Category:3x3x3 cubes

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There are many different makes/brands of 3x3x3. The pages within this category summarise the most common types in use today.


Dayan Cubes

Dayan GuHong

A cube that can corner-cut fantastically in both directions, this is Dayan's second most popular cube behind the ZhanChi. It can be prone to popping unless the tensions are tight, and it isn't great out of the box. Nevertheless, this is a very popular cube, used by many cubers. The older versions are widely considered to be better than their newer counterparts however. The plastic was strictly ABS which gave them a much faster and smoother feel, while the newer GuHongs are made with a mix of ABS and PC plastic, which has a harder feel, making the cubes seem to have a laggy, sticky feel. The characteristics of the older GuHongs were: black screws, clearish opaque core, softer plastic with a slightly muted black color rather than shiny (the white ones are shiny but a brighter white), the cylinder inside the center piece (which holds the screw) is slightly shorter and does not come up to the top of the center piece (while the newer ones do), and the center caps had much longer tabs on them. The old ones are quite rare to find, so don't be afraid to try a newer one. They are still quite good when properly lubed with Lubix or Maru lube (for best results). Dayan has since come out with the GuHong II, which improves on the original GuHong's features.

Dayan LingYun

The LingYun is a slightly smaller, yet heavier cube than the GuHong, with peices very similar, but with bigger "dips" for better corner cutting. The "stalk" areas of the edges are slightly longer, which was supposed to reduce popping, but didn't seem to work, as most people had trouble with popping from this cube. However, popping can be stopped with tight tensions which do not hinder the performance of the cube. Quite an enjoyable cube if you set and lube it properly, and has the potential to be a very fast cube.

Dayan LunHui

This cube is heavier than most cubes, and a bit sluggish, but what makes it special is that it almost never pops, due to "anchor" pieces attached to the edges. If the tensions are too loose, however, it WILL pop, but it can still be tensioned very loose and not pop. This cube becomes reasonably nice after a good breaking in period and proper lubing. The corner cutting is superb and has a unique feel.

Dayan ZhanChi

This cube is similar to the GuHong, but with "anchors" to prevent popping and ridges on the edges to reduce popping even more. Unlike the GuHong, which is a bit clicky, this cube is very smooth. Most people choose to take the anchor pieces out of the ZhanChi, since the ridges on the edge pieces is often enough to prevent most popping. Corner cutting is excellent, but popping will occur if tensioned too loose. The cube, if not tensioned properly, will have a serious problem with the center caps staying in place, but that is the biggest problem with this cube. Like the Gu Hong, the original batch of this cube was different and much MUCH better. It had much softer plastic which gave it a much smoother feel, while the newer ones have harder plastic, which give it a scratchy, smacky feel, and just aren't the same. Unfortunately, it is very difficult to know which one you have, unless you know the feel of both. The ZhanChi is also, by far, the most modded cube, ever. There are several different "versions" of this cube sold in different stores throughout the world. The Cubicle used to seel a one handed version, as well as a version called the ZhanChi Silk, however these are both out of production. Puzzle Addictions sells a ZhanChi with a modded center piece (CPM). Lubix has the ultimate ZhanChi, with the 48 point edge mod, etc. This cube is also available in numerous shapes and sizes.

Dayan GuHong II

Pretty much a Gu Hong with anchor pieces. That being said, this cube has a seriously different feel than the original Gu Hong. The plastic is different and seems to give the cube a "cheaper", thinner feel. Corner cutting is excellent and layers seem to pop into place, due to the torpedoes.

Dayan LingYun II

Pretty much a Ling Yun with anchor pieces. Like the GuHong v2, this cube also has a seriously different feel than the original Ling Yun. This is mainly due to the torpedoes, but the plastic seems different, again. The original Ling Yun plastic feels closer to the original ZhanChi, while the LingYun v2's plastic, feels like that of the newer ZhanChis.

FangShi Cubes

FangShi ShuangRen

This is an exceptional cube that appears in the collections of many cubers. It has a very unique feeling during first turns, and becomes very smooth and fast after breaking in. It has a practical anti-pop system, and will only pop on very loose tensions. It has its downsides, however. The sticker quality is poor, as the stickers chip very easily. It may be worth buying a brighter set of stickers along with this cube, as the orange and green stickers are quite dull, especially compared to MoYu cubes. The caps on the pieces also fly off if the cube is dropped, meaning the cube is very delicate. The ShuangRen has since been released in new sizes, and some cube retailers offer it in numerous colour combinations.

MoYu Cubes

MoYu Weilong

The Weilong feels similar to the Huanying and is a very fast and smooth cube. It has a design similar to the Fangshi and the Huanying but different in a few ways. The corner stalks are short and rounded and the base is wider to help prevent popping. Also the edge pieces are wider and have higher ridges and grooves. The corner pieces are blocky and smooth much like a Guhong. The edge pieces interlock with the centerpieces and have torpedos to further improve antipopping. The cube is made of a hard and thick matte plastic that glides smoothly on all surfaces. This cube is very fast and effortless but as a consequence has a reputation of being uncontrollable at high speeds and can overshoot or ruin lookahead/recognition. It cuts at 45 degrees and past on even the tightest tensions and reverse corner cuts about 2/3 of a cubie. It is very quiet when turning accurately but corner cuts loudly.

MoYu Aolong

The Aolong improves on many of the Weilong's weak points. It is known for taking the mechanism of the MoYu Aosu, which many consider to be the best 4x4 speedcube. It is much more controllable while maintaining a decent amount of speed from the Weilong, even during first turns. As with all MoYu and YJ cubes, the sticker quality is outstanding, since the stickers are bright and do not chip. However, "bad" Aolongs exist due to the V2 controversy during July 2014. MoYu decided to produce the first batch of Aolong V2s with a different plastic while discontinuing the V1. Once everyone noticed how poor the performance was on the new cubes, MoYu changed the plastic on all new V2s. All new V2s are made with the proper plastic. To conclude, it is a brilliant cube which sets the standard for speed cubes.

YJ Cubes

YJ SuLong

The YJ Sulong is arguably the best value-for-money cube there is. Some cube outlets have it on sale for less than $4, which is a bargain considering the build quality and performance of the cube. It turns very well, but it's noticeably slower than the likes of MoYu or Dayan cubes. It's a great warmup cube due to this. It only pops on very loose tensions. Since MoYu works alongside YJ, they both share the same amazing sticker quality. In the end, there is no reason not to own this cube, as it fulfills many purposes with a very small price tag.

YJ ChiLong

The ChiLong is very simialar to the SuLong, except it has extra grooves on the corners and edges. It is somewhat faster than the SuLong, but not overly so. Since the SuLong is usually cheaper, it makes more sense to go for it instead of the ChiLong. It is still a great cube in its own right, however.

See also

External links