The quick answer
A $400 budget buys a new driver from Cobra, Callaway or Wilson at the stores we check. Some are each maker’s current models: Cobra’s OPTM heads, Callaway’s Elyte and Wilson’s DYNAPWR Max and DYNAPWR Carbon. The rest are two earlier Cobra lines, DARKSPEED and DS-ADAPT, which are still sold new.
Choose by what the maker built the head to do. If your miss is a slice or you want the most stability, start with the heads Cobra and Wilson describe in terms of forgiveness and draw bias. If you want lower launch and spin, the LS heads are the ones their makers describe that way. Then check that the loft, hand and shaft you need are actually offered, because at this price that is where the choice narrows.
Who this is for
Golfers with about $400 to spend on a new driver, who want to know which heads that buys and how they differ, using what the makers publish.
How this list is built
The list is every driver in our records whose lowest new, in-stock price was at or under $400 at the stores we check. Prices change, and the list at the bottom of this page updates itself: a driver whose price rises above $400 drops out of it and is named underneath instead.
Every driver here is grouped by the maker’s own description of the head. Where a maker calls a head its “most forgiving” or says it has its “highest MOI,” that is the maker comparing it with its own range, not with other brands.
Current models or previous models
Our records mark the DARKSPEED and DS-ADAPT heads as previous models. That means Cobra has replaced them or no longer lists them as current, but stores still sell them new. On each of their pages, Cobra showed a sale price below the list price when we checked.
The trade-off is a newer design against a lower price. A previous model bought new is still unhit, and you choose the loft and shaft from what the store has. We have no warranty terms on record for these drivers, so check them with the store before you buy.
Callaway’s Elyte is not in that group. Callaway’s drivers page lists the Elyte alongside its Quantum drivers and does not label it a previous model, and its Elyte page showed it new with a “Sale” label. Wilson’s DYNAPWR Max is current too, though Wilson calls the newer DYNAPWR Max+ its most forgiving driver.
None of these drivers carries a maker’s list price under $400. They come in under it because stores sell them below list, which is why the list can change.
Heads built for forgiveness or a slice
| Specification | CobraOPTM MAX-K | CobraDS-ADAPT MAX-K | WilsonDYNAPWR Max | CobraOPTM MAX-D | CobraDS-ADAPT MAX-D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price when checked | $399 (Cobra Golf) | $299 (Cobra Golf) | $299.98 (PGA TOUR Superstore) | $399.98 (DICK'S Sporting Goods) | $299 (Cobra Golf) |
| Maker’s forgiveness claim | highest MOI | most forgiving | maximum forgiveness | Extreme | Extreme |
| Draw bias | Not recorded | Not recorded | Built in | Built in | Built in |
| Launch (maker’s rating) | High | High | Not recorded | High | High |
| Lofts | 9°, 10.5°, 12° | 9°, 10.5°, 12° | 9°, 10.5°, 12° | 10.5°, 12° | 10.5°, 12° |
| Head size | 460cc | 460cc | Not recorded | 460cc | 460cc |
Cobra says the OPTM MAX-K “achieves our highest MOI ever.” For the previous DS-ADAPT MAX-K, Cobra said it “is designed to be our most forgiving driver head,” with “a combined 10,000 M.O.I.” We have no MOI figure on record for the OPTM MAX-K, so the two cannot be compared on that number.
Wilson says “DYNAPWR MAX delivers maximum forgiveness and stability with impressive distance in a titanium design,” with “a larger footprint to boost MOI,” and that “A slight draw bias helps neutralize the right-side miss.” Wilson’s page gives no head volume, length or hosel details.
The two MAX-D heads are the ones built around a slice. Cobra says the OPTM MAX-D “is engineered for players who need slice correction and a more left-biased ball flight,” with a fixed heel weight. It says the DS-ADAPT MAX-D “delivers maximum draw bias for the ultimate slice correction,” and its driver chart rates that head’s launch “HIGH (WITH DRAW-BIAS).” Both are offered in 10.5° and 12° only. Cobra’s model comparison also lists a 9° OPTM MAX-D, but its store offers 10.5° and 12°.
Lower-spin and smaller heads
| Specification | CobraOPTM LS | CobraDS-ADAPT LS | CobraDARKSPEED LS | WilsonDYNAPWR Carbon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price when checked | $399.98 (DICK'S Sporting Goods) | $299 (Cobra Golf) | $299 (Cobra Golf) | $299.98 (PGA TOUR Superstore) |
| Spin (maker’s rating) | Low | Low | Low | Not recorded |
| Launch (maker’s rating) | Low | Low | Low | Not recorded |
| Lofts | 9°, 10.5° | 9°, 10.5° | 8°, 9°, 10.5° | 9°, 10.5° |
| Head size | 460cc | 445cc | Not recorded | Not recorded |
| Length | 45.5″ | 45.5″ | 45.5″ | Not recorded |
Cobra says the OPTM LS is “built for players seeking maximum speed and precision in a compact, low-spin design.” Its listed head size is 460cc. The previous DS-ADAPT LS is the one head here with a smaller published volume: Cobra describes “a compact 445cc Tour-inspired shape and forward-positioned C.G.” Cobra says the DARKSPEED LS is “designed for players with faster swing speeds,” with “a low launch and low spin head design to deliver maximum distance and workability.” We have no head size on record for it.
Wilson says “DYNAPWR Carbon is crafted for players who demand both workability and forgiveness in a compact design.” Wilson’s page gives no head volume or length, and we have no spin rating on record for it.
None of these four is offered in 12°. If you need loft to get the ball in the air, How to choose driver loft is the place to start.
Between the two
| Specification | CobraOPTM X | CobraDS-ADAPT X | CobraDARKSPEED X | CallawayElyte |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price when checked | $399 (Cobra Golf) | $299 (Cobra Golf) | $299 (Cobra Golf) | $299.98 (TGW) |
| Spin (maker’s rating) | Low | Low | Not recorded | Low |
| Launch (maker’s rating) | Mid | Medium | Higher | Mid-High |
| Maker’s forgiveness claim | added forgiveness | added forgiveness | blend of speed and forgiveness | Not recorded |
| Lofts | 9°, 10.5° | 9°, 10.5° | 9°, 10.5°, 12° | 9°, 10.5°, 12° |
| Draw bias | None | Not recorded | Optional | Optional |
In Cobra’s OPTM and DS-ADAPT ranges, the X sits between the forgiveness heads and the LS. Cobra describes the OPTM X as “a low-spin, symmetrical design” that “delivers a balance of speed, accuracy, and stability,” with “low spin with added forgiveness on off-center hits” compared with the OPTM LS. Cobra’s chart rates the DS-ADAPT X’s forgiveness “HIGH,” one step below the DS-ADAPT MAX-K and MAX-D (“EXTREME”). Cobra says the DARKSPEED X “blends extraordinary speed and forgiveness for players seeking maximum distance with higher launch and added stability.”
Callaway says the Elyte is designed for “total performance, delivering speed, forgiveness, and low spin,” and rates it Mid-High launch and Low spin in its Elyte comparison chart. Its 12° head is right-handed only.
How much you can adjust
The hosels and weights differ more than the heads do. Exactly as each maker publishes them:
- Cobra OPTM (all four): FutureFit33 hosel with 33 loft and lie settings, ±2°. The OPTM LS has three movable weights (11g, 7g, 3g) and the OPTM X has two (11g, 3g). The OPTM MAX-K has a fixed 11g back weight and the OPTM MAX-D a fixed 11g heel weight. Cobra lists back (neutral) and toe (fade-biased) places for the OPTM X’s 11g weight, and no draw setting.
- Cobra DS-ADAPT (all four): FutureFit33 hosel, loft ±2° and lie ±2°. For the DS-ADAPT LS, for example, Cobra gives a standard lie of 57°, adjustable from 55° to 59°. We have no weight details on record for these heads.
- Cobra DARKSPEED: eight hosel settings from −1.5° to +1.5°, three of them Draw settings. The LS has weight positions in the heel, toe and back, and the X has mid and back positions.
- Callaway Elyte: adjustable loft, and “a 13g moveable weight to enable a neutral, draw, or fade shot shape.” We have no loft range on record for its hosel.
- Wilson DYNAPWR Carbon: “A six-way adjustable hosel and swappable front and back weights offer full personalization for maximum distance.”
- Wilson DYNAPWR Max: Wilson’s page gives no hosel details.
What an adjustable driver hosel does explains what loft and lie settings change.
What you give up at this price
Shaft choice, on some heads. The Callaway Elyte lists one stock shaft, the Project X Denali Charcoal 50. Wilson lists one for each DYNAPWR: the Fujikura Ventus TR Blue in S and R flex for the Carbon, and the UST Mamiya Lin-Q M40X Red in S, R and A flex for the Max. Cobra’s pages list two or more shafts for each head where we have them, some only in certain lofts. We have no shaft details on record for the OPTM MAX-K.
Left-handed options. These are narrower on several heads. Cobra lists left-handed stock for the DS-ADAPT LS in Denali Black Stiff only, for the DS-ADAPT MAX-D in Denali Red Regular only, and for the DS-ADAPT MAX-K and X in Denali Blue Stiff and Regular only. The DYNAPWR Max comes left-handed in 10.5° only. Wilson offers the DYNAPWR Carbon right- and left-handed in both its lofts.
Lofts. The MAX-D heads start at 10.5°, and the LS heads stop at 10.5°, except the DARKSPEED LS, which also comes in 8°. The OPTM X and DS-ADAPT X come in 9° and 10.5°.
Length. Cobra lists 45.5 in for its heads, with a 44.5 in Tour Length build also offered for the OPTM X and OPTM LS. Callaway lists 45.75 in for the Elyte. Wilson gives no length for either DYNAPWR.
The newest design. On the DARKSPEED and DS-ADAPT heads, the saving comes from buying a design Cobra no longer lists as current.
All of them
Cobra says the OPTM MAX-K “achieves our highest MOI ever.”
- Lofts
- 9°, 10.5°, 12°
- Head size
- 460cc
- Adjustability
- FutureFit33 hosel with 33 loft and lie settings (±2°); fixed 11g back weight
$399
See at Cobra Golf: Cobra OPTM MAX-KAffiliate linkCobra says the OPTM MAX-D “is engineered for players who need slice correction and a more left-biased ball flight.”
- Lofts
- 10.5°, 12°
- Head size
- 460cc
- Adjustability
- FutureFit33 hosel with 33 loft and lie settings (±2°); fixed 11g heel weight
$399.98
See at DICK'S Sporting Goods: Cobra OPTM MAX-DAffiliate linkCobra says the OPTM X “delivers a balance of speed, accuracy, and stability.”
- Lofts
- 9°, 10.5°
- Head size
- 460cc
- Adjustability
- FutureFit33 hosel with 33 loft and lie settings (±2°); two movable weights (11g, 3g)
$399
See at Cobra Golf: Cobra OPTM XAffiliate linkCobra says the OPTM LS is “built for players seeking maximum speed and precision in a compact, low-spin design.”
- Lofts
- 9°, 10.5°
- Head size
- 460cc
- Adjustability
- FutureFit33 hosel with 33 loft and lie settings (±2°); three movable weights (11g, 7g, 3g)
$399.98
See at DICK'S Sporting Goods: Cobra OPTM LSAffiliate linkCallaway says the Elyte driver is designed for “total performance, delivering speed, forgiveness, and low spin.”
