Butterfly make some of the best table tennis rubber in the world so it’s no surprise that it’s used by many professional players. Two of their most popular rubber ranges are Tenergy and Dignics, but which is the best choice for you?
I’ll be comparing the two Butterfly rubbers in terms of their speed, spin, control, durability and price so you can decide which to buy.
The Quick Answer
Butterfly Tenergy and Dignics are both high-performance table tennis rubbers with excellent spin and power.
Butterfly Dignics rubbers have a harder sponge and grippier top sheet so typically offer more power and spin capability than Butterfly Tenergy rubbers which make it easier to apply spin. Butterfly Dignics rubbers suit close distance players, whereras Tenergy suits mid-distance players.
| Butterfly Tenergy | Butterfly Dignics |
| Good for mid-long distance | Good for close distance |
| Softer rubber | Harder rubber |
| Smoother feel | Grippier feel |
| Less power and speed | More power and speed |
| Less spin capability | More spin capability |
| Easier to generate spin | More force required to generate spin |
| Slightly cheaper | Slightly more expensive |
Butterfly Tenergy 05 (image links to Amazon)
Butterfly Dignics 05 (image links to Amazon)
Butterfly Tenergy Overview
The Butterfly Tenergy range of rubbers is best known for its high speed and spin capabilities, making it one of the most popular options for professionals looking for a tensor-style pimples-in table tennis rubber. There are 10 different types of Tenergy rubber which differ slightly in terms of their sponge hardness and pimple distribution.
The range is split into 5 main type and then into subtypes. Here are the 5 main types:
- Tenergy 05
- Tenergy 19
- Tenergy 25
- Tenergy 64
- Tenergy 80
All types of Tenergy have an FX variant, except for Tenergy 19. Tenergy FX rubbers have a softer sponge to make it easier to control but slower and with less spin capability. The FX variants are aimed more towards lower level players who will benefit from the softer sponge, whereas the standard variants are harder to use but offer maximum performance so best suit more experienced players. Tenergy 05 also has a hard variant which adds more speed but less spin and control than the standard 05 variant.
Although all the Tenergy rubbers offer very good speed and spin, some excel more than others for different styles.
- Tenergy 25 suits players who are positioned close to the table
- Tenergy 05,19 and 80 suit players who are positioned mid distance from the table
- Tenergy 64 suits players who are positioned further from the table
Check out my guide to the Butterfly Tenergy range for more information.
Butterfly Dignics Overview
Butterfly Dignics rubbers are marketed as high performance in terms of both spin and power (speed). The range consists of 4 types of rubber which all have a pimples-in design, similar to Tenergy.
Types of Butterfly Dignics:
- Dignics 05: focused on spin capability
- Dignics 09c: plays more like a Chinese rubber with a sticker surface
- Dignics 64: focused on high speed
- Dignics 80: best all-rounder
Dignics 05
Dignics 09c
Dignics 64
Dignics 80
Images link to Amazon
Which Rubber is the Fastest?
Butterfly Tenergy and Dignics are both considered very fast rubbers due to their high-tension which creates a trampoline effective when the ball hits it, giving the player a lot of power to work with.
Butterfly Dignics rubbers are generally faster than Butterfly Tenergy table tennis rubbers. Butterfly Dignics 64 is the fastest rubber in the range, scoring higher for speed compared to all Butterfly Tenergy and other Dignics rubbers.
Here is a table showing all the speed ratings of each type of Tenergy and Dignics. These ratings are assigned by Butterfly, however they need to be taken with a slight pinch of salt. Butterfly give the same ratings to the FX variants of the Tenergy rubbers as the standard versions.
However, when reading what Butterfly say about the FX variants, you’d expect them to have a lower speed rating and not the same rating.
| Butterfly Rubber | Speed |
| Dignics 09c | 13 |
| Tenergy 05 Hard | 13 |
| Tenergy 19 | 13 |
| Tenergy 05 | 13 |
| Tenergy 05 FX | 13 |
| Tenergy 80 | 13.25 |
| Tenergy 80 FX | 13.25 |
| Tenergy 25 | 13.25 |
| Tenergy 25 FX | 13.25 |
| Dignics 05 | 13.5 |
| Tenergy 64 | 13.5 |
| Tenergy 64 FX | 13.5 |
| Dignics 80 | 13.75 |
| Dignics 64 | 14 |
Which Rubber has the Most Spin?
Butterfly Dignics rubbers offer more spin than Butterfly Tenergy rubbers when comparing the ranges. Butterfly Dignics 09c offers the most spin as it is a tackier rubber compared to the other Dignics and Tenergy rubbers. Both Dignics and Tenergy offer very high levels of spin capability.
It’s also worth noting that the spin capability isn’t the only factor we need to consider here. Some rubbers have a higher spin capability, but make it more difficult to actually apply the spin. For some players who do not put as much force or power into the shot may find that they can generate more spin from a rubber with a lower spin capability.
Take the Tenergy FX versions as an example. Although they have less spin capability, their softer sponge makes it easier to generate spin. Here’s a graph to help illustrate this point.
Here is a table showing all the spin ratings of each type of Tenergy and Dignics. Although the Butterfly ratings suggest that Dignics rubbers offer the most spin, many players find that this isn’t the case. A lot of players feel that Tenergy 05 for example offers more spin than Dignics 05 for serving and opening spin.
| Butterfly Rubber | Spin |
| Tenergy 64 | 10.5 |
| Tenergy 64 FX | 10.5 |
| Dignics 64 | 11 |
| Tenergy 19 | 11 |
| Tenergy 25 | 11 |
| Tenergy 25 FX | 11 |
| Tenergy 80 | 11.25 |
| Tenergy 80 FX | 13.25 |
| Tenergy 05 Hard | 11.5 |
| Tenergy 05 | 11.5 |
| Tenergy 05 FX | 11.5 |
| Dignics 80 | 11.75 |
| Dignics 05 | 12 |
| Dignics 09c | 13 |
Which Rubber Offers the Most Control?
Butterfly Dignics rubbers are more grippy compared to Tenergy rubbers which often means that players find Dignics easier to control since the ball has a longer contact time with the rubber. This increased grip makes Dignics a more forgiving rubber compared to Tenergy where the ball catapults off the paddle faster. This also makes Dignics an effective rubber for blocking.
However, when considering the FX versions of Tenergy rubbers, these usually come out on top when considering the level of control offered. Tenergy FX rubbers have a softer sponge which means the ball has a longer dwell time and makes it easier to control and block for most players. These rubbers typically suit more defensive styles of play, or players who do not hit the ball with as much force.
Which Rubber is the Most Durable?
Butterfly Tenergy and Dignics rubbers have a similar level of durability. Both types of rubber are very durable and typically last around 120-130 hours of use before the player should consider replacing them. Dignics 80 and Tenergy 25 are generally slightly more durable than the rest of the range. Check out this table for a rough comparison.
Check out my guide to table tennis rubber durability for more info.
| Butterfly Rubber | Average Durability |
| Tenergy 19 | 120 hours |
| Dignics 64 | 120 hours |
| Dignics 09c | 120 hours |
| Tenergy 05 | 125 hours |
| Tenergy 80 | 125 hours |
| Tenergy 64 | 125 hours |
| Dignics 05 | 125 hours |
| Tenergy 25 | 125 hours |
| Dignics 80 | 130 hours |
Which Rubber is Best for You?
Dignics and Tenergy are both performance rubbers aimed at players who want to compete at a high-level. They offer excellent speed and spin, but are catered towards slightly different types of players. Butterfly Tenergy has a higher arc so suits players who stand further from the table, whereas Dignics suits players who play closer to the table with a counter-attacking style.
Which Professional Players Use Tenergy and Dignics?
| Butterfly Rubbers | Professional Players Who Have Used Them |
| Tenergy 05 | Lin Yun-Ju and Kanak Jha |
| Tenergy 19 | Kanak Jha and Suthasini Sawettabut |
| Tenergy 64 | Sofia Polcanova and Thomas Schmidbeger |
| Tenergy 80 | Zhang Jike and Miyu Kato |
| Dignics 05 | Patrick Franziska and Dimitrij Ovtcharov |
| Dignics 09c | Timo Boll and Fan Zhendong |
| Dignics 64 | Adriana Diaz and Kalinikos Kreanga |
| Dignics 80 | Jun Mizutani and Toshihiko Oka |
Price Comparison
Both Butterfly Dignics and Tenergy are expensive table tennis rubbers compared to other brands. Dignics rubbers are usually around $10 more expensive than Tenergy rubbers. Here’s a price comparison table.
| Rubber | Average Price |
| Tenergy 05 Hard | $80 |
| Tenergy 05/ 25/ 64/ 80 and FX versions | $85 |
| Dignics 05/ 09c/ 64/ 80 | $95 |
Here are some more rubber comparisons you might find useful: