Taylormade Stealth 2 Vs Taylormade M4 Driver Review & Comparison

Taylormade Stealth 2 Vs Taylormade M4 Driver Review & Comparison

“Taylormade past meets Taylormade present in this battle between the M4 and Stealth 2 drivers.”

Taylormade is firmly entrenched in the “carbonwood age” as the advent of the Taylormade Stealth 2 driver sees them doubling down on carbon fiber – even from last year’s carbon-heavy Stealth woods.

As you can imagine, the new Taylormade Stealth 2 driver is pretty pricey.

And we have tested it before and we can tell you, it has a different feel at impact than what you’re used to if you have never tried it before.

These are both important things to consider – especially when comparing the Taylormade Stealth 2 to older models like the M4.

Do you really need to spend that much to get the performance you need? Who  are these drivers best-suited to? Let’s discuss it.

Taylormade Stealth 2 Overview

“Like the last Stealth driver, the Taylormade Stealth 2 has a striking look and unique feel.”

This is all thanks to the 60 tiny layers of carbon that make up the facewrap.

The Taylormade Stealth 2 also has a new carbon fiber chassis ring which is meant to improve the stability of the head – without adding too much weight of course.

Old technologies are also present like the Twist Face and Speed Pocket.

And in addition to a new 25-gram tungsten rear weight, the Taylormade Stealth 2 also has a front weight to help control spin.

On the surface, the Taylormade Stealth 2 is all over the map. You’ve got forgiveness features mixed in with performance features.

At the end of the day, yes, the Taylormade Stealth 2 is very forgiving. It still manages to be light and wieldy despite the high MOI.

Spin rates are pretty low too (in the high 2300 RPM range) so this is even a viable driver for faster swinging players.

Taylormade M4 Overview

“Compared to the Taylormade Stealth 2 driver, the M4 is a bare-bones driver.”

It has a pretty clean look at address and the head is a bit elongated. This  is to add to the MOI and general forgiveness of this driver.

The M4 driver also has the Speed Pocket so low-face shots are effectively saved from reduced ball speed.

The Twist Face design will also protect your high-toe and low-heel shots from losing launch.

The Taylormade M4 has a classic, satisfying “crack” when you pure the ball that we actually preferred over the more muted sound of the Taylormade Stealth 2 driver.

Now let’s talk about distance. Our average distance after three swings with the Taylormade Stealth 2 was 239.9 yards.

After three swings with the Taylormade M4, our average distance was 228.4 yards. The biggest contributor to the reduced distance in the M4 was its higher spin rates.

Overview Conclusion

“At the end of the day though, the M4 was nearly as forgiving as the Taylormade Stealth 2.”

For how much more the Taylormade Stealth 2 driver costs, you would think its forgiveness would be vastly better than the M4’s; but that’s not the case.

Still, Taylormade has made great strides in distance with the Stealth 2, which is something that shouldn’t be overlooked.

Taylormade Stealth 2 Key Technology

“The Taylormade Stealth 2 driver is packed to the gills with features.”

First of all, the head is made almost exclusively from carbon fiber which gives it a light, manageable feel.

Then there is split mass weighting which helps the head resist twisting while at the same time, reducing side spin off the tee.

And like the SIM2 driver before it, the Taylormade Stealth 2 features the asymmetric inertia generator that helps pull the CG low while also helping to increase swing speeds.

This is a 460cc driver and while there is no adjustable weight, it does come with an adjustable hosel sleeve.

Taylormade M4 Key Technology

“Basic yet effective tech went into the Taylormade M4 driver.”

The unique “Hammerhead” shape allows for high MOI by stretching the back of the head out. This makes for very forgiving drives and a more stable feel at impact.

The contours of the sole, what Taylormade calls “geocoustic” technology also deepen the sound and make it more pleasant.

And of course, Twist Face and Speed Pocket technologies were included to enhance forgiveness.

Taylormade Stealth 2 Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Very forgiving
• Low spin rates
• Tight shot dispersion
• Less erratic than the M4
• Lightweight design

Cons:

• Unsatisfying feel
• Expensive

Taylormade M4 Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Less expensive than the Taylormade Stealth 2 driver
• It has a more satisfying, traditional sound
• Solid feel at impact
• Nearly as forgiving as the Taylormade Stealth 2 driver
• High MOI

Cons:

• Doesn’t play as long as the Taylormade Stealth 2 driver
• It has a chunky look at address

Who Should Buy the Taylormade Stealth 2 Driver?

“First of all, anyone with deep enough pockets to shell out $600 for a new driver.”

Other than that though, the Taylormade Stealth 2 would be a good choice for mid to high handicappers who are looking for a good blend of forgiveness and distance.

Even faster swing speed players will be able to get the kind of distance they are used to thanks to the lower spin rates of the Taylormade Stealth 2 driver.

It should also be noted that the Taylormade Stealth 2 driver is slightly lighter than the M4 so some players may actually be able to increase their swing speeds.

Distance: 97/100

Forgiveness: 97/100

Workability: 95/100

Overall Performance: 96/100

Value: 95/100

Overall Score: 96/100

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Who Should Buy the Taylormade M4 Driver?

“If you are looking for forgiveness comparable to the Taylormade Stealth 2 but don’t want to pay the lofty price, the M4 would be a good choice.”

You don’t get the same kind of help with distance but the forgiveness of the M4 certainly keeps pace with that of the Taylormade Stealth 2 driver.

Distance: 96/100

Forgiveness: 97/100

Workability: 94/100

Overall Performance: 95/100

Value: 96/100

Overall Score: 95/100

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