You slam the throttle, the track narrows, and a pulse of speed splits the pack. For a heartbeat you taste first place — then your heat meter flashes like a warning beacon. You have two choices and a single second to decide.
On the final lap, everyone is bunched together — Should you use Afterburner or Ramjet in Star Wars: Galactic Racer
I’ve spent dozens of races testing both boosts, and I’ll give you the short version: they do the same job — big, temporary speed — but they trade different kinds of risk and reward. You want clear rules you can use on reflex. I’ll tell you when to hold back, when to mash the button, and why the choice matters more than you think.
Which is better: Ramjet or Afterburner?
Ramjet wins the raw numbers. When you hit it, your craft surges like a sprinting comet — peak velocity climbs far higher than Afterburner. That extra speed turns straights into overtaking windows and lets you ram opponents for a positional payoff that Afterburner won’t give you.
But higher peak equals higher consequence. Ramjet burns heat quickly. If you don’t pair it with passive cooling mods or pilot discipline, that extra speed can cost you laps when your vehicle detonates and you rejoin in pieces.
Does Ramjet increase heat and can it explode?
Yes, and yes — but context matters. Ramjet stacks heat faster than Afterburner, and the game’s systems will penalize you if you ignore that gauge. I’ve watched a lead evaporate not because I was out-skilled, but because I abused Ramjet without the right hardware or timing.
If you prefer safe racing, treat Ramjet like a pressure cooker ready to vent: a small dial on timing and cooling keeps it useful; reckless use makes it dangerous. Late-game parts and pilot perks often grant heat reduction or venting, which turns Ramjet from a high-risk gadget into a high-reward tool.
When the pack is tight and every collision matters — How I decide mid-race
Here’s the decision tree I use when my HUD blinks: if the next segment is a long straight or you can legally shove an opponent out of the way, choose Ramjet. If it’s a twisty sector, high-traffic shortcut, or you’re missing cooling upgrades, pick Afterburner.
Afterburner gives smoother control. It never spikes heat to explosive levels and it refills the same way as Ramjet, so your long-game strategy stays intact. Beginners and pilots who favor clean, consistent lap times will find Afterburner more forgiving.
Is Afterburner better for beginners?
Yes. If you’re still learning braking points, racing lines, and how to read the mini-map on Steam or console leaderboards, Afterburner reduces the number of mistakes that cost races. It’s a simpler play: moderate speed, low risk, repeatable results.
When you reach late-game progression or buy ships on Steam or through platform stores that come with heat mitigation, you can start experimenting with Ramjet more safely. On PS5 or Xbox Series X hardware, frame pacing with tools like NVIDIA Reflex can help you react faster when you do decide to ram.
In practice — build choices and the small habits that win races
Parts and perks change the math. If your ship has passive cooling, heat vents, or wiring upgrades, Ramjet’s cost becomes far smaller. I recommend you test runs in Time Trial and against AI on Lucasfilm Games-branded tracks to feel the difference before betting Ranked matches.
Practice one habit: learn the two-second rule. If your heat is within two ticks of the red zone, treat Ramjet as unavailable. That simple threshold saved me multiple podium finishes and it’ll stop you from learning about explosions the hard way.
I’ll bet you already have a preference — are you the pilot who prefers clean, repeatable wins with Afterburner, or the pilot who pushes for chaos and instant payoff with Ramjet?