Syma X5C-1 Quadcopter – A Top Pick for a Beginner

The Syma X5C-1 and the  X5C have built reputations on Amazon as a great drones for a beginner.  The Syma X5C-1 comes equipped with an HD camera.  On first glance the X5C-1, and its big brother the X8W, look a little like the DJI Phantom. There is no doubt Syma took some design cues from DJI.  At only a fraction of the price of the Phantom the XC5 is a great drone for a beginner that would like an HD camera on board.

The X5C-1 is an excellent beginner drone for a few different reasons.  First it is a great value and can often be purchased for less than $50.  It is a very stable drone and is not difficult to fly compared to many smaller mini and micro drones.  Its prop guards are easy to install and give the drone pilot a bit more security without adding a lot of weight.  The HD camera takes decent pictures and video that are comparable to its peers but still not nearly as good as a top tier drone like the DJI Phantom.  The camera records to a micro SD card. Our drone came with a 4GB card and USB card reader. The camera is not mounted on a gimbal, but is placed below the drone and is set at a good angle for video.  Do not expect to get professional quality video or photos, but the video quality is good, especially in good light.

This drone does not have a lot of features, but it doesn’t need them. A halmark of Syma drones is ease of flight. Some similar drones come with cryptic instructions and complicated steps that are required to do the simplest things, not so with the Syma drones. The X5C-1 does flips fairly easily with its dedicated flip button.  There is no headless mode, or return home feature, but most of the time these features don’t work well on drones in this price range anyway.  One nice feature on this drone is its large and bright LEDs.  You can easily tell which end is the front of this drone, even when it is flying at higher altitudes.

Syma X5C-1 vs. Syma X8W Flight Test and Review

Syma makes a few very good beginner drones.  Check out our comparison of two of the most popular versions.

The X5C-1 is a fairly durable drone.  It can take its fair share of abuse.  We spent some time crashing this thing and it stood up to our tests.  A lot of beginners choose this drone because it has built a solid reputation as a durable drone and that reputation has been well earned.

The X5C is a little smaller than its closest competitor the UDI U818A.  Both drones are excellent choices for a beginner and it is hard to go wrong with either.

The Syma X5C-1 vs. X5C

Maybe your are asking: What is the difference between the X5C and the X5C-1?  The two look very similar and the basic design is unchanged.  There are some small decal changes. The X5C-1 has red decals, but otherwise they look the same.  The major difference is inside the chassis.  The X5C-1 has an upgraded circuit board which allows the X5C-1 to maneuver better, especially outdoors and in windy conditions.  The guys at Half Chrome would definitely recommend going with the upgraded Syma X5C-1 and not the original X5C.

Check out our unboxing and first impressions of the Syma X5C and UDI 818A.

Not sure if this is the drone for you???

No worries Half Chrome Drones has you covered. Maybe you want an aerial photography drone, or maybe you want a fun toy.  Want FPV?  We’ve developed an advanced system to match you to the right drone.  We call it our Half Chrome Drone Cipher™.  Check it out. We also are constantly updating our Best Drones Now page to help you stay current.

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