The RAFT is not apart of this comparison as that’ll be for an exterior cargo carrying comparison video. Currently QT Fuel is being changed so that is one stat not mentioned. Otherwise, I have been recovering from a sudden case of the flu or something like it. A new ship review up tomorrow! Thanks for watching!
Raft may be external, but Cutlass aint, what gives? Why was tbe Cutlass Black, a frieght model medium daily driver like the rest, not in this lineup? Also, Valkyrie is tbe secret queen of this battle ;)
I did 8 years over the road stateside. Of all the ships I've flown and constantly used, the Freelancer Max really carries the vibe of what a space truck would look and feel like. Even the whole cargo grid appears to be roughly 53' long, the length of your standard trailer. I've got plenty of ships that can transport more and probably faster. But none of them puts a smile on my face like a Max when I hit that back ramp and walk the cargo deck. It'll always have a parking spot in my fleet no matter what.
I have never owned one on the pledge store, but I fully agree. I'm super nostalgic for it - despite the dated interior, it gives a fun trucker vibe that's hard to replace. I do expect to melt my hangar into a Zeus ES when it releases, though.
I love the look and the handling of the Spirit but I wish it would be a bit more like the Zeus stat-wise. With an extra Shield, a second Entry, and a bit more Cargo space, my mini Normandy would be perfect.
Problem is they made the C1 look awesome and gave it those wings (hopefully with control surfaces it will also become the best in atmo with those...) but they are all wasted space. Even modern day aircraft have fuel storage in their wings so the C1 should at least smash the others in hydrogen fuel. Either that or they should take the cargo bay wider into that wing space.
@@tgjaedan I like those points. Make sense and use the wasted place we have with those wings without the need to change the interior. Tho I would love a +32SCU with a 2nd door.
@@Ssecave I think you could easily get another 16 SCU on either side if you went into the wings one high. Might not be super convenient but doable. Or try to make a walkway around and have cargo grid in the middle. And yes, second door would be key. Not just for convenience sake but for the sake of the game. Ramps are awesome but ever so often you just land someplace and the ground isn't 100% flat and the ramp doesn't get down far enough. Would be nice to have a secondary ladder to get in/out in these cases up by the cockpit.
this was a much needed comparison. I would however like a comparative analysis that isn't centered around cargo but around this range so that would include The Nomad The Cutlass Black The Freelancer The Spirit C1 The newly added Zeus MK II ES. I have my favorites, I just want a video showing all of them in a neat line showing us scale and beauty :p
What an intro! It literally rocks. I love the new format you used for stats etc I have the C1, and it is great but really fragile. Waiting for the Zeus, it seems to check all the boxes I expected the C1 to check
I love my C1! Just give me a second entrance like the Zeus and it'll be perfect. I do feel like they could increase cargo capacity by moving the grid to the middle and have the outside as a walk around. It might even be able to stack cargo if we did that (as in 3 units high).
second entrance and a possible capacity increase by 16 or 32 SCU would be really neat... (And a hitpoint nerf as the ship is supposed to be fast, not necessarily tanky... and adjustment of master modes to un-nerf ships like C1that rely on speed and acceleration...)
C1 has realy unique cargo grid and loading bay opening, especially for 8scu boxes(its most handful for loading, and also you face it in some of haul missions) where it can competite with Taurus. C1 can take 16boxes 8scu each = 128scu, Even Taurus cant !!! Was tested *same problem with 8scu boxes in Freelasncer Max and Zeus - think about it ) C1 can really upset you in auto loading only 64 scu.. but now it doesn't affect a lot
The really cool things happening with the introduction of the Zeus is exactly videos like this: Enough ships with similar, yet distinct characteristics that I think will appeal to a wide variety of people. It sets the stage for a move beyond the min/max discourse that I think plagues a lot of ship discussions right now, allowing people to balance multiple values and preferences to find something they like. For me, I want a decent ship that benefits from crew but can be flown solo, with the capacity for a variety of tasks. I really love the Raft and everything about it, but that thing will never step foot outside secure space. That's not to say any of these ships are gonna be effective in major combat, but they can be used for some bounties, Blockade Runner, and so on. Having flown each now, I think I'm going to settle on the Zeus CL. The cargo storage grid is adaptable - not perfect, but good for a variety of tasks. The S4 guns have not seen their heyday yet but will once armor and engineering come online. Along with other elements, I find it to be a strong jack-of-all-trades vessel. Thanks for the video!
I love the ladder and airlock on the Zeus II. Its turret is on its belly and can keep people from sneaking on the ship but will do nothing for the pirates in the sky. The C1 is the best flying and has a dedicated VTOL, but the one entry ramp means you can’t exit the ship if the cargo hold is full. The Freelancer Max is the oldest, the docking port is unusable and on the roof of the ship, and part of the cargo is inaccessible behind a bulkhead. Also the turret can’t quite deflect low enough to fire directly forward, it is just a bit high. It does have the widest cargo ramp and will fit more vehicles than the other two. There is no clear winner, but if I could only buy one to use it would be the Freelancer Max. The wider cargo ramp and bay makes it more versatile and easy to load.
While not technically categorized as a freight ship, the MSR carries roughly the same amount. And with it soon to get a size 3 shield, I'll stick with that. But of the three in the video... I would have to pick the Max. A simple wide open cargo area. Good firepower and decent shields. And the ability to carry a Nursa, to me, would be more useful than a ship-mounted tractor beam in most circumstances.
Great video man! Love the production value and attention to details laying each of their stats out and analyzing them, really helps cut through the noise and figure out which ships suit which roles better in their class. Feeling pretty stoked about my decision to upgrade my C1 to a Zeus ES if the CLs stats are already on average the best, the ES having an extra shield, larger QT tank etc. is gonna feel amazing. I don't really use the full weight of my cargo grid so downsizing aint that big of a deal, I know it wasn't a part of the video but you've really helped set my heart on the ES now haha
For one, if you have 1 crew member aboard, the Zeus CL has roughly the same DPS as the C1. The C1 doesn't really benefit from having crew. Combine that with 3 entrance/exit, double the cargo, more shields, being smaller, lighter, with more fuel capacity, 3x the shields, more internal storage and more versatility, it would make the better ship for the average player. It's a lot better than I thought it would be. Not having a gunner turret and only one entrance/exit in the C1 killed my desire to own one. I've been waiting for the Zeus CL ever since.
