ok so ive been lurking here for a while reading threads and i think ive narrowed it down to either the Avata 2 or the DJI Neo and i keep going back and forth and maybe someone here can just tell me which one to get because ive been on this for like three weeks

my situation is im not a complete beginner, ive got about 8 months on a Mini 2 SE so i can fly fine and im comfortable with the basics. what im after is something more fun to fly, less serious, maybe some FPV stuff though i have zero experience with that. i mostly fly parks and open areas near where i live, nothing crazy

the Avata 2 seems like the obvious FPV choice but its more money and the goggles situation is confusing me ? do i need the full goggles package or can i start with less? and the Neo keeps coming up as this super accessible thing but part of me wonders if id get bored of it fast since people say its more of an auto everything drone

genuinely open to being talked out of either one, i dont have my heart set on anything

the goggles question is a real consideration with the Avata 2. the full package with Goggles 3 is the proper experience but yeah its a chunky investment all at once. you can get the Avata 2 with the RC Motion 3 only and use it more like a regular camera drone with a dynamic chase cam feel, which is actually pretty cool, but then youre not really doing FPV in the traditional sense. if you eventually want the immersive goggles thing youll be buying them later anyway so might as well factor that into the budget now

the Neo is fun dont get me wrong but coming from a Mini 2 SE i think youd find it a step sideways rather than forward in a lot of ways. the autonomy features are neat but if you can already fly manually its almost kind of wasted on you if that makes sense

i went through basically this exact debate last year and ended up with the Avata 2 and have zero regrets but i want to be honest ? there is a learning curve with FPV even on a locked mode beginner friendly drone like the Avata. first couple of flights i felt slightly sick from the goggles which went away after a few sessions but worth knowing. if you think youd get frustrated during that adjustment period the Neo might suit you better just to keep the fun factor high while youre learning