I also had trouble deciding which model to purchase.
Pros of each (many imply corresponding cons)
X4: about $3k cheaper on average, marginally more portable / lighter, cheaper to replace props, no torque
SP140: more efficient (achieve 1 hour flights), better out of the box experience (ready to fly)
Non-considerations: similar thrust (?), almost equally portable (especially if you buy quick release prop for 140).
EDIT: one thing I forgot to note which was a sizeable consideration for me was the battery ease of use specifically. I don’t believe the X4 comes with a built-in battery mounting system: you must purchase your own batteries and find your own way to secure them to the frame. I don’t want to inaccurately represent solutions but, it seems like most people opt to strap 4, 6, or 8 LiPos to their frame which requires connecting multiple wires between them every time you are ready to fly. Some people build custom cases more similar to the battery of the SP140, I have even seen solutions with railed mounting.
I welcome being corrected on any of these points. As you could gleam from my post history, I ended up going with the SP140:
- although I prioritize portability, videos of SP140 demonstrated it could be assembled very quickly. Quick release prop hub will help
- 45 minutes (upper bound of X4) is sufficient for about 60% of my flights. 60 minutes (upper bound of SP140) is sufficient for about 95% of my flights.
- not very concerned about torque
- I didn’t want to be fully responsible for all my own assembly and soldering
Overall, I just got the impression that the SP140 was more premium and so I was willing to shell out a couple extra thousand dollars for ease of use and assured quality. I am switching from ICE to eliminate pain points that prevent me from getting in the air. And the SP140 seemed best suited for that.
[if the X4 were released with a similar pre-packaged battery + pre-assembled (no longer available) I probably would have deliberated longer but still gone with the SP140 for the efficiency gains of the larger prop sweep area]
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@Pdwhite discusses some of these points in another thread: Are car jump starters viable? - #13 by Pdwhite
The sp140 will have killed any resale market for the X4 I think. The efficiency increases are key. An battery advance, like two fold, in gravimetric energy density will make the X4 an awesome machine. Until then the sp140 efficiency advantage is probably overcoming the lack of torque and slight convenience advantages the X4 has for most pilots.
The X4 may appear $3000 cheaper, but you need to realize that 40 minutes worth of batteries will cost an additional ~$2000 and you still need a ~$500 harness. So the price difference for you would only be about $1500.
The X4 is Definitely more portable, but the sp140 isn’t bad.
The sp140 is noticably more powerful. 145 pounds and 175 pounds thrust may not sound too far off, but the difference is actually pretty big.
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Thank you all for the answers. If the X4 were sold with a battery similar to the one in the SP140, and assembly instructions, I would still have my doubts. But it seems that it is clear which is the way to go …