Looking for a new or a first drone? Syma is a name that you are hearing more and more where drones are associated. Offering alternatives with many features that generally only come in the higher-end drones, how does their Syma X8G quadcopter rate? In this article we will go into the specifications, the features of the product that we liked the most, as well as the features or issues that we felt could need some work in order to help you to determine if this is the right drone for you. Welcome to the Syma X8G review!
What can you tell me about Syma?
While you may not know it, Syma, also known as ‘Guangdong Syma Model Aircraft Industrial Company’ has been producing quality drones for over 10 years now. They typically specialize in middle-sized drones and offer a lot of the fatures that you normally find only in more expensive drones. So, does the Syma X8G demonstrate this? In this model we see some fairly basic stuff but there are a few things that you might like that are surprising to see in a $99 drone. The specifications and features are as follows:
- Dimensions – The drone measures in at 50 x 50 x 19 cm and weighs 3.3 pounds.
- 8 megapixel camera – Ensuring crisp pictures and video of your X8G drone adventures, this camera will support video resolutions of 720-1080p. Not bad at all for a drone of this price.
- Headless mode – This is great for beginners and novices. Forget about worrying how the drone is oriented, with headless mode you can fly in any direction while the drone auto stabilizes it’s own orientation.
- 360 degree loops – Stunt flying (especially with that video option turned on) is fun and looks impressive to the audience that you will probably gather flying your drone. The Syma X8G drone does not disappoint, allowing easy aerial flips on your command.
- Range – 100 meters (about 328 feet) – This is fairly standard for drones in this price range and plenty of space for you to have fun in
- Flight time – This model boasts a flight time of 10 to 12 minutes, which is actually pretty good if you consider that a lot of drones 7 or 8 times the price only manage to double this flight time. If you keep a couple of spare batteries and alternate with the charger you can ensure a fun day with your drone.
- 6-axis gyro – Allows for exacting manipulation and flight of your Syma X8G drone.
What comes in the box?
The box comes with your done and controller, but also a few other items. Also included in the box:
- Screwdriver
- Operation manual
- USB charge cable
- AC adaptor (some packages)
- 4 gig memory card (some packages)
So what did we like and dislike about this drone?
After a little testing there were some items that we found wonderful and of course, some that were not so much. We’ve taken the liberty of collecting our praises and our issues with the product and presenting them in an easy-to-digest format for you. Without further ado, let’s discuss the pros and the cons of the X8G from Syma.
“8 megapixels provides perfectly fine pictures”
The pros
So what did we like about this model? There are some great features on this drone but overall it is a fairly basic model. Here is a list of the things that we liked so that you can determine if it is enough drone for you:
- Controls – The Syma X8G controller is pretty intuitive and you can initiate the 360 degree loop at the touch of a button. This means you can do a lot of flying with very little practice and that is always a plus in our book.
- Good pictures and video – While you can get cameras with crazy megapixel ratings on your phone, what a lot of people don’t realize is that 8 megapixels provides perfectly fine pictures. The camera is one of the best available for a drone at this price range and while you aren’t going to get a movie-theatre type experience but you will get crisp, quality photos and video that you are sure to enjoy.
- GoPro upgrade – You can fit a GoPro action camera to your Syma if you like and this is a nice feature.
The cons
Well, we’ve reviewed the good bits, it’s only fair that we go the inverse now and discuss the aspects of this drone that we did not like as much. They are as follows:
- Not FPV – Does the Syma X8G have FPV? Sadly, no. Their X8W model is the one you will want if you need FPV.
- Weight – This drone is a little on the heavy side.
- Loops issue – Loops look great but you will want to limit them to 2-3 per flight if possible. Too many of them can sometimes cause the drone to overheat.
- Camera battery – The camera plugs directly into the Syma drone. This means that when you are running the camera then you will lessen your flight time slightly.
- Limited features overall – We were hoping for a few more features in this model, however, for the price we suppose that it’s a pretty good flying camera.
So what is our final verdict on this drone?
The verdict.
While this is a fairly simple drone, considering the camera and the GoPro action camera upgrade option we feel that you are getting a good deal for your $99. If you are looking for a good beginner drone that won’t break the bank then you could certainly do far worse than the Syma X8G drone. So if you are considering this drone as your entry-level friend, go out and get it. You are sure to have a good time and the price is right.
.
