Dunlop FX 500 vs Babolat Pure Drive

The Babolat Pure Drive has been one of the most popular tennis rackets amongst pro and club players for many years now as it offers a good mix of power and spin with a large sweet spot

However, there are some drawbacks to the Pure Drive as it is a very stiff racket, and is not the best when it comes to control.

So today, I thought I would take a look at one of the alternatives to the Pure Drive, the Dunlop FX 500to see whether it is a good option for players looking to make a switch.

Dunlop FX 500 vs Babolat Pure Drive Comparison

For the below racket specs comparison, I will be using the 2025 Version of the Pure Drive and the 2023 version of the Dunlop FX 500.

I was surprised by how similar these rackets are in terms of racket specs as the only differences were the FX 500 having a slightly higher swing weight (321 vs 317) and frame stiffness rating (69 vs 68).

Racket Specs Comparison

Specs:	FX 500	Pure Drive
Version:	2023	2025
Design:
Head Size:	100in	100in
Length:	27in	27in
Strung Weight:	320g (11.3Oz)	318g (11.2oz)
Swing Weight:	321	317
Head Heavy or Head Light:	4 Pts Head Light	4 pts Head Light
Stiffness Rating:	69	68
Power:	Low to Medium	Low to Medium
Beam Width:	23mm / 26mm / 23mm	23mm / 26mm / 23mm
Composition:	Graphite	Graphite
Colors:	Blue and Black	Blue and Black
String Pattern:	16×19	16×19
Grip Type:	Dunlop Synthetic	Babolat Syntec Pro

Strung Weight and Swing Weight

The FX 500 has a strung weight of 320g (11.3Oz)which is just two grams more than the Pure Drive (318g (11.2oz)).

The FX 500 also has a slightly higher swing weight at 321g versus the 317g of the Pure Drive so the FX 500 will be slightly less maneuverable but it isn’t a huge difference.

Length and Head Size

Both rackets have a standard 27in length and a 100in Head Size.

Balance

Both tennis rackets have a 4 pts head light balance.

Frame Stiffness Rating

The Pure Drive has a stiffness rating of 68which is one less than the FX 500 (69).

If you have had arm or elbow issues in the past then you are probably better off going with a less stiff frame like the Wilson Clash 100 or the Head Boom MP.

Beam Width

Both rackets have the same beam width (23mm / 26mm / 23mm), which is good for power generation.

Power

Although both of these tennis rackets are in the low to medium range in terms of power, I would say they are closer to medium than to low as I had no issues generating power on my shots.

If you are an advanced tennis player then you may find the rackets give too much help with power and not enough help in terms of control.

String Pattern

Both rackets have an open 16 by 19 string pattern which should make it easier for you to generate topspin on your shots.

If you want to find out more about how string patterns affect a racket then check out my article on Tennis Racket String Patterns.

Where to buy?

Both of these rackets are available to buy on online shops such as Amazon, Tennis Warehouse, and Tennis-Point.

Racket Recommendations

In terms of specs, both of these tennis rackets are very similar so you are not going to feel a huge difference between playing with either one of these rackets.

If you are someone who already plays with a Pure Drive then I wouldn’t see any major advantage to switching to the FX 500.

However, if you are someone who trying to decide which of these two rackets to buy then I would recommend that you go with the Pure Drive as the slightly lower swing weight will be bigger for the average recreational player.