Unboxing, Speed build and detailed review about the LEGO Technic 42099 4X4 X-treme Off-Roader set. This is the first Technic set to include the new Control+ hub and the L and XL motors, we’ll check all of them in details and also compare the performance of the set to the 9398 / 41999 Crawler!
You can download the Control+ app for Android and iOS from this page.
The things I like about the set:
- Good looking set with balanced performance between speed and off-road capabilities.
- Very solid build that can be taken outside.
- Easily accessible internals.
- Great introduction of the new Control+ hub and the L and XL motors.
- Polished app with nice interface, different control options, feedback from the sensors, challenges.
- It takes only a few minutes to swap gears and turn it into a capable crawler.
Things that could be improved:
- Control+ app is limited to the set without any customization options, Powered Up app is not updated yet to allow custom controls.
- 4th port of the hub cannot be used to e.g. add a simple light.
- Lack of physical remote can be uncomfortable.
- The vehicle looks like a crawler but it is not tuned for crawling by default.
- With a simple gearbox it could be easier to switch between the two speed options .
My recommendations about the set at the launch:
- Get this set if you’d like to have a fun RC car with the added benefits of the app control and if you’re willing to spend a few minutes to swap gears to change the abilities of the vehicle.
- You might want to wait if you planned to buy the set for the new hub and motors to create custom builds, the Powered Up app is not updated yet to support them. Even if the hub and the motors become supported the simple “customisable” interface of the app is not yet built to support complex MOCs.
Here’s a separate video about the abilities of the new L and XL motors:
As you see the new motors’ performance is very much comparable with the Power Functions motors. Although their base speed is different, gearing the up or down to be in a similar range will make them pretty similar to their Power Functions counterparts.
Since the 42099 set is tuned more for speed than crawling abilities I made a video that helps you to swap the gears and turn it to a real monster crawler!
New motors
Hi, nice comparison 🙂
Which one will be better in terms of the educational aspect, parts for MOC’s, fun of building (not in all aspects at once)? Both used sets are at very similar prices.
One advantage of 42099 I am aware of is that you can use Technic Hub with pybricks (and thus eg. Lego train remote).
I’d go with 42099, the electronics in that set can be used with other recent sets and definitely more advanced for educational use then Power Functions
Thank you Racingbrick 🙂 And what about advanced from the mechanical side (especially where is the more advanced suspension)?
From that aspect there’s not much difference between these two