The greatest Rubik’s cubes can help you improve concentration and reduce anxiety, making them a useful method to keep your mind occupied. You don’t have to be particularly good at solving these, but if you are, you can go on to more challenging ones. Whatever choice you make, using a Rubik’s cube will allow you to put your puzzle-solving prowess to the test.
Rubik’s Cube Buyer’s Guide
There are usually a few considerations to make when purchasing a Rubik’s Cube. To pick the Rubik’s Cube that best meets your needs, consider these aspects.
1. Do you have what you need?
It’s important that the Rubik’s Cube you purchase has all the functionality you require. Because how would it be better for you if you didn’t meet your demands? Make a list of all the features you want in a Rubik’s Cube and then contrast it with the other models. You should verify the price to see if it meets your functional needs. Check out the various advantages of the Rubik’s Cube if your money allows.
2. The brand is important
Select a Rubik’s cube from a well-known brand. Because in addition to having superior product quality, it will also provide better customer assistance, which may be useful if there is ever an issue with the Rubik’s cube. A brand may be well-known in the US or throughout the world, but if it doesn’t provide a service close to you, that can be an issue. Therefore, while selecting a brand, make sure that the customer service or support center is close by.
3. Price
No matter what you buy, the price of the product is one of the most important things and the same applies to Rubik’s Cube. Most Rubik’s Cubes are in the price range of high to low. However, if the budget is a big problem and you are looking for the cheapest Rubik’s Cube, you should choose one that costs around.
4. Check offers
When the Rubik’s cube first came out, you had to visit several shops to get the correct price, and in certain circumstances there weren’t many nearby shops. The greatest Rubik’s cube test can always be found at a very dependable price thanks to the rise of e-commerce sites like Amazon US.
5. Guarantee items
Well-known brands of Rubik’s cubes are not readily broken, but even if they are, there is a guarantee that you may repair them for free if there is a manufacturing issue or a malfunction that occurs for no apparent reason. However, if you purchase Rubik’s cubes from unreliable, unidentified brands, there is a significant risk that you will wind up shelling out a lot of money for maintenance and repairs.
6. Read the reviews
Reviews are crucial when making any kind of purchase, especially online. Before making a purchase, make sure to read the reviews. Reading through the comments of the good or service you’re considering purchasing will help you with this.
7. Trustworthy seller
Make careful to buy from trusted merchants like Amazon and other well-known shops that provide top-notch customer service. In the event of a scam like this, you can get in touch with Amazon, denounce the fraud, and receive a refund.
What Qualities Make a Great Speed Cube?
Since speed cubing has gained such popularity, there are more speed cubes than ever. The best speed cube that each person chooses depends on a wide range of subjective and objective factors. To help you choose wisely, the top Rubik’s cubes all share certain fundamental characteristics.
These characteristics will affect the cube’s general operation and quality, influencing your decision for the best speed cube.
1. Turning
When it comes to turning speed, cubes may generally be divided into two groups. Fast turning cubes and smooth turning cubes fall under these categories.
Fast turning cubes
These cubes have speed enhancements, as their name would imply. Less friction exists between the layers, ensuring that the cube will turn with less difficulty. As a result, turning the cube’s sides requires little effort and it moves quite quickly.
They have a unique sound, and when they spin, they feel dry. Due to the low resistance between the layers, such cubes enable cubers to run extremely quick algorithms. Beginners may find it difficult to control fast-turning speed cubes since there is so little control available at such high speeds and low friction.
Smooth turning cubes
More friction between the layers of smooth moving cubes gives cubers a pleasant soft feeling and precise layer turns. When turning, there will be more resistance, but this gives you more control over your speed cube.
They don’t have a dry feeling when turning, unlike the ones that turn quickly. Layers smoothly rotate in rotating cubes, providing you control and precision as you run algorithms. The friction and resistance present, though, can cause you to lose some speed.
You might be wondering which of the two speed cubes is superior. In general, neither is superior to the other; it all depends on the kind of turning you need and enjoy. The turning properties must be flawlessly included into the puzzle’s design. You have to have sufficient control and extraordinary speed when using a high-quality fast-turning cube. Speed is useless if you can’t simply regulate it because you’ll be executing algorithms incorrectly.
You should have the best control possible with a quality smooth-turning cube without making too many speed-related sacrifices. If turning the layers requires too much speed and effort, control is useless.
2. Corner cutting
Corner cutting is the ability of the speed cube to turn even when the vertical face is not perfectly aligned due to overshooting when algorithms are being executed. It frequently occurs when speedcubing, making it a crucial aspect to take into account in order to attain optimal cuberspeed.
The majority of speed cubes perform better than the classic Rubik’s brand when cutting corners. The majority of contemporary speed cubes include corner-cutting at 45 degrees, allowing you to realign the cube when the top face pivots 45 degrees to the front. As a result, there is more flexibility and opportunity for error.
Make sure the speed cube you select has decent corner-cutting, can be used effortlessly, and isn’t uncomfortable to use when cubing. Since speedcubing is all about speed, you don’t want anything to distract you or slow you down as you work to break world records.
Your algorithm executions will be interrupted by speed cubes with inadequate corner cutting.
3. Stability
A reliable speed cube is essential for every cuber. This determines how much the cube deforms and how much it flexes. You don’t want your cubes to warp and pop more frequently than they should.
If you’re just starting out, you won’t be performing 5–10 wild maneuvers every second at first. However, it is ideal to acquire a consistent speed cube for it if you do it later. Just so you know, if a piece pops out during an official solving competition, you automatically lose that round.
4. Control
Numerous variables affect how well a speedcube is controlled, but its turning speed is the most crucial one. Faster cubes are less controllable and have a propensity to overshoot while running algorithms. Cubers now have much greater control thanks in large part to the recent trend of magnetizing cubes. Some speedcubes can be magnetized by you, but due to their internal construction, it is not simple to do so with all of them. These days, a number of speedcube producers supply magnetized cubes, giving you a lot more flexibility when running algorithms.
5. Catching
Catching happens when one speed cube layer grabs hold of another layer. When shoddy corner-cutting encounters swiftly rotating cubes, catching frequently occurs. When edge parts catch on other edge pieces, it may result in corner twists.
When the corner piece hooks on the centerpiece, it happens again as is customary. A good design guarantees little catching, while a bad design can make it happen too frequently and disrupt your experience.
It is nearly impossible to execute algorithms on a puzzle cube with frequent catching, which will cause distraction and slow down your solving.
6. Lockups
When parts become stuck to one another and are unable to immediately realign, this is referred to as a lockup. There are more lockups on older Rubik’s cubes. Lockups are a thing of the past thanks to the design of current 3 X 3 speed cubes.
The lockups will be directly impacted by the cube’s design and layer count. With a cube that has more layers, you’ll encounter more lockups. As a result, it is likely to occur at higher dimensions, such as the magic cube, 4 X 4 or 5 X 5 cubes, which have more intricate interiors.
7. Tensions
The cube is held together by tensions. By increasing or decreasing the friction between layers, you can change tensions, bring layers closer together, or leave more space between them. Note that before adjusting the tension or applying lube for lubrication, you must break in or use your new 3 X 3 speed cube for a bit to allow the layers to smooth out. Each centerpiece’s caps must be removed in order to adjust the tension, and the screws underneath each cap must be loosened or tightened using a screwdriver.
The interior sections of the cube are rubbing against each other, so lubrication is like applying oil to automobile engine parts. Only silicon-type lube should be used for lubricating speed cubes. Never lubricate a freshly constructed speed cube since it will take longer for the parts to align.
8. Stickers
3 x 3 Rubik’s speed cubes are available in a variety of configurations, including speed cubes with stickers, those with plastic tiles in place of stickers, and speed cubes without stickers.
Which speed cube is the best depends entirely on your particular preferences and whether or not it has stickers. You can select stickers with half-bright or full-bright tones, but they may progressively fade.
You don’t have to worry about stickers flaking off with stickerless Rubik’s cubes, and they usually make it simpler to distinguish colors at high speeds.
The Best Speed Cubes
The top 3×3 speed cubes on the market are listed below. They’re an excellent choice for novice and expert cubers. Keep in mind that personal preference plays a big role in your decision and determines if a cube is good or great.
