I bought both the Fenix and the PMDG 737-700 when they both were released, and I have been flying both since then equally as much. They both perform well, and although my system is much stronger now, when I started with both of those aircraft last year, my system was more like yours. And, I never had any performance problems with either. As someone mentioned earlier, when using the Fenix livery manager app, be sure to install the 4k liveries, and NOT the 8k ones. In the early days of the Fenix, installing the 8k liveries was a common source of performance challenges. The 4k liveries look every bit as good, and nowadays even with my current system I still use the 4k liveries. I have also never had the Fenix app crash on me or do anything strange. You DO have the option to start the Fenix cold and dark, ready for pushback and also ready for takeoff. And although you cannot save your flight and panel state in flight, you CAN pause the flight and come back a while later unpause, and no altitude changes suddenly happen like in some other aircraft. That is one of the benefits of the Fenix app being run outside of MSFS. Sure, when it comes down to style, one might like flying a Boeing or an Airbus more then the other, but the Fenix is every bit as good as the PMDG line of 737's and the FBW Airbus. Each of them has some advantages over the other, but all of them are really good. And, the Fenix has a very well done EFB, if that matters to you. Don't be worried about Fenix being a new company either. They have shown since the A320 release that they are very responsive to customers and are diligently working on updates to the Fenix. 

1 minute ago, sniper31 said:

you CAN pause the flight and come back a while later unpause, and no altitude changes suddenly happen like in some other aircraft.

Wait. Back the truck up.

The Fenix has an actual, honest-to-god pause where I my wife needs help, I step away for 15 min and come back, the plane doesn't suddenly rubber band to where the sim thinks it should be?

5 minutes ago, BrammyH said:

Wait. Back the truck up.

The Fenix has an actual, honest-to-god pause where I my wife needs help, I step away for 15 min and come back, the plane doesn't suddenly rubber band to where the sim thinks it should be?

Yep, sure does. It's not a Fenix specific button or anything, it's just the normal MSFS pause system. But, yes, if the household commander needs your help and you get back in 15 or 20 minutes, your Fenix flight will be okay.

1 hour ago, sniper31 said:

Yep, sure does. It's not a Fenix specific button or anything, it's just the normal MSFS pause system. But, yes, if the household commander needs your help and you get back in 15 or 20 minutes, your Fenix flight will be okay.

Yah. That is what I was thinking. But it sounds like the Fenix handles the recovery better.

8 hours ago, BrammyH said:

Yah. That is what I was thinking. But it sounds like the Fenix handles the recovery better.

I routinely pause during climb or descent sometimes for hours to return and resume no problem.  There will be a bit of turbulence for since the winds changed during that time but normally all's well.  I use PMDG 738, FBW A320NX and AS CRJ700.

10 hours ago, Noel said:

I routinely pause during climb or descent sometimes for hours to return and resume no problem.  There will be a bit of turbulence for since the winds changed during that time but normally all's well.  I use PMDG 738, FBW A320NX and AS CRJ700.

That is me being an word not allowed and forgetting active pause isn't. I remapped the key commands for the better pause.

I do continue to waffle on getting the Fenix, but so far have stuck to my guns on waiting for v2.

I still consider the Fenix essentially only for some very modest performance issues still w/ the FBW but it's a hard call for me because I don't really know how Fenix is by comparison.  In terms of ONE measure of "performance", frame rate, FBW is great.  But it still has some other performance quirks namely a hitch whenever you open the ATC window, and the odd stutter during taxi but it's quite benign overall and I really like the plane so probably won't go Fenix for now anyway.

The two main things that appeal to me on the Fenix: real route fidelity and RNAV.

3 minutes ago, BrammyH said:

The two main things that appeal to me on the Fenix: real route fidelity and RNAV.

Wdym by `real route fidelity`

1 hour ago, Lucky38i said:

Wdym by `real route fidelity`

JetBlue doesn't own any A320Ns (neither do American, Delta, or United, IIRC). So using the A320N with a JetBlue livery isn't accurate. It's a minor nit, but one that picks at me.

 

20 minutes ago, BrammyH said:

JetBlue doesn't own any A320Ns (neither do American, Delta, or United, IIRC). So using the A320N with a JetBlue livery isn't accurate. It's a minor nit, but one that picks at me.

 

Ooooh yeah gotcha