Video looked amazing, love the side by side comparison of the ships. Keep up the great job. I’ll guess if you were ever in the service you must of had been in the Army.
I have a C1 and thought it would be an easy decision to switch to the Zeus with twice the cargo but the reality is that it is so fiddly to squeeze 128scu of cargo in and out of the Zeus that hardly anyone will ever load that much unless they are paying for auto-loading. On the other hand, the C1 will load 96scu quickly and easily with just three or six crates (as opposed to a minimum of 22 to fill a Zeus) and is faster and more agile. When it comes to Hauling missions where all missions seem to use 8scu crates, the Zeus will still carry 96scu whether in 8, 16 or 32scu crates while the Zeus will only manage 64scu if there is nothing smaller than 8scu.
I would have also included "ability to bring along an ATLS" in your comparison. I don't know about the others, but an ALTS fits very nice and easy in a MAX even with a full load. Handy tool to bring around on cargo missions.
I think you should not compare the C1 with those 2, it only has 64 SCU space on the cargo Grid. A much better comparison would be with the MSR and Connie Taurus, they have the same or a little more cargo capacity and do serve in about the same role currently, also MSR and Connie do benefit from more Crew, the C1 does not. The C1 is comparable with the normal Freelancer and the Cutlass Black. A different category even if those 2 match up pretty good size wise.
I think the 'Deal breaker' will be the ability to use jump points, when they are certain sizes. I know they said the Max was gonna be the largest ship through a small jump, But I wouldn't be surprised if the Zeus also fits.
I'm a long time MAX owner and I don't see that changing with the Zeus coming in. The FreeMax still has a lot going for it, greater versatility in that cargo bay, and we're still waiting on that facelift and gold pass. The biggest issue for the whole Freelancer line is how old they are by comparison.
Thank you, good video. One important note, the Zeus has 2 size 4 guns, so actually slightly better DPS. But still slow to turn. I guess the Cutlass Black did not have enough cargo space?
Timely video, sir! I’m torn on these 3 plus lightly considering the Taurus. I’m leaning Max for nostalgia and its cargo/vehicle capability. First world problems.
Freelancer Max is at the top of the list at the moment for me, for a reason that you didn't mention - access to components, fuses and fire extinguishers in Engineering gameplay. With so many of us flying solo (myself included) I think being able to get to components, fuses and fire extinguishers in a hurry with a full cargo load might be a big thing. I believe the Max has it's cargo centered in the cargo area, giving access to both walls of the cargo compartment, even when fully (or mostly) loaded. With the C1 and Zeus CL, the cargo is hard against the walls I seem to remember? Could you add "Maelstrom and Engineering" gameplay to your ship review criteria please? Your ship videos are the best on RUclips, and I'm watching your Cargo Hauler series right now! Thanks for all you do, Evenlease!
I melted my Freelancers ( all 4 of them ) when I bought the C1, F8c and F7c MkII. After using the Zeus CL for a week I am getting this feeling of longing for that gentle stroll up the rear ramp, and when I walk down the cargo deck I get a feeling of.... "I am home.." I think I shall be selling the C1 and 'buyback' the MAX..
Never been a fan of the C1 due to the landing issues. I love the industrual vibes the Max gives off, a proper space farmer ship but for me the winner is the CL with the styling and entry points
It's worth mentioning that the cockpit view of the Freelancer is straight up abysmal, while the view on the C1 is pretty good, and on the Zeus is amazingly good. This is something that matters a lot. See, eventually you will be forced to fly on zones with little visibility and having a ship with a crappy field of view isn't making things any better. So it's a major minus for the Freelancer, a plus for the C1, and an epic plus for the Zeus. Also to note, the cargo compartment of the Freelancer has the widest entrance of the 3 and by a large margin. This means you can fit any vehicles in and take them out of the ship effortlessly. This makes the Freelancer an excellent vehicle carrier. The C1 and the Zeus have an annoyingly tight entrances (no pun intended), making getting vehicles parked inside a bit annoying. You basically have to adjust your vehicle view to avoid getting stuck as you go in. Major point in favor of the Freelancer, and a point less for both the C1 and Zeus.
though on C1 it could have been much better if they moved the cockpit part of the cabin forward (it is now unreasonably backward and only half of the cockpit viewport is used) and added the same window that MSR has. And that way there would be enough space for a side door with ladder or even for a small docking ring without any change to those sliding chairs.
One of the problems i have run into in trying to up my hauling rep is that a lot of the larger hauling jobs use size 8 scu boxes which The Zeus and the c1's capacity for carrying is severely lacking.
I'm going for the MAX out of the three. It'a got practically the same cargo space as the Zeus, but it's far more flexible in terms of box arrangements (can fit 6x 24 SCU containers horizontally easy). It's the only one of the three that can fit a NURSA It's got the most offensive firepower with the 4x S3 and the turret It's the most space efficient in terms of what it can fit relative to its physical size The C1 comes second - while the cargo capacity is much lower, the cargo bay is large and square which makes loading easy, and even though the shielding is weak, it has the speed, maneuvrability and hull toughness to be able to put up a fight if it needs to. I fly solo 95% of the time, so lack of a turret has no impact on me. Zeus looks great, but to me the lack of combined firepower, maneuvrability and hull strength makes the Zeus too much of a liability if you are unfortunate enough to get caught in a combat situation, and it also loses points for the awkward cargo grid layout. If i'm transporting valuable cargo in that ship I'll just be too paranoid about getting pirated. I plan to use the Max as my medium freighter (IU also have a Taurus and C2 if I need to carry larger loads) and then buy a Zeus ES as my light explorer that can squeeze into smaller jump points.
Great video, I've only tested the C1 Spirit out of these three, I'd really like to try the Zeus but I'll probably go for the Max first just to fit the NURSA. Good to note is that the C1 (with the use of the tractor beam) can fit around 90-120 SCU (depending on box sizes) if you're comftrible flying with loose boxes.