- Lofts
- 9°, 10.5°, 12°
- Head size
- 460cc
- Adjustability
- Adjustable loft; 13g movable weight with neutral, draw and fade positions
$299.98
See at TGW: Callaway ElyteAffiliate linkWilson says “DYNAPWR MAX delivers maximum forgiveness and stability with impressive distance in a titanium design.”
- Lofts
- 9°, 10.5°, 12°
- Head size
- Not recorded
- Adjustability
- Not recorded
$299.98
Wilson says “DYNAPWR Carbon is crafted for players who demand both workability and forgiveness in a compact design.”
- Lofts
- 9°, 10.5°
- Head size
- Not recorded
- Adjustability
- Six-way adjustable hosel; swappable front and back weights
$299.98
Cobra says the DS-ADAPT MAX-K “is designed to be our most forgiving driver head.”
- Lofts
- 9°, 10.5°, 12°
- Head size
- 460cc
- Adjustability
- FutureFit33 hosel: loft ±2°, lie ±2°
$299
See at Cobra Golf: Cobra DS-ADAPT MAX-KAffiliate linkCobra says the DS-ADAPT MAX-D “delivers maximum draw bias for the ultimate slice correction.”
- Lofts
- 10.5°, 12°
- Head size
- 460cc
- Adjustability
- FutureFit33 hosel: loft ±2°, lie ±2°
$299
See at Cobra Golf: Cobra DS-ADAPT MAX-DAffiliate linkCobra says the DS-ADAPT X is “designed for golfers seeking fast speeds and lower spin, paired with medium launch and added forgiveness.”
- Lofts
- 9°, 10.5°
- Head size
- 460cc
- Adjustability
- FutureFit33 hosel: loft ±2°, lie ±2°
$299
See at Cobra Golf: Cobra DS-ADAPT XAffiliate linkCobra says the DS-ADAPT LS has “a compact 445cc Tour-inspired shape and forward-positioned C.G. for better players who demand maximum ball speed, low spin and lower trajectory.”
- Lofts
- 9°, 10.5°
- Head size
- 445cc
- Adjustability
- FutureFit33 hosel: loft ±2°, lie ±2°
$299
See at Cobra Golf: Cobra DS-ADAPT LSAffiliate linkCobra says the DARKSPEED X Driver “blends extraordinary speed and forgiveness for players seeking maximum distance with higher launch and added stability.”
- Lofts
- 9°, 10.5°, 12°
- Head size
- Not recorded
- Adjustability
- Adjustable hosel with eight loft/lie settings (−1.5°, −1°, −1° Draw, STD, STD Draw, +1°, +1° Draw, +1.5°); mid and back weight positions
$299
See at Cobra Golf: Cobra DARKSPEED XAffiliate linkCobra says the DARKSPEED LS Driver is “designed for players with faster swing speeds” and pairs “a low launch and low spin head design to deliver maximum distance and workability.”
- Lofts
- 8°, 9°, 10.5°
- Head size
- Not recorded
- Adjustability
- Adjustable hosel with eight loft/lie settings (−1.5°, −1°, −1° Draw, STD, STD Draw, +1°, +1° Draw, +1.5°); weight positions in the heel, toe and back
$299
See at Cobra Golf: Cobra DARKSPEED LSAffiliate link
Where to go next
- Driver Finder: three questions about your budget, your miss and what matters most.
- Do you need a new driver?, before you buy any driver at all.
- How to choose driver loft
- What an adjustable driver hosel does
- Driver comparisons: Ping G440 Max vs Callaway Quantum Max, Ping G440 K vs TaylorMade Qi4D Max, TaylorMade Qi4D Max vs Callaway Quantum Max, Titleist GTS2 vs Ping G440 Max and Titleist GTS2 vs TaylorMade Qi4D.
- All drivers we have researched, including the ones above $400.
- Used Gear, for used prices beside new ones.
