My son took up tennis this year and really enjoyed the season with the high school. The end of the season was sad for multiple reasons, but the main reason was because finding a tennis partner for training is tough in the off-season. That’s where the Pongbot Pace S Pro comes in. He’s been able to train more efficiently not only because he has a partner at the ready at all times, but because that “partner” is able to push him and challenge him in ways traditional play cannot.
Introducing the Pongbot Pace S Pro
The Pongbot Pace S Pro is an AI tennis machine that makes solo training way more fun and realistic. Its AI tracking adjusts the shots based on where you’re standing, so every rally feels natural. You get fast speeds, plenty of spin options, and tons of built-in drills you can run straight from the app. With long battery life and quick shot switching, it’s great for players who want serious practice without a coach.
It’s a great training device with a ton of functionality and we found it really easy to get started using the app with all the programmed drills. With a few minutes of customization you can easily create your own drills for the age and level of each player or choose from a multitude of custom settings from other users as well.
I was a little surprised to see that the Pongbot Pace S Pro came with a remote since there is also a phone app, but I quickly realized I actually preferred to use the remote instead of my phone while playing. The remote offers a simple and clean interface while using it, and it’s small and lightweight so it can fit into pockets of athletic shorts. If you need more customization, the app has more options to tailor your workout but then I recommend switching to the remote after so you aren’t stuck holding your heavy and expensive phone while playing.
The unit itself is a little heavy but it is well made and seems very sturdy even after taking a few hits during training. It comes with a telescoping handle and wheels at the back side so you can easily maneuver it around like a rolling suitcase. In fact, it’s easy enough for us all to roll it around the court and out to the car.
Pongbot Pace S Pro features:
- Pro-Level Performance
Feel the heat at 80 mph speed, 60 rps spin & 1.5s spin switch - AI-Powered Coach
Train with the world’s first Movement Tracking - NTRP 1.0–7.0 Match Challenge
Test yourself against any level — from beginner to elite - Unlimited Custom Drills
Access 564+ preset drills or design your own at fingertips - Seamless Experience
Enjoy up to 8 hours of play with App & Remote Control
How easy is it to set up the Pongbot Pace S Pro?
Set up of the Pace S Pro was surprisingly easy. We had a relatively easy time learning how to use the app to customize our training and the remote to find programmed drills. I’ve only used a few of the programed feeds and we’re still trying to find our favorites, but we’re having fun experimenting. I have not personally created my own customized workout, but it appears to be pretty easy in the app.
A crucial part of the set up that I almost overlooked was charging of the unit and all the accessories – the remote, the net sensor, and the body sensors. Luckily, my son planned ahead and took the unit out of the box the night before and plugged it in the main battery as well as all of the various accessories. As you can see, it comes with a really cool cable to charge all the peripherals at one time so you only need one USB charger free.
Who would you recommend the Pace S Pro to?
The Pongbot Pace S Pro is ideal for multiple scenarios:
- It’s great for coaches to help with training when they can’t be everywhere at once.
- Or, perfect for kids in the off-season who miss tennis and want to keep up their skills until next season.
- It’s for anyone who struggles to find a tennis partner.
- And, I highly recommend it to anyone who would love private coaching but can’t quite swing it {pun intended}.
While the Pace S Pro is on the higher end for prices, if you’re comparing it to a personal coach or to tennis camps, it’s not nearly as much of a sticker shock. It may not be the best investment for a casual tennis player, but if you’re getting pretty serious about the sport it could be a really awesome tool in addition to rounds of tennis with your favorite partner{s}.
How easy is the Pongbot Pace S Pro to transport?
We found the most awkward part of moving it around was lifting it in or out of the car. The first time we transported it, I wasn’t totally sure where to grab and struggled a bit. The ball hopper cover is fairly easy to knock off in the process, which can be frustrating if you don’t know ahead of time. But, once you get the hang of it, transport is easy. Warning: your car will be absolutely covered in tennis ball fuzz unless you take precautions.
What do I wish I knew before purchasing?
I wish I knew that we would need a whole lot more tennis balls than we already owned. Trust me, you need even more than you think you will.
And I wish that I had known that a ball pick up device is absolutely crucial when you’re talking about fast-paced ball delivery. Otherwise, you will spend just as much time chasing the balls around the court to pick them up after your practice as you spent playing. Our solution was asking the little one to help us out a bit and she came up with this system. It wasn’t perfect, but it was ideal to work on her balancing skills. We quickly ordered the ball pick up device for the next week so we wouldn’t struggle with balancing systems.
What’s the difference between the Pace S and the Pace S Pro?
The Pace S Pro includes four advanced smart features that are not available on the standard Pace S model. These features are:
- Recovery Trigger {this function helps players automatically adjust their recovery movement based on where the ball lands to return to an optimal position after each shot}
- Adaptive Rally {the machine tracks the player’s movement in real time and adapt its shots accordingly to provide an efficient, personalized training experience}
- Match Challenge {the machine automatically sets training content based on your hitting performance and running ability, using an AI model to match the proper training intensity}
- Arena of Dash {the machine continuously adjusts speed and intensity based on the player’s performance}.
Where to buy
You can purchase Pongbot products on Amazon.com, including the Pongbot Pace S Pro as well as robots for table tennis and more. You can find out more information and shop at the Pongbot website as well.