Welcome to the review of the Yonex Arcsaber 7 Pro badminton racket!  In this review, we will take a look to see what has been improved in this version of the Arcsaber 7 and also compare it to rackets from VICTOR and LI NING that have a similar spec and see how they fair.

The new Arcsaber 7 was released worldwide on the 19th of August 2022 and is available in the PRO, TOUR and PLAY models. Staying true to its roots, the Arcsaber 7 sports an even balance and medium flex, making it an all-rounded racket.  Let's take a look to see what they improved and how it really plays.

KEY FEATURES

• Enhanced ARCSABER frame design
• Frame stability is improved by making the top and bottom of the frame stiffer, reducing unwanted distortion at impact.

• POCKETING BOOSTER is lined within the sides of the frame.
• This inner lining is a proprietary rubber-like material that brings additional elasticity to the frame’s flex increasing both shuttle hold and shuttle launch speed.
  
  

• The shaft in the ARCSABER 7 has also been redesigned for torque allowance. Upon impact, the shaft twists generating high repulsion.

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PLAYTEST AND IMPRESSIONS

Alright, lets get to the part where everyone is here to read. For this review and comparison, we used 4U models for all three rackets and they were strung at 27lbs using the Victor VBS-66 Nano string.

The rackets we tested:

YONEX ARCSABER 7 PRO | VICTOR AURASPEED HYPERSONIC | LI NING TECTONIC 6

We wanted to provide alternative options to the Arcsaber 7 Pro for those who prefer a different brand.  The rackets were chosen based solely on the specifications provided by each brand which was medium flex and even balance.

ARCSABER 7 PRO

The first thing I noticed when hitting with this racket is that it is very comfortable to play with and very easy on the arm.  The racket feels very light in my hands, and and the swings were really smooth with little to no drag. 

The new frame design with the increased shuttle hold is definitely noticeable when hitting clears and drives.  There is a distinct "pop" feeling when the shuttle is held and accelerating off the string bed, likely due to the different stiffness of the racket head. This hold allowed me to confidently control the direction of the shuttle with ease.

Although the racket is effortless to play with, I do feel it lacking in power due to the lightness of the head.  What it lacks in power, it makes up for its speediness and fast handling.  Defense is where this racket shines as fast drive exchanges felt really good and sturdy.  The flex of the shaft gives a whip-like effect allowing you to redirect the shuttle with pace and easily hit shots with sufficient power even if you are late to the shuttle.

This racket is suitable for players of all levels and is recommended for those who prefer a defensive play-style and like to counter attack.

AURASPEED HYPERSONIC

First impression of the Auraspeed Hypersonic is that it felt slightly heavier in the head compared to the Arcsaber 7 Pro but is comparative in terms of the smoothness of the swings.

On hit, the racket feels sturdier and does not have that feeling of hold you get from the Arc 7.  Instead, it gave a feeling of instantaneous repulsion off the string bed.

This racket is, without a doubt, very fast due to the speedy design of the frame.  Smashes and clears felt more powerful and but required slightly more input from the user as the shaft felt a little stiffer compared to the Arc 7.

I would dare say this racket is truly even balanced as i find it performs well when transitioning between offense and defense.

This racket is suitable for intermediate to advanced players and is recommended for those who prefer a balanced play-style that is good in all aspects.

TECTONIC 6

First impression of the Tectonic 6 is that it is very head heavy and a lot stiffer compared to the other two rackets.  I realized that I made a mistake as this racket does not belong in the speed category but we tested it anyways as it will offer greater contrast compared to the other two rackets.

This racket has a box frame and so swinging it was noticeably slower as it does not cut through the air as well. The balance of this racket is more head heavy and it felt a lot stiffer even though it is a medium flex.  On hit, it generated good power but required a lot more input due to the stiff shaft and head heavy balance.  The slower swing makes this racket harder to defend with and is quite taxing on the arm.

This racket is suitable for intermediate to advanced players and is recommended  for those who have an attacking play-style and are physically strong.

Hope you enjoyed this review!

@Tommy.yumo