I tested the Percept 97 and I felt it is a wonderful racket! For sure it is a control racket, but you can easily strike through the ball, it is stable, spinfriendly, you can create power and you have great a touch with it. I think Yonex made a superb job with this one!
certain reviewers have their certain preferences and this case they like the older models due to the weight as this is liked by more traditional high weight players with low sping but big plow through. nowadays these racquets can still produce bigger shots and faster swings so these reviewers should be taken with a grain of salt. they will offer valuable input but you won't truly know if you will like the product if you are fortunate enough to demo one or have people around you who have access to new racquets.
I completely agree, not sure how true it is but i feel like if you have to customize it then you might as well go for a different racket! (unless you really like the design)
95% of club level players probably wouldn't benefit much because their technique is poor. Late shoulder turns, poor footwork, bad base, poor lag. With better technique small changes become more noticeable b/c acceleration rate is critical.
@@charlesfaure1189 True. Most club players do not have proper tennis strokes, tennis form and tennis footwork. They make use of light & stiff racquets and trampoline effect (easy power, easy spin, late preparation, lazy feet and motion). Proper body motion (re: tennis) and kinetic chain leading to RHS (Racquet Head Speed) is unfamiliar to them as they do not have the proper tennis strokes, tennis form and tennis footwork 😂😂
@@akbarberlian hey, I cant really compare to your racket. But I previously played with the Vcore pro 100. I found the percept 100 to be extremely similar to the vcore pro 100. The 100D offers a lower launch angle, more stability, depth control, but in a similar feel and SW than the 100. For me it gave me some aditional control I was looking for without giving up much, so worth the upgrade!
H is heavy on paper but honestly the more time I spent with the old models the easier it became to use. The weight is really appreciated on my 2 handed BH.
I am using my Vcore Pro 97H with a leather grip and although it weighs 358 grams in total, I honestly don't find it to be a heavy racket. I have one-handed backhand and the stability and feel when hitting, I have not found it in another racket. I have also tried the 310 g Vcore Pro and it feels very pleasant at impact, good spin, good power. But anyway, I feel more comfortable with the 330g version
@@Lalohenriquezrf1 Yeah I am with you. I think people get psyched out by the specs and its in their head that its heavy, so they write it off and miss out on one of the sweetest hitting options available in modern frames.. But my experience is the racquet is easier to play than expected.I think it is a great fit for a player with a strong upper body who maybe played other sports, lifted weights..etc.
@@Lalohenriquezrf1 I agree, I just got the H and the swingweight is in the 320s. It swings rather easy but I was able to return some big serves with it due to the mass. Awesome racquet.
I've playing a lot on my 2022 ezone 98. Got the Percept 100D recently. Strung with Hyper G at 50lbs. For me, it's a bit low power racket due to low swing weight i guess. It can be good and bad thing. It definitely has a lot of control in it. It also a good spin racket even has dense 18x19. Great for kick and slice serve. Volley is decent. Stability is quite OK not so great. I would use this racket for recreationally evening fun play. If I'm facing a good/tough/aggresive opponent i would definitely pick my ezone 98
I started to use the Percept 100 about 2 weeks ago. I have used an Ezone 98 for the last 2 years so it was always going to take a lot for me to consider a switch to a new frame, but just felt I could do with a little more control as sometimes the power / my technique would send it long with the Ezone. Apart from that I have loved the Ezone 98 and had no complaints at all with it. After only about 10 hours of play I decided to use the Percept in my next match, having my Ezone in the bag in case I had made a terrible mistake! Just to note this is first ever 100 inch frame so was slightly worried that I was making a backwards step. The Percept was amazing though and not once was I tempted to take the Ezone out of the bag. I certainly felt I had more control; my serves were more accurate. I hit more aces than I have ever hit in a match, just through placement rather than power / speed. I felt I could hit the angles with confidence and although I still sent a couple long (as we all do) as long as I got the top spin right the majority of deep shots fell in the court and I would say my error rate was a good 50% better for deep shots. I still think the Ezone has more power overall, but the Percept 100 frame is not lacking in power, and I had it strung at 50lbs to give me any power I was missing from the 98 inch frame. Also it’s a 16 / 19 pattern so I didn’t feel as if I lost any spin as top spin is a big part of my game. Still early days, but at the moment I cant see me moving back to the Ezone, so feels like my first major change in racket since the Ezone was released two years ago!!!
This is the review I need, now waiting for your comparison between 100 and 100D. Still deciding between these two. Looking for a replacement for my Blade 100 v8.
