i.X3 Racquet Review

Part of HEAD's "Ultimate Power and Maximum Comfort" line-up, the i.X3 Midplus (MP) and i.X3 Oversize (OS) use HEAD's 2003 Intelligence X technology. HEAD's previous generation of Intelligence racquets placed piezoelectric material in the throat area of the racquet. The Intelligence X range has additional piezoelectric material in the upper hoop of the racquet, located at the ten and two o'clock positions.

The use of piezoelectric material by HEAD is designed to increase the stiffness of the racquet frame while dampening vibration, with the goal being to increase both the power and comfort characteristics of the racquet. The piezoelectric material, which makes up what HEAD calls its intellifibers, is designed to transform the mechanical energy generated at ball impact into an electrical response which stiffens the racquet. HEAD says that the electrical response changes the shape of the intellifibers, creating an increase in stiffness. According to HEAD, electrical energy transmits less vibration. Therefore, transformation of mechanical energy to electrical energy results in a 20 percent reduction in racquet vibration.

So, how does all this technology work on the courts? Our playtesters put the i.X3 OS and the i.X3 MP to the test. Here's what they had to say.

i.X3 Oversize

Groundstrokes

With a 107 square-inch headsize and an open (16x19) string pattern, the i.X3 OS offers a generous sweetspot for baseline play. Don appreciated the overall balance of the i.X3 OS saying, "although lighter in weight than its midplus brother, the i.X3 OS swings heavier, and therefore, gave me a more solid feel. I usually prefer midplus racquets but made an exception with the i.X3 OS. There was just a nice balance of weight,length, power and control (although I did launch a few when swinging too fast)." Granville also found the i.X3 OS to swing heavier than its static weight would indicate, but he didn't appreciate it quite as much as Don, saying, "I felt that the i.X3's maneuverability and comfort suffered greatly as a result of the balance, and I did not find the i.X3 OS an easy racquet to play with from the ground."

Chris enjoyed the spin potential and power offered by the i.X3 OS saying, "The i.X3 OS offers a nice solid swingweight for baseline play. When I was able to get below the ball I found I could generate heaps of topspin, especially on the forehand side. The power of this racquet was really appreciated when hitting defensive, heavy topspin loopers from deep within my court. The power delivery was also fairly even with no sudden drop-off." Michelle liked the way the i.X3 OS performed on groundstrokes saying, "although I'm most comfortable hitting high deep shots, I felt like I could confidently take longer swings with the i.X3 OS when I wanted to hit low, hard shots. I was able to do this without over hitting, and I think it definitely added something to my doubles game." Combined Score 74

Volleys

An extra half-inch in length and a head-heavy balance did not hinder our playtesters as they headed towards the net with the i.X3 OS. Michelle said, "the i.X3 OS felt great on volleys. I really liked the way the racquet gave me power on hard to reach volleys. I was even able to hit a couple of one-handed backhand volleys when stretched wide, and the racquet felt very stable." Don also really liked the performance of the i.X3 OS at the net, saying "the extra half inch of length, larger head and balance provided more punch without sacrificing any mobility. I'd still prefer a little extra weight, but I had no problems hitting deep volleys, and I still pulled off the sneaky drop and short angle shots." Chris added, "The iX3 OS has a lot to offer up at the net. In fact, I think this racquet would be a great choice for intermediate doubles players. With enough control on regular volleys, plus, having the power needed to help me out on stretch volleys made being at the net a joy. I was able to really relax and let the racquet do most of the work. Take too big a swing, though, and you can get yourself into a whole heap of trouble." Combined Score 71

Serves

All of our playtesters enjoyed serving with the i.X3 OS, finding it the perfect stroke to exploit the racquet's power and spin potential. Chris settled right into serving with the i.X3 saying, "for me, the i.X3 OS performed at its best on the serve and overhead. I felt like I was able to tack on an additional 5 mph on my first serve without having to swing as hard as with a player's racquet. At one point while hitting with Granville, I hit probably the hardest overhead I've hit in the last ten years." Michelle added, "I served very consistently with the i.X3 OS. Even when the ball did not land dead center on the racquet,I was able to be fairly effective and not give my opponent an easy return. The consistency I found on my first serve also helped my second serve, and I felt confident in aiming a little closer to the corners." Don found that "a medium-fast swing generated good pace, while allowing more control and excellent spin. I really enjoyed serving and volleying with this racquet." Granville made the most of the i.X3's power potential on the serve saying, "lightweight and quick through the air, you can generate some good 'pop' on the ball with the i.X3 OS. At the same time, I found the I.X3 minimized the shock at impact, making it rather comfortable on the serve." Combined Score 75

Return of Serve

Our playtesters found the i.X3 OS to be a stable and forgiving racquet on the return of serve. Granville explains, "the i.X3 OS has the advantage of being lightweight, and I found it somewhat forgiving when it came to preparation, or lack thereof." Michelle also enjoyed the maneuverability of the i.X3 OS on the return saying, "I like the oversize head on returns, as you often don't have time for a long swing. I was able to place the ball nice and deep on my crosscourt returns, even when I had to react quickly." Don found that a "blocking motion yielded pretty good returns against hard serves. Against all other serves, I could take a good swipe at the ball for a more offensive return." Combined Score 71

Overall

The HEAD i.X3 OS is the kind of racquet that can appeal to a broad spectrum of players. The open string pattern, light weight and slightly head heavy balance offers a lot of playability that is equally rewarding to both a baseline basher and a doubles slice and dicer. Players can tame some of the i.X3's power by using the open string pattern to assist in adding spin to their shots, or by increasing the string tension. However, players will love the power the i.X3 OS provides on the serve and overhead. Combined Score 74

i.X3 Midplus

Groundstrokes

The i.X3 MP is a slightly more demanding racquet than its oversize brother. The lighter swingweight, head-light balance and smaller head size will be appreciated by aggressive all court players and serve and volleyers. Don found the i.X3 to be "easy to swing and easy to generate good pace and spin. Due to the lighter weight, I found I needed a pretty fast swing to generate that pace, otherwise my shots landed short. With most strokes, when I had time to prepare, I could generate good racquet head speed. However, off center shots werenÕt very forgiving, yielding a stiff, harsh feel." Chris added, "hitting flat with the i.X3 MP just didn't work for me. However, if you like to hit with spin, and are looking for a racquet that will give you some extra juice, then the i.X3 MP fits the bill. It plays quite light and whippy, and I was able to hit some really nice topspin angles with this racquet. The i.X3 MP did feel quite stiff, especially when hitting balls near the top of the hoop, with some noticeable racquet shock present at contact. Catch the ball lower in the hoop, and power comes on quickly."

Granville quickly noted how much more power he could generate with the i.X3 MP saying, "my groundstrokes were landing well outside the baseline and I did not really 'feel' the ball on the strings. I decided to slow down my swing speed and then I found the groove. There is not much flex with this racquet, and I could not escape that 'boardy' feel so often found in lightweight sticks. That being said, the maneuverability of the racquet is terrific. If I found myself a little late getting to the ball, I could whip the racquet around and still make a good play on the ball. In that sense, it is a forgiving racquet." Combined Score 68

Volleys

The head light balance and light weight make the i.X3 MP a maneuverable and effective tool for successful volleying. Chris said "the i.X3 MP felt great at the net. The i.X3's maneuverability and power resulted in crisp, clean volleying. These attributes really helped when I was forced to hit low volleys and half-volleys." Michelle added, "the i.X3 midsize felt great on volleys when I was able to hit the sweetspot. However, when I caught my volleys near the tip of the racquet they would land too far inside the baseline, giving my opponent an easier passing shot." Don also enjoyed the maneuverability of the i.X3 MP but "wished for a little more mass for stability and punch." Combined Score 69

Serves

Our playtesters enjoyed the racquet head speed and power they could generate on the serve with the i.X3 MP. Granville said, "the i.X3 was really designed with the serve in mind. It's light weight and quick through the air, and you can generate some good 'pop' on the ball." Don found great success hitting slice serves with the i.X3 MP saying, "I served well because I could swing the i.X3 MP fast and generate good spin. I've hit harder serves, but the combination of adequate speed and impressive spin allowed me lots of serving options." Michelle added, "I really enjoyed serving with the i.X3 MP. I felt like I could swing harder and still get lots of first serves in." Combined Score 74

Return of Serve

Our playtesters had mixed opinions when it came to returning with the i.X3 MP. Michelle said, "I enjoyed returning with i.X3 MP. However, returns hit near the top of the racquet would land too short. When I timed the return well, my returns would land nice and deep, and I felt I could control the direction of the ball." Chris did not have as much success saying, "the service return was the shot that gave me the most problems while using the i.X3 MP. I often found myself over-hitting, especially when returning a fast first serve. When trying to block the ball back, I found my returns would often sit up." Don found he could "take some backswing against almost any serve." Adding "I hit some great returns, but a few backhand slice/block returns either were too short or sat up." Combined Score 61

Overall

The i.X3 MP is a great choice for aggressive players looking to add some extra power to their game. The weight and balance of the racquet can be utilized effectively both on the serve and the volley. However, the head light balance, light static weight and power of the i.X3 MP comes at the price of some detectable racquet shock on off-center shots, making it the more demanding of the two i.X3 racquets. Adding a little lead tape can address this, and will increase the overall weight for players wanting more heft. Combined Score 70

Review date: April, 2003. If you found this review interesting or have further questions or comments please contact us.

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