# some thoughts after a week of trying VCubes (3x3 -> 7x7)



## Kaiju_cube (Apr 12, 2021)

I wasn't into cubes when the VCube debacle went down. But after seeing the designs and reading and seeing the video(s) of their dramatic history (thanks Cubing Historian), I decided I wanted to try them, so I bought them.

The pillowed design looked neat, I still haven't seen a pillowed 3x3 except for the GoCube, which seems more 'rounded' than actually pillowed. So I was excited to try them.

First I got the 3x3 and 4x4. They're both incredibly light and turn really smooth. They don't corner-cut or have any flex to them, but they are actually very nice puzzles that put the Rubiks ones to shame in terms of smoothness and feel when turning.

So I decided to get the 5x5, 6x6, and 7x7. And that's when things took a turn.

According to internet history they were the first 6x6 and 7x7 so I had high hopes of owning these "Classics" and figured they'd be just as nice as the 3x3 and 4x4. **spoiler alert-they are not**

For some reason the 5x5 is cubed while all the others are pillows,.. this makes no sense to me. And it doesn't turn,.. at all. The amount of force required to turn the sides is absolutely ridiculous, it's just as bad if not worse than the Rubiks 5x5,.. which is basically a square brick.

The 6x6 is better and does turn, but it locks up constantly and makes doing algs like parity algs pretty painful and take much longer than it should because you basically have to re-align the layers after every one or two turns.

And the 7x7 is pretty much the same. I can do a regular (nice) 7x7 like MGC or Shengshou pretty quickly, but the VCube 7x7 took hours. It's hard to turn, layers lock up and need constant re-aligning, and even worse, at one point I had to just stop and make new stickers for it because some of the stickers fell off and wouldn't stick back on. Luckily I have a few Shengshou Gigaminx's that come with extra stickers, so I was able to trim the corners off the sticker sheets and use the 'extra' to make some stickers for the VCube.

After fighting the 7x7 all morning to finish the solve my fingers actually hurt.

So my final thoughts for the VCube line? The 3x3 and 4x4 are pretty neat and worth owning. No they're not 'speedcubes', but they are nice additions to a collection. If nothing else they're different because of the pillow design and the white plastic and black stickers replacing the white ones.

The 5x5, 6x6, and 7x7 are basically trash. I solved them each one time and don't think I'll ever solve them again. Maybe the 6x6 if I feel like punishing myself one day, it was the best of the three.

They seem solid though, very Tank Like,.. much like the Rubiks brand cubes are.

but Rubiks has tiles instead of stickers that fall off, so I'd probably still recommend them. .. though not the Rubiks 4x4 or 5x5,.. those are pretty awful and also fall into the 'One Solve' category for me.

I've found MoYu, MGC, Shengshou, YuXin, and YongJun all make much, much nicer big cubes, for less money. At the moment I'd say MoYu and Shengshou make my favorites, but MGC, YuXin and YJ are not far behind them.

I tried to give VCube a fair try but they were underwhelming and at time's just downright frustrating to use.


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## ender9994 (Apr 12, 2021)

Good analysis!

It should be noted that the v-cube 6 does also come in a cubic design as well as pillowed. Additionally, v-cubes had really good stickers when they first came out. Later on, their quality crashed, which was when I stopped supporting them. Take a look at, and zoom in on the picture below. Notice how the black v-cube stickers were peeling. They were purchased much later on and only had 2 - 3 solves. The white v-cubes in the picture were purchased directly when they were released, had hundreds of solves on them, and the stickers were just slightly chipped.


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## CraterCuberYT (Apr 12, 2021)

This was fun to read!! I myself have never owned a v-cube, but have heard just how terrible they are. I liked how you compared them to the Rubik's brand as well as it's a fun game to see which one is worse lol.


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## abunickabhi (Apr 12, 2021)

Good analysis of the v-cubes. Its good to know that you went through the entire process of getting to know more about v-cubes a decade after they were extinct. The big cube hardware have come a long way after this.

