*bold lines are for helping with skimming, no other purpose.
Ugh, I am all too familiar with this dilemma. My current racquet of choice is the PS 18x20 3rd Gen. I can tell you, I did not like the blade because it felt sluggish...despite the same static weight and swingweight as the strike, I think the extra plushness/flex of the frame made it feel slow and play with less power. Plus, I hated the slow, warbly vibrations of off-center shots. The only benefit to the Blade IME was extra comfort when hitting the sweetspot, it did feel quite nice there.
Yes, the Strike has a little more pop and power. I wouldn't say it necessarily cuts more easily through the air, since the swingweight is still quite high for its weight class...but the extra power and crispness on contact might feel like a more natural swing to you.
But the kicker is...if you have TE and shoulder problems, I probably wouldn't recommend the Strike. I didn't play with previous versions, but while I hear the 3rd gen is improved comfort wise, there are still lots of complaints of arm pain from the Strike line. For me, I got TE for the first time in my life playing this racquet. Over winter, I took a break from tennis for months, stretched, strengthened arm, thought I solved it. But then I realized as I got more in shape, I was playing longer, and in longer sessions, the TE came back. So I am trying to move away from the Strike, despite it being a great fit for me. I am relatively young and in shape too, and when I demo other racquets in long sessions, I don't get the arm pain.
If comfort is a priority, you might look at the VCore Pro 310 racquets...I found the HD 18x20 on a 97 sq inch head a little excessive and a touch boardy, I liked the 16x19 better. But you won't find the power increase from the Blade you're looking for. Head Speed Pro is another nice 18x20 frame if you can handle the extra weight that plays similar to the Strike. Definitely swings through the air faster than its swingweight indicates, and has the extra power you're looking for. though the thick beam bothers some (also because of the thick beam, it plays more stiff than its RA indicates, I would say it's only marginally more comfortable than the Strike...but that margin might be enough depending on your pain). Head Radical MP plays similar to Strike and easier to swing, but you lose the 18x20 pattern. If you really like the feeling of the Wilson Blade, the Pro Staff 97 v13 might address all your issues, as it swings much easier, has a little more power, and while it's 16x19, it has quite a tighter string arrangement around the sweetspot on its small 97 frame. Honorable mention is TF40 305...but that won't be a power boost either from the Blade.
obviously, demo if you can. but if you can't and you're gonna rely on the good people of the internet...I would say try the ProStaff if you generally like your Blade aside from the problems you mentioned, try the Speed Pro if you want the 18x20 but a little more power and swing speed. head radical mp if you don't mind more open string pattern. a simple solution you can try is adding more weight to your Blade's handle and add less weight to the 12 position...that might give you more power and make it more HL, but obviously, that only works if you can handle the increased overall weight, otherwise it will feel more sluggish.
but I would maybe try the tour & the VS Aero as well from what others have said on this forum. And I think it may do well for you.
