Gearbox CX14E Ultimate Power vs Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16
Both paddles are scored using the same 15-trait Paddle DNA model. Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 takes the higher overall IQ score, but the right pick depends on which traits you value.
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Quick answer
Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 wins this matchup for most players: it takes spin, control, forgiveness and hand speed on Paddle DNA against the Gearbox CX14E Ultimate Power, which costs $210.
Power
Too close to call
88 vs 88
Spin
Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16
90 vs 82
Control
Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16
89 vs 81
Forgiveness
Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16
86 vs 74
Hand speed
Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16
116 vs 123 kg·cm² swing weight
Value
$210 at IQ 80.4 vs $275 at IQ 86.8
Overall pick: Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 · $275 · IQ 86.8
Paddle DNA head-to-head
- 88Power88
- 81Control89
- 82Spin90
- 74Forgiveness86
- 76Sweet spot88
- 86Stability90
- 68Maneuverability72
- 88Pop83
- 76Touch86
- 81Consistency88
- 82Swing weight76
- 82Twist weight86
- 52Launch angle55
- 89Plow through86
- 58Softness80
Gearbox CX14E Ultimate Power vs Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 specs
Every spec side by side. Highlighted values are the better of the two where one is objectively better.
| Spec | Gearbox CX14E Ultimate Power | Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 |
|---|---|---|
| Street price(USD) | $210 — better | $275 |
| IQ score(/ 100) | 80.4 | 86.8 — better |
| Weight(oz) | 8.4 | 8 |
| Core thickness(mm) | 14 | 16 |
| Swing weight(kg·cm²)Lower swings faster | 123 | 116 |
| Twist weight(kg·cm²)Higher is more stable | 6.5 | 6.8 — better |
| Shape | elongated | elongated |
| Face length(in) | 16.5 | 16.5 |
| Face width(in) | 7.5 | 7.375 |
| Handle length(in) | 5.5 | 5.5 |
| Grip circumference(in) | 4 | 4 |
| Surface | Solid-span carbon | Toray T700 raw carbon with TXR grip texture |
| Core material | Coreless carbon | SSTCore carbon-fibre ribs with Smart Dampen foam |
Gearbox CX14E Ultimate Power verdict
A more livable Gearbox. It keeps most of the drive velocity of the Pro Power while adding enough stability to survive hands battles.
Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 verdict
Gearbox's rib-suspended SSTCore feels unlike any honeycomb paddle: firmer through contact, quieter on resets, and unusually consistent shot to shot. You pay $275 for that engineering.
The verdict
Scored on the same 15-trait Paddle DNA model, the clearest separation is softness: Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 scores 80 against 58 for Gearbox CX14E Ultimate Power — a 22-point gap. They are effectively level on launch angle, plow through, power, so those traits should not decide the purchase. Gearbox CX14E Ultimate Power is $65 cheaper at $210.
Softness
Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 leads by 22 points (80 vs 58).
Forgiveness
Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 leads by 12 points (86 vs 74).
Sweet spot
Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 leads by 12 points (88 vs 76).
Touch
Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 leads by 10 points (86 vs 76).
Which one is right for your level?
Each call below re-weights the Paddle DNA traits that matter at that level, so the winner can differ from the overall pick.
Beginner
New to 3.0 — still building a consistent contact point
Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16
Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 is the clearer pick at this level — forgiveness 86 vs 74, sweet spot 88 vs 76, consistency 88 vs 81. Twist weight 6.8 keeps the face steadier on off-centre contact.
- Forgiveness
- Sweet spot
- Consistency
Intermediate
3.0–3.9 — playing organised rec and early tournaments
Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16
Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 is the clearer pick at this level — forgiveness 86 vs 74, control 89 vs 81, spin 90 vs 82. At 116 kg·cm² swing weight it stays quick enough for hands battles.
- Forgiveness
- Control
- Spin
Advanced / tournament
4.0+ — repeatable swing, fast hands battles
Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16
Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 is a narrow pick at this level — spin 90 vs 82, touch 86 vs 76, control 89 vs 81. Swing weight 116 kg·cm² is what carries that through contact.
- Spin
- Touch
- Control
Arm-sensitive players
Anyone managing tennis elbow or shoulder load
Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16
Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 is the clearer pick at this level — softness 80 vs 58, forgiveness 86 vs 74, twist weight 86 vs 82. Its 16 mm SSTCore carbon-fibre ribs with Smart Dampen foam core at 8 oz is the softer, lower-shock build of the two.