I'm currently saving for my medium hauler now as i have been earning with a Hull-A. No way i would drop all that money on a spirit for same carry capacity and having to worry about shape of cargo to maximize is a no go on zeus. So i'll be getting the freelancer max.
That was a very good comparison video, solidified my decision to melt the ES and get a CL instead ... hopefully they sell them at the Convention in a few days again XD
Badass Intro ... and very nice info .... keep up the good work ... I predict this channel will keep growing. For Cargo I use the Taurus ... Those Connie's were missing in your overview. Or are they considered "Large" ?
Connie is medium. Its official designation is medium freight ship. Not sure why Evenlease left out the size 4 medium ships but its pretty silly to call this a medium ship comparison without the Connie.
The Freelancer is only one of the three that give me the cargo/trucker vibe. But none as much as my Hull A. I would like to see something in between. A mid/inline cargo hauler. Something that extends with top and bottom cargo grids. Like a flat bed trailer.
I think you're looking for the Hull B which isn't released yet. It's basically the single pilot Hull A except it's supposed to have full four cargo grids (left, right, top, bottom)
@@DanielDavis1973 True. The Hull B is what I am looking forward to. But I would like to see another ship company compete with a medium hauler, something with more of a stretch bed system design. One capable of landing without cargo being an issue.
Tbh I'm going to upgrade my cutter to the Zeus MK2 CL when 3.24.2 releases so out of the list of medium freighters in the game I'm gonna pick the Zeus MK2 CL as the one I'd fly plus I think the Zeus MK2 CL is my new favourite freighter ship that's ingame currently
I have all 3 currently.. I've had the MAX the longest and it's the only one I truly love. The Zeus is nice except its cargo grid and height of the cargo area make it a complete pain in the butt to use. The MAX is just easier. The MAX Is without a doubt the closest thing I have to a daily driver. I am looking forward to seeing how the Starlancer MAX lives up to being an upgrade from the Freelancer MAX though.
only if you assume max crew. Why would you bring more than a turret gunner for the others? don't say engineer/firefighter, because that guy would likewise be advised for the C1.
I really like the c1 due to how tough it is and how nicely it flies ( all subject to change I know) Not to mention the "official" cargo capacity is 64 scu but if you try hard enough you can definitely shove 110 ish in there and more importantly can actually be a 3x 32 scu crates plus a few smaller boxes in the hallway and some in the airlock ramp section. Can you get out? Not yet. Escape pods gotta go live first. For the time being you can drag the boxes out with the tractor beam and you are good to go
I have all of them, though the C1 only to get the BIS paint to melt it after and because I like the A1 Spirit more. Unsure if I will really keep the Zeus CL in the long run, but it's pretty nice. The MAX is beating the other two for me as it just feels great with a fitting flight model for its mass and it's not only good for cargo, especially because of the (N)ursa-possibilities. The MAX's separated cargo rooms will be a win in the future as well for crew shenanigans and I already enjoy using the small room for "private goods & bunker loot". It's also the easiest to kill though and can't quickly get away from the ground due to missing VTOLs, but at least landing it is not as weird as with the C1. The C1 generally loses clearly for me if you want to play as a crew just because of the lacking co-pilot turret. Currently ship tractor beams are rather gimmicky most of the time and having only access to those instead of a small turret is a dealbreaker for me, no matter if it's badly positioned like inside the Freelancer series. Said turret got slightly better with the Freelancer's small component pass at least.
The Max was one of my first ships and I like it, mostly because of its cargo capacity and how easy it can be loaded. But I LOVE the interieur of the Zeus. And this game is a lot about feelings and not just stats. That's why I will pick the Zeus as my new main ship I think. I was a bit disappointed about the boring inner design of the spirit when it was released... just a clean tube with no interesting interieur. The worst is the open cockpit with the bed just behind it.
I know you mention it in your dedicated reviews but adding "Bubble or Quadrant" in brackets next to said category would be helpful as some will screenshot it., o7 EDIT: Isn't the Cyclone larger than the ROC? If so she fits the former perfectly as well. :)
I would love the freelancer more if not for that view. Some of the cargo for it is also useless being in between the cargo and habs. It desperately needs a gold standard pass but it does make me feel like a space trucker.
@@durtyred86 freelancer as been a shitty cargo for years so yeah ? as long as the ship is not reworked it will be like that, and the freelancer is not a priority
@@Keiser-h4z they are working ships by their manufacturer. So saying it's not a priority is simply based on the when... It's definitely not a shitty cargo ship, but based on your stance, I'm not going to waste time arguing why or why not. Like what you like.
@@durtyred86 You can do whatever, but the fact is, its a bad cargo ship t'ill a rework. my org do optimisation about EVERY SINGLE thing in the game. the freelancer is in the lower tier on everything cargo related.
Yes, the grid and the small cargo door is not nice 😞 I think I will still switch to the Zeus - just becuase of it's detailed and lovely interieur. I think I will leave out a bit of it's cargo capacity and also don't use 32boxes because it's not worth the time to fill up every single SCU
@@ronnypendl2926 Yeah looks really painful to load the Zeus manually + I really hoped for the Nursa to fit cuz the large cargo area.. The ramp is way to narrow
Out of those? Max, hands down. It's the only one that can carry a Nursa, making it the best for bunkers. But if you're going to run cargo, just spend a little more and get a Taurus. Most versatile and arguably the best ship in the game, even without its gold pass.
That is true, but not much of a factor since you can just exit out the Freelancer's side door. If you need access to the Nursa, just back it in so you can open its rear door from the rest of the ship.
The Ursa/Nursa fits with room to walk around it, plus even enter the Ursa's side door. You just have to move it over against one side instead of parking it dead center.
@@JL-rj9fl No prob. I recently uploaded a very short vid showing me walk around both the Ursa and Fury inside the Max if anyone needs visual confirmation.
when I was trying to pick which ship in game before the C1 and the Zeus MKII Cl It was between the Taurus, Max and the MSR I saved up my $5mil for the MSR why ?? because it looked the best LOL it would have been nice to add the Taurus to this line up. still think the Zeus looks the best so you may know which one I'll be getting LOL
I Think I have a FL Max which I held on to because of the now obsolete "largest ship to go through a small jump point." but I intend to start Day 1 with my MSR. Might need to slum it in my Max for special use cases. but MSR for the win.