Sources
- Evidence: Verified
Cobra publishes the OPTM MAX-K lofts, head size, FutureFit33 hosel settings, fixed back weight, standard length and list price, and says the model achieves its highest MOI.
Values were matched against the downloaded text of the page when we checked.
- Evidence: Verified
Cobra publishes the OPTM MAX-D lofts, head size, FutureFit33 hosel settings, fixed heel weight, standard length, stock shafts and list price, and says it is designed for maximum draw bias and slice correction.
Values were matched against the downloaded text of the page when we checked.
- Evidence: Verified
Cobra publishes the OPTM X lofts, head size, FutureFit33 hosel settings, adjustable weights and their positions, standard length, stock shafts and list price, and describes a low-spin design.
Values were matched against the downloaded text of the page when we checked.
- Evidence: Verified
Cobra publishes the OPTM LS driver lofts, head size, FutureFit33 hosel settings, three movable weights, standard length, stock shafts and list price, and describes it for players seeking low spin and low launch.
Values were matched against the downloaded text of the page when we checked.
- Evidence: Researched
Callaway publishes the Elyte driver lofts, head size, standard length, 13g movable weight, stock shaft and price, and rates it Mid-High launch and Low spin in its Elyte comparison chart.
Read from the maker’s page as displayed when we checked. Callaway’s drivers page lists the Elyte alongside the Quantum drivers and does not label it a previous model; the Elyte page showed it new at $399.99 with a “Sale” label.
- Evidence: Verified
Wilson publishes the DYNAPWR Max lofts, stock shaft and grip, regular price and sale price, and says it delivers maximum forgiveness with a slight draw bias.
Values were matched against the downloaded text of the page when we checked. Wilson describes a “slight draw bias”. The page gives no head volume, length or hosel details.
- Evidence: Verified
Wilson publishes the DYNAPWR Carbon lofts, adjustable hosel, swappable weights, stock shaft and grip, regular price and sale price.
Values were matched against the downloaded text of the page when we checked. Wilson calls the driver “the perfect blend of control and forgiveness”. The page gives no head volume or length.
- Evidence: Verified
Cobra publishes the DS-ADAPT MAX-K driver lofts, FutureFit33 loft and lie ranges, head volume, length, stock shafts, combined 10,000 MOI and list price, and calls it its most forgiving driver head.
Values were matched against the downloaded text of the page and Cobra’s store data when we checked.
- Evidence: Verified
Cobra publishes the DS-ADAPT MAX-D driver lofts, FutureFit33 loft and lie ranges, head volume, length, stock shafts and list price, and describes it as built for maximum draw bias.
Values were matched against the downloaded text of the page and Cobra’s store data when we checked.
- Evidence: Verified
Cobra publishes the DS-ADAPT X driver lofts, FutureFit33 loft and lie ranges, head volume, length, stock shafts and list price, and rates its spin low and launch medium in its driver comparison chart.
Values were matched against the downloaded text of the page and Cobra’s store data when we checked.
- Evidence: Verified
Cobra publishes the DS-ADAPT LS driver lofts, FutureFit33 loft and lie ranges, head volume, length, stock shafts and list price, and rates its spin and launch as low in its driver comparison chart.
Values were matched against the downloaded text of the page and Cobra’s store data when we checked.
- Evidence: Verified
Cobra publishes the DARKSPEED X Driver lofts, eight loft/lie hosel settings, mid/back weight positions, standard length, stock shafts, list price and sale price, and describes speed and forgiveness with higher launch.
Values were matched against the downloaded text of the page and Cobra’s store data when we checked.
- Evidence: Verified
Cobra publishes the DARKSPEED LS Driver lofts, eight loft/lie hosel settings, heel/toe/back weight positions, standard length, stock shafts, list price and sale price, and describes a low-launch, low-spin head for faster swing speeds.
Values were matched against the downloaded text of the page and Cobra’s store data when we checked.