TaylorMade Qi Max vs. Ping G440 Irons — Which Game-Improvement Iron Fits You?

The short answer: if you need help getting the ball in the air, get the Ping G440. If your miss is a slice, get the TaylorMade Qi Max, whose face is designed to cut sidespin. And if price matters most, the 2024 TaylorMade Qi it replaced is now the cheapest of the three and still a genuinely good game-improvement iron.

Published September 2026 · Specs from TaylorMade and Ping

Qi Max pricing is TaylorMade’s own; G440 and Qi ranges are the retailer prices Golf Monthly listed, which vary by set makeup and shaft.

TaylorMade Qi Max (2026)

Released January 29, 2026, the Qi Max replaces the 2024 Qi as TaylorMade’s mainstream game-improvement iron. TaylorMade’s headline is a face that flexes uniformly at impact to reduce sidespin, so shots stay closer to your line. FLTD CG puts the center of gravity lowest in the long irons for launch, and a sound stabilization bar plus the expanded ECHO damper tidy up feel. Golfmagic noted a thinner topline, shorter blade, and less offset than the old Qi, borrowing some looks from the P790, and called it a “must-try” for game-improvers. There’s also a Qi Max HL with weaker lofts (about 3°) and a chunkier, hybrid-like shape for slower swings.

Ping G440 (2025)

The G440 is an investment-cast stainless iron with a thinner, more flexible face and Ping’s PurFlex cavity badge, which flexes with the face instead of just filling the cavity. The center of gravity sits low and back for what Ping calls “higher, longer shots that stop closer to the hole,” and the 4, 5, and 6 irons are built slightly longer to launch higher. The 7-iron is 29°, a degree weaker than the Qi Max, and Ping offers Power Spec (stronger) and Retro Spec (weaker) lofts, plus a lightweight G440 HL build. Golf Monthly’s head-to-head against the 2024 Qi recommends it for golfers who need help getting the ball up.

The Budget Option: TaylorMade Qi (2024)

The original Qi uses a Cap Back design with a Thru-Slot Speed Pocket and a 450 stainless face that LoftChart reports enlarges the effective hitting area by about 14% over the Stealth iron before it. It’s been replaced by the Qi Max, so it’s the cheapest route into a modern TaylorMade game-improvement iron.

Hit it low? Ping. Hit it right? TaylorMade. Want to spend less? Last year’s TaylorMade.

Which One Should You Buy?

Buy the Ping G440 if your irons fly low and land short of greens; the extra launch is worth more than any sidespin fix. Buy the Qi Max if your miss drifts right and you want the newest tech and a cleaner look. Buy the 2024 Qi if you’re upgrading from an old set on a budget. With any of the three, a basic fitting for length and lie angle matters more than the brand. For more options, see our best game-improvement irons of 2026.