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Speedcube Mech Generation model?

Sion

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Dec 13, 2015
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I was looking at Speedcube mechanisms over the years, and I was able to notice several trends among cubes released around certain times, as if they were made in generations.

Therefore, I thought it would be an interesting idea if I made a categorization of speedcubes released in different eras, and were mostly used for the most part in a certain segment of time.

First Generation (1978-2005)/Retro Gen- Comprised solely of very stiff cubes with blocky mechanisms, usually with square and sharp corners. Corner cutting was lacking in this generation, but the puzzle functioned just enough to get the job done.

1st generation examples- Rubik's Brand Storebought, Edison Nobel Cube, Wonderful Puzzler Cube.



Second Generation (2006-2009)/DIY Gen- Cubes Mainly came in DIY form, though some came pre-assembled. Mechanisms of these cubes tended to be very square and blocky like first generation cubes, but second generation cubes started to see larger amounts of corner cutting, and occasionally reverse cutting, though inconsistent. The first Sub 10 singles were done on second generation cubes, including Erik Akkersdijk's 7.08 World Record Single.

2nd generation examples- Alpha V, Haiyan Memory, Dayan Taiyan, Sheng-En FII, GhostHand Speed Edition, Rubik's DIY, Cube4You DIY Cubes.



Third Generation (2010-2013)/Revolution Gen- First modern mechanisms with triangle-shaped corner bases and fillets. The cubes in this generation saw the development of larger gaps between the corners of cubies to allow for consistent reverse corner cutting. This generation was the first to introduce torpedoes and other highly effective anti-pop mechanisms that second generation cubes didn't have. In this generation, manual modding was done on cubes and were sold on websites like Lubix or The Cubicle. Cubes in this generation brought us to records as low as Mats Valk's 5.55 single, and Feliks Zemdegs's 6.54 average.

3rd generation examples- Dayan Guhong, Dayan Zanchi, Moyu Weilong, YJ SuLong, Fangshi ShuangRen, ShengShou Wind, ShengShou Aurora, Moyu Huanying, Lubix Mods of aforementioned cubes.


Fourth Generation (2014-2015)/Hybrid Gen- Cubes started to cut significantly past the 45 degree mark, and the first cubes with squared off corners and crescent edges appeared in the fourth generation. The Fourth Generation saw the up-rise of the most popular cube brands, and could be seen as a gradual bridge between the third and fifth generations. The cubes of this generation were almost always ready out of the box and didn't need extensive modding and were typically less prone to locking up than third generation cubes. The smaller size of 56 mm started to appear as a more mainstreamed cube size instead of as a mini cube size. This generation also saw the first budget cubes that were designed to make cubing cheaper for beginners. The first sub 5 world record single was executed on a fourth generation speedcube, and many designs were relevant up until 2016.

4th generation examples- YJ YuLong, Moyu Aolong, Moyu Hualong, Moyu Tanglong, QiYi Bullfight, QiYi Thunderclap, Yuxin Kirin v1, FangShi GuangYing, FangShi JieYun, Gans 357, Gans 356, Cong's Design MeiYing, YJ GuanLong, Yuxin Fire, QiYi Sail.



Fifth Generation (2016-2018)/Magnet Gen- 56mm is now the most common cube size. Almost all cubes in this generation have crossover corner cutting, and feature very little lockups and pops. This was the first generation to introduce magnetic 3x3s (and also be dominated by magnetic 3x3s), and general cube mechanisms were simple and streamlined. Many early 5th generation cubes were updated versions of late fourth generation. There is very little locking and catching in fifth generation cubes, Fifth generation cubes have been used to beat many world record singles in a short time. Budget cube performance equaled or outmatched cubes from the fourth generation.

5th generation examples: GuoGuan Yuexiao, GuoGuan Yuexiao Pro, QiYI Valk 3, QiYi Valk 3 Power, Yuxin Huanglong, Yuxin Little Magic, Moyu Weilong GTS, Moyu Weilong GTS2, GAN Air, GAN Air SM, YAN 3, MoJue M3, MF3RS, MF3RS2, YJ MGC.


Sixth Generation (2019-Present)/Custom Gen- Cubes with sizes over 56mm are almost nonexistent in the sixth generation meta. Most flagships have many more adjustable and Interchangeable elements than the prior generation of cubes. More elaborate cubie designs and track designs that allowed for smoother turning were also introduced. Non-adjustable magnetic budget cubes were more prominent, many of which perform at the level of fifth generation puzzles. Stickerless-capped designs started to become more prevalent, which was a feature seldom seen in fifth generation puzzles.

6th generation examples: Valk 3 Elite, MoYu WeiLong WR M, MoYu GuoGuan Yuexiao EDM, YJ MGC V2, YJ MGC Elite, GAN 356 X, YJ YuLong V2 M, QiYi Thunderclap V3 M, QiYi WuWei M, WeiLong GTS3M, DaYan TengYun M, DaYan TengYun v2 m, GAN 356M
 
Last edited:

AlphaSheep

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Nov 11, 2014
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Gauteng, South Africa
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2014GRAY03
I think this mostly works, but the one big thing I disagree on is that I feel that cubes like the Cong's Design Meiying, the first Gans 356, and the Moyu Tanglong had brand new revolutionary features such as corners squared of with wings, and contoured centres that slide under the corners that make them completely different to cubes like the Moyu Aolong and Qiyi Thunderclap. In fact, while the Aolong was an incredible cube that really made a massive leap in the performance that could be extracted from a cube, it was mainly a culmination of almost all the best designs available at the time, and didn't bring that much new to the table. If anything, the Aolong was the peak at the end of the Zhanchi/Weilong generation, whereas it was cubes like the Meiying and Gans 356 that started moving away from just rounding and contouring the traditional mechanism and actually started introducing new design elements, which is what I think warrants a new generation.

I also think that there's no clear line that can be drawn between generation 4 and 5. While it's very clear that the original Gans 356 and a cube like the GAN Air SM are completely different cubes, there's a very smooth line of progression between them. It has really just been a rapid succession of small refinements and the development of relatively minor features within a couple of short years (with the exception of magnets of course) that have transformed the one into the other. Especially when you look at developments in the other brands (e.g. the refinements brought onto the scene by the Weilong GTS2 and Valk) that have happened in the same time, it's hard to pinpoint the single event or release that was more impactful than the others. I guess the Valk was pretty significant, but we're at a point now where there are enough cubes on the market that no single release has caused massive swings in the market share almost overnight the way cubes like the Zhanchi and Aolong did.
 

Sion

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Joined
Dec 13, 2015
Messages
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Location
New York
The reason why I created the fourth generation was because it was very transitional instead of a clear defined line as there was between the second and third generations. The cubes that were the early predecessors to fifth gen cubes and cubes that were based off third gen cubes roughly had the same performance.

The line between the third and fourth generation was because there was no significant cubie modding when generation four cubes came out, because all they needed was some breaking in and an occasional spring swap. Third generation cubes usually were sanded or directly modified in other major ways (eg: 48 point edge mod, or screws for torpedoes) to be better and create some variation in puzzles.

The line between four and five was more performance based than it was design based. The fourth generation was superior to the third generation, but inferior to the fifth performance wise. When the yuexiao came around, and especially the valk, the aolong became outdated, but when the tanglong and meiying were out, people still trusted the aolong.
 
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