After research I went with the Radiomaster TX16s. There are several specs and I went for the mid-range version that has Hall effect gimbals for the sticks. You can get more console controller style radios as well but I fancied the bigger screen and a bit more space.
I haven't personally used these radios but they seem to be highly recommended budget options from people in the know:
- BetaFPV LiteRadio 2
- Jumper T-Lite
In terms of a pc simulator I have used Velocidrone which everyone says has the most realistic physics but is not necessarily the prettiest.