- Softness
- Forgiveness
- Twist weight
Which one should you buy?
Gearbox CX14E Ultimate Power
Take Gearbox CX14E Ultimate Power if you want swing weight (+6), pop (+5). Its swing weight of 123 kg·cm² and 14 mm core are what produce that profile.
Read the Gearbox CX14E Ultimate Power review →Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16
Take Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 if you want softness (+22), forgiveness (+12), sweet spot (+12). Its swing weight of 116 kg·cm² and 16 mm core are what produce that profile.
Read the Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 review →Gearbox CX14E Ultimate Power vs Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 FAQ
- Which is better, the Gearbox CX14E Ultimate Power or the Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16?
- Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 carries the higher overall Paddle IQ score (86.8 vs 80.4), but IQ is a weighted average. On the trait that separates them most — softness — Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 leads by 22 points.
- Which one is faster at the kitchen line?
- Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16, at 116 kg·cm² swing weight against 123 for Gearbox CX14E Ultimate Power. Lower swing weight is the single best predictor of hand speed in fast exchanges.
- Which paddle has more power, the Gearbox CX14E Ultimate Power or the Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16?
- Too close to call — neither has an advantage here. Both score 88 for power.
- Which one gives more control and touch?
- Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 at 89 versus 81. Its 16 mm core holds the ball on the face slightly longer, which is what makes resets and dinks land shorter.
- Which paddle spins the ball more?
- Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 scores 90 for spin off its Toray T700 raw carbon with TXR grip texture face, against 82 for the Solid-span carbon face on Gearbox CX14E Ultimate Power. In practice an 8-point gap is noticeable on third-shot drives.
- Which is more forgiving on off-center hits?
- Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16, with the higher forgiveness score (86 vs 74). Its 6.8 twist weight against 6.5 is what drives it — higher twist weight means the face rotates less when you miss the middle.
- Is the price difference worth it?
- Gearbox CX14E Ultimate Power costs $210, $65 less. Whether that gap is worth closing depends on whether you actually use the traits it trades away — check the head-to-head DNA bars above before paying up.
- Do they use the same core and face?
- Gearbox CX14E Ultimate Power: 14 mm Coreless carbon core with a Solid-span carbon face. Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16: 16 mm SSTCore carbon-fibre ribs with Smart Dampen foam core with a Toray T700 raw carbon with TXR grip texture face.
- Which is better for a two-handed backhand?
- Too close to call — neither has an advantage here. Both run a 5.5 in handle, long enough that neither forces you to choke the bottom hand onto the face bevel.
- Which one is better for beginners?
- Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 is the safer first paddle here: forgiveness 86 and sweet spot 88 mean fewer mishits while your contact point is still inconsistent. Gearbox CX14E Ultimate Power rewards a repeatable swing and can feel less stable before that.
- Which is lighter in the hand?
- Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 at 8 oz against 8.4 oz. Static weight matters for arm fatigue and elbow comfort; swing weight (116 vs 123) is what you feel mid-rally.
- Is it worth upgrading from the Gearbox CX14E Ultimate Power to the Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16?
- Only if you need what it actually adds. Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 leads on softness by 22 points; everything else is within 12 points. At $210 vs $275, the money is better spent elsewhere unless that one trait is your weak spot.
Related comparisons
The other matchups shoppers open in the same session as this one.
- CX14E Ultimate Power vs Pro Power Elongated
- CX14E Ultimate Power vs CX14H Ultimate Power
- Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 vs Pro Power Elongated
- CX14E Ultimate Power vs Power Pro X 14
- CX14E Ultimate Power vs Evoke Premier Pro
- CX14E Ultimate Power vs Warrior Edge 14
- CX14E Ultimate Power vs Mach 2 Forza 16
- CX14E Ultimate Power vs Black Diamond Power 16
Also worth comparing
Head-to-heads that share DNA with this matchup — useful if you're still deciding between shapes, cores or price tiers.
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- CX14E Ultimate Power vs Pro Integra Power 16
- CX14E Ultimate Power vs GX2 Power Elongated
- Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 vs CRBN-1X
- Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 vs Infinity Ruby 16
- Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 vs Nova R1
- Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 vs CRBN-3X Power Series
Top alternatives to both
Paddles that beat one of these two on a specific trait or on price.
Guides featuring these paddles
Still deciding? These buying guides put Gearbox CX14E Ultimate Power and Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 in context against the rest of the database.
Read the full reviews: Gearbox CX14E Ultimate Power and Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16. Or build a different comparison, browse the full database or find paddles within 5% of your current one.