It depends™.

It's not a JD thing. Pretty much everybody (selling a range of machines from small, starter tractors to larger commercial machines) has machines that just use a chute, and ones that use a blower.

Some of the smaller JD tractors also just have a chute connected between the deck and rear bagger housing. For bigger decks/mowers where there's more distance between the deck and bags, or for commercial machines where you may do taller grass, the blower really helps get the grass into the bags and not clog the chute.

 

Some like to take the chute off often to clear clogs…others like to just get the job done. Once you go to a PowerFlow style bagger, there’s no going back.

 

Another vote here for the powered systems. I happen to use a Cyclone Rake, but anything that pulls clippings and leaves up from the deck is way better than just the mower's air flow.
On my property, a non powered collection system would not work at all, too many leaves, too many sticks and branches, and pine needles. I have areas down by the lake where the grass grows 3 times faster than elsewhere. At times I use the powered CR to prevent "making hay" down there. Wet, thick, heavy, and sticky, it simply does not clog the powered system. Fall leaf clean up is where it is really outstanding.

 

I with Mike and Alien. Once you go powerflow you will never go back.

 

I've been using my JD x-585 with a power flow kit for years to pick up leaves. But I noticed my neighbor has a new Cubcadet with a chute and NO power flow blower. Appears his tractor is picking up the leaves without any problem.
I will admit his tractor is NOISEY ! Seems like his mower deck blades are turning much faster.

 

After blowing leaves off the hillside to the flats for pick up by the X500/Cyclone Rake, I get wind rows of Oak and Maple leaves in some spots that are knee deep and variously 10 to 20 feet wide, including the sticks and twigs that fall, some with a bunch of leaves still attached.

Yes, I have to "crawl" through those really deep areas to let the blades and Cyclone Rake digest the bulk, and let the "bow wave" get into the deck, but in the biggest 3 clean ups so far this season, I've had one clog requiring me to remove the hose end and shake it a little to release the 1" stick that got stuck crossways in the tube. Have to empty the 1.4 Cubic yard bin fairly often on those but I always remember back in the day when on one acre, I raked leaves onto tarps all day and dragged them like some kind of plow horse, off to my pile area. With 5 acres now, NO THANKS!!...tarps are for covering wood piles or covering pick up truck loads when its raining.

Could be wrong, but I'd doubt that anyone with a Cyclone Rake, Power Flow, Agrifab, DR, or any powered vac would go back to a non powered pick up system.

 

I also remember those days manually dragging leaves on tarps. Especially before when I had a full line of tree/shrub border that forced me to maneuver the tarps through narrow driveway entrance and them spread them out along a narrow width of property and road for city pickup. Didn’t take long to get cyclone rake which I now can keep all the leaves/grass for composting. Definitely one the best tools I have purchased to date, besides the JD’s of course 😁

 

I have a similar set up on my Broadmoor...it helps induce more suction and grinds up the lawn and leaf debris a bit finer that if you did not use it