Mercury Star Runner vs. 400i: Settling the debate in 12 minutes 

Remember The purpose of the comparison on my end! I can't speak for others but I specifically need a FAST ship to do cargo missions that strictly require speedy delivery. I also need the ship to be a quality daily driver. So, while there are other cargo options just remember speed is the most necessary part of this decision for me but it may be different for others.

Im an MSR guy and I have to say, it needs that CiG love. Seriously, the second exit is crucial. The interior needs work too. The data computers should go in the scanning room. Scanning chair should just go... make Dish work from co-pilot and or Pilot cockpit chairs. Also for its size the shields are a problem. And the acceleration in atmo sucks for a ship that aero-dynamic. Blasting its way out of Atmosphere is a Melinium falcon trait of which this ship was designed to be.... i hope this ship gets a rework... sooner rather than later. Its become a hanger queen. Also would be nice to just get bucket seats. The animation is too damn long. To walk through all them doors just to be in a long animation to turn the ship on, let alone blast out from surface to atmo.

The 400i handles so good for it's size.

I joined SC recently and the first weeks I loved Drake design, but this free fly gave me the opportunity to try out the 400i and man, i fell in love with those interiors. I still like the Corsair a lot, use it daily, but the 400i team made use of 101% of the space they had to create a fantastic compact interior that doesn't lose against bigger ships with random corridors/rooms of wasted space.

I will wait for the data running gameplay to come in before I decide.

Maybe when hacking comes in the game all those doors in the MSR might come in handy if someone has to hack open every one! 😆

The MSR has a chess board, the 400i does not. CHECKMATE!

The MSR is the definition of "fuck it this will do"

I hope this channel blows up! Keep it up bro

You are spot-on in regard to all you said about MSR. I bought and waited a year for its delivery but soon grew frickin' tired of running a MARATHON to reach my pilot's seat. My military specialty was dealing with encrypted data, so that helped sell the ship as well. Once the 400i came out, I immediately melted my MSR for it, and I haven't looked back. I now hear they may create a separate pilot's entry point up front. If that happens, I MAY consider getting another one. But they had better hurry, as the Drake Herald is a much FASTER data runner. Thanks.

The 400i has a lot of killer features when compared to similar ships and ships a tier above or below: If it isn't tankier, it's faster, has more missiles, is more soloable, etc. It feels like there are so many more practical options, but the 400i has something on any one of them.

Love these videos. entertaining, informative, funny and to the point....thank you brotha keep it going!!!!!

I have owned both and currently own an MSR again (Bought it in game). If I was going to spend real life cash on one though it would be a tough choice, but I think the the 400i would edge it out slightly as I am a lover of the Origin look and style of their ships.

Keep the great content coming brother.

Great video! It's worth mentioning the turret placements on each ship. The 400i's turrets, while conveniently remote, are almost exclusively defensively placed in the rear. They're best used to ward off anyone pursuing the 400i. The MSR turrets on the other hand are pretty neutrally positioned with open, unobstructed line of sight.

Liked, subscribed & shared the channel. Thanks for the review and im looking forward to seeing more of your content!

You make some excellent points. I have to say you've swayed me, especially considering the upcoming changes to the weapons.

I love my 400i, the only pain point I have with it is the limited utility of the cargo bay. If it could carry a ROC then it would be 100% my daily driver ship.

I have both. I have to say that: Entrence, (no airlock) Useless "bottem flor"- chesstable, makes me don't like the MSR so much. That might change when data running come on the table. I love the 400i interieor, hate the strange unnecesary interior of the MSR. And what realy matters is the stats you mention.

Well presented, concise and informative content. Kudos on a great vid.

loved the comparison!

I have both, different purposes. Both stand out in value to me, I especially like fast ships with good range.