GAN Cube
After setting the first 3X3 Chinese national record in 2009, Mr. Jiang Ganyuan invented the GAN cube puzzle brand. String, unbreakable screw, and seamless design are all used in GAN cube manufacturing. The core is stable and light due to the incorporation of the wing design, and tension nuts may be manually adjusted.
The GAN 356 XS, GAN 356 RS, and GAN 11 M pro are famous brand names and variations. The GAN cube is recommended by several of the top professional speedcubers, like Feliks Zemdegs, and has proven useful for setting world records.
MoYu Cube
Chinese cube manufacturer MoYu is a subsidiary of YongJun. The four-character glyph on the MoYu culture’s cubes serves as a visual cue. Famous examples of Huan Ying upgrades include the MoYu Weilong and the MoYu Weilong WR/WR M.
Despite frequently having weak magnets, they were widely used and regarded as some of the best speed cubes. The MoYu RS3M 2020, one of the greatest 3x3s ever made, had magnets, two mechanisms for adjusting the spring compression, and was reasonably priced.
The MoYu Meilong is another cost-effective cube from MoYu. It provides an excellent performance and a light to medium magnetic sensation at a fraction of the price of other magnetic 3x3s.
YJ Cube
Yonjun (YJ) is a well-known Chinese toy and cube producer. They developed MoYu as a unique manufacturing platform for outside puzzle designers. The YJ Yulong V2 M is one of their most well-known cubes.
Because of its superior overall speed, exceptional performance, and affordable pricing, it is a factory magnetized speed cube that is regarded as one of the best. It is available in variants with stickers and ones without, and it will delight both newcomers and seasoned users.
DAYAN Cube
Many well-known speed cubes are produced by Dayan, sometimes referred to as DY, Daiyan, Taiyan, or Big Goose. It provides various Rubik’s cube varieties, including the Dayan Zanchi, one of the top speed cubes used in speedcubing.
When the fifth 3×3 cube in the Dayan series, the Zhanchi, was introduced in 2011, Felix Zemdegs utilized it to set numerous previous world marks, making it one of the most well-known speed cubes. It is exceptionally smooth, has good corner-cutting, and is available in varieties with and without stickers.
V-Cubes – Verdes Cube
In 2008, the V-cube company began offering cubes with sizes ranging from 2 by 2 to 11 by 11. Verdes Innovations in Greece produces the V-cubes that Panagiotis Verdes created. The cube’s design was entirely fresh and distinct from the ones that had come before.
The sections hook together instead of being held by the centers, giving it a distinctive pillow shape that is based on the cone. It is made of a more elastic plastic, which improves stability, longevity, and the smoothness of the speedcubing experience.
Qiyi Cube
Qiyi is a large creative twisty puzzle and speed cube inventor and manufacturer. They’ve earned notoriety by creating good quality cubes at budget-friendly costs. One of its well-known variations is the Valk 3, which is quick right out of the box while yet being manageable for a satisfying solving experience. The Qiyi MS magnetic speed cube, which provides outstanding value and is regarded as the best Rubik’s cube speed version for novices, is another well-liked variation.
YuXin Little Magic
The Yuxin Little Magic is a factory-magnetized speed cube that resembles more expensive speed cubes. It has a frosted exterior, innovative design elements, and is incredibly quick and light. With great grooves that fit well together for tremendous speed, you’ll get a stable feeling.
A Yuxin Little Magic update with special magnetic components is the Cubeleo Elite M. One of the top speed cubes for intermediate and advanced cubers is this affordable model.
Shengshou
Chinese cube manufacturer Shengshou rose to prominence following the introduction of its 44 cube. They’re a wonderful brand for novices, and if you want a challenge, try Shengshou’s Megaminx dodecahedron speed cube.
It’s great for your cube collection and has interesting color-shifting characteristics that make it appear messy. Also, it has anti-pop technology, exceptionally fast and smooth turning, and a very tough build.
Conclusion
There is a catchphrase that is well-known and overused in the community – “It’s the cuber, not the cube”, and for good reason. You probably wouldn’t get faster if you were looking to buy a cube that would do it for you. Make a choice based on the factors that are important to you by looking for exactly what you need in a cube.