Shimano SLX RD-M7100 12 Speed Rear Derailleur

I have been running this since summer 2020 and it still performs flawlessly. No tuneups been needed in that time except maybe a couple clicks on the shifter's barrel adjuster. I paired it with the XT shifter like some of the other commenters here since Shimano's 12 speed drivetrain components are interoperable from Deore all the way up to XTR. I have the 10-45 tooth cassette and realistically I would have been equally happy with the 11-46 range on Shimano's 11 speed system because I usually find myself shifting 2 or 3 gears at a time (which, of course, this derailleur can handle easily).

I purchased this mech as a replacement for my 2019 XT rear mech that had had one too many rock encounters... :(It is identical to the naked eye and has performed exactly the same. Large jockeys give low resistance and shifting is as expected with a premium shimano product.

A higher spec RD looks flashy but this works really well and is inexpensive. Spend the extra $$ on an XT shifter, where you'll really notice a difference in feel and performance. The only "significant" difference between this and the XT mech is that it has bushings rather than bearings - but I doubt most people could ever notice a difference and there's a good chance you'll smoke it on a rock or a root before you'd be wanting to replace the bearings/jockey wheels anyway. Replace it with another new SLX RD and you're laughing,.