Our tester Iris has been testing the Dunlop FX500 2026 over the past few weeks and shares her findings in an extensive review!
Specifications:
Brand: Dunlop
Model: FX500
Head size: 100 sq/inch
Weight: 300 g
Balance: 32.0 cm
String pattern: 16×19
Length: 27 inches
RA: 69
Beam: 23 - 26 - 23 mm
Swingweight: +-322
Stringing: Diadem Pro X 16L (1.25) at 24/23 kg
The new Dunlop FX 500 is now available in our webshop and comes strung for free with a string of your choice!
Introduction:
The Dunlop FX500 has just been released, and I, Iris, had the chance to test it. I hit with it for a total of 4 hours.
Dunlop is best known for its three racket families: FX, CX, and SX. The FX series is designed for power—the F stands for Force. The CX is designed for control, which is what the C stands for. And the S in SX stands for spin. All these racket families feature Sonic Core technology, made with Infinergy by BASF, in the frame. This makes the rackets more comfortable and reduces the vibrations transmitted to your arm.
Baseline:
I tested this racket on carpet at Sportcentrum Heemskerk, playing two one-hour training sessions and two one-hour doubles matches. During training, we mainly worked on switching between spin shots and attacking shots, which was really easy with this racket. Because the string bed is a little more open than that of my own racket, the Wilson Blade 100 V9, this racket gripped the ball sooner and more easily. And it did so without sacrificing control.
When we moved on to attacking shots, I couldn't believe the difference. I was hitting so much harder than usual without losing the feel of the ball. Even at the pace we were playing, this racket remained super stable: the ball went exactly where I wanted it to. I really liked the combination of power and control. I often find that power rackets can feel a little too lively, but that absolutely wasn't the case with this one. I would compare it most closely to the Yonex Ezone 100.
In short, this racket is easy to play with from the baseline and offers a great combination of power, spin, and control!
Serve:
I naturally have quite a powerful first serve, which really came into its own with the Dunlop FX500 2026. I injured my shoulder in the summer of 2023, but thankfully I haven't had any problems with it for almost two years now. However, I can still feel it when I play with a slightly stiffer racket. I had no issues with this racket, thanks to the Sonic Core technology in the FX500's frame at the 3 and 9 o'clock positions. On my second serve, which isn't as strong, I often try to hit a kick serve. With the FX500, it was easy to get the ball through the string bed, which is more open than that of my own racket. I'm often a little too cautious with my second serve, afraid of hitting a double fault—and sure enough, then I hit my second serve into the net too. But that didn't happen as often with this racket, because the frame gave my serve more power.
At the net:
I was actually worried that the Dunlop FX500 2026 wouldn't be very stable at the net, or that my volleys would fly off easily because of the power the racket delivers. But as soon as I started hitting volleys at the net during the doubles matches, I took those words right back! I could put everything away easily while maintaining full control of the ball. Even when the pace was high and I didn't hit the volley cleanly, the racket didn't punish me. I found the same was true of smashes as of my serves and volleys.
Power/control:
Power clearly wins out over control with this racket, but that doesn't mean you lose control of the ball. If you find it easy to generate spin, this racket is great for that too; of course, you'll need the right grip to put spin on the ball. Rackets don't give you spin for free, after all. If you hit the ball flat, this racket is also excellent, because I didn't feel that the balls flew off too easily.
Comfort/arm-friendliness:
I thought the comfort was excellent with this racket. I didn't feel any discomfort in my shoulder and experienced virtually no vibrations when hitting. It's a great combination of power, stability, control, and comfort. A good choice for someone with mild arm issues who plays at a higher level and at a fast pace.
The new Dunlop FX 500 is now available in our webshop and comes strung for free with a string of your choice!
The bottom line on the Dunlop FX500 2026:
The updated Dunlop FX 500 remains a powerful racket that offers great feel for the ball. Its moderate swingweight lets you react quickly to faster shots and makes it easy to generate spin. It offers plenty of stability on your shots, both at the net and from the baseline, with comfort as a welcome bonus. All in all, a great racket and an excellent update to the FX 500!