Great honest review!! This is happen to all new Modern incoming racquets, muted Feel, Dampening, No Pop and too Soft not solid. I'm also NOT a fan of their new paint job, I think it's a boring Green blank. I always prefer Dark Black with some green like Best Wilson Blade BLX V5 with black Glossy Paint ever made. No muted feel, very solid racquet till nowadays.
Seems like their QC went from bad to worse. That is 3 series of rackets since 2021 that have had poor QC on their swing weights. First the 2021 Vcore series, then the 2021 Vcore Pro series and now this 2023 Percept series. Granted it is probably the most difficult metric to get down, I'm still appalled at how far off they were on that Percept 97. A strung swing weight of 303 is ridiculous for a control frame.
nice review! got a few vcore pro 100s myself, thinking if it's worth an upgrade to the new one, guess I'm holding off based on nikki's words. looking forward to that comparison vid!
I thought Yonex was supposed to be the QC king! Also, you said that ezone and vcore are no longer being made? Interesting that they don't make v1 thru v99 like Wilson haha. I kind of like it though. So many wilson versions almost implies that there's always something wrong with the previous version
I've added weight to my old VCP97 around 1030+130 (thereabouts) - around where the angle of the "isometric" curvature changes on the hoop. Then balanced with a little weight on the handle
Hi tennisNerd, what is the recommended tension on the Percept 100 or in the one you've tested. I'm a lefty single hand backhand player looking on buying this model but not sure what string to use, so many to choose from and tension wise. I come from clay background where top spin is part of my game style. Now playing in Australia in hard courts
@@gab_ale Well I don't know about manufacturing, but the physics is simple. If you ever customized your racket, you would know 1 gram at 12 roughly adds 3pts SW. So the SW is very sensitive to the mass distribution. It is easy to get the overall mass close to target but it is harder to get the mass distribution close to target. A few grams off could translate to 10pts off in SW.
@@fluffy_skye Yeah, I was just wondering if it is a component "issue" or a manufacturing "issue". I had seen a Yonex manufacturing tour video and my QE brain went over the process to try and see where the challenge could be.
Several reviews note the big SW difference and bad quality control in the new Percept. Did Yonex move their factory outside Japan? Because even Japan Yonex showroom is out of stock
I just bought the Yonex Percept 100 after demoing the Head Extreme MP, Speed MP, Boom MP, Yonex Ezone 100, Vcore 100, and Wilson Blade 98. Personally, I found that the Percept was the best racquet of all. The Percept 100 provided a lot of comfort, but this didn't compromise the amount of power generated - you get this feeling that even if you rip a forehand through the ball with the percept, you can be sure it'll land in the court. I had a hard time with controlling my shots with the Ezone 100. I was hitting a lot more forehands that were going long and it was hard not to overhit compared with the Percept 100. I think the Ezone would be a great weapon once I got used to hitting forehands with it. I'd say that it takes less power and strength to generate a powerful shot with the Ezone 100, but at the same time, I didn't really have too much control over my shots.
Please give a short answer, i am not shure to buy one, but with the right customizing it could be great. I play with gravity pro - but it is demanding. Thanks :-)
Wilson Did the same thing with the Ultra Pro... all the weight is in the handle... really annoying. And Blade Bro... all the weight is in the head. Also really annoying. YES... i know they are supposed to be platform rackets...but still... way too unbalanced and anemic. You're paying for less racket. LOL
Out of all the reviews I’ve watched you are the only reviewers complaining about swing weight. Unplayable, really? Most club players don’t like a high swing weight. I can’t wait to buy one.
Historically Yonex used R (From racquet obviously) for his series: R-7, R-22, RQ-180, RQ-380, RD-7, etc. Possibly I would choose a word starting with R but not ending with harsh consonants. Something like Revere (It is not a good one but just for illustration) or Roland (Read it as a French word like Roll-un)
After playing with the Yonex Percept 97 310g for roughly 1 year, it breaks at the throat during a regular rally ball hit. Seems the design is flawed with so much flexibility in the frame.
If you get used to a higher SW - it doesnt mean that a lower SW is bad. You just can't manage it and need some time to get used to it, that's it. This is not a QC issue - this is a right direction of racquets producing
Boring cosmetic & unusual/odd name (for a tennis racket line) imo so 👎to Yonex on both of those. How does Nikki feel about 100 sq. in. rackets for one-handers? From the reviews I've seen the Head Gravity Pro or maybe Wilson PS X seem to be the best 100 frames currently available but have not tried either due to manueverability concerns (for a one-hander).
Please Yonex change the color of the Percept series for a more neutral and serious scheme... Metallic blue-greyish or so but not this awful current color ! 😖
I tested the Percept 97 and I felt it is a wonderful racket! For sure it is a control racket, but you can easily strike through the ball, it is stable, spinfriendly, you can create power and you have great a touch with it. I think Yonex made a superb job with this one!
Nikki is an excellent reviewers. Gets straight to the point and BS free.
I agree
in Nikki we trust!
I think less than 5% of club level players customize their rackets but reviewers are over emphasizing customization.
certain reviewers have their certain preferences and this case they like the older models due to the weight as this is liked by more traditional high weight players with low sping but big plow through. nowadays these racquets can still produce bigger shots and faster swings so these reviewers should be taken with a grain of salt. they will offer valuable input but you won't truly know if you will like the product if you are fortunate enough to demo one or have people around you who have access to new racquets.
I completely agree, not sure how true it is but i feel like if you have to customize it then you might as well go for a different racket! (unless you really like the design)
@@DeAlexon12 Customizing is a personal preference. One can turn a good racquet into an almost perfect racquet.
95% of club level players probably wouldn't benefit much because their technique is poor. Late shoulder turns, poor footwork, bad base, poor lag. With better technique small changes become more noticeable b/c acceleration rate is critical.
@@charlesfaure1189 True. Most club players do not have proper tennis strokes, tennis form and tennis footwork. They make use of light & stiff racquets and trampoline effect (easy power, easy spin, late preparation, lazy feet and motion). Proper body motion (re: tennis) and kinetic chain leading to RHS (Racquet Head Speed) is unfamiliar to them as they do not have the proper tennis strokes, tennis form and tennis footwork 😂😂
Since it's their control line I would've named it Yonex "XACT" as in Exact control.
That's actually a pretty nice name
I own a Yonex vcore pro and I feel the same ... That I can XACTLY place the ball where I want on ez shots
I bought 2 100Ds they could not be more on point with the QC, perfect specs
What do you like about 100D? ( I use tour 100p)
@@akbarberlian hey, I cant really compare to your racket. But I previously played with the Vcore pro 100. I found the percept 100 to be extremely similar to the vcore pro 100.
The 100D offers a lower launch angle, more stability, depth control, but in a similar feel and SW than the 100. For me it gave me some aditional control I was looking for without giving up much, so worth the upgrade!
H is heavy on paper but honestly the more time I spent with the old models the easier it became to use. The weight is really appreciated on my 2 handed BH.
I am using my Vcore Pro 97H with a leather grip and although it weighs 358 grams in total, I honestly don't find it to be a heavy racket. I have one-handed backhand and the stability and feel when hitting, I have not found it in another racket. I have also tried the 310 g Vcore Pro and it feels very pleasant at impact, good spin, good power. But anyway, I feel more comfortable with the 330g version
@@Lalohenriquezrf1 Yeah I am with you. I think people get psyched out by the specs and its in their head that its heavy, so they write it off and miss out on one of the sweetest hitting options available in modern frames.. But my experience is the racquet is easier to play than expected.I think it is a great fit for a player with a strong upper body who maybe played other sports, lifted weights..etc.
@@landonh3535 I think that even with good footwork and early preparation, the racket can be handled
@@Lalohenriquezrf1 I agree, I just got the H and the swingweight is in the 320s. It swings rather easy but I was able to return some big serves with it due to the mass. Awesome racquet.
I've playing a lot on my 2022 ezone 98. Got the Percept 100D recently. Strung with Hyper G at 50lbs. For me, it's a bit low power racket due to low swing weight i guess. It can be good and bad thing. It definitely has a lot of control in it. It also a good spin racket even has dense 18x19. Great for kick and slice serve. Volley is decent. Stability is quite OK not so great. I would use this racket for recreationally evening fun play. If I'm facing a good/tough/aggresive opponent i would definitely pick my ezone 98
I started to use the Percept 100 about 2 weeks ago. I have used an Ezone 98 for the last 2 years so it was always going to take a lot for me to consider a switch to a new frame, but just felt I could do with a little more control as sometimes the power / my technique would send it long with the Ezone. Apart from that I have loved the Ezone 98 and had no complaints at all with it. After only about 10 hours of play I decided to use the Percept in my next match, having my Ezone in the bag in case I had made a terrible mistake! Just to note this is first ever 100 inch frame so was slightly worried that I was making a backwards step. The Percept was amazing though and not once was I tempted to take the Ezone out of the bag. I certainly felt I had more control; my serves were more accurate. I hit more aces than I have ever hit in a match, just through placement rather than power / speed. I felt I could hit the angles with confidence and although I still sent a couple long (as we all do) as long as I got the top spin right the majority of deep shots fell in the court and I would say my error rate was a good 50% better for deep shots. I still think the Ezone has more power overall, but the Percept 100 frame is not lacking in power, and I had it strung at 50lbs to give me any power I was missing from the 98 inch frame. Also it’s a 16 / 19 pattern so I didn’t feel as if I lost any spin as top spin is a big part of my game. Still early days, but at the moment I cant see me moving back to the Ezone, so feels like my first major change in racket since the Ezone was released two years ago!!!
