Novak speed controls run very smooth. I went from a Tekin RS Pro to the Orion R10 Pro to the Novak GTB2 with xdrive and to me the GTB2 was the smoothest and had the best brakes of the 3. No laptop or program box, just a series of flashing lights on the esc. It is close to $110, a little over, but its well worth the money.