I remember dreaming about buying all the V-cubes in 2010, when there were no other good puzzles on the market. I am happy that I saved some of my pocket money then by not buying, and also just focusing on 3x3 for a couple of years, until chinese manufacturers made good cubes.


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## Kaiju_cube (Apr 12, 2021)

abunickabhi said:


> Good analysis of the v-cubes. Its good to know that you went through the entire process of getting to know more about v-cubes a decade after they were extinct. The big cube hardware have come a long way after this.



yeah I really like studying the history of things and how they came to be. It's what led to finding out about these old "Rubiks killers", lol...




So of course I had to look for one to see what they felt like "back in the day", and compare it to my Rubiks,... and yeah it's better.

I have a problem with wanting one or two of everything because they all feel and sound different. Sometimes _very_ different...



that MoYu bag is one of four,.. (all filled),.. plus the backpack has a bunch... _I have a problem_



then there's the shelves,.. the desk... hahaha. I have a problem with collecting things I'm interested in.


(the Rubiks Impossible photographs surprisingly well? It looks solved on the shelf and scrambled in the pic. Neat! )

It started with a Rubiks shelf and then it snowballed once I bought a Meilong GTS3 and discovered how much better new cubes were than the old Rubiks ones.

Though my favorite of the past few weeks has been the MGC and the Qiyi MS Magnetic. I really like how the Qiyi feels and how 'clacky' it sounds.


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## qwr (Apr 13, 2021)

You sound like you had a very bad experience with the Vcube 7. I bought a used one and mine turns remarkably well.


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## EngiNerdBrian (Apr 13, 2021)

Interesting read.Reviewing the vcube 6 & 7 and comparing to today’s hardware is just out of context though IMO. Yes, they don’t turn great and I often joke at how crunchy my v-cube 7 is. The 6 & 7 definitely are not quality puzzles by today’s standard but they were remarkable pieces of hardware in their time!

My v-cube7 is one of my favorite puzzles in my entire collection because of how amazing and radical it was to have in 2008. It was so out of this world at the time. It’s a relic, definitely no MGC, and an awesome piece of history...best appreciated if you have personal experiences in its actual time in the spotlight.


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## qwr (Apr 13, 2021)

The vcube 3 is very "inspired" by the guhong v1 I believe. Mine (also used) has about line to line forward cutting and a little reverse cutting. Not as good as guhong, but not far from an alpha v or other pre-guhong cubes.
IIRC the 2x2 was pretty good (comparable to ghosthand?) until the wittwo and dayan came along.
I personally never have lockups when I solve my vcube 7 because I turn slowly. Idk if it's because mine is broken in, but mine is not crunchy at all, rather solid and smooth, with a little rattle like mefferts puzzles.


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## Kaiju_cube (Apr 13, 2021)

I wonder if yours was an early gen with the better stickers, or just very well broken in. 

I like how solid and (crunchy?) the cube is, I just wish it were easier to turn. Especially the 5x5 is absolutely ridiculous it's so hard to turn. Much like the Rubiks 5x5 I have. You can't turn the sides with fingers, You have to grip the entire side with your hand and turn with your wrist and forearm.


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## ender9994 (Apr 13, 2021)

qwr said:


> The vcube 3 is very "inspired" by the guhong v1 I believe. Mine (also used) has about line to line forward cutting and a little reverse cutting. Not as good as guhong, but not far from an alpha v or other pre-guhong cubes.
> IIRC the 2x2 was pretty good (comparable to ghosthand?) until the wittwo and dayan came along.
> I personally never have lockups when I solve my vcube 7 because I turn slowly. Idk if it's because mine is broken in, but mine is not crunchy at all, rather solid and smooth, with a little rattle like mefferts puzzles.



I wish I hadn't sold part of my set so I could compare turning on new vs broken in vcubes. The difference was insane. The 7x7 was terrible new, but got quite good after lots of solves.