I really wish Yonex would come out with a 320 gram 16x19 in the 97 head size. That was the issue with the V-Core and this version.
Precious versions of VCP 97 310 do well with some lead tape added.
This is the review I need, now waiting for your comparison between 100 and 100D. Still deciding between these two. Looking for a replacement for my Blade 100 v8.
Great honest review!! This is happen to all new Modern incoming racquets, muted Feel, Dampening, No Pop and too Soft not solid. I'm also NOT a fan of their new paint job, I think it's a boring Green blank. I always prefer Dark Black with some green like Best Wilson Blade BLX V5 with black Glossy Paint ever made. No muted feel, very solid racquet till nowadays.
Seems like their QC went from bad to worse. That is 3 series of rackets since 2021 that have had poor QC on their swing weights. First the 2021 Vcore series, then the 2021 Vcore Pro series and now this 2023 Percept series. Granted it is probably the most difficult metric to get down, I'm still appalled at how far off they were on that Percept 97. A strung swing weight of 303 is ridiculous for a control frame.
nice review! got a few vcore pro 100s myself, thinking if it's worth an upgrade to the new one, guess I'm holding off based on nikki's words.
looking forward to that comparison vid!
I thought Yonex was supposed to be the QC king! Also, you said that ezone and vcore are no longer being made? Interesting that they don't make v1 thru v99 like Wilson haha. I kind of like it though. So many wilson versions almost implies that there's always something wrong with the previous version
I really liked the 97 out of the box.
What does that mean re: my technique, liking a racquet that is low swing weight
?
Jonas what was the actual SW on the 100?
Greaat review Jon and Nikki! Looking fw for the D versions reviews. God bless guys
@Tennisnerd - What would be your preference and how would you compare the Percept 100 with the Ezone 100 and Wilson Blade 100?
How would the Vcore98 compare to the Percept 100?
Thansk for the review! The Percept Game isn't included. If you've already tried it, what is your opinion on the Game model?
Nice! Where would you recommend placing lead on the 97? 3&9 or 3,9 and 12?
I've added weight to my old VCP97 around 1030+130 (thereabouts) - around where the angle of the "isometric" curvature changes on the hoop. Then balanced with a little weight on the handle
Thank you for the review! How would you compare Percept 100 to Head Speed MP? On paper they seem to have a lot of similarities.
Hi!
do you feel theres noticeable difference between percept 100 and the last vcore pro 100?? are they the same racket different paintjob? thanks!
Hi tennisNerd, what is the recommended tension on the Percept 100 or in the one you've tested.
I'm a lefty single hand backhand player looking on buying this model but not sure what string to use, so many to choose from and tension wise. I come from clay background where top spin is part of my game style. Now playing in Australia in hard courts
Leather grip and lead tape fixes a lot of racquet issues!
Mine came in at 311 sw instead of 315. Acceptable I guess?
yonex bump up the swingweights so we don't have to customize! player racquet should have 326 swingweight strung at least
What was the swingweight on your Percept 100? Thank you
That is odd (the low SW issue) from Yonex. I always hear that their QC is very good.
Not at all. Yonex static weight is on point but their SW sucks just as other brands.
@@fluffy_skye As a product design and manufacturing QE myself I wonder why that is.
@@gab_ale Well I don't know about manufacturing, but the physics is simple. If you ever customized your racket, you would know 1 gram at 12 roughly adds 3pts SW. So the SW is very sensitive to the mass distribution. It is easy to get the overall mass close to target but it is harder to get the mass distribution close to target. A few grams off could translate to 10pts off in SW.
@@fluffy_skye Yeah, I was just wondering if it is a component "issue" or a manufacturing "issue". I had seen a Yonex manufacturing tour video and my QE brain went over the process to try and see where the challenge could be.
That guy has beautiful technique on those groundies👍👍
Jonas , How does the Percept compare to the Shift 300, and what strings did (would) you use? ciao, John
what about the 97D??
wow you can actually see a huge difference in the way the ball travels in the playtest
between the h and standard model
i’ve played the 97 today and i really have to say that this racket is so soft and it plays very nice but mine had a 306 SW😂 that’s way too low
I’m not sure on tenniswarehouse averages, I’ve never seen a Yonex racquet above the average nor on their spec, only majorly below
i customized my 2019 Vcores Pros97 to 330 SW and for me its optimal.
Pity, I was hoping to hear a review of the 97D. Am using them now (dark green versions) but the new ones appear to have a bit more power and feel.
I had the exact same feeling when demoing the 97.
Several reviews note the big SW difference and bad quality control in the new Percept. Did Yonex move their factory outside Japan? Because even Japan Yonex showroom is out of stock
How much tension do you recommend for Percept 97?
I just bought the Yonex Percept 100 after demoing the Head Extreme MP, Speed MP, Boom MP, Yonex Ezone 100, Vcore 100, and Wilson Blade 98.
Personally, I found that the Percept was the best racquet of all. The Percept 100 provided a lot of comfort, but this didn't compromise the amount of power generated - you get this feeling that even if you rip a forehand through the ball with the percept, you can be sure it'll land in the court. I had a hard time with controlling my shots with the Ezone 100. I was hitting a lot more forehands that were going long and it was hard not to overhit compared with the Percept 100. I think the Ezone would be a great weapon once I got used to hitting forehands with it. I'd say that it takes less power and strength to generate a powerful shot with the Ezone 100, but at the same time, I didn't really have too much control over my shots.
Hey, have you had any problems with the percept 100 since you bought it? cracks or anything in general?
What string and tension did u use?
They're strikingly similar in design to the Wilson Pro Staff, which I don't mind at all.
in what universe are they similar
What are the specs of your customized Percept 97? Leather?
Please give a short answer, i am not shure to buy one, but with the right customizing it could be great. I play with gravity pro - but it is demanding. Thanks :-)
It's a shame you're keeping it such a secret.
How about the 100D version!
Wilson Did the same thing with the Ultra Pro... all the weight is in the handle... really annoying. And Blade Bro... all the weight is in the head. Also really annoying. YES... i know they are supposed to be platform rackets...but still... way too unbalanced and anemic. You're paying for less racket. LOL
They should have called it the Sceptre
Yonex, I'm available for hire.
Out of all the reviews I’ve watched you are the only reviewers complaining about swing weight. Unplayable, really? Most club players don’t like a high swing weight. I can’t wait to buy one.
Historically Yonex used R (From racquet obviously) for his series: R-7, R-22, RQ-180, RQ-380, RD-7, etc. Possibly I would choose a word starting with R but not ending with harsh consonants. Something like Revere (It is not a good one but just for illustration) or Roland (Read it as a French word like Roll-un)
They can't, because of the Regna.
@@nicholaslau8362 Yep but how many Regna are they selling annually? 22? Is it enough to justify for not using R words?
Vcore pro was way better looking racquet, in the case of Percept 100 and Vcore pro 100 playability and feel is about the same.
thats crazy low especially for a control line
Look very good with the new hair style, make you look less grumpy😅
I think Yonex Arrow 97/100/97D/97HD would be much better name and cosmetics should have stayed similar as previous generation
Shocking quality control from yonex
Sounds like a medication 😅
Cosmetic reminds me of when I clean my tongue! Not something I wanna be thinking about when on the court!! 😂
Nikki will benefit a lot from lighter racquet, he just doesnt understand it I think:)
After playing with the Yonex Percept 97 310g for roughly 1 year, it breaks at the throat during a regular rally ball hit. Seems the design is flawed with so much flexibility in the frame.
really shocked about SW being so off-spec. I believe Yonex does outsource some frame manufacturing to China? Don't know if this is the case here?
Only the cheaper ones like Percept, VCore & Ezone Game are made in China
I think Percept is so bad. The racquet feels unnatural and even more muted if that’s even possible.
If muted isn’t your thing, then maybe yonex is a no go
Just call it Yonex PRO, lol ,)
If you get used to a higher SW - it doesnt mean that a lower SW is bad. You just can't manage it and need some time to get used to it, that's it. This is not a QC issue - this is a right direction of racquets producing
Shame - thanks, saved me money so far
Boring cosmetic & unusual/odd name (for a tennis racket line) imo so 👎to Yonex on both of those. How does Nikki feel about 100 sq. in. rackets for one-handers? From the reviews I've seen the Head Gravity Pro or maybe Wilson PS X seem to be the best 100 frames currently available but have not tried either due to manueverability concerns (for a one-hander).
pzone
pcore
Please Yonex change the color of the Percept series for a more neutral and serious scheme... Metallic blue-greyish or so but not this awful current color ! 😖
How about P-cept 🫣