FENIX & PMDG

[Redge 245]

1 hour ago, JYW said:

Some say the performance issues with the Fenix are overstated.   Well I'll say that flight planning 'issues' with the PMDG are overstated.   If you can place a file created by Simbrief into a single folder in the PMDG directory, you have simple flight plan loading in the PMDG (if not as comprehensive as the Fenix in areas like load and mass/balance.

To make the PMDG flight plan importing easier, if you use the simbrief downloader (and set it up to start on startup) then it's really simple to download the latest simbrief flight plan with a single click in the downloader app (before you load up the PMDG plane!)

@PapaRomeo: I bought both, and I am enjoying both, but I would say that the Fenix is more refined in many places, and feels more like an MSFS aircraft. A few examples:

• The aircraft handling is incredibly refined. LNAV and VNAV have worked absolutely flawlessly for me so far in autoflight. I just struggled with a crosswind landing because I wasn't used to needing to correct enough with the ailerons in other MSFS aircraft. Both these things are areas where the PMDG is currently lacking.
• Animations inside and out are on another level in the Fenix. The yoke movement on the PMDG is a bit of a joke, and I was very disappointed with the wing flex as well. (Just to add, I don't care too much about wing flex in the grand scheme of things, but because it's been done so very well on other MSFS aircraft, it looked positively cartoonish on the PMDG. The Fenix is sublime, with buffeting flaps included (more so on one side than the other, but only in some wind conditions).
• The texture quality is massively better than on the PMDG, inside and out. The cabin (which you can switch off for performance reasons) is incredible. It's the first MSFS tube liner cabin I've seen that beats the Zibo mod (by miles!) so far.
• The Fenix EFB is the place I've spotted some bugs so far, but it's delightful to use, and is genuinely useful (I'd even say required) in each phase of flight. This aircraft keeps you busy (and interested) throughout the whole thing.
• The ground equipment is an area that falls behind currently. Only Static equipment for the Fenix, and there's a bug where the ground equipment interferes with the toolbar pushback mod (and maybe pushback in general—I haven't checked yet). The PMDG's ground services are easier to use, and animated.

I will enjoy both of the aircraft a lot in future, but I can't help but feel that the Fenix, for me, was massively better value for money than the PMDG. I hope Robert comes up with some great improvements to the -700 (and other variants, although I won't be getting those).

Edited May 20, 2022 by Redge
Clarity and refinement

[tfm 190]

28 minutes ago, dolbinau said:

I want to earlier echo points. Despite the hype train suggesting Fenix would make PMDG 'irrelevant' I think the reality is that PMDG shipped a more polished product that is much better on FPS. My initial impression is that the Fenix A320 is groundbreaking but I'm already experiencing some minor bugs I'm surprised exist on Day 1 and the FPS is much much worse. I have a brand new high-end system so it's bearable (40-45 FPS at Heathrow on Ultra) but if it's just bearable for me I can only imagine what it must be like on some older or lower-end systems. 

I think opinions might differ about which is the more “polished” of these releases. 
 

My impression is that PMDG has done a great job importing its legacy code into MSFS but has surprisingly long way to go yet, before it fully exploits everything that’s become available since c2004 when it wrote its still-un-updated LNAV (still no ARINC424 compatibility which is not great after all these years in the business). Whereas Fenix has done a great job of leveraging the latest tech and leap-frogged the main competition from the point of view of systems fidelity - albeit that it has a way to go before it’s wrinkle-free and it could use some better documentation.
 

Performance-wise, they’re both fine on my system but MSFS has always placed a premium on having the latest kit and often requires compromises on settings to get the necessary smoothness of display. 

[RichieFly 737]

Tough question.

Flip a coin and stick with whichever comes up heads until you have reached the "This is easy. I'm bored" state. Then get the other one and repeat. After you've mastered the next one, get the MD-82 from Leonardo and have a go with that.

[EGLD 439]

they're both awesome, having bought the Fenix I am already looking forward to going back to the PMDG for 2 reasons;

 - BBJ long haul 6000nm

 - short cargo jaunts

both unique to the PMDG over the Fenix

[Gazzareth 824]

1 hour ago, EGLD said:

they're both awesome, having bought the Fenix I am already looking forward to going back to the PMDG for 2 reasons;

 - BBJ long haul 6000nm

 - short cargo jaunts

both unique to the PMDG over the Fenix

 

I must admit that ever since I got the 777 for p3d I've only flown Cargo or Business Jets, so very spoilt by the PMDG 737 as it covers both bases.

That said if FENIX brings out a cargo (con)version then I'd have no hesitation in getting it.

G