Is the new PMDG 737NGXu worth the 99$ as an update to my 737NGX?

[Patco Lch 1,465]

Putting price in perspective, yesterday I spend $42 on a steak dinner for the wife and I. It was mediocre and in a couple days it'll be flushed: well you know. One more steak dinner and I have almost covered the cost of NGXu. I think of the years of enjoyment ahead (hoping I have years of life ahead) the value is incomparable. Yes it is a nice improvement over the NGX with a lot of fun stuff added like ACARS, smart time compress, better cocpit geometry and sounds just to start a massive list. Yes it is similar to the NGX in many ways since both are simulations of the 737NG. I guess the question you have to ask yourself is what type of flying you enjoy. For me it's short to medium haul and that's why the NG has been my main sim bird. I also have the IFly 737 NG so that's three NGs. Why? For the same reason so many are doing back flips over MSFS. Always looking for better.

[Benjamin J 751]

Now that I've actually flown a flight, I do think it's a notable improvement over the older NGX. The cockpit is something to get used to. It's certainly less worn, but the geometry is better and the PBR, I think, is a massive improvement over the phototextures of the NGX. It's very nice to see the cockpit 'respond' to the sunset, for example. Same goes for the exterior: the PBR implementation is beautiful, making the aircraft look more 'real' than ever. I find performance to be very good too, given how much more detailed it is than the NGX, including high-res textures that make the cockpit much more legible than the NGX. The improved sounds, especially of buttons and switches, give their own significant boost to immersion. The auto-cruise is very important to me, and I'm very happy to have it! Couldn't have otherwise done KSEA-PANC, for instance, as I typically just don't have time for flights longer than 1.5-2 hours. In general, it is very nice to see all those 747 features in the 737, which includes precipitation-related effects on the windows. E.g., sitting at PANC in exterior view watching AI go about their business, I returned to the cockpit to find the windows all fogged up - by no means a revolutionary feature these days, but very welcome to have this now. Then there's also a bunch of little things: ocne thing I particularly enjoy is looking at the wing flex, which is much smoother. The animation is very life-like from my experience on a passenger on one of these. Nicely done!

So was it worth the money? For me, I do think so. The NGX has been my go-to aircraft for past 1.5 years or so and I've flown it more than any other addon in hangar. Thus the NGXu represents good value for my money. I'll almost certainly get the 600/700 expansion whenever it is released, and in the meantime I hope that third-party liveries will start rolling in.

In the end of course your mileage may vary. is it perfect? No. Does it fulfill my needs better than the NGX? The basic ones: no, but it has so much extra to offer that I'm already pointing my cursor at the NGX uninstaller!

[Mark_A 31]

I was sceptical at first but you need to do a full flight, I was really impressed. Theres so many changes and it actually feels like you are flying in an NG - IMO better than FSLabs and ZIBO.

PMDG have delivered a spot on product.

Edited November 10, 2019 by Mark_A

[out 769]

32 minutes ago, Mark_A said:

IMO better than FSLabs and ZIBO

I didn't know FSLabs made a 737 NG.

[ohsirus 241]

My guess is a pro-model at $139.00 and a Lite-version for $39.00 since consoles will be part of the equation now.

[Nuno Pinto 1,397]

It's the same 737 for $99 more. Yeah ok better graphics and a few updates, but still, a 737 like the previous one for full price.

I'd say no. And somehow i think those $139.99 will see a price raise as it is a "preview" of the cost...

Edited November 10, 2019 by Nuno Pinto

[JoeFackel 760]

All this crying for their prices should take a look what a ProSim737 Licence costs. I guess they will shut up instantly then, and take the NGXu with a handkiss 😉

[Ray Proudfoot 8,954]

2 hours ago, JoeFackel said:

All this crying for their prices should take a look what a ProSim737 Licence costs. I guess they will shut up instantly then, and take the NGXu with a handkiss 😉

You’re comparing apples and oranges. The ProSim package includes software for a home cockpit much like Project Magenta. The cost of a ProSim licence is peanuts compared to the cost of a home cockpit which runs into the thousands.

[JoeFackel 760]

5 minutes ago, Ray Proudfoot said:

You’re comparing apples and oranges. The ProSim package includes software for a home cockpit much like Project Magenta. The cost of a ProSim licence is peanuts compared to the cost of a home cockpit which runs into the thousands.

I know that, i'm using Pro-Sim myself, building a 737 homepit myself. The thought is: taking the non-commercial licence costing 1250 EUR (without VAT!) is around 11 times than PMDG, and i'm not talking about the update subscription which will cost you another 100EUR annually.

What would a ProSim737 cost when they are stripping it down to the capability of PMDG 737NGXu?

Some may say thats wild guessing but i'm pretty sure it wouldn't be anything cheaper.
 

[Ray Proudfoot 8,954]

@JoeFackel, who knows what they'd charge for a package without the cockpit software. I haven't a clue. The PMDG737 package I bought a year ago was a decent price. I paid 72GBP. This new price of $100 is not outrageous if you're a new customer.

What disappoints me is they never offer an upgrade price for existing customers and never seem to have a sale. Loyalty doesn't seem to count.

[JoeFackel 760]

23 minutes ago, Ray Proudfoot said:

What disappoints me is they never offer an upgrade price for existing customers and never seem to have a sale. Loyalty doesn't seem to count.

Lockheed doesn't it also, they charge you full for major releases 😉 

[Patco Lch 1,465]

Ray, loyalty is a fine thing but you can't pay bills with loyalty.

[mikeymike 360]

2 hours ago, JoeFackel said:

Lockheed doesn't it also, they charge you full for major releases 😉 

That’s when the greed sets in!!

[JoeFackel 760]

16 minutes ago, mikeymike said:

That’s when the greed sets in!!

How many publisher of "games" do you know who offer upgrade versions of thier major releases?

[mikeymike 360]

13 minutes ago, JoeFackel said:

How many publisher of "games" do you know who offer upgrade versions of thier major releases?

Come to terms with it ,It’s business!

its like buying a piece of furniture  Say for $100 and then a few years later giving the same product a  face lift and selling it for the same price or if not more.