Srixon ZXi5 vs TaylorMade P790The 7-irons differ by just 1°. The real gaps are 4- and 5-iron loft, construction, and ¥20,000
Updated: Oct 5, 2026Contains affiliate links
The ZXi5 and the P790 are very much alike. The 7-iron lofts are 31° and 30°. Both PWs are 44°.
The differences show up from the 5-iron on up. The P790's 5-iron is 23°, the ZXi5's is 24°. At the 4-iron it's 20° against 22°, a 2° gap.
So the choice comes down to what you want your long irons to do. If you want them to go far, the P790. If you want them to cover their numbered distances, the ZXi5.
I average 72 with a best of 68, and I'm a gear nerd who loves lining up spec sheets side by side. I compared these on official numbers only. These are not impressions from hitting them.
The Gear Nerd's Pick
If I were choosing, the ZXi5. Three things decide it. The body is forged soft carbon steel. There are three stock shafts, from graphite to steel. And the 6-club set's MSRP is ¥19,800 lower. Its 7-iron loft is 1° weaker, but at my distances that is about 3 yards (my calculation). In exchange for 3 yards you get a construction that feeds into feel, plus a range of weights to choose from. It's the same reason I ranked it No. 1 in my iron rankings.
Where to buy it cheapestRakuten Ichiba, as of Oct 5, 2026 14:23
Srixon ZXi5 Irons (2026)1 club (sold singly), new, lowest price first
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
- GZONEゴルフ¥28,600free shippingSee today's price on Rakuten
- 第一ゴルフ カスタムクラブ専門店¥28,600+ shippingSee today's price on Rakuten
- ヤトゴルフ 楽天市場店¥28,600+ shippingSee today's price on Rakuten
TaylorMade P790 Irons (2025)1 club (sold singly), new, lowest price first
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
- ゴルフ プレスト¥24,882+ shippingSee today's price on Rakuten
- ゴルフセブン¥28,710+ shippingSee today's price on Rakuten
- 美-健康ゴルフ¥28,710+ shippingSee today's price on Rakuten
Comparing the cheapest new prices, the gap is ¥3,718.
Ad: New units (right-handed) from Japanese retailers found in a Rakuten Ichiba search, lowest price first. Used and grey-import items are excluded. Prices, shipping and stock change. Prices can also differ by loft or shaft, so check the product page before you buy.
In this article
Bottom line
The P790 is the right choice if you want distance from the long irons, or if a thin look at address is non-negotiable. A hollow-body design can resist mishits while keeping a thin look. That is something the ZXi5 doesn't have.
Some people don't need to buy either. If your current 7-iron is 30–31° and you hit everything up to the 5-iron without complaint, your loft ladder would barely change. The same goes if you own the 2024 ZXi5: the lofts are identical in every iron.
ZXi5 vs P790: Comparison Table
From the official spec sheets, here are only the numbers that matter when choosing.
| Item | Srixon ZXi5 (2026) | TaylorMade P790 (2025) |
|---|---|---|
| Release date | Sep 12, 2026 | Mar 14, 2025 |
| 7-iron loft | 31° | 30° |
| PW loft | 44° | 44° |
| Construction | Forged soft carbon steel body + chrome-vanadium steel face | Hollow body + SPEEDFOAM AIR. Cast 8620 soft carbon steel head |
| Weighting | Tungsten-nickel alloy in #4–7 | Tungsten weight |
| Stock shaft | 3 (1 graphite, 2 steel) | 2 (steel) |
| 6-club set (incl. tax) | ¥171,600 (steel) | ¥191,400 |
| Single club (incl. tax) | 1 pcs ¥28,600 (steel) | 1 clubs ¥31,900 |
The MSRP difference is ¥19,800. The ZXi5 is cheaper (my calculation).
The ZXi5 is also the newer one. The P790 has been out for a year and a half.
That also means store prices may have dropped further on the P790. Don't decide on MSRP alone: check today's prices in the “Where to buy it cheapest” box at the top of this page.
Loft Comparison: The 4-, 5- and 6-Irons Differ
Line them up iron by iron and it's clear where they match and where they differ.
| Club | ZXi5 | P790 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4-iron | 22° | 20° | 2° |
| 5-iron | 24° | 23° | 1° |
| 6-iron | 27° | 26.5° | 0.5° |
| 7-iron | 31° | 30° | 1° |
| 8-iron | 35° | 34° | 1° |
| 9-iron | 39° | 39° | None |
| PW | 44° | 44° | None |
The 9-iron and PW are the same.
Loft gives you no reason to choose on the short irons.
