fietsbob

Other than a placebo like effect ,after you spent the money is Has to be better .. maybe not..

Data gathering..

Time your best lap on your XC course with what you have now, then time yourself again on the same course ..

with the new parts..






....

Cyclist0108

Well, your wallet will be lighter.

The one objective advantage is that you will have a lower gear, so you can climb steeper hills. But you can do that far cheaper by putting a smaller chainring on the front.

Hondo Gravel

My X7 SRAM MTB has a definite clunk when shifting but shifts ok for me. GX SRAM on my fat bike, again has that clunk. My Shimano Ultegra gravel bike and cyclocross bike shift quieter and is smooth. I realize my SRAM bikes are more mid level but they shift well. I like Shimano better personally because I’m more familiar with it. It can almost be like Coke or Pepsi it is what you prefer.

bruce19

I think much of this is personal preference. If both systems are set up properly either will work extremely well IMO. It's kind of like would you rather have a beer with Paul Newman or Robert Redford?

Bonzo Banana

I think people need to remember that shifting 8 speed accurately is a lot easier in engineering terms than 12 speed where tolerances are more critical so each time you go up in number of cogs the engineering has to be a bit better so it's not uncommon for lower end groupsets to shift more reliably than higher end as they don't have to be engineered as well. Having more in-between gears is a smoother experience with more optimal gears but it doesn't make you any faster for high gearing or make hills any easier.

Clearly going to 12 speed is difficult in engineering terms hence the Shimano delay who I believe have higher engineering standards than SRAM in my opinion.

For most people the sweetspot in performance vs value will be the middle of the groupsets and for those not actually than bothered about performance but just want a reliable groupset then something close to bottom but not bottom probably delivers that.

For mountain bike groupsets perhaps Acera or Alivio for the value option and maybe Deore or XT for a decent performance level with value.

I personally don't see the point of going very high end unless you are a professional sportsman where tiny gains are worth paying serious money for.

If it has the same cable pull to movement ratio and pulley/chain compatibility sometimes its worth just upgrading the rear derailleur for a smoother experience or just changing the cassette to get higher and/or lower gearing.

Also remember if shifting isn't quite as sharp as the past the drivetrain just might need a full service and replacement of one failing component. I know I'm stating the obvious but you see many comments on forums that some people seem to think the only solution to poor shifting is an upgrade rather than a service and new cables.