@@gergenskits3940 Yeah, it's a great ship. I think I'd like to get mine back. I just did my own analysis of haulers which was funny given the timing of this video being posted.
For cargo hauling, the max is now terrible. It’s essentially a C1 with an annoying torrent in the way. Shows the problem of designing and selling ships before designing the actual game. Taurus is currently the best cargo hauler, especially with an ATLS.
@@EvenLease44 it may still reflect 3.5+ by the old standard. Unsure why that info would make it into the game since it's been updated that we can't access that storage via the "I" menu anymore. The Zeus makes up for it by have 2 different sets of gun racks though. That's hella convenient. I like to keep spare multi tools and the occasional heavy weapon around if I have a rack available in a ship.
I flew the C1 for a while and was not impressed. The other two don't really excite me. I was really hoping the Zeus would be better. Now my Corsair seems to have been a waste of money at this point. Shame CIG seems to be bound and determined to drive away solo players (and all of our disposable income) since they're making it impossible to solo-operate anything larger than a starter ship. Hopefully NPC/AI crew will be a thing one of these years. . .
@@EvenLease44 that would be great! I don't think it needs a separate video but it'd be great to see it going forward. Also I really like the stats comparison and would love to see more like this.
Why was the Cutlass not included in this lineup? Also IMO - Zeus CL is the best deal for what you get , C1 Spirit is the best to fly solo , the Freelancer Max is the most functional for crews of all sizes but that will never matter because its ugly , and the Cutlass is Drake trash that performs better than it should only because no other ships have their additional benefits from armor, maelstrom materials, and control-surfaces online yet.
@@BDA1137 straight up disagree with you. And not just in opinion. According to the Cutlass blacks intended design goals, you are wrong, it is a medium freight by Drake, that is upgunned for piracy "on the down low"
@@BDA1137 sorry typed that last response in a rush, didn't mean for it to come off as so ride. The sentiment remains the same, the Cutlass Black is classified as freight in both lore and store, because it is not the combat variant of the Cutlass, which is the Blue, nor the militarized model, which is the Steel. It is the freight model, same as C1 or CL for all intents and purposes.
I appreciate your feedback! While it can do cargo I feel like it’s a better multi-role ship than it is a freight hauler, but not to fret it will have its comparison to others here soon.
@@EvenLease44 i would argue ALL the ships we compared today, especially the C1, make better generalist mukti-role ships than dedicated freight. The CL and Max you could argue otherwise... but the C1? Only 64 SCU with a heavy fovus on combat properties such as pilot firepiwer, manueverability, and heavy armor? I look forward to the next video :)
Raft will be apart of the exterior cargo carrying comparison, Taurus and MSR are bigger in size and price so they will have their own comparison together as well. In these quick comparison videos I want to touch on the three closest competitors that people look at.
The RAFT is not apart of this comparison as that’ll be for an exterior cargo carrying comparison video. Currently QT Fuel is being changed so that is one stat not mentioned. Otherwise, I have been recovering from a sudden case of the flu or something like it. A new ship review up tomorrow! Thanks for watching!
Must have beem tough speaking for that long with the sore throat xd
Very much so. Now I can’t stop coughing! Worth it.
@@EvenLease44 That's some dedication right there >_> I do pray you get better!
Raft may be external, but Cutlass aint, what gives? Why was tbe Cutlass Black, a frieght model medium daily driver like the rest, not in this lineup?
Also, Valkyrie is tbe secret queen of this battle ;)
@EvenLease44 Get better man, and thanks for the video!
I did 8 years over the road stateside. Of all the ships I've flown and constantly used, the Freelancer Max really carries the vibe of what a space truck would look and feel like. Even the whole cargo grid appears to be roughly 53' long, the length of your standard trailer. I've got plenty of ships that can transport more and probably faster. But none of them puts a smile on my face like a Max when I hit that back ramp and walk the cargo deck. It'll always have a parking spot in my fleet no matter what.
I have never owned one on the pledge store, but I fully agree. I'm super nostalgic for it - despite the dated interior, it gives a fun trucker vibe that's hard to replace.
I do expect to melt my hangar into a Zeus ES when it releases, though.
I'm a family man, so I'm team misc freelancer max
Seeing this makes me think the Misc Freelance is the Ford F-150.
@@0rderandChaosshould look at the old advertising for the ship it feels like a for commercial 😆
As a family man myself, I can confirm that this is true
I love the look and the handling of the Spirit but I wish it would be a bit more like the Zeus stat-wise.
With an extra Shield, a second Entry, and a bit more Cargo space, my mini Normandy would be perfect.
Yes, and Spirit is still the most beutifull ship in the game, Zeus as is pregnant.. or like this
Zeus looks like... - you need to get used to it )
Problem is they made the C1 look awesome and gave it those wings (hopefully with control surfaces it will also become the best in atmo with those...) but they are all wasted space. Even modern day aircraft have fuel storage in their wings so the C1 should at least smash the others in hydrogen fuel. Either that or they should take the cargo bay wider into that wing space.
@@tgjaedan I like those points. Make sense and use the wasted place we have with those wings without the need to change the interior. Tho I would love a +32SCU with a 2nd door.
@@Ssecave I think you could easily get another 16 SCU on either side if you went into the wings one high. Might not be super convenient but doable. Or try to make a walkway around and have cargo grid in the middle. And yes, second door would be key. Not just for convenience sake but for the sake of the game. Ramps are awesome but ever so often you just land someplace and the ground isn't 100% flat and the ramp doesn't get down far enough. Would be nice to have a secondary ladder to get in/out in these cases up by the cockpit.
this was a much needed comparison. I would however like a comparative analysis that isn't centered around cargo but around this range so that would include
The Nomad
The Cutlass Black
The Freelancer
The Spirit C1
The newly added Zeus MK II ES.
I have my favorites, I just want a video showing all of them in a neat line showing us scale and beauty :p
MAX remains undefeated for me, at least in the current state of the game. Granted, I mostly use it as a squad transport vehicle, rather than cargo.
