I have a hyper 8 pro, and all i do is backyard bash. I choose the hyper 8 because i think it just flat out looks cool, and it has some nice parts on it that would be hop ups for others. It has good ground clearance, and that was a plus for me because i like to run on rough terrain. I can't tell you if its better than a hyper 7, but if you want a top notch buggy right out of the box, the hyper 8 is a good one.