TaylorMade Qi35 vs Cobra DS ADAPT X Driver: Read Our Full Head-To-Head Verdict

TaylorMade Qi35 vs Cobra DS-ADAPT X Driver: Read Our Full Head-To-Head Verdict

It's that time of year again when most of the big brands launch their new drivers to much pomp and ceremony. We love this time of year as it means we can get our hands on all of the new gear to test and review so we can then share our findings with you.

Cobra launched their new drivers, the DS-ADAPT range, at the end of 2024 and TaylorMade followed a few weeks later with the Qi35 range of drivers. Both ranges include a variety of models aimed at different types of golfer. Both have low spin models, a maximum forgiveness option and in the case of the Cobra range there is also a draw biased model. For the purpose of this head to head we are focusing on the two standard models in the ranges, which will suit the widest range of golfers.

TaylorMade had a very tough act to follow this year as the 2024 Qi10 range was a roaring success, with world number ones Scottie Scheffler and Nelly Korda both using Qi10 drivers to dominate the competition.

The Qi10 was one of the most forgiving drivers of the year, but Cobra also had a successful 2024 with their excellent Darkspeed range, which we loved. Both brands believe they have improved on last year's offerings, which is exciting news for golfers looking to upgrade their driver this year.

The Qi35 and the DS-ADAPT X are both sure to be in the discussion for the best golf drivers on the market this year, but how do they compare against eachother?

Both of these drivers have been rigorously tested by Golf Monthly, so here we take a look at the performance head-to-head to see which one might be right for you.

Technology

The Qi35 range of drivers is all about CG (center of gravity) projection. The clubhead has been engineered so that the CG projects out to the face as low as possible, to increase what TaylorMade is referring to as ‘the area of opportunity’. What does this mean? Well you know those occasional strikes you experienced when the ball comes slightly high off the face, launches high but with minimal spin and goes absolutely miles? That happens because the ball has struck the face slightly above the CG projection, thereby creating a vertical gear effect that boosts launch and knocks off spin.

So, if that CG projection is lower, that gives you more chance of seeing those optimal flight conditions. TaylorMade have achieved this by saving weight (specifically from the crown, the ring, and the hosel sections) and moving it around the club head to bring that balance point or CG projection as low as possible.

In addition to this, two adjustable weights in the sole can be switched to fine-tune launch and spin, while the Qi35 also features a multi-material construction that includes chromium carbon, steel, aluminum, tungsten and titanium as well as a fourth-generation carbon twist face. In other words, it's ram packed with tech and is certainly one of the best TaylorMade drivers in years.

The DS-ADAPT range features slightly improved aerodynamics and a reimagined H.O.T. face, but, somehow the main tech story surrounds a hosel adapter, which is not often the case with major driver launches.

DS-ADAPT drivers feature a new adjustable hosel which Cobra calls FutureFit33. This somewhat complex-looking invention offers Cobra users the ability to de-couple loft and lie angle for the first time ever, and the amount of individual settings available (33 obviously) is enough to keep even the most avid tinkerer happy.

There is certainly a question about just how well the average golfer will be able to navigate so many options, but I would say that Cobra has done a good job of simplifying the task with a handy guidance chart and even an interactive app that is accessible by scanning a QR code that is laser etched into each driver's head. A very Cobra touch this, and one which I really enjoyed.

When using some other major manufacturers' adapters to manipulate driver loft, not only are you often affecting the lie angle but you may also be altering how open or closed the driver sits in the playing position. Cobra has solved this with a concept called ‘SmartPad’ that uses clever contouring of the sole to ensure that whichever setting you put the driver in, it will still sit perfectly squarely behind the ball at address. This is very clever and will benefit the majority, but golfers who like to adjust the face to open or closed will not be able to do so, so keep that in mind.

Looks

The Qi35 looks spectacular, with a predominantly light grey carbon head that wouldn’t look out of place as the interior of a supercar. The minimalist way TaylorMade has executed the overall finish makes this one of the nicrest looking drivers I've seen. There is the merest hint of accent color with just a handful of tiny pale green splashes on the sole that you have to look extremely closely to even notice.

From the playing position, the shape at address is significantly rounder than the profile of its predecessor, the Qi10 driver. So much so that the Qi35 is now the identical playing profile to the higher MOI Qi35 Max product. One of the main reasons I elected to put the Qi10 in my bag last year was due to the roundness of the head, which is something I have become very keen on in recent years, but when you put that driver down next to the Qi135, it looks positively pear-shaped now.

Aesthetically, Cobra has done a fine job following up on the heavily praised Darkspeed X. While still oozing shelf appeal, the X model features some subtle blue accent colors to help differentiate it from the rest of the range and the somewhat triangular head profile of its predecessor has been softened a touch which is getting closer to the look I prefer.

If I have one slight gripe visually it would be with the crown where the face meets the rest of the chassis. I feel the banner strip this produces lacks a little symmetry and distracts from an otherwise much-improved shaping.

While the DS-ADAPT X is a nice looking driver, it comes up short against the spectacular aesthetics of the TaylorMade Qi35.

Feel

With tangible performance gains such as ball speed becoming harder and harder to come by, sometimes the biggest wins come in the less quantifiable areas, and that is absolutely what has happened with the DS-ADAPT range as Cobra has produced one of the better-feeling drivers I have used, while the acoustic is spot on too. It can be tough to describe things as subjective as feel, but smooth is the best adjective I can think of here. Minimal vibrations, and just a delightful mid-level pitch that makes striking this driver a real pleasure.

As for the Qi35, the feel off the face has slightly altered from the Qi10, with a slightly livelier, more high-pitched acoustic creating a touch more of a firmer feel to impact which I must say I thoroughly enjoyed. Of course this is all relative to the ‘carbonwood’ products of the past few seasons, and to me the TaylorMade sound and feel still remain much more subdued and ‘thuddier’ than other drivers on the market, but the extra 'zing' you get at strike is another enjoyable feature of a much-improved driver for me.

Performance

One thing that massively stood out to me with the Qi35 was just how much of a difference changing around the adjustable weights made to the performance of the driver. In the neutral setting, you are served up a 9k MOI reading, making it an incredibly stable, forgiving driver that really promotes confidence at address. Therefore this will appeal to the golfer who needs help in finding more fairways.

However, if you switch that heavier weight to the front you are looking at an entirely different animal as the MOI output drops slightly to 8.1k and the CG projection also drops considerably. In this 'beast mode' setting, my spin dropped around 250 rpm, but my overall distance went up a considerable amount. My dispersion inevitably suffered slightly, but certainly not as much as I expected and it's worth the trade off for the extra length.

In 2024, many of TaylorMade’s tour staff - including arguably its two most high-profile male players in Scheffler and Rory McIlroy - gamed a version of the standard Qi10 as opposed to the LS version (a low spinning model aimed at better players), presumably because if a very similar spin profile was achievable with a more forgiving head, then why would you make life more difficult for yourself? That may be even more prevalent this year thanks to the ‘beast mode’ option offered in the Qi35 and it may actually render the LS version obsolete.

The DS-ADAPT X is a very solid and genuinely versatile performer. As with every other model within the DS-ADAPT range, the X delivers everything it promises. Throughout my testing, I experienced a nice, comfortable level of launch, with mid-range spin and strong levels of forgiveness. My predominant miss is low and from the heel and I was pleased to note that the DS-ADAPT X was particularly flattering to this fairly persistent problem of mine, and I was able to maintain a strong ball speed and relatively tight dispersion.

The versatility of the X is extremely impressive and it comes from the two adjustable weights in the sole of the club. The ball flight characteristics mentioned above come from the standard or neutral setting with the lighter weight in the front weight port of the head. When I switched them around though I was seeing around 100 to 150 rpm less spin and a driver that sat somewhere between the LS and X models – an ‘LSX’ if you will. This is a genuinely valuable option for those who play in changeable weather conditions, as it essentially give you two drivers in one head.

Which one should you choose?

Choose the TaylorMade Qi35 if...
- You don't mind paying top dollar
- You want more distance without losing forgiveness
- You prefer a rounded profile at address

Choose the Cobra DS-ADAPT X if...
- You want more bang for your buck
- You want unrivalled adjustment options
- You put great emphasis on feel and sound