By Ricardo | RicardosGaming.co.uk | RicardosGaming.com | @ricardosgaming on YouTube
Every Ship in Elite Dangerous Reviewed: How This Guide Works
Elite Dangerous has over 40 flyable ships as of 2025, and choosing the right one without guidance is genuinely difficult. This post is a companion to Ricardo’s comprehensive video (above) where every ship in elite dangerous is reviewed — and it gives you a quick-reference summary organised by ship class, so you can find your ideal hull without watching the full video first. The approach here is role-based, not stat-based. A ship’s maximum cargo capacity or top speed tells you less than knowing what kind of Commander it was designed for.
Every Small Ship in Elite Dangerous Reviewed
Small ships are where every Commander starts and where some of the best flying in the game happens. Do not mistake small for weak.
- Sidewinder Mk I: The starting ship. Free to replace, teaches the basics, exit it quickly. Best use: learning the game.
- Eagle Mk II / Imperial Eagle: The fastest small ships in the game. Pure fun to fly, limited in practical combat. Best use: speed runs and dogfighting practice.
- Hauler: Better jump range than you expect. Budget exploration and early trading. Best use: first trading career.
- Adder: Flexible early ship. Does nothing brilliantly but handles multiple roles acceptably. Best use: early multi-role work.
- Viper Mk III: Fast dedicated fighter. Excellent for bounty hunting in resource extraction sites. Best use: early combat career.
- Viper Mk IV: Slower than the Mk III but tougher. Best use: tanky small combat.
- Cobra Mk III: One of the best ships in the game relative to cost. Does everything adequately. Best use: extended multi-role career.
- Cobra Mk IV: Heavier Cobra with more internals. Best use: budget trader who occasionally fights.
- Cobra Mk V: The 2025 premium Cobra. Best jump range in the small class with proper engineering. Best use: versatile do-everything ship.
- Diamondback Explorer: The best budget exploration ship in Elite Dangerous. 70+ ly engineered. Best use: first deep-space expedition.
- Diamondback Scout: Combat-focused sibling of the Explorer. Best use: small ship combat specialist.
- Vulture: Two large hardpoints on a small hull. Exceptional PvE combat ship. Best use: bounty hunting and combat zones.
- Dolphin: Passenger transport specialist. Best use: passenger mission income.
- Imperial Courier: Fast, stylish, effective small combat ship. Best use: Imperial players who want a compact combat option.
Every Medium Ship in Elite Dangerous Reviewed
Medium ships represent the sweet spot of Elite Dangerous — capable enough for endgame content, small enough to dock anywhere.
- Asp Explorer: The best budget explorer before the Mandalay. Great visibility, good jump range, long-serving community favourite.
- Asp Scout: The combat-focused Asp. Less popular than the Explorer but serviceable for medium combat.
- Alliance Chieftain / Challenger / Crusader: The best anti-Thargoid combat ships in the game. Best use: AX combat.
- Krait Mk II: Three large hardpoints on a medium hull. One of the best combat ships at any class level. Best use: PvE and PvP combat.
- Krait Phantom: Exploration variant of the Krait. Better jump range, no fighter bay. Best use: long-range exploration with defensive capability.
- Fer-de-Lance: The elite PvP ship. Fast, aggressive, with a huge hardpoint. Best use: experienced PvP pilots.
- Mamba: Fastest medium ship in the game. Two large hardpoints. Best use: hit-and-run PvP and speed builds.
- Python: The best all-round medium ship. Hauls, fights, mines, explores. Best use: career-long multi-role workhorse.
- Python Mk II: Premium Python variant with better combat hardpoints. Best use: combat-focused Python pilots.
- Corsair: Strong newer multi-role medium ship. Best use: Commanders who want Python capability with updated design.
- Mandalay: The best medium explorer in Elite Dangerous. Exceptional jump range and visibility. Best use: deep-space exploration.
- Type-11 Prospector: First dedicated mining ship. Best use: Commanders who mine as a primary activity.
- Kestrel Mk II: Fast, high-skill-ceiling combat ship. Best use: pilots who want to win through superior flying. See our full Kestrel Mk II review.
Every Large Ship in Elite Dangerous Reviewed
Large ships require large landing pads and serious investment. They are endgame platforms that define a Commander’s long-term career direction.
- Anaconda: Best versatile large ship. No rank required. Explorer, trader, combat capable. Best use: endgame multi-role. See our Anaconda vs Federal Corvette guide.
- Federal Corvette: Best combat large ship. Requires Rear Admiral rank. Best use: dedicated endgame combat.
- Imperial Cutter: Best cargo large ship. Requires Duke rank. Best use: bulk trading and colonisation logistics.
- Panther Clipper: 1,238 tonne cargo king. Best use: dedicated large-scale hauling and colonisation supply chains.
- Caspian Explorer: Best large exploration ship. MkII modules and Size 8 FSD. Best use: extreme-range deep-space exploration.
- Lynx Highliner: Dedicated passenger and transport vessel. Best use: passenger mission income at scale.
Watch the video above for Ricardo’s full in-game review of every ship — including newer 2025 additions. For the complete guide library visit RicardosGaming.co.uk and RicardosGaming.com.
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