For a long time, selecting Radio Controlled Servos meant choosing from a few established brands like Futaba, JR, and Hitec. These brands were known for their quality, but their higher prices could be a barrier for some enthusiasts. The landscape changed with the emergence of Chinese servo manufacturers, offering a wider range of brands at significantly lower prices. This raises a crucial question for anyone in the RC hobby: are these cheap Chinese radio controlled servos any good, and are they reliable enough for your valuable models? Considering that a servo failure can lead to costly crashes, it’s essential to investigate whether saving money on servos is a risk worth taking.
The Rise of Affordable Radio Controlled Servos
The influx of Chinese-made radio controlled servos has undeniably broadened the accessibility of the RC hobby. These servos are marketed under numerous brands and are readily available online, often at prices that are a fraction of their established counterparts. This affordability has opened doors for beginners and budget-conscious modelers to enjoy the hobby without breaking the bank. However, the lower price point naturally leads to concerns about quality and performance. Are manufacturers cutting corners to achieve these lower prices, and if so, where? Understanding the performance and reliability of these servos is crucial before integrating them into your RC models.
Decoding Radio Controlled Servo Quality: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
To help navigate the often confusing world of cheap Chinese radio controlled servos, we’ve compiled initial findings, separating the wheat from the chaff. Extensive testing is ongoing to provide more comprehensive reviews in the future, but here’s a preliminary look at some servos that have been assessed.
The Good: Surprisingly Reliable Budget Servos
Some Chinese radio controlled servos have proven to be surprisingly reliable and offer excellent value for their price. Among these are:
- Hextronic HXT900: This servo is remarkably cheap, yet delivers impressive power for its lightweight design. It’s a popular choice for smaller models and applications where weight is a concern.
- Scanner RC Servos: Known for their robust performance and reliability, Scanner RC servos are another positive example. They offer a good balance of power and lightness, making them suitable for various RC models.
- Vigor VS2: The Vigor VS2 stands out as exceptionally cheap and provides excellent value. For budget builds or less critical applications, the VS2 can be a very viable option.
More detailed reviews of these and other promising servos will be published shortly, offering in-depth performance analysis.
The Bad: Servos to Approach with Caution
On the other end of the spectrum, some Chinese radio controlled servos have shown significant shortcomings and should be approached with considerable caution, especially for critical applications like model aircraft. One notable example is:
- TowerPro MG995: Despite being marketed as a high-torque, metal-geared servo and often promoted on platforms like eBay, the TowerPro MG995 has demonstrated significant flaws. These servos are heavy, suffer from poor accuracy, exhibit substantial overshoot, and have inconsistent centering. Reliability is also a major concern. While potentially usable in less demanding applications like old model trucks or buggies, they are certainly not recommended for model airplanes or any application where precise and reliable control is paramount. Contrary to some claims, the MG995 does not utilize a coreless motor; its poor performance is partly attributed to a heavy 3-pole motor with high inertia.
An updated version, marketed as the Toward Pro MG996R, shows some improvement in accuracy and centering. However, it still utilizes many of the same low-quality components as the MG995, meaning it remains a risky choice for valuable models.
The Rest: Ongoing Investigations
Currently, a wide array of radio controlled servos from various Chinese brands are under evaluation. This ongoing testing is a significant undertaking, involving detailed assessments of speed, accuracy, centering, overshoot, torque, and current draw. The aim is to provide comprehensive reports on a broad spectrum of available options, helping consumers make informed decisions.
Conclusion: Navigating the Chinese Radio Controlled Servo Market
The rise of Chinese radio controlled servos presents both opportunities and challenges. While some brands offer surprisingly good performance and value, others fall significantly short of acceptable standards. It’s becoming clear that Chinese manufacturers are capable of producing servos that can rival established brands, but quality control and design consistency remain critical factors.
For consumers, the key takeaway is to exercise caution. While the “Good” list provides some safe starting points, venturing into unknown brands requires careful consideration. If reliability and precision are paramount, especially for expensive RC models, it might be prudent to stick with known and tested brands or thoroughly research and test any new servo before entrusting it to a critical application. Stay tuned for more detailed reviews and test results as we continue to explore the landscape of radio controlled servos.
