recovering_from_dark_ages

If that's the case, then why is Lego advertising it as a "2-speed gearbox" on their website?

After extensive research, I'd say: 42043 (year 2015 with 2793 parts), for all of the reasons mentioned in the thread. Afaik it has the most functions of any official Technic set ever created, with 15 functions combining motorized and pneumatic functions, and features a motorized pneumatic pump like 8868 (which only has 8 functions) and 8110 (which also has fewer functions). It's a very realistic replica of the Mercedes Arocs (including its non-independent truck suspension) and as another benefit, the set remains relatively affordable as of this writing. Lego seems to have tried multiple times to top 8868 and with this set, they finally did it unequivocally. 8480 (year 1996 with 1368 parts), for combining fiber optics (only ever included in two Technic sets) with motors, and easily being the best Technic space set ever with the most functions. The B-model submarine is also arguably the best Technic watercraft ever produced to date, since no other Technic ship or submarine has as many functions. Many have probably seen the excellent write-up on this set here. 42115 (year 2020 with 3696 parts), since it easily has the most functions of any official Lego Technic supercar set ever created including the venerated 8880 (which nonetheless has a higher average rating on brickset). 42115 realistically recreates the real Lambo. It's also the first Technic supercar with printed parts and no decals, although there were complaints of inconsistent green colors on a few pieces. It is the longest-produced Lego Technic set of all time, retiring EOY 2025. To expand to an unordered top 10 list while spanning as many Technic functions as possible with minimal duplication (where A / B means I struggled to choose between two excellent sets that serve a similar purpose and gave a questionable win to A): 42100 (year 2020 with 4108 parts) / 8043 (year 2010 with 1123 parts): while 8043 is more popular in this thread, 42100 has the most parts and the most remote controlled functions of any official Technic set ever, and has arguably the best interface of all of the Control+ app-controlled sets while being a highly realistic replica of the real Liebherr excavator. 8043 has a fourth as many parts and almost as many functions, and many prefer its infrared controller since it can easily be rebuilt into any MOC while the remote control interface of every Control+ set requires a smartphone and is bound to the original Lego set. But 8043 had a number of engineering flaws including insufficient motor strength, an unrealistically large bucket, and defective linear actuators. Nonetheless, many Technic purists rightly prefer 8043 overall, which has a >3x greater density of functions per part. More info can be found in a recent poll, which 42100 very narrowly won. These two remote controlled excavator sets have nearly an identical average rating on brickset.com, with 4.376/5.0 for 8043 and 4.388/5.0 for 42100. Note that buyers willingly pay >$100 more on average for 42100 than 8043, despite the latter being 9 years older and hence scarcer. 42113 (year 2020 with 1636 parts) / 42145 (year 2022 with 2001 parts): these sets are competing to be the best aircraft set ever from Lego Technic and are both realistic and mechanically intricate licensed replicas of a real one. 42113 was canceled shortly after launch and hence is now prohibitively expensive for many would-be buyers. 42025 is is noteworthy as well but it's not a replica of a real aircraft and it's strictly an airplane, much like 42145 is is strictly a helicopter. 42113 is special because it's simultaneously an airplane and a helicopter. 8455 (year 2003 with 704 parts): with 10 overall functions and 7 pneumatic functions, this set has the most pneumatic functions of any Technic set of all time. It also has one of the greatest densities of functions per piece of any Technic set ever, and tops all other sets mentioned in this post in that regard. 8485 (year 1995 with 1079 parts): the remote controlled & roboticized dinosaur B-model in this set (see video), which features a controller that can record and play back inputs in a loop, is unlike anything else that Technic has ever produced. The helicopter A-model is quite interesting as well, although 42145 is a much more realistic, extensive, and detailed replica of helicopter functionality. 42054 (year 2015 with 1977 parts): this tractor set has the second most functions of any Technic set ever afaik, with a total of 14 of them. It's easily the most mechanically intricate farm equipment Technic set ever and combines motorized and manual functions with modularized and removable components. Uniquely among all Technic sets, it features adjustable steering that activates one of 3 modes: 2-wheel steering, 4-wheel steering, or crab steering. 42130 (year 2022 with 1920 parts): this is arguably the best Technic motorcycle or 2-wheeled vehicle set ever created, with a 4-cylinder engine, 3-speed gearbox, suspension, steering, swappable dashboard elements, and accessories such as a stand and a lift. 42130 has the most parts and a more realistic gear shifter relative to its mechanically similar counterpart sets 42159 and 42202, which do not include an additional rear axle lift like the one included with 42130. 41999 (year 2013 with 1585 parts): this set has the most functions of any official Lego Technic remote controlled wheeled vehicle set ever produced, featuring working lights (a Technic rarity) and a motorized winch. Like 8043, it has the infrared set-agnostic Power Functions remote control interface, and is the only winning set in this list to include it. Honorable mention: 42009 (year 2013 with 2606 parts) / 42082 (year 2018 with 4057 parts): many mechanical aspects of these top two crane sets are redundant if one already owns 42043 and 41999, which is why I didn't include them in the list above that is intended to encompass as many Lego Technic functions as possible in a list of top 10 sets. However, if all sets were evaluated individually with no regard to function duplication between them, these two sets each top 41999 and 42130 in terms of having more functions and greater complexity. 42082 and 42009 are objectively extremely closely matched. 42009 won a recent Reddit poll by one vote and they have nearly identical average ratings on brickset.com, with 4.4505/5.0 for 42082 and 4.4499/5.0 for 42009. These sets have higher average ratings on brickset than all other official Lego Technic crane sets including 8258, likely because they have the most functions of all cranes (although 42146 has the most lifting power). It's also worth noting that after owning one of these two crane sets, the most mechanically full-featured Technic tow truck sets (e.g. 8285 and 42128) are largely redundant in mechanical functions and have a higher percentage of manually operated functions than the cranes. Other excellent sets that didn't make the list: 42030 (year 2014 with 1636 parts): while it's one of the top 12 highest-rated Technic sets of all time on brickset, it has fewer remote controlled functions than 42100 and 8043, and fewer overall functions than 41999. If one already owns 8455 plus 42100 or 8043, the only additional function gained from this set is remote controlled articulated steering. One of its biggest benefits is that it includes a wide variety of discontinued Power Functions parts, listed here. 8275 (year 2007 with 1384 parts) / 42131 (year 2021 with 3854 parts): these RC bulldozers are unneeded if one already owns 8043 or 42100, since they each have fewer remote controlled functions than their excavator counterpart while redundantly being treaded RC dirt movers. 8275 uses the Power Functions remote control interface like 8043 and 41999, while 42131 uses the Control+ app like 42100. 42128 (year 2021 with 2017 parts) / 8285 (year 2006 with 1877 parts): while they are each arguably the best Technic tow truck ever, these sets (compared here) mostly have manual functions and the only distinct functionality gained from owning one of them after owning 42043 and 42009 is a towing platform. With a new price of around $200 USD and 11 overall functions (afaik), 42128 is a superb value in terms of functionality per dollar. A number of reviews and Reddit posts complain about its hideous decals, which need not be applied and help keep it cheap by reducing demand for it. 8461 (year 2002 with 1484 pieces) / 8458 (year 2000 with 1431 parts) / 8674 (year 2006 with 1246 pieces) / 42171 (2024 with 1642 pieces): while they are monetarily valuable and are highly rated on brickset, these F1 car sets are very mechanically similar to supercar sets like 8880 and 42115, except that they lack a transmission and have independent pushrod suspension instead of independent wishbone suspension (a minor difference). So they are essentially redundant except to F1 fans.