What an intro! It literally rocks.
I love the new format you used for stats etc
I have the C1, and it is great but really fragile. Waiting for the Zeus, it seems to check all the boxes I expected the C1 to check
I love my C1! Just give me a second entrance like the Zeus and it'll be perfect. I do feel like they could increase cargo capacity by moving the grid to the middle and have the outside as a walk around. It might even be able to stack cargo if we did that (as in 3 units high).
second entrance and a possible capacity increase by 16 or 32 SCU would be really neat...
(And a hitpoint nerf as the ship is supposed to be fast, not necessarily tanky... and adjustment of master modes to un-nerf ships like C1that rely on speed and acceleration...)
Your production values are so polished!
I loved that all three stats were compared side by side at the end. Small thing, but it makes a lot of difference.
Absolutely, thank you!
C1 has realy unique cargo grid and loading bay opening, especially for 8scu boxes(its most handful for loading, and also you face it in some of haul missions) where it can competite with Taurus.
C1 can take 16boxes 8scu each = 128scu, Even Taurus cant !!!
Was tested
*same problem with 8scu boxes in Freelasncer Max and Zeus - think about it )
C1 can really upset you in auto loading only 64 scu.. but now it doesn't affect a lot
I have the C1, it's my go to for smaller station to planet cargo runs, it's speed and maneuverablity make it quick and easy to get in and out.
The really cool things happening with the introduction of the Zeus is exactly videos like this: Enough ships with similar, yet distinct characteristics that I think will appeal to a wide variety of people. It sets the stage for a move beyond the min/max discourse that I think plagues a lot of ship discussions right now, allowing people to balance multiple values and preferences to find something they like. For me, I want a decent ship that benefits from crew but can be flown solo, with the capacity for a variety of tasks. I really love the Raft and everything about it, but that thing will never step foot outside secure space. That's not to say any of these ships are gonna be effective in major combat, but they can be used for some bounties, Blockade Runner, and so on. Having flown each now, I think I'm going to settle on the Zeus CL. The cargo storage grid is adaptable - not perfect, but good for a variety of tasks. The S4 guns have not seen their heyday yet but will once armor and engineering come online. Along with other elements, I find it to be a strong jack-of-all-trades vessel. Thanks for the video!
I love the ladder and airlock on the Zeus II. Its turret is on its belly and can keep people from sneaking on the ship but will do nothing for the pirates in the sky.
The C1 is the best flying and has a dedicated VTOL, but the one entry ramp means you can’t exit the ship if the cargo hold is full.
The Freelancer Max is the oldest, the docking port is unusable and on the roof of the ship, and part of the cargo is inaccessible behind a bulkhead. Also the turret can’t quite deflect low enough to fire directly forward, it is just a bit high. It does have the widest cargo ramp and will fit more vehicles than the other two.
There is no clear winner, but if I could only buy one to use it would be the Freelancer Max. The wider cargo ramp and bay makes it more versatile and easy to load.
Dude that intro was fire! Thanks the review!
The Zeus CL can carry a Cyclone and a Fury together in the cargo bay. Just spin the Fury sideways after entering
While not technically categorized as a freight ship, the MSR carries roughly the same amount. And with it soon to get a size 3 shield, I'll stick with that.
But of the three in the video... I would have to pick the Max. A simple wide open cargo area. Good firepower and decent shields. And the ability to carry a Nursa, to me, would be more useful than a ship-mounted tractor beam in most circumstances.
Thanks for the video. This is exactly the info I was looking for as I consider an upgrade...
Great video man! Love the production value and attention to details laying each of their stats out and analyzing them, really helps cut through the noise and figure out which ships suit which roles better in their class. Feeling pretty stoked about my decision to upgrade my C1 to a Zeus ES if the CLs stats are already on average the best, the ES having an extra shield, larger QT tank etc. is gonna feel amazing. I don't really use the full weight of my cargo grid so downsizing aint that big of a deal, I know it wasn't a part of the video but you've really helped set my heart on the ES now haha
Thank you for the charts. You did a good job, boss.
My man! I’ve been waiting for someone to make this. You the best!
For one, if you have 1 crew member aboard, the Zeus CL has roughly the same DPS as the C1. The C1 doesn't really benefit from having crew. Combine that with 3 entrance/exit, double the cargo, more shields, being smaller, lighter, with more fuel capacity, 3x the shields, more internal storage and more versatility, it would make the better ship for the average player. It's a lot better than I thought it would be.
Not having a gunner turret and only one entrance/exit in the C1 killed my desire to own one. I've been waiting for the Zeus CL ever since.
The Zeus CL can carry a Cyclone and a Fury together in the cargo bay. Just spin the Fury sideways after entering
Hope you feel better soon.
YES, been looking forward to these types of videos...
Video looked amazing, love the side by side comparison of the ships. Keep up the great job. I’ll guess if you were ever in the service you must of had been in the Army.
I love the MISC ships. The freelancer series are my babies. But ill use the Zeus CL until the Freelancer series get updated to gold standard
MISC is just awesome and I intend to do the same.
I have a C1 and thought it would be an easy decision to switch to the Zeus with twice the cargo but the reality is that it is so fiddly to squeeze 128scu of cargo in and out of the Zeus that hardly anyone will ever load that much unless they are paying for auto-loading. On the other hand, the C1 will load 96scu quickly and easily with just three or six crates (as opposed to a minimum of 22 to fill a Zeus) and is faster and more agile. When it comes to Hauling missions where all missions seem to use 8scu crates, the Zeus will still carry 96scu whether in 8, 16 or 32scu crates while the Zeus will only manage 64scu if there is nothing smaller than 8scu.
Intro was Fire!
I would have also included "ability to bring along an ATLS" in your comparison. I don't know about the others, but an ALTS fits very nice and easy in a MAX even with a full load. Handy tool to bring around on cargo missions.
I think you should not compare the C1 with those 2, it only has 64 SCU space on the cargo Grid. A much better comparison would be with the MSR and Connie Taurus, they have the same or a little more cargo capacity and do serve in about the same role currently, also MSR and Connie do benefit from more Crew, the C1 does not.
The C1 is comparable with the normal Freelancer and the Cutlass Black. A different category even if those 2 match up pretty good size wise.
Thanks for the head to head comparison.
I think the 'Deal breaker' will be the ability to use jump points, when they are certain sizes. I know they said the Max was gonna be the largest ship through a small jump, But I wouldn't be surprised if the Zeus also fits.
Do we know that they are talking about dimensions, not mass? I always figured the latter.
I'm a long time MAX owner and I don't see that changing with the Zeus coming in.
The FreeMax still has a lot going for it, greater versatility in that cargo bay, and we're still waiting on that facelift and gold pass. The biggest issue for the whole Freelancer line is how old they are by comparison.
Thank you, good video. One important note, the Zeus has 2 size 4 guns, so actually slightly better DPS. But still slow to turn. I guess the Cutlass Black did not have enough cargo space?
Timely video, sir! I’m torn on these 3 plus lightly considering the Taurus. I’m leaning Max for nostalgia and its cargo/vehicle capability.
First world problems.
Best comparsion video, realy well made and full of good informations
Freelancer Max is at the top of the list at the moment for me, for a reason that you didn't mention - access to components, fuses and fire extinguishers in Engineering gameplay. With so many of us flying solo (myself included) I think being able to get to components, fuses and fire extinguishers in a hurry with a full cargo load might be a big thing. I believe the Max has it's cargo centered in the cargo area, giving access to both walls of the cargo compartment, even when fully (or mostly) loaded. With the C1 and Zeus CL, the cargo is hard against the walls I seem to remember? Could you add "Maelstrom and Engineering" gameplay to your ship review criteria please? Your ship videos are the best on RUclips, and I'm watching your Cargo Hauler series right now! Thanks for all you do, Evenlease!
I melted my Freelancers ( all 4 of them ) when I bought the C1, F8c and F7c MkII.
After using the Zeus CL for a week I am getting this feeling of longing for that gentle stroll up the rear ramp, and when I walk down the cargo deck I get a feeling of.... "I am home.."
I think I shall be selling the C1 and 'buyback' the MAX..
Never been a fan of the C1 due to the landing issues. I love the industrual vibes the Max gives off, a proper space farmer ship but for me the winner is the CL with the styling and entry points
Love this style of video. Super informative! Also banger intro music
It's worth mentioning that the cockpit view of the Freelancer is straight up abysmal, while the view on the C1 is pretty good, and on the Zeus is amazingly good. This is something that matters a lot. See, eventually you will be forced to fly on zones with little visibility and having a ship with a crappy field of view isn't making things any better. So it's a major minus for the Freelancer, a plus for the C1, and an epic plus for the Zeus.
Also to note, the cargo compartment of the Freelancer has the widest entrance of the 3 and by a large margin. This means you can fit any vehicles in and take them out of the ship effortlessly. This makes the Freelancer an excellent vehicle carrier. The C1 and the Zeus have an annoyingly tight entrances (no pun intended), making getting vehicles parked inside a bit annoying. You basically have to adjust your vehicle view to avoid getting stuck as you go in. Major point in favor of the Freelancer, and a point less for both the C1 and Zeus.
though on C1 it could have been much better if they moved the cockpit part of the cabin forward (it is now unreasonably backward and only half of the cockpit viewport is used) and added the same window that MSR has.
And that way there would be enough space for a side door with ladder or even for a small docking ring without any change to those sliding chairs.
@@marty2129 Good point. I have no idea why the cockpit of the C1 is not more like the MSR. It would have been so cool!
the slow, and sometimes buggy, elevator of the raft is actually making me considering getting a zeus cl instead
Congrats on the perfect Captain Morgan pose!
One of the problems i have run into in trying to up my hauling rep is that a lot of the larger hauling jobs use size 8 scu boxes which The Zeus and the c1's capacity for carrying is severely lacking.
Get well soon!
I'm going for the MAX out of the three.
It'a got practically the same cargo space as the Zeus, but it's far more flexible in terms of box arrangements (can fit 6x 24 SCU containers horizontally easy).
It's the only one of the three that can fit a NURSA
It's got the most offensive firepower with the 4x S3 and the turret
It's the most space efficient in terms of what it can fit relative to its physical size
The C1 comes second - while the cargo capacity is much lower, the cargo bay is large and square which makes loading easy, and even though the shielding is weak, it has the speed, maneuvrability and hull toughness to be able to put up a fight if it needs to. I fly solo 95% of the time, so lack of a turret has no impact on me.
Zeus looks great, but to me the lack of combined firepower, maneuvrability and hull strength makes the Zeus too much of a liability if you are unfortunate enough to get caught in a combat situation, and it also loses points for the awkward cargo grid layout. If i'm transporting valuable cargo in that ship I'll just be too paranoid about getting pirated.
I plan to use the Max as my medium freighter (IU also have a Taurus and C2 if I need to carry larger loads) and then buy a Zeus ES as my light explorer that can squeeze into smaller jump points.
00:00 Intro
00:40 MISC Freelancer MAX
02:32 C1 Spirit
03:55 Zeus Mk II CL
05:31 Which ship should you pick?
06:30 Outro
Great video, I've only tested the C1 Spirit out of these three, I'd really like to try the Zeus but I'll probably go for the Max first just to fit the NURSA. Good to note is that the C1 (with the use of the tractor beam) can fit around 90-120 SCU (depending on box sizes) if you're comftrible flying with loose boxes.
Thank you! In the most recent PTU update they moved the cargo grids closer to the middle isle so you can no longer place cargo in between.
@@EvenLease44 Ah that's sad to hear, although perhaps fair for it's use area. Thank you for letting me know!
Intro is very cool. Thanks for the comparison.
I'm currently saving for my medium hauler now as i have been earning with a Hull-A. No way i would drop all that money on a spirit for same carry capacity and having to worry about shape of cargo to maximize is a no go on zeus. So i'll be getting the freelancer max.
That was a very good comparison video, solidified my decision to melt the ES and get a CL instead ... hopefully they sell them at the Convention in a few days again XD
Nice video. Looking forward to its next iteration once the Freelancer gets upped to Platinum status. =)
Badass Intro ... and very nice info .... keep up the good work ... I predict this channel will keep growing. For Cargo I use the Taurus ... Those Connie's were missing in your overview. Or are they considered "Large" ?
Connie is medium. Its official designation is medium freight ship. Not sure why Evenlease left out the size 4 medium ships but its pretty silly to call this a medium ship comparison without the Connie.
The Freelancer is only one of the three that give me the cargo/trucker vibe. But none as much as my Hull A. I would like to see something in between. A mid/inline cargo hauler. Something that extends with top and bottom cargo grids. Like a flat bed trailer.
I think you're looking for the Hull B which isn't released yet. It's basically the single pilot Hull A except it's supposed to have full four cargo grids (left, right, top, bottom)
@@DanielDavis1973 True. The Hull B is what I am looking forward to. But I would like to see another ship company compete with a medium hauler, something with more of a stretch bed system design. One capable of landing without cargo being an issue.
Tbh I'm going to upgrade my cutter to the Zeus MK2 CL when 3.24.2 releases so out of the list of medium freighters in the game I'm gonna pick the Zeus MK2 CL as the one I'd fly plus I think the Zeus MK2 CL is my new favourite freighter ship that's ingame currently
Max all the way! She needs a refresh but I love her to bits!
0:32 essential part of any ship review 😂❤.
Went Zeus from a cutty going StarLancer for the 224+ parking (at least til bmm is flyable then ccu to defender)
The Japanese make the best cars, I trust in MISC
Love the Intro.
I have all 3 currently.. I've had the MAX the longest and it's the only one I truly love. The Zeus is nice except its cargo grid and height of the cargo area make it a complete pain in the butt to use. The MAX is just easier. The MAX Is without a doubt the closest thing I have to a daily driver.
I am looking forward to seeing how the Starlancer MAX lives up to being an upgrade from the Freelancer MAX though.
fun fact if you split internal storage per crow member on spirit you have the largest storage by 0.30
only if you assume max crew. Why would you bring more than a turret gunner for the others?
don't say engineer/firefighter, because that guy would likewise be advised for the C1.
Really enjoy this video brake down. Can you do more like this of each category? Also Freelancer because Freelancer game and it holds an Ursa
That Zeus is a looker.
I have all 3 Freelancer variants AND a Zeus ES (with the Solstice paint 🥰) 😄
I really like the c1 due to how tough it is and how nicely it flies ( all subject to change I know)
Not to mention the "official" cargo capacity is 64 scu but if you try hard enough you can definitely shove 110 ish in there and more importantly can actually be a 3x 32 scu crates plus a few smaller boxes in the hallway and some in the airlock ramp section.
Can you get out? Not yet. Escape pods gotta go live first.
For the time being you can drag the boxes out with the tractor beam and you are good to go
In the newest PTU update they have removed the ability to shove more cargo in between the 64 scu as they’ve moved the cargo grids over a smidge.
I love the zeus looks, so the zeus! xD
I'm a simple man and I love my Freelancer MAX
I would stick to my C1 if it would have more shields, but the C1 is paper thin in combat, so yeah the Zeus win in my book
I have all of them, though the C1 only to get the BIS paint to melt it after and because I like the A1 Spirit more. Unsure if I will really keep the Zeus CL in the long run, but it's pretty nice. The MAX is beating the other two for me as it just feels great with a fitting flight model for its mass and it's not only good for cargo, especially because of the (N)ursa-possibilities.
The MAX's separated cargo rooms will be a win in the future as well for crew shenanigans and I already enjoy using the small room for "private goods & bunker loot". It's also the easiest to kill though and can't quickly get away from the ground due to missing VTOLs, but at least landing it is not as weird as with the C1.
The C1 generally loses clearly for me if you want to play as a crew just because of the lacking co-pilot turret. Currently ship tractor beams are rather gimmicky most of the time and having only access to those instead of a small turret is a dealbreaker for me, no matter if it's badly positioned like inside the Freelancer series. Said turret got slightly better with the Freelancer's small component pass at least.
The Max was one of my first ships and I like it, mostly because of its cargo capacity and how easy it can be loaded. But I LOVE the interieur of the Zeus. And this game is a lot about feelings and not just stats. That's why I will pick the Zeus as my new main ship I think. I was a bit disappointed about the boring inner design of the spirit when it was released... just a clean tube with no interesting interieur. The worst is the open cockpit with the bed just behind it.
I know you mention it in your dedicated reviews but adding "Bubble or Quadrant" in brackets next to said category would be helpful as some will screenshot it., o7
EDIT: Isn't the Cyclone larger than the ROC? If so she fits the former perfectly as well. :)
love the vid!!
Thank you!
I would love the freelancer more if not for that view. Some of the cargo for it is also useless being in between the cargo and habs. It desperately needs a gold standard pass but it does make me feel like a space trucker.
Max is the champion. With the good SCU size, it can also carry an Ursa.
expect you can't actually put 120 SCU inside and still get out with the new system
@NEX1-t7j you think that'll last...? If not, it's not a logical argument at all.
@@durtyred86 freelancer as been a shitty cargo for years so yeah ? as long as the ship is not reworked it will be like that, and the freelancer is not a priority
@@Keiser-h4z they are working ships by their manufacturer. So saying it's not a priority is simply based on the when... It's definitely not a shitty cargo ship, but based on your stance, I'm not going to waste time arguing why or why not. Like what you like.
@@durtyred86 You can do whatever, but the fact is, its a bad cargo ship t'ill a rework. my org do optimisation about EVERY SINGLE thing in the game. the freelancer is in the lower tier on everything cargo related.
great video man!
Huh figured the ole Taurus was a medium as well.
Thanks EL.
Yeah, I am a bit disappointed with the cargo grid on the Zeus :/ I still don't know if it worth upgrade the C1 to Zeus
Yes, the grid and the small cargo door is not nice 😞 I think I will still switch to the Zeus - just becuase of it's detailed and lovely interieur. I think I will leave out a bit of it's cargo capacity and also don't use 32boxes because it's not worth the time to fill up every single SCU
@@ronnypendl2926 Yeah looks really painful to load the Zeus manually + I really hoped for the Nursa to fit cuz the large cargo area.. The ramp is way to narrow
Would‘ve loved to also see them parked up side by side.
its wierd because Gatac Ralien page says its Medium freight but it holds over 300 cargo
Great content, thanks
Out of those? Max, hands down. It's the only one that can carry a Nursa, making it the best for bunkers. But if you're going to run cargo, just spend a little more and get a Taurus. Most versatile and arguably the best ship in the game, even without its gold pass.
Let’s hope all this support for the Taurus doesn’t bring it down nerf isle to get beaten by the nerf hammers
*Freelancer max - Nursa will block entry/exit from rear (so bare that in my mind)!
That is true, but not much of a factor since you can just exit out the Freelancer's side door. If you need access to the Nursa, just back it in so you can open its rear door from the rest of the ship.
The Ursa/Nursa fits with room to walk around it, plus even enter the Ursa's side door. You just have to move it over against one side instead of parking it dead center.
@@Helspyre Awesome, I couldn't recall if you could walk around it. Thanks for the heads up, it's been a while since I've flown the Max.
@@JL-rj9fl No prob. I recently uploaded a very short vid showing me walk around both the Ursa and Fury inside the Max if anyone needs visual confirmation.
Blurry photos made even tech demo of nanofx engine ship visuals look real
MSR will still do it for me tbh.
when I was trying to pick which ship in game before the C1 and the Zeus MKII Cl It was between the Taurus, Max and the MSR I saved up my $5mil for the MSR why ?? because it looked the best LOL it would have been nice to add the Taurus to this line up.
still think the Zeus looks the best so you may know which one I'll be getting LOL
I would just love for you to show where the internal storage is on the freelancer max is because I'm fairly sure it doesn't exist
You might be able to access it at the ladder entrance by holding F, I’ll take a look later tonight.
@@EvenLease44 just tried this and its not there tried a few other places with the same idea and no luck
The MAX 😍♥️
I Think I have a FL Max which I held on to because of the now obsolete "largest ship to go through a small jump point." but I intend to start Day 1 with my MSR. Might need to slum it in my Max for special use cases. but MSR for the win.
They did say different jump point sizes will exist, so having a medium hauler may still be useful. So that concept isn't obsolete yet, which is nice.
@@JL-rj9fl yeah, that is what I meant by special use cases. besides, the MAX is a tank.
@@gergenskits3940 Yeah, it's a great ship. I think I'd like to get mine back. I just did my own analysis of haulers which was funny given the timing of this video being posted.
For cargo hauling, the max is now terrible. It’s essentially a C1 with an annoying torrent in the way. Shows the problem of designing and selling ships before designing the actual game. Taurus is currently the best cargo hauler, especially with an ATLS.
I dont like the Cockpit from Freelancer. My Favorit ship is the star runner.
Isn't the FL Max middle storage shielded?
Don’t hate me, but the accessible internal storage appears to only be 1.95 SCU via the 3 .65 scu lockers in the sleeping area.
Would never hate! Updated info is always a good thing!
@@EvenLease44 it may still reflect 3.5+ by the old standard. Unsure why that info would make it into the game since it's been updated that we can't access that storage via the "I" menu anymore. The Zeus makes up for it by have 2 different sets of gun racks though. That's hella convenient. I like to keep spare multi tools and the occasional heavy weapon around if I have a rack available in a ship.
I flew the C1 for a while and was not impressed. The other two don't really excite me. I was really hoping the Zeus would be better. Now my Corsair seems to have been a waste of money at this point. Shame CIG seems to be bound and determined to drive away solo players (and all of our disposable income) since they're making it impossible to solo-operate anything larger than a starter ship. Hopefully NPC/AI crew will be a thing one of these years. . .
Would have appreciated some ship tour b roll
Thanks for the feedback, maybe I can do an interior comparison for another video but I’ll be sure to add interior shots for the next stats comparison.
@@EvenLease44 that would be great! I don't think it needs a separate video but it'd be great to see it going forward. Also I really like the stats comparison and would love to see more like this.
Why was the Cutlass not included in this lineup?
Also IMO - Zeus CL is the best deal for what you get , C1 Spirit is the best to fly solo , the Freelancer Max is the most functional for crews of all sizes but that will never matter because its ugly , and the Cutlass is Drake trash that performs better than it should only because no other ships have their additional benefits from armor, maelstrom materials, and control-surfaces online yet.
Because it doesn't match up with those in the list here... It's now more of an extra heavy fighter rather than a medium sized ship like the other 3.
@@BDA1137 straight up disagree with you. And not just in opinion. According to the Cutlass blacks intended design goals, you are wrong, it is a medium freight by Drake, that is upgunned for piracy "on the down low"
@@BDA1137 sorry typed that last response in a rush, didn't mean for it to come off as so ride. The sentiment remains the same, the Cutlass Black is classified as freight in both lore and store, because it is not the combat variant of the Cutlass, which is the Blue, nor the militarized model, which is the Steel. It is the freight model, same as C1 or CL for all intents and purposes.
I appreciate your feedback! While it can do cargo I feel like it’s a better multi-role ship than it is a freight hauler, but not to fret it will have its comparison to others here soon.
@@EvenLease44 i would argue ALL the ships we compared today, especially the C1, make better generalist mukti-role ships than dedicated freight. The CL and Max you could argue otherwise... but the C1? Only 64 SCU with a heavy fovus on combat properties such as pilot firepiwer, manueverability, and heavy armor?
I look forward to the next video :)
Freelancer the heaviest but no VTOL thrusters? Hmm...
Surprised you didn't mention either the Taurus or andromeda or the Raft.
Raft will be apart of the exterior cargo carrying comparison, Taurus and MSR are bigger in size and price so they will have their own comparison together as well.
In these quick comparison videos I want to touch on the three closest competitors that people look at.
@@EvenLease44 The MSR's cargo capacity though is in the same range. Taurus is bigger but isn't really in the next bigger category.
@@EvenLease44 Taurus is also a medium size Ship 🤔
C1 desperately needs the rear turret from the A1
Seems c1 spirit should be 1st tier and zeus is the second. They messes up )