[Help Thread] Puzzle Choice Thread

[dskids]

I am looking for a new 3x3 main, and the three choices I narrowed it down to is the Valk Power M (when it comes out), Gan Air SM or the Weilong GTS2m. If you have any info about any of those and could tell me which one is the best that would be great, thanks!

I think the only big difference between these cubes is their feelings, and that the Gan has GES nuts. Other than that the performances are very very similar.

Basically, what they said. It mostly comes down to feeling these days. The top cubes all perform so similarly.

That being said, the GTS2M doesn't feel great IMO. When you turn it there is very little feedback and it for some reason it kinda has a cheap feel to me. I think because it reminds me of the MF3RS a little bit.

I recently started solving on a Yuexiao Pro M and it's pretty nice. It's kinda like a smoother, faster Aolong. It has hard clacky plastic and just enough bumpiness with the magnets.

All that said, the Gans Air puzzles are just the best feeling and most fun to turn puzzles I have ever used. Quiet, smooth, pillowy, effortless turning. Using the GES nuts to dial in the right amount of spring is really satisfying. And with the puzzle being so light, the relatively strong magnets do not make it overly clicky or bumpy. Really the only downside is the price (which I admit is quite high for a mass produced speedcube).

 

[phreaker]

I am looking for a new 3x3 main, and the three choices I narrowed it down to is the Valk Power M (when it comes out), Gan Air SM or the Weilong GTS2m. If you have any info about any of those and could tell me which one is the best that would be great, thanks!

I like the GTS2M. But my main GTS2M has Valk springs in it. The stock springs aren't to my taste.

The Gans SM is my main. I find it smooth and easy to use. The only "bad" point of the cube is the line between "It cuts so smooth you don't notice it cut." and "It caught because it didn't cut." is 0. But given that the corner cutting is so generous, I don't consider this a major issue, but I suspect it is why some may say the SM is catchy. There is really no warning between "cut" and "catch".

 

[Hazel]

I have 4 mains that I like almost equally, the GTS2M, GAN SM, YueXiao Pro M, and GAN356 V2 "M" (the magnets in that are way to weak to actually help)

 

[Rrbird]

Hi, my son is getting into speed cubing (forgive me if my terminology is incorrect) and he's been using just your standard old rubik's cube that I had in my game cabinet. So I thought I'd buy him a better one for Christmas and ordered one called SpeedRipper from Creativeline. It got good reviews and cost around $15. Is this a good option for him? Please tell me if there are better ones. Thanks!

 

[Tabe]

From the reviews on Amazon, it's basically an MF3RS in a fancy box. The MF3RS is a good cube but it's a budget cube that runs about $5. He'll like the cube, no worries there. But there are better options - a Weilong GTS2M, to name one.

 

[cuber314159]

Just a word of warning: DO NOT ORDER CUBES FROM AMAZON in general.
The cube is basically an MF3RS ripoff from what I can see of it and the MF3RS is quite a good budget cube here are some cubes I recommend and price ranges that should be expected(excluding shipping)
MF3RS2(£2-8)
Yuxin little magic(£1-5)
Weilong gts2 (£10-15,£13-20 for magnetic version)
Valk 3 power (£15-20, £20-30 for magnetic version)

Decent cube stores:
Magiccubemall: great prices
Cubezz: free international slow shipping
Zcube.hk: good for buying lots of cubes at once
The cubicle: good if you live in US
speedcubeshop and cubedepot: same as the cubicle

 

[Rrbird]

Thanks to both of you for the help. I'll check out these out. Just a couple of clarifications....is the Weilong gts2 and GTS2M the same thing as the Weilong GTS V2M? I'm kind of guessing that"V" just means "version 2"? Also, is it better to get the magnets or no magnets. This is all completely new to me.

 

[Sue Doenim]

Thanks to both of you for the help. I'll check out these out. Just a couple of clarifications....is the Weilong gts2 and GTS2M the same thing as the Weilong GTS V2M? I'm kind of guessing that"V" just means "version 2"? Also, is it better to get the magnets or no magnets. This is all completely new to me.

The GTSV2 and GTS2 should be the same, but the M means there are magnets. Magnets are generally accepted as better.

 

[Duncan Bannon]

Yes they are the same. I dont know how fast your son it, Magnets make the cube more stable. I would say most cubers like Magnets. But they are not needed.

GTS2M-
https://thecubicle.us/moyu-weilong-gts2-p-9150.html
Or
https://speedcubeshop.com/products/supernova-gts2-m-3x3 (Comes Lubed)


Yuxin Little magic M-
https://thecubicle.us/yuxin-little-magic-p-10081.html
Or
https://speedcubeshop.com/products/cosmic-little-magic-m-3x3 (Comes Lubed)

 

[FireCuber]

From the reviews on Amazon, it's basically an MF3RS in a fancy box. The MF3RS is a good cube but it's a budget cube that runs about $5. He'll like the cube, no worries there. But there are better options - a Weilong GTS2M, to name one.

Yeah! I agree with @Tabe. That is a good cube for him. I use the MF3RS2 for my main...

 

[greentgoatgal]

Your son is going to be over the moon going from a rubik's brand to basically anything. I wouldn't be overly concerned about getting a top of the line cube just yet.

 

[Megaminxer]

What do you recommend for mains? All of my hardware is horribly outdated!

2x2x2: Rubik's 2.0
3x3x3: Dayan Zhanchi
4x4x4: Shengshou (Old Version)
5x5x5: V Cube 5
6x6x6: N/A (I don't own one!)
7x7x7: V Cube 7
Megaminx: X Man Galaxy (Non magnetic)
Pyraminx: Moyu (Original Ball Bearing)
Skewb: Shengshou
Square-1: Calvin's (Qiyi or Volt?)
Clock: N/A

Yes, I know it's even sadder than you expected!

I was thinking of getting a magnetic Moyu Weilong GTS2 for 3x3x3 main. Maybe Dayan old plastic for 2x2x2?

PS: Despite what you may think, I don't have a small collection. I just have my priorities out of whack! I tend to get way to many Non-WCA puzzles!

 

[RedJack22]

I have a SpeedCubeShop Supernova Weipo M coming tomorrow for a 2x2. I'm sure it will be my main.

For 3x3, I currently use a GTS2 (no magnets), and it works great! I haven't used a magnetic cube yet, but I'm sure that they are great! Other options: YueXiao Pro (optional magnets), Valk 3 or Valk 3 Power/Power M, and Yuxin Little Magic (I've heard amazing things about it, and it's only 5 dollars! Mine is coming tomorrow as well). You really can't go wrong with most modern cubes.

I have a Mofang Jiaoshi Skewb that works pretty good. However, I haven't used it a lot as I don't like Skewb very much.

I can't help you on anything else because I haven't ever owned any of the other ones! Sorry!

 

[Max Cruz]

I'm going back to cubbing (for fun) after 1.5 year hiatus and have to start all over again (learning and memorizing the beginner's method). It's coming back slowly.

However, I've ordered a new cube (white stickered MF3RS) whilst I'm training with my Thunderclap V1 (all my cheap/budget cubes Guanlong, Sail, Legend, Yulong went to a charity shop not long ago).

Back in the day, my best times were around 1'10-1'05. Not planning on getting better, 1 minute is more than enough for me, I was wondering whether the cube matters for someone who wants to cube in his "1 minute" comfort zone.

Cubbing does not require any cube, to my knowledge.

 

[dskids]

What do you recommend for mains? All of my hardware is horribly outdated!

2x2x2: Rubik's 2.0
3x3x3: Dayan Zhanchi
4x4x4: Shengshou (Old Version)
5x5x5: V Cube 5
6x6x6: N/A (I don't own one!)
7x7x7: V Cube 7
Megaminx: X Man Galaxy (Non magnetic)
Pyraminx: Moyu (Original Ball Bearing)
Skewb: Shengshou
Square-1: Calvin's (Qiyi or Volt?)
Clock: N/A

Yes, I know it's even sadder than you expected!

I was thinking of getting a magnetic Moyu Weilong GTS2 for 3x3x3 main. Maybe Dayan old plastic for 2x2x2?

PS: Despite what you may think, I don't have a small collection. I just have my priorities out of whack! I tend to get way to many Non-WCA puzzles!

For the categories I have experience with, here are my favorites (all mainworthy IMO)

2x2x2: Guoguan Xinghen
3x3x3: Qiyi Valk 3, Gans Air UM, Gans Air SM, Moyu Weilong GTS2 M, Guoguan Yuexiao Pro M. The Valk Power and Power M just came out and they are sure to be popular as well, though I haven't tried one yet.
4x4x4: Qiyi Wuque is the best by far IMO. New Moyu Aosu GTS M might be a contender, though I haven't tried yet.
5x5x5: Qiyi Wushuang is my favorite. Yuxin 5x5 is great still, don't have experience with the Moyu 5x5's.
6x6x6: Not sure. Qiyi, Moyu, and Yuxin's current 6x6's are all mainworthy, though they each seem to have their pros and cons. I have the Qiyi Wuhua V1 and I find it catchy. They just released a V2 but I don't solve big cubes enough to care really.
7x7x7: Qiyi Wuji, and Yuxin Huanglong are the current top 7x7's. I have the Wuji and I like it a lot.
Others: Not sure, but a ton of new skewbs and squans have come out lately. The Galaxy sculpted is still one of the top megas, but Moyu is releasing one soon I think. Magnetic pyras are the rage lately but I still like my ball bearing Moyu. Don't solve skewb or squan so no opinions there.

 

[CubingCube]

I'm going back to cubbing (for fun) after 1.5 year hiatus and have to start all over again (learning and memorizing the beginner's method). It's coming back slowly.

However, I've ordered a new cube (white stickered MF3RS) whilst I'm training with my Thunderclap V1 (all my cheap/budget cubes Guanlong, Sail, Legend, Yulong went to a charity shop not long ago).

Back in the day, my best times were around 1'10-1'05. Not planning on getting better, 1 minute is more than enough for me, I was wondering whether the cube matters for someone who wants to cube in his "1 minute" comfort zone.

If you’re getting a MF3RS you should be fine. For now I advise for you to learn 2 look oll and pll and f2l after learning beginners, if you want to get faster.

Cubbing does not require any cube, to my knowledge.

He meant cubing obviously chill.

 

[Cristobal]

@CubingCube
Thanks.

English is not my mother language, usually my writing is OK, but from time to time in the heat of the moment, I can make spelling/grammar mistakes.

In all sincerity, I am truly sorry for that, for it can annoys smart people, who are lucky enough to master English and likely many other foreign languages in speaking and in writing like I am sure...

If you’re getting a MF3RS you should be fine. For now I advise for you to learn 2 look oll and pll and f2l after learning beginners, if you want to get faster.

Actually, in lieu of learning the beginner's method again, I am going to learn the simplified F2L. Well, my goal is introduce a little more of intuitive method in my solving, so no speed involved, just pure practice until it becomes natural/automatic (yes, somewhat paradoxical I know). So, I guess any cube that turns easily should do the trick until the technique is learned.

 

[FireCuber]

I am averaging around 35ish right now and I am using an MF3RS2, so that is a good cube for you.

 

[Zerksies]

As far as speed i would say no, your too slow, but as per feel of the cube i would say yes.

 

[Hazel]

I know this has already been asked, but I can't find it. I'm looking for a 3x3 that's really really quiet, nearly silent would be good. It doesn't have to be a super modern one like the Valk or SM, but a good cube would be nice.