The Callaway Elyte line is the latest Callaway release to hit the market. While our testing is still underway to see how it stacks up against the Paradym Ai Smoke, I wanted to break down what’s changed and what’s remained the same. Here’s a look at the Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke and Callaway Elyte and what’s new for 2025.
Aero-Focused Head Shape
The shape of the new Elyte is designed to improve aerodynamics. The hosel area and trailing edge were built to reduce airflow separation. During initial testing from Callaway, this resulted in 1.3 mph more clubhead speed and 2.1 mph more ball speed compared to the Ai Smoke.
New Thermoforged Carbon Crown
The Ai Smoke lineup had a 360 Carbon Chassis. While this certainly helped the Ai Smoke win some top spots in our driver testing in 2024, Callaway decided to change things up with the Elyte.
With a new Thermoforged Carbon crown in the Elyte, Elyte X and the Elyte Max Fast, the series is lighter and stronger. The weight was moved lower to reduce spin and optimize launch. Players should see faster speeds and more consistent performance across the face.
The Triple Diamond model keeps the 360 Carbon Chasis.
More control points (a lot more)
The Ai Smoke introduced a new technology called “microdeflections” with control points. These control points on the face are essentially specific locations on the driver face where Callaway’s AI can individually optimize thickness, deflection and energy transfer at impact.
Think of them as a network of tiny tuning spots. The spots allow the clubface to react differently based on where the ball makes contact.
The Ai Smoke series had 1,500 control points across the face.
With the Elyte, there are now 25,000 control points. The extreme left-right variations in shot patterns should be reduced in the Elyte series thanks to this update.
Changes to the draw model
The Callaway Elyte X is the driver that replaces the Ai Smoke Max D. The Smoke Max D had a built-in draw bias but it wasn’t adjustable. The Elyte X now has two weight positions, one for a stronger draw bias and one for a more neutral draw.
If you need the draw bias but want a little versatility and control of the shot shape, the Elyte X is a good choice.
Model-by-model updates
If you played Paradym Ai Smoke or are on the fence about which of these makes the most sense to invest in, here’s what you need to know about the differences in each version.
| Model | What’s the Same | What’s Different |
|---|---|---|
| Ai Smoke vs. Elyte | High forgiveness, balanced spin, adjustable weight system | More aerodynamic shape, Thermoforged Carbon crown, 10X Ai Face |
| Ai Smoke Max D vs. Elyte X | Draw-biased design, built for more forgiveness | Slightly stronger draw bias, more neutral setting option, Thermoforged Carbon |
| Ai Smoke Max vs. Elyte Max Fast | Lightweight design for more swing speed | Lighter build without sacrificing adjustability, new aerodynamic refinements |
| Ai Smoke Triple Diamond vs. Elyte Triple Diamond | Lower spin, better player focus, 360 Carbon Chassis | More playable for mid-handicappers |
Pricing and availability
The original Paradym Ai Smoke models started at $599 and they are on sale for $499. The Elyte series starts at $599 but the Triple Diamond model is $649.
If the Elyte doesn’t offer enough of a reason to upgrade, consider the Paradym Ai Smoke. The pricing is the best it’s been.
Final thoughts
The Ai Smoke line from Callaway was a good one. Throughout our testing, we noticed strong distance and forgiveness. Callaway tried to expand on their success with the Elyte series. You’ll notice aerodynamic refinements, the new Thermoforged Carbon Crown, the 10X Ai Face and model variations to fit players more specifically.
Stay tuned for further testing of the Elyte models to see how they performed for amateur golfers like you.
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