As a person whose been trying to get rid of the 400i since I bought it...I can't. They haven't dropped a meaningful smuggler for me. The C1, imo, was a failure. If it had competing speed and agility to the MSR? Sure, it somehow doesn't. It's a net loss but you gain in firepower with the C1. With the 400i all you lose is SCU but you gain in basically every other category. There is nothing I want more, sadly. At least at a fair price point and balance (Valkyrie why must they ruin you!? No real cargo grid and insane pricetag) I've tried the MSR and the "use factor" on it feels more like a dedicated 2-man ship...not a solo. Lots of timesinks moving around in it, lots of unnecessary space, parts are way in the back of the ship meaning it's more or less designed to have a friend in the back on the turrets and near the parts...not at the copilot seat like with the 400i where parts access is one door and a fast elevator/ladder away. Takes me 5 seconds to get from one end of the 400i to the other. The 400i is also probably the most compactly designed ship in its size category by a large margin. It has so much in it and it's more or less the size of a Cutty when it comes to combat profile because of the nose and elongated design. It has escape pods, it has an X1 bay for solo recon (and fun if you like racing), kitchen, bathroom, shower, 2 bedrooms (one is a master), and for some reason that map table (scanning buff?). I think the entire debate really just boils down to mission design, not ship design. IF smuggling missions clock in higher than the amount the 400i has to offer? The MSR wins...if they don't? The 400i wins. Higher atmo speed beats speed in space every time because MOST of your time in space is in Quantum anyway, for real speed your goal is getting to atmo as fast as possible to then quantum. I also think scanning = loot whereas data = a different gameplay all together. Scanners on the 400i being able to detect shipwrecks, enemies, unique POIs, etc...could make it more profitable vs whatever data gather really ends up being. (To me it just sounds like the computers store your scu turn in instead of boxes...so I don't see how it differs in meaningful gameplay from other mining/salvage tracks) Maybe there is an argument about vehicles and loading but we don't have useful vehicles for that. So it's moot. Using an Ursa to load your ship would take you more time than a tractor beam. 400i, imo, is the most survivable ship in the game. Fast, hellah tanky, and can take on interceptors with its back facing firepower. Combined with blades to cover your rear it'll, imo, be the current go to solo ship in the game. Im still waiting on a smuggling vehicle from CNOU, but otherwise I think the category is massively underdeveloped considering demand for smuggling ships. I like CNOUs more bold styling. 400i is beautiful but too rich for me. I think the MSR looks like a gamer mouse, I hate the look and the interior is giving hospital. I think we need more fast smugglers in general though: MISC/MIRAI, CNOU, and other historically fast manufacturers could compete. I'd love to see ARGO but CIG seems to despise ARGO by making all of their ships one-note, weak, and slow...would love to see ARGO get the MIRAI treatment in the way Lambo makes tractors still. Long term I think both ships could be improved with the MSR getting a door at the cockpit, and the 400i getting handling that makes sense for its build...it's handling is pretty bad right now compared to the MSR...and nobody thinks that makes any fucking sense. I also think the MSR needs S4 hardpoints and the 400i needs S5 hardpoints. Both are massively undergunned above and below their category.

Have owned both and still own the 400i and it’s one of my DD. I don’t believe the temperature controlled rooms have grids. I could be wrong as I’ve never tried but I’ve auto loaded the ship many times and never saw cargo in there when going to/from the bridge. Regarding the weapons, you can attach size 4s today. I generally run ADB4s on my 400i. If not I run M6A or Rhinos . The main reason I melted the MSR was the bottom thrusters. Always had close calls because those thrusters are just too weak for the weight of the ship. It never lived up to the maneuverability of its ads.

The X1 bay honestly feels a lot more important than just a small perk. Like it's cargo is more limited but you never have to scarified anything to bring a bike along. Even the MSR has to make considerable sacrifices to stow something away and while it's strictly less versatile, that bay is optimally laid out for it. Cargo bays often have a lot of dead space so more dedicated spaces for vehicles can only be a benefit. Plus ground movement is very important and landing spots with any of the ships around this size can be tricky, unless you're doing strictly cargo runs you'll almost always want a ground vehicle of some description anyway. It's a feature I really wish more ships had, it's one of the reasons I still really like the Connie despite it's flaws and lack of features since the snub bay is an upgrade to a bike is a lot of ways being more mobile, faster, and less hazardous while maintaining that incredibly small silhouette.

Appreciate the content, keep it up mate.

I really hope they do a big overhaul of the MSR. I think i should come after smuggling and data running systems are put in the game, though. It just needs some serious loving

The 400i has a holo mapping Table and is an Exploration ship, W 32 missiles. IMO the 2 remote turrets will be able to be bladed in future.

The MSR needs a bump in shields. The ship is so weak right now it is prey to anything in the Verse. It cannot survive long enough to run away.

I love these comparison videos

So for me its the MSR, now my main three complaints is it needs a second entrance near the front. Which CIG confirm they will do, but that a long wait. Second that elevator needs to be replaced with stairs. Finally the shields needs improvement like a extra size 2(so 3 size 2) or 1 to 2 size 3 shields.

This is very similar to the Freelancer / Cutless Black comparison. One holds more cargo, one is more defensive, etc. And I appreciate that there is no clear winner. It depends more on what you want to get out of the ship.

Awesome content!

The biggest question needing to be asked is how you will be using the ship in the near future, with a crew or solo. The MSR will need a crew of at least 2. While the 400i can be used solo now and looking like it can in the future as well. I love both ships, but I prefer solo flying, so the answer was a little easier for me. As for AI filling in missing crew, it still will not be as good as having an actual player with you. But the 400i will still be good with other players for crew or solo.

hell yeah ill keep watching your content

Ayy love your vids 😊

The 400i is a quirky ship and shape, yet it is so incredibly well designed in terms of interior that everything is well laid out, makes sense and every inch of space is well used. The MSR on the other hand.. boy, what a mess. Too much design compromised to do the stupid ‘hidden smuggler tunnels’ (that everybody knows about!), so it’s just left being a badly laid out ship that could do with a full interior rework. For me, I’d choose the 400i any day, but the MSR in terms of looks is hard to top in the game..

Origin wins as it should be. It's a higher end ship and manufacturer, so for daily driver no question. 100i or 300i series are great daily drivers too.

MSR isn’t designed to be a solo friendly ship IMO.

The biggest thing that brought me to the 400i over the MSR, was the tankiness and the quick access to the cockpit. MSR takes forever to get into the cockpit. You'll die before you can get into your cockpit. EGRESS is sooo key!

Great Video!

Nice video. Sub earned.

Great comparison. Really helped me understand comparison between MSR & 400i.

Thanks for an updated look at the two. I was undecided on what to buy. The Look of the MSR, naming capability and roles it has had me leaning that way. But after your video I have to evaluate what I need it for now, and the 400i seems a better fit. Appreciate the video.

Good video!

Good comparison. The 400i has a permanent place in my fleet for its primary role as a pathfinder. I'll be running cargo routes so this ship will be my scout to map out approaches and maybe do some small high value deliveries. The 400i also has component redundancy - 3 x power plants, 3 x coolers, 3 x radar - all industrial grade - which I think will be important for hazardous systems like Pyro.

I have both. Tried out the MSR again and while I like how she handles, the dual deck design, the 17 thousand doors, weak weapons package, and terrible survivability overcomes the pluses of the design, mainly the amount of cargo space and the tiny amount of shielded cargo space. She's on deck to be CCU'ed up.

Dang that is a lot of comments! Congrats man!

400 is my daily driver, so I dont need convincing :) Its for the looks and ease of use that I chose it. In all fairness though, the MSR is supposed to be a data runner. I dont know how it will work for that particular role, it remains to be seen. If we re talking about ~120SCU freight there are better and cheaper options anyway (freelancer, zeus )

The "use" of the MSRs internal space is shocking.

I have the MSR....since release and the C1. The C1 blows away the MSR handling and fire power. I don't like the looks of the 400i, both exterior and interior, nor how it flies. I fly the C1 daily as it flies like a Vanguard...maybe better. It is CHEAP to fly and repair. Yes, it doesn't have the shields or hull, but it out handles the MSR and 400i and the 64 aECU cargo allows for lots of options. Thanks for the comparison!

Need the option to add a med bed to any larger ship, like a component.

All the doors in crusader ships will come very handy whenever you need to vent atmo and have actual fires on ships. The ones with 2 or 3 doors will loose a lot of air fast, hence why crusader has so many doors

Thanks for the comparison, definitely makes me take another look at the 400i

As you said, different roles. That said I feel the MSR has quite a bit more versatility even lacking the data running gameplay loop. Cargo, scanning in the future, data running, hidden cargo compartments, ect... Quite a bit to look forward to.

Looking forward into the Cutlass

I just can't get over the nose on the 400, I love everything else about it.

I really enjoyed the 400i when I had it, and also think it makes for the better ship vs the MSR. But 1 my OCD, of ship brands needing to match wont let me purchase one again. Also more importantly I think the 400i feets in the Origin ecosystem more so then the MSR fits in the Crusader ecosystem. I could totally see the 400i a couple 325a's and 125a's protecting a fleet of 600 and 890's. The concept behind the MSR feels like something that woulda come out of Consolidated Outlands and not crusader.

MSR just has potential that isn't yet open, hoping to see what i can fully do in the future

Msr used to be my daily driver, until I got frustrated by the illogical interior

I'm not a huge Origin fan, primarily because of the looks. However, the 400i had caught my attention because it was different in many ways. Still not enough to buy with real money, but was thinking of using some of my in-game money to buy one and just check it out. Then, with the latest ship sales, I found I could do a multi-step CCU and get the 400i for less that $200. My thought was I would grab it and leave it as a hanger-queen until I went to upgrade it. I already have an MSR that I like. But I decided to take it out for a couple of spins with all stock, just to see what it's like. And honestly, I kinda like it. Yes, the two have very different missions. So I'm not going to be getting rid of my MSR. But the 400i is just fun to fly. And I feel punches a bit above its weight class, combat wise. One thing I will say about the MSR. A number of the negatives you listed I'm pretty sure are going to go away once they give it the Gold Pass. After flying the 400i for a bit, I could see them making the two almost identical in that area. For the single, important, reason that combat should not be the deciding factor when choosing between the two. Hell, if I were in charge, I would give the 400i and additional 2 scu of shielded cargo. Not enough to make it worth while as cargo itself, but more as a very specific 'Runner. Where the MSR is going to be focused on just not being seen at all, the 400i would be focused on "Hey everyone! Look at me swish my tail!" while smuggling say a person out of or into the center of capitol city.

Couldn't decide so I got both! And I love them both.

Thanks!

Oh debate ship series is a cool idea!

For multi purpose, if I want something dead then I fly the Corsair, but for everything else I choose the MSR. I've been lovestruck with the aesthetics and interior of the MSR since day 1 and will always love this ship. I do believe it's speed balances it's lack of armament and if you are a moderately competent pilot you can easily disengage from just about any pursuer that isn't a dedicated interdictor. The MSR is designed to run high value data and smuggle illicit cargo, not get into slugging matches like the Corsair or Andromeda.

Hmmm. Interesting conversation. I have both plus the Zeus so I’m happy 😃

Great information

I have and love both of them. For me, the 400i is my daily driver and has been since the first Luminalia that it was in the 'verse. I have it upgraded with all Military Grade A components and a pair up dual Rhinos up front. I spend a lot of time flying from space down to planets, and having a ship that is faster than most fighters in atmo is wonderful. Plus, can take a bike and a rover (I like the STV, but the Cyclone or mule are great options too), has a nice weapons cabinet and armour lockers in the airlock, and still room left over for some cargo. And up on the main deck, you have a cozy kitchenette, crew quarters for two, a really nice Captain's quarters, and one of my favourite bridges in the game. Serious Star Trek vibes and you can turn the lights down if you think the bridge is too bright. And the last time I bothered going to Jump Town, there was a Sentinel there trying to take out everyone inside at the conga line. I engaged and won. And, of course, it's gorgeous. I've got the Penumbra, Meridian, Stella Fortuna, and Auspicious Red Dragon paints... So pretty. I take out my Mercury for exactly what you mentioned if I'm with friends. It has great turret coverage two dual S3 turrets that can converge on the pilot's target. And for doing ground missions, it's great to roll out with my Ursa Fortuna.

I really dont care for Origin ships, but I dig the 400i. Still... MSR has my nerd wallet. cant help it

Another thing to think about for the 400i, the ship can be exited from the airlock without opening up the ship. Packages can also be left on bike bay, and you can access internal inventory from there as well. So that can be a useful bonus.

I had the MSR and loved it. I still have the 400i and also love it. I will keep the 400i.

IMO the only things the MSR has going for it right now is... *I prefer a ramp to a lift. *If fully crewed more forward facing firepower. *Its view out the cockpit.

I’ve been trying to decide which ship would be better to ccu too. Ty for this.

The MSR is of course easily loved because it gives off the Malinium Falcon vibe (and was pretty much pitched as it). The 400i holds a special part in my heart because it's the only ship that makes me believe it could be a coastal water going vessel, not just a starship. The 400i also gives off STRONG Star Trek vibes, and I am a solid Trekkie (Star Wars is cool, but it's not my favorite SciFi).

They really need to fix the MSR shields, HP and upgrade the weapons to the spirit standard. Current PTU needs to do a balance pass.

Love these two ships but they fill different roles in the vers. I prefer the MSR. Bigger cargo bay, a little more battle capable, faster acceleration and top speed and will do data running. I love the design of the 400i but I feel like the MSR has a little more to offer. For me, MSR is a buy and 400i is an in game buy.

Here's a question: I've had the 400i for a long time, but I had issues loosing control over steering, with the ship veering down and left or right, with no settings changes and no inputs to the controls. I was not out of fuel either. I racked up 4 crashes over planets, I could not explain. I prematurely applied an Apollo CCU, because CIG had hinted to a possible xmas release. So now I'm stuck with a cutlass loaner. At least it never crashed.

Great shows, I love the MSR but it needs love.

Thank you for your videos! Very good point! Owning an MSR, I just had the same thinking during the free flight! I had some time to try the 400i. And it was very nice and very convenient! To bad the elevator doesn't go down to the ground from the top level like the 600i, it was not to complicated to implement I guess and it would add even more practicality!...

Nice comparison, I'm sticking with my MSR as it fits my needs better.

I think the 400i is a better ship for a solo player. But the MSR has the advantage in the rule of cool; it’s basically SC’s millennium falcon.

Man this video just reminded me how much I love the 400i

I can easily settle the debate in less than 12 mins. I own both ships, each for their intended purpose, they are both beautiful(IMO) and I will be flying them with my wife.

Thanks for the content. I’m curious how CR will implement Data Running in his universe. The Harold and Freelancer I pledged for in 2017 eventually became a MSR. If data running proves to be uninteresting then it will upgraded to something different. The exterior of the 400i I find oddly appealing, and certainly the interior has a great look. For personal luxury I’m torn between the 315p (size), 400i (all rounder), and 600i (capabilities) Im not playing today, but I imagine that I’ll want to run instead of fight in most situations. So can the shields and hull (armor) hold out long enough to use speed to get out of dampener range to QT away?

I daily drive the MSR and I'm happy with it. I flew the 400i in the free fly and I didnt really like it. The 400i requires the midship elevator to get to the upper decks (or the ladder), the MSR allows for mantling the tiny elevator it has. Along with the lower vis you mentioned, I also dont like the luxory spaces in the 400i. While currently Data Running isnt in the game, the server room and scanning seat will eventually have functionality. The stats are certainly interesting, but I believe those represent default load outs. While I'm still working on my MSR load out, I've seen QT drives that are significantly faster than the stock, and since my main use for it is station to station transpo that to me is the highest priority. As you said in the vid though all up to how your gonna use it.

I am watching right now because I am having a similar internal debate.

Very interesting comparison. A lot of good info to think about. I love my MSR! However, she has a big heavy butt. She slides a lot in the sharp turns. She is a sexy ship and I somewhat like the interior, but it take forever to get through all the doors to get to and from the bridge. Thanks to this video I'm now considering adding a 400i to my fleet even though the exterior looks like a distorted condor skull. I'm sure I could find a use for it. Thanks for the video. Well done.

I will say the Crusader ships in general are more maneuverable because in lore they're known for higher output thrusters and their engineering in placement is supposedly superior to other manufacturers.

I have the MSR but I can only go so long before my guns straight up stop working at all. Does anyone else run into this ? And if so, any work arounds?

At least right now the biggest selling point of the 400i is the size 3 shield. And with the Zeus coming in with 3 and 4 size 2's... It makes the MSR look even weaker unless CIG is going to revamp how shields work?

I've owned both, but kept the MSR...to try the data running. I've got a 400i in buyback, and Zeus CCU's if I change my mind.

persoanlly the mobility of the msr is why i like it more

Don't forget to pick up the cool dragon paintjob for it!

Nice video, MSR here for me just because Millenium Falcon vibe I get from it. Sometimes its just about the feel of the ship ya know.

I have not flown in a 400i yet. Thanks for the video.

Not related to the video, but I'd like to know your thoughts on the C1 as a daily driver.

I'm always looking for good informed videos and update about sc and her ships. Thanks for your time mate. 400i is the clear winner in style, starrunner for everything else.

o7 ... the 400i is totally growing on me

Love the 400i. Had the MSR a few times always melt.

I bought the Zeus CL. Things to think about! I’m at least going to give it a shot, but I appreciate the breakdown!