In that case, 42207 seems to top 8674. I'm quite annoyed about this because I bought 8674 in October and it effectively became irrelevant a month later, when Lego announced 42207. EDIT: It's still not entirely clear to me how the new Lego 2-speed F1 gearbox works in 42207, although I can see its lever below the engine cover in 42206.

Unless I'm missing something, imo it doesn't seem like the 42207 Ferrari SF24 tops the original 8674 Ferrari F2005 set with a V10 engine.

Makes sense. Thanks for clarifying

Does the 8043 actually have enough power out of the box (with the stock motors) to do the final climbing trick in the video that you linked?

Fair point. For me, the pros and cons are as follows and I'm still undecided: The main points in favor of 8043 for me are that it takes less shelf space, looks in scale with other classic Technic sets (like 42043 and 8455), has a handheld PowerFunctions controller instead of the Control+ app, and that it achieves 6 out of the 42100 set's 7 functions with around 1/4 as many parts, making it the more mechanically dense build. I also happen to think that it looks slightly better (which is subjective) and I've seen a number of posts and videos from people who own multiple (even many) Technic sets and who think it's the best Lego Technic set ever made. The 42100 set has two additional functions (motorized bucket open/close and non-motorized ladder raise/lower) and based on what I've read, it has the best app user interface of all Control+ sets. Unlike the 8043, it allows controlling the motors with adjustable speed rather than just setting motor on/off from the controller. It also has far more digging power than the 8043 (which has insufficient digging power due to its use of small motors). And 42100 can drive, rotate, and use its digging arm at the same time, unlike the 8043, which can't use its digging arm while driving or rotating. 42100 also doesn't have any defective linear actuators, which the first few weeks of production 8043 sets all had. EDIT: updated this post with some additional distinctions that I discovered between the sets

Are you saying that the 42100 allows controlling the motors with adjustable speed from the controller and the 8043 does not? Is that true of all motorized functions or just steering? Thanks for pointing this out - was not aware

Which is better: 8043 or 42100? I've researched them both endlessly and am having a tough time deciding. I only have space for one of them at most. After searching, I didn't find a definitive thread about this. By the way, is it possible to post a poll? It would be great to get some data on this question. Please clarify whether you've owned both when replying