On a slightly unrelated topic: has anyone bought their 9x9 yet?


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## guelda (Apr 13, 2021)

Interesting to read!
My first cube was a 3x3 V-Cube I found in a store at the beginning of last year. I chose it because it looked original (there were not much choice anyway), so I learned with it. Well, as I was really slow, it didn't bother me. But once I got a real speedcube, I knew I would never touch it again! Indeed no corner cutting leads to very frequent locking so it is quite useless. The turning is unique though.



Kaiju_cube said:


> The 3x3 and 4x4 are pretty neat and worth owning. No they're not 'speedcubes', but they are nice additions to a collection. If nothing else they're different because of the pillow design and the white plastic and black stickers replacing the white ones.



My thoughts exactly


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## SH03L4C3 (Apr 13, 2021)

Kaiju_cube said:


> yeah I really like studying the history of things and how they came to be. It's what led to finding out about these old "Rubiks killers", lol...
> 
> View attachment 15389
> 
> ...


wow. all of my 30 cubes are in 1 moyu bag and 1 small container.
BTW I didnt know you can get the v1 off of amazon!
(is this legit?) https://www.amazon.com/Dayan-GuHong...ywords=dayan+guhong+v1&qid=1618323135&sr=8-31


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## Kaiju_cube (Apr 13, 2021)

gosh, tempting me with another cube. 

30 cubes? that's cool. I actually have no idea how many I have. One day I should take a group picture or something to get an idea.

my latest new cube that came in is a custom Gan. I wanted purple interior with green magnets...



and yesterday the MGC Megaminx I ordered from China finally arrived. Took like 5 weeks. Always seems to take such a long time when I order from China. It's why eBay, Amazon, and The Cubicle are so tempting. The price difference is huge sometimes though. Like from China I can get the MoYu 15x15 for like $175. but The Cubicle wants $300. .. that's a pretty substantial price difference. To save $125. I wouldn't mind waiting 4-5 weeks.


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## SH03L4C3 (Apr 13, 2021)

Kaiju_cube said:


> gosh, tempting me with another cube.
> 
> 30 cubes? that's cool. I actually have no idea how many I have. One day I should take a group picture or something to get an idea.


over the summer, my cubes were all over the house so my mom made me have a spreadsheet with all of my cubes, and she got me the moyu bag and another small container, so now I am organized.


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## EngiNerdBrian (Apr 13, 2021)

Kaiju_cube said:


> yeah I really like studying the history of things and how they came to be. It's what led to finding out about these old "Rubiks killers", lol...
> 
> View attachment 15389
> 
> ...


You gotta get these cubes out of the bags and on to a shelf! Eye candy.


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## SH03L4C3 (Apr 13, 2021)

EngiNerdBrian said:


> Eye candy.


Online school distraction


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## Tabe (Apr 13, 2021)

ender9994 said:


> On a slightly unrelated topic: has anyone bought their 9x9 yet?


I've got their 8x8, is that close enough?


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## qwr (Apr 13, 2021)

SH03L4C3 said:


> wow. all of my 30 cubes are in 1 moyu bag and 1 small container.
> BTW I didnt know you can get the v1 off of amazon!
> (is this legit?) https://www.amazon.com/Dayan-GuHong...ywords=dayan+guhong+v1&qid=1618323135&sr=8-31



it's probably legit. the guhong and zhanchi are still widely available despite being a decade old because they were so popular and sold everywhere.


Kaiju_cube said:


> gosh, tempting me with another cube.
> 
> 30 cubes? that's cool. I actually have no idea how many I have. One day I should take a group picture or something to get an idea.
> 
> ...



the purple internals are so unique looking! 

I looked up the 15x15 on ziicube which is the price you're referencing because they're having a sale. yeah zcube pricing is really great value.


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## SH03L4C3 (Apr 13, 2021)

qwr said:


> it's probably legit. the guhong and zhