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Afterburner is the better choice for brief, repeatable boosts; Ramjet is better when you need a longer, stronger surge or a chance to shove a rival off track. Ramjet also builds heat and can destroy your speeder if you overuse it, so the right choice depends on the moment, track conditions, and your build—not a universal winner.
How the two boosts differ
| Boost | What it does | Recharge and risk | Best use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Afterburner | A brief, modest speed boost available on every speeder. | Recharges during the race and does not carry Ramjet’s described overheating risk. | Short overtakes, holding a lead, or making a small speed correction. |
| Ramjet | A more powerful, longer-lasting surge; it can also help knock a rival off track. | Heat rises while it is active. Too much heat risks an explosion. If you release it early, it must fully recharge before you can use it again. | A high-value burst of speed or an attack when the potential gain justifies managing heat. |
These differences are described in PlayStation’s hands-on report and Xbox Wire’s hands-on coverage. PC Gamer’s review likewise characterizes Afterburner as a modest boost on cooldown.
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When Afterburner is the better pick
Use Afterburner when you want a short burst without taking on Ramjet’s heat-management risk. It suits repeated, modest opportunities: closing a small gap, passing a rival, or extending a lead while keeping Ramjet available for a more consequential moment. Its during-race recharge makes it the more repeatable option.
When to risk Ramjet
Ramjet makes sense when a longer surge could materially change your position, or when using it against a nearby rival could help knock them off track. Because it generates heat, treat its extra power as a tradeoff rather than a free speed advantage: watch the heat and let up before it becomes critical. The sources do not publish an exact safe heat threshold or optimal release point.
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Track conditions can change the decision
Heat is not determined by Ramjet alone. PC Gamer reports that the Cooled effect can occur at high speed or while cruising over water, lowering heat. Burning—from an opponent’s flame jets or racing over lava—raises it. A cooling opportunity may make a Ramjet burst less risky; an active heat-raising effect is a reason to be more conservative. These effects change the risk, but do not establish a guaranteed safe duration.
Upgrades do not establish a universal winner
Xbox Wire reports that both Afterburner and Ramjet are upgradeable between races. The available coverage does not give comparative upgrade values or show that one upgrade path is best overall. Choose according to the opportunities you tend to use: repeatable short boosts, or stronger surges that require heat management.
Rank #2
- COMPETE IN HIGH-STAKES RACES - Slam, shunt, and takedown rivals across varied circuits as you pilot land speeders, speeder bikes, skim speeders, and pod racers. The greater the risk, the greater the reward.
- SURVIVE A DANGEROUS UNDERGROUND SPORT - Join The Galactic League - an unsanctioned racing circuit born in the lawless Outer Rim. Become Shade, a lone racer chasing revenge and glory.
- BUILD AND CUSTOMIZE YOUR CRAFT - Pilot different classes of repulsorcraft each with distinct physics and playstyles. Build a ride that showcases your style and gives you a competitive edge.
- BATTLE RIVALS IN MULTIPLE GAME MODES - Ride solo through a story-driven campaign of shifting alliances or brave strategic PvP grudge matches where reputation rides with you.
- CLIMB THE RANKS AND EARN REWARDS - Prove yourself through intense rivalries and escalating challenges. Every choice shapes your prospects as you build your status in The Galactic League.
Controls and what is not quantified
In the PS5 demo covered by PlayStation, press X to activate Afterburner and press and hold R3 to use Ramjet. Those are demo controls, not confirmed bindings for every platform or current control setup; check the game’s control settings if they differ. The cited coverage gives no exact boost duration, recharge time, heat threshold, or numerical speed advantage, so there is no sourced basis for a precise timing rule or lap-time comparison.
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