Accuracy of FP-LAPW vs Plane Wave Pseudopotential: examples
In all cases FP-LAPW will be better than Pseudopotential + Plane Waves calculations. However, FP-LAPW calculations are better at calculating properties which involve core electrons (e.g. core level shifts, hyperfine structures). Such calculations are often not possible with Pseudopotentials + Plane Waves, or are more complicated.This is because PP+ PW calculations do not treat core electrons explicitly.  Furthermore,  FP-LAPW calculations do not depend on pseupotentials. Although one can test pseudopotentials to check for transferability, there is no guarantee that the pseudopotential works for the system that you are simulating. As a result, "artifacts" due to pseudopotentials can be avoided with FP LAPW.