The Yonex Vcore 98 is the spin racquet in Yonex's range for players who want a 98 square inch head. The 2026 model in Ruby Red is the current generation. This review tells you who it suits, how the standard 98 differs from the Tour, the Plus and the 98L, how it compares with the Vcore 100 and the Babolat Pure Aero 98, and how we string it. You can see the Vcore 98 on our product page at any time, with today's price.
Facts at a glance
- Model: Yonex Vcore 98, 2026 model year, Ruby Red.
- Price at Sturdy Racquets: $419.95, sold unstrung.
- Unstrung weight 305 grams, strung weight about 323 grams, swing weight about 320.
- Head size 98 square inches, 16 by 19 string pattern, 23 millimetre beam, 5 points head light, stiffness about 64 RA, length 27 inches.
- Recommended tension 45 to 60 pounds, which is 20 to 27 kilograms.
- Best for intermediate to advanced players who hit with heavy topspin and want a 98 square inch head.
- Rated 4.9 out of 5 across 58 customer reviews on our site.
- Grip sizes and availability are on the product page. Stringing from $19.95 with the racquet, usually ready the next day.
The short answer
Buy the Vcore 98 if you are an intermediate to advanced player who hits with topspin and wants a 98 square inch head that still gives easy spin. It costs $419.95 unstrung. It is not a beginner's racquet, and it is not a flat hitter's racquet. If you want more forgiveness, the Vcore 100 is the easier frame. If you want more mass, the Vcore 98 Tour is the heavier one.
Price $419.95, sold unstrung. Grip sizes and availability are on the product page. Stringing from $19.95 when you buy the racquet from us, usually ready the next day.
See the Yonex Vcore 98 on our product pageWho it suits, and who should skip it
Good for you if
- You hit with heavy topspin and want the racquet to help, not fight you.
- You are an intermediate to advanced player who already makes clean contact.
- You want a 98 square inch head without the full 305 gram, even balance feel of a Blade. The Vcore is 5 points head light and quicker.
- You serve with kick and slice and want spin on every shot.
- You are coming from a Vcore 100 and want more precision.
Skip it if
- You are new to tennis. A 98 square inch head punishes late contact.
- You hit flat. The open pattern and the spin-friendly frame want you to brush the ball.
- You want the plushest feel. At about 64 RA it is firmer than a Wilson Blade. Comfort is the Vcore's weakest score at 7.5 out of 10.
- You find 305 grams too much to swing. The Vcore 98L at 285 grams is the answer.
How it plays
Spin. This is the Vcore's reason to exist. We rate it 9 out of 10. The 16x19 pattern on a 98 head gives the strings room to grab the ball, and the 23 millimetre beam is quick through the air so you can swing up fast.
Control. We rate it 8.5. The 98 square inch head keeps the ball where you aim, and the 5 points head light balance makes it easy to change direction.
Power. We rate it 7. It is not a power racquet. The pace comes from your swing and the spin, not from the frame.
Comfort. We rate it 7.5. At about 64 RA it is a medium stiffness frame. If your arm is sensitive, string it with a soft polyester or a hybrid rather than a stiff full poly bed.
Specifications
The four Vcore 98 models
Yonex makes four versions of the Vcore 98 and we stock all four at the same price. They share the 98 square inch head and the 16x19 pattern. Here is what changes.
| Vcore 98 | 98 Tour | 98 Plus | 98L | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unstrung weight | 305 g | 315 g | 305 g | 285 g |
| Swing weight | about 320 | about 330 | about 328 | about 312 |
| Balance | 5 pts head light | 7 pts head light | 3 pts head light | 2 pts head light |
| Stiffness | about 64 RA | about 62 RA | about 64 RA | about 65 RA |
| Beam | 23 mm | 22 mm | 23 mm | 23 mm |
| Length | 27 in | 27 in | 27.25 in | 27 in |
| Rating on our site | 4.9 (58) | 4.8 (30) | 4.7 (29) | 4.6 (27) |
| Our price | $419.95 | $419.95 | $419.95 | $419.95 |
The standard Vcore 98 is the one most players should buy. The Tour is for advanced players who want more mass and a softer, thinner beam. The Plus adds a quarter inch of length for reach and serve leverage. The 98L is the light version for intermediates and anyone who finds 305 grams tiring.
Vcore 98 or Vcore 100
The Vcore 100 is the same idea with a bigger head and a wider beam. It is the more forgiving racquet and the one with more free power.
| Vcore 98 | Vcore 100 | |
|---|---|---|
| Head size | 98 square inches | 100 square inches |
| Unstrung weight | 305 g | 300 g |
| Swing weight | about 320 | about 322 |
| Balance | 5 points head light | 4 points head light |
| Beam | 23 mm | 25.3, 25.3 and 22 mm |
| Stiffness | about 64 RA | about 65 RA |
| Our control rating | 8.5 | 8 |
| Our power rating | 7 | 8 |
| Rating on our site | 4.9 (58 reviews) | 4.8 (46 reviews) |
| Our price | $419.95 | $419.95 |
Choose the 98 for precision and a slightly lower launch. Choose the 100 for a bigger sweet spot and easier depth. We have a separate Vcore 100 review if that is the one you are leaning toward.
How it compares with the Babolat Pure Aero 98
The Babolat Pure Aero 98 is the other 98 square inch spin racquet we sell to the same players.
| Vcore 98 | Pure Aero 98 Gen 9 | |
|---|---|---|
| Unstrung weight | 305 g | 305 g |
| Balance | 5 points head light | 7 points head light |
| Swing weight | about 320 | about 317 |
| Stiffness | about 64 RA | about 65 RA |
| String pattern | 16 x 19 | 16 x 20 |
| Our spin rating | 9 | 9 |
| Our control rating | 8.5 | 9 |
| Our comfort rating | 7.5 | 7 |
| Our price | $419.95 | $439.95 |
They are close. The Pure Aero 98 has a slightly denser 16x20 pattern and we rate its control a touch higher. The Vcore is $20 cheaper and we rate its comfort a touch higher. Players who like the Babolat feel pick the Pure Aero 98. Players who want Yonex's isometric head shape, which Yonex says gives a larger sweet spot, pick the Vcore.
How we string it
The Vcore 98 is sold unstrung. Yonex recommends a shaped or co-polyester string to get the most spin from it. When you buy the racquet from us, stringing is added at the discounted prices below and it is usually ready the next day.
Most players: Premium, $39.95 with the racquet. Yonex Polytour Spin or Babolat RPM Team at 50 to 52 pounds. Shaped polyester for spin, soft enough to keep the frame comfortable.
Maximum spin and control: Ultra Premium, $49.95 with the racquet. Solinco Hyper-G or Babolat RPM Blast at 50 to 52 pounds.
Sore arm: Ultimate Performance, $59.95 with the racquet. A hybrid with Tecnifibre Razor Soft in the mains and a multifilament in the crosses at 48 to 50 pounds.
Your own string: $15.95 labour when you buy the racquet from us.
All four packages are explained on our racquet stringing page.
Try it before you buy
We have demo racquets at the Brooklyn shop so you can hit with a frame before you commit. See the demo racquets we have available, or come in and ask.
Questions players ask
Our verdict
The Vcore 98 is the best 98 square inch spin racquet we sell for players who brush the ball. It is quick, precise and built for topspin, and the 2026 model costs $419.95. Buy the standard 98 unless you know you want more mass, in which case buy the Tour, or less, in which case buy the 98L. If you want forgiveness over precision, read our Vcore 100 review first.
Price $419.95, sold unstrung. Grip sizes and availability are on the product page. Stringing from $19.95 when you buy the racquet from us, usually ready the next day.
Buy the Yonex Vcore 98Sources: specifications are the manufacturer's published figures as listed on our product pages. Playability ratings, prices and stringing prices are Sturdy Racquets' own, correct on 13 October 2026. Availability changes daily and is shown on the product page. Customer ratings are collected on our site.
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