The gap is at the top. The P790's 4-iron is strengthened all the way to 20°. The ZXi5's 4-iron is 22°, so the P790's 4-iron is about half a club stronger than the ZXi5's. If you want to gain distance with your long irons, this is where the P790 has the edge.
But the stronger the loft, the harder it is to launch. Not many players can hit a 20° iron high enough to hold a green.
Honestly, it's not an easy loft even for me.
So if you don't carry a 4-iron, this difference almost disappears. Across the six clubs from 5-iron to PW, the biggest gap is 1°. Applying the common rule of thumb to my distance (7-iron 160 yards, measured), 1° on the 7-iron is about 3 yards (my calculation).
The flow into your wedges is a draw. Both have a 44° PW, which leaves 8° to a 52° wedge. Either way you slot in one 48° or 50° wedge (How Many Wedges to Carry).
Construction: Forged ZXi5, Hollow-Body P790
What separates two irons with similar lofts is how they are built.
ZXi5: A Forged Soft Carbon Steel Body
The body is forged soft carbon steel (S20C). Only the face uses hard chrome-vanadium steel. A tungsten-nickel alloy goes into #4–7 to lower the center of gravity.
On Srixon's official chart, forgiveness is 4 of 5. This is not a model that gives up forgiveness. The 7-iron's bounce angle is 16°, an angle that suits both steep hitters (diggers) and sweepers.
Great for you if you
- You want to prioritize a construction that feeds into feel (forged)
- You want to build it with graphite or light steel (3 stock options)
- You want each iron to cover its numbered distance
Better to skip if you
- Players who put a thin look at address above everything
- Players who want stock steel heavier than 105g (not in the stock lineup)
P790: Hollow Inside, Thin to Look At
The head is hollow inside, and that cavity holds a lightweight filler called SPEEDFOAM AIR. Hollowing out the inside lets you move mass outward and downward at the same weight. That's why it looks thin at address yet holds up when you miss the center. That is what TaylorMade is selling with this model.
The head is cast 8620 soft carbon steel. That's a different process from a one-piece forging. Whether the feel is good is a matter of taste, so this is something to check by hitting it in a store. I haven't hit it, so I can't write about that.
Great for you if you
- You want both a thin-looking head and resistance to mishits
- You want distance from the 4- and 5-irons
- You can use it as is with the steel 950GH NEO or MODUS3 105
Better to skip if you
- Players who want a stock graphite shaft (both stock options are steel)
- Players who like the dense feel of forged soft carbon steel
Which to Choose: 4 Conditions
I kept to conditions you can check for yourself. Work through them from the top.
| Check | Leans ZXi5 | Leans P790 |
|---|---|---|
| Do you carry a 4-iron? | No, or a hybrid instead | Yes, and I want distance from it |
| Shafts | Graphite, or I want 3 to choose from | The 2 steel options are enough |
| Look at address | A little thickness is fine | A thin look is non-negotiable |
| Budget | I want to save ¥20,000 at MSRP | I don't mind if store prices have come down |
If you're unsure, first look up the loft of your own 5-iron. It's on the spec sheet on the maker's official site.
If your current 5-iron is weaker than 25°, the P790's 5-iron (23°) will be at least 2° stronger. Swap it in thinking it's the same “5-iron” and your distance steps shift.
To find where your own set has a gap, enter your lofts in the Club Setup Check (free). If you're torn between the ZXi5 and the ZXi7 from the same series, go to ZXi5 vs ZXi7.
Do you carry a 4-iron?
Update history
FAQ
Which goes farther, the ZXi5 or the P790?
Going by loft, the P790. Its 7-iron is 30° against 31° for the ZXi5. The 4-irons are 20° and 22°, so the gap widens in the longer irons. The 9-iron and PW have the same loft. Neither official spec sheet lists ball speed figures.
Which is more forgiving, the ZXi5 or the P790?
They are built differently, so the forgiveness shows up differently. The P790 is hollow-body, built to resist mishits while still looking thin. The ZXi5 puts a tungsten-nickel alloy in a forged body, and its forgiveness on the official chart is 4 of 5. No numbers measured on the same scale have been published.
What is the price difference between the ZXi5 and the P790?
For a 6-club set (#5–PW), MSRP is ¥171,600 for the ZXi5 in steel and ¥191,400 for the P790. The difference is ¥19,800. The P790 was released in March 2025, so store prices may have come down.
Which one flows better into your wedges?
It's a tie. Both have a 44° PW, which leaves 8° to a 52° wedge. Either way you slot in one 48° or 50° wedge.
Ready to choose? Start here
Related reading
Srixon 2026 Irons | ZXi5 vs. ZXi7: The Differences
New Irons 2026: Release Date List