ok so ive been watching youtube videos for like two weeks now and im more confused than when i started. everyone seems to recommend something different and half of them are clearly sponsored. i have maybe $200-300 to spend and i just want something that wont crash immediately and teaches me the basics without destroying my bank account. i dont really know if i want to do photography yet or just fly for fun, maybe both eventually. does it matter what i get first or is one of those mini drones basically the same as another

honestly the DJI Mini 2 SE is probably what most people should point you to at that budget, used ones go for right around your range now that the Mini 4 is out. the thing is it actually flies well in mild wind which is something those cheap no-name quads completely fall apart on. i tried to save money with an off-brand thing my first time and spent more time fixing it than flying. if photography might be a thing for you later, starting on something with a halfway decent gimbal just makes sense

that said if you really just want to bash around and crash a bunch without crying about it, a whoop or something like a tiny trainer isnt the worst idea. depends what kind of flying you think youll actually end up doing

im basically in the same spot as you lol, ended up getting a mini 3 refurbished a couple months ago and its been pretty good. the geofencing stuff is kinda annoying to figure out at first but the actual flying part clicked faster than i expected. one thing nobody told me was to go slow on the sticks at first, like way slower than feels natural