3x3 Dayan Guhong Pro M - Impressions - WOW!!!

[JohnnyReggae]

From my perspective I can't really agree. I was really excited for the GuHong Pro after the rave reviews it received and also because they have a 54mm version as I really enjoy OH. The 54mm is good, but as use goes on I find it getting more and more blocky. I'm using OTB settings as they seemed to give the best performance. I'm still on the fence with it as my 53mm GAN mini is still my main OH cube, I just wish it took lubes better.

I also have the 56mm and for me it is totally rubbish to be blunt. I can't get over how different the 54mm and 56mm feel, although I've only used the 54mm for OH. I can't solve on the 56mm. It's too blocky and doesn't perform well for me at all. I have gravitated towards fairly loose settings because with age my fingers can't take hardcore workouts like they used to, and the 56mm just locks up on me all the time.

I do think that some people will love it as it does have a unique feel, and if you have a rough turning style you may be able to push through the catching that I experience.

 

[Dan the Beginner]

From my perspective I can't really agree. I was really excited for the GuHong Pro after the rave reviews it received and also because they have a 54mm version as I really enjoy OH. The 54mm is good, but as use goes on I find it getting more and more blocky. I'm using OTB settings as they seemed to give the best performance. I'm still on the fence with it as my 53mm GAN mini is still my main OH cube, I just wish it took lubes better.

I also have the 56mm and for me it is totally rubbish to be blunt. I can't get over how different the 54mm and 56mm feel, although I've only used the 54mm for OH. I can't solve on the 56mm. It's too blocky and doesn't perform well for me at all. I have gravitated towards fairly loose settings because with age my fingers can't take hardcore workouts like they used to, and the 56mm just locks up on me all the time.

I do think that some people will love it as it does have a unique feel, and if you have a rough turning style you may be able to push through the catching that I experience.

Sorry to hear that it's not working as well for you. This is strange as I am happy with all of mine, except one Maglev one that is more blocky than the others. I have bought eight of them, all 54mm, and gave away a few them, but only after setting them up.

I know however, from YouTube and other reviewers, that there are different opinions. The majority seem impressed by these new Guhongs. SpeedCubeReview, (which I trust because their findings usually are the same as mine), and also Cubing Critics in their respective 2024 mega comparisons both found this Guhong Pro at the top, and put it in the S-tier. The Cubicle also had one, with the result determined collectively by all their experts there. The Guhong did not make it to their S-tier, but the next tier, which is still better than numerous others.

This is clearly could be subjective, eg the Gan Mini M Pro was very disappointing for me. Even without the slip disc issue, it just doesn't turn well for me. It feels hollow and has little inertia for me to apply force crisply. Maybe my fingers are not quick enough. I like cubes with some inertia, eg the Tornado V2, which has been my favourite cube until now. I know many do not like that Tornado, but I have had no issue with the corner cutting that many complained about. So, there you go. We are all different. And that's good.

 

[Dan the Beginner]

Update. This should be useful info for anyone contemplating adding edge magnets to their cube.

After much testing using different magnets for the edge magnets, and putting them on different cubes (all 54mm Maglev versions), I found that the best magnet to use is 3x1 N35. 3x1 means 3mm diameter and 1mm thick. N35 is weaker than N52. 3x2 magnets will be too long for proper clearance as well as to strong. Even 3x1.5 N35 is to strong, as the strong magnetic forces make the turning heavier, and slower. I recommend 3x1, which IMO is just right. It is a rather small improvement then, but that is still better than nothing. My guess is that there is a fine balance in this, when different magnets interact, and too strong a repulsion in the edge magnets can make it worse. I feel that I was fighting the magnetic force when I tried to turn faster, when using the 3x1.5 magnets others have used in their mods. YMMV, depending on your turning style, but for me less is more for this.

I believe there are sample variations and also minor changes or improvements since the first batches. These may be the reasons for a wider than normal range of opinions. Even with the cubes I bought, I noticed differences. I suppose quality control is hard with cheap cubes. The good ones are certainly fantastic, IMO.

I think this cube with 3x1 edge magnets should chosen for the next Yoo cube.

 

[qwr]

I unboxed my 55m spring version from SCS after deciding I wasn't ever going to make the unboxing video. It is normally $16, but was $10 on sale when I bought it.
The surface is glossy which is nice to see. Interestingly the red logo is printed on and textured.

My main comparison will be the Tengyun v1 which I've used and enjoyed for a long time.
The turning of this cube is smooth and somewhat slick, with Dayan's soft feeling plastic. It reminds me a lot of the tengyun v1, except while that cube was springy, loose, with very weak magnets, this cube is more compact and stable like what you'd expect from a modern release. I like the 55 mm size although it's not a big deal.
The compression mechanism looks like GAN's now with a light blue circular mechanism. What's nice is that I can adjust it without a tool (my only complaint about the classic Moyu mechanism).
The small cornercuts combined with the core magnets are effortless, although big corner cuts are harder due to the tightness of the cube. I have it set to setting 3 of compression for testing, although I'll probably settle on 2 or 1. It looks like there is no screw adjustment because they use a clear plastic core like the GAN cores.

Non-cubers will not believe me, but every single cube model I have feels different. This cube is quite fun to mess around with.