If your main goal is a smooth racing throttle feel, the firmware choice matters, but it is not the only thing that shapes the result. In practice, the best feel usually comes from a combination of firmware, ESC hardware, motor size, prop choice, and your FC tune. That said, if you want the short version from a racer’s point of view: Bluejay on 4-in-1 BLHeli_S ESCs is often the best value choice for smoothness, while AM32 can be excellent if you have compatible hardware and want more tuning flexibility. BLHeli_32 is still solid and widely used, but for pure “buttery” low-throttle response, many pilots now prefer Bluejay or AM32.
Bluejay is popular because it brings bidirectional DShot and RPM filtering support to older BLHeli_S ESCs, and that alone can make the quad feel much cleaner in the air. The low end tends to feel more controlled, with less roughness when you’re hovering just above the ground or feathering throttle through a tight corner. If you already have BLHeli_S ESCs, flashing Bluejay is usually the easiest and cheapest way to improve the feel without replacing hardware.
AM32 is worth looking at if you’re buying new ESCs or already have boards that support it. It gives a lot of control over motor timing, startup, demag, and other behaviors that can affect how smoothly the quad responds under load. When set up well, AM32 can feel very refined and responsive, especially on race builds where you want the quad to snap on throttle without feeling jumpy. The downside is that results depend more on the specific ESC and configuration, so you may need to spend more time tuning it than with a more plug-and-play setup.
BLHeli_32 is still a safe choice if you want broad compatibility and a mature ecosystem. It is dependable and can absolutely produce a smooth racing setup, especially if the rest of the build is balanced. But if you are choosing purely for today’s smooth racing feel, it is hard to ignore how much Bluejay improved the older BLHeli_S platforms, and how much momentum AM32 has gained on newer hardware.
If I were building for smooth racing today, I would choose Bluejay for an existing BLHeli_S stack, AM32 for a new compatible stack I wanted to tinker with, and BLHeli_32 only when I had a specific ESC or firmware preference already in mind. Also, don’t overlook the basics: a 48 kHz or 96 kHz PWM setup, proper RPM filtering, reasonable motor output limit, and a clean tune often matter just as much as the firmware label.
