LCRx has better trigger bc it is able to shoot in both double and single action. LCR can only do double action. For casual shooting, LCRx is significantly superior than LCR due to more weight, single action capability, longer barrel, and longer sight radius. If you are talking about concealed carry or defensive gun, I think the hammer on LCRx is useless. the reason to get the LCRx over the LCR is not the hammer, but the availability of the 3" barrel and the real sights. You get a very noticeable gain in velocity from a 3" over a 2" with both .38 and .357. The LCRx is longer than LCR, and the LCRx hammer/sight might snag as a pocket gun. I think that LCR is a better pocket/conceal carry/defensive gun. While the larger LCRx is more accurate/causual shooting/ home defense gun. SAME Crimson Trace green laser grips fit both guns. Other pocket gun I would recommend would be semi auto like LCP or S&W J-frame.... but they are not much better than LCR and LCRx. Semi auto is, of course, much easier to load. I hope this helps!

I have the LCR .357 2". Very easy to pocket carry without any thing to snag on the draw. The DA only trigger pull is the best one out there in a revolver of this type. The X w/ 3" will have a better trigger pull in SA, same in DA. Slight gain in ballistics with 3" and better sights compared to LCR 2". The X 3" is more versatile overall; the LCR easier to hide and carry if maximum concealability is more important. I have my own range and take videos of muzzle flashes in total darkness (this is also training in total darkness). For whatever reason, Federal American Eagle 158gr SJSP 357 ammo has almost no muzzle flash; in fact 22 LR muzzle flash is a lot more. Seems to a perfect .357 load for this gun. That ammo also works great out of my SP101's and Blackhawk. As always, comes down to personal choices, what do you value the most in the differences?

Tad, the LCRx would be your best shooting option with Double/Single action trigger. The longer barrel will give higher velocity for better ballistics with the same ammunition. It will also have less perceived recoil due to being heavier. My personal choice of the two would be the LCRx which with the benefits over the LCR is still highly concealable. Laser Grips work for both equally well. Cheers and stay safe!

Same trigger pull, the 3" doesn't come standard with CT laser grips, and co.es with hogue tamer grips to help manage recoil.
Dimensions are going to be identical except the barrel is gonna be 1" longer on the 3"
"How The 3-Inch Barrel LCRx Enhances The .357 Magnum:
Longer 3-inch barrel improves the .357 Magnum's ballistics, while keeping the revolver concealable.
Built with a stainless-steel frame, the LCRx still only tops out at 21 ounces.
Hogue Tamer grip goes a long way in reducing the light revolver's recoil.
Friction-reducing cam does much to mitigate the revolver's heavy pull in double-action."
As far as advantage to the longer barrell
The snubby .357 spits fire akin to a dragon for the simple reason that it doesn’t burn all its powder in the bore. This adds up to a gun that keeps the magnum’s bark and does away with some of its bite. By many accounts, a 1.87-inch-barreled revolver will neuter the .357 Magnum considerably—perhaps not to .38 Special+P velocities, as some gun-counter guys are apt to tell you, but well below what you expect or want out of a magnum.
Thankfully, a little goes a long way. While not topping out the .357 Magnum’s ballistic potential, extending the barrel to 3 inches revives a good deal of the cartridge’s magnum characteristics
The LCRX is a fine carry revolver that balances size control ability and stopping power, if you want more capacity and less recoil you might look at the federal .327 magnum