x wing. no doubt. x wings have shields, as yerssot noted. tie fighters have no shields, no life support, no hyperdrive and only two laser cannons. x wings have shields, life support, hyperdrive and more armaments. four laser cannons, and proton torpedoes. also, ties have no landing gear. they are mounted in racks aboard star destroyers or whatever space station they are stationed at. x wings can land and take off anywhere.
ask the pilots that, I think they'd take 'im if they were offered to them. The Empire decided to sacrifice many "comforts" of other ships (like those of X-wings) for speed and handling, since they attack in swarms, its more important to be fast and able to move as a unit. The rebels needed something that could last a while because there were fewer of them in space battles and so they recquired all the extra firepower and shielding and hyperdrive for quick getaways. This has been discussed in a few vehicle guides as well as in the most recent issues of Empire from Darkhorse, where they are chronicling Biggs Darklighter from the academy to the battle of Yavin and he and the other pilots just hijacked a bunch of X-wings from a shipyward. they were using modified tie's with hyperdrive, shield, and astromechs. they looked interesting. The same, 'cept for some extra junk in the trunk and and R2 unit just off center in the back.