Well, brushless is better in pretty much every way (faster, last much longer, more efficient, more torque, etc.) but brushed still works just fine, especially if this is your first hobby grade RC. And, you can always upgrade to brushless in the future with a new ESC and motor combo, usually for around $70 for a cheap, but reliable system. I would still recommend that ECX Booost I posted about above. Great buggy for the money and when you get the cash you can put in a brushless system which will make it scream!