The Wilson Blade 98 is one of Wilson’s most popular tennis rackets, with each new version of the tennis racket being eagerly anticipated by recreational players.
One of the main reasons for its popularity is that the Blade 98 is endorsed by top WTA and ATP pros like Stefanos Tsitsipas, Simona Halep, and Emma Raducanu.
The latest version of the Blade 98 is the V8 and this article will look at the differences between the V8 and the previous V7 and at whether it is worth upgrading your V7 to the V8.
Wilson Blade 98 V7 vs V8 Comparison
For this racket comparison, we will be looking at the 16×19 and 18×20 versions of the Blade 98 (or “B98”) to see what has changed from V7 to V8 of the tennis rackets.
First off, we will look at the Wilson Blade 98 16×19 version.
Wilson Blade 98 16×19 V7 vs V8
Racket Specs Comparison – 16×19 Versions
| Specs: | B98 | B98 |
|---|---|---|
| Version: | 16×19 V7 | 16×19 V8 |
| Design: |  |  |
| Head Size: | 98in | 98in |
| Length: | 27in | 27in |
| Strung Weight: | 323g (11.4oz) | 320g (11.3oz) |
| Swingweight: | 328g | 317g |
| Balance: | 4 Pts HL | 5 Pts HL |
| TW Stiffness Rating: | 62 | 61 |
| Power: | Low to Medium | Low to Medium |
| Beam Width: | 21.0 mm | 21.0 mm |
| Composition: | Graphite | Graphite |
| Colors: | Navy, Green, and Black | Green and Black |
| String Pattern: | 16×19 | 16×19 |
| Grip Type: | Wilson Pro Performance | Wilson Pro Performance |
The head size, racket length, beam width, and string pattern are identical in the 16×19 versions of the Blade 98 V7 and V8.
In terms of differences, the strung weight of the V8 is one ounce lighter than the V7 so you are not going to feel a huge difference just holding the two rackets in your hand.
The biggest change is in the swing weight and balance of the V7 and V8, as Wilson has made the V8 more head light so now the V8 has a much lower swing weight than the V7.
The V8 (61) also has a slightly lower stiffness rating than the V7 (61) but it is not a huge difference in terms of how the tennis rackets feel to hit with.
Wilson Blade 98 18×20 V7 vs V8
Racket Specs Comparison – 18×20 Versions
| Specs: | B98 | B98 |
|---|---|---|
| Version: | 18×20 V7 | 18×20 V8 |
| Design: | | |
| Head Size: | 98in | 98in |
| Length: | 27in | 27in |
| Strung Weight: | 323g (11.4oz) | 323g (11.4oz) |
| Swingweight: | 334g | 327g |
| Balance: | 4 Pts HL | 4 Pts HL |
| TW Stiffness Rating: | 62 | 60 |
| Power: | Low to Medium | Low to Medium |
| Beam Width: | 21.0 mm | 21.0 mm |
| Composition: | Graphite | Graphite |
| Colors: | Navy, Green, and Black | Green and Black |
| String Pattern: | 18×20 | 18×20 |
| Grip Type: | Wilson Pro Performance | Wilson Pro Performance |
Similar to the 16×19 versions of the B98, the head size, racket length, beam width, and string pattern are identical in the 18×20 versions of B98 V7 and V8.
The V8 and the V7 versions of the B98 18×20 also have the same strung weight (323g) and head light balance (4 pts HL).
In terms of differences, the V8 has a lighter swing weight but the difference in swing weight is much less than in the 16×19 versions of the B98.
Similar to the 16×19 versions of the Blade 98, The Blade 98 V8 18×20 (60) has a slightly lower stiffness rating than the Blade 98 V7 18×20 (62).
Is it worth upgrading to the V8 Versions?
In my opinion, if you are a club player and you have a B98 V7 16×19 tennis racket it is worth upgrading to the V8 as the lower swing weight will be better for the vast majority of club players.
However, I don’t think the same can be said for the B98 V7 18×20 tennis racket as I don’t think the racket specs have changed enough to make upgrading to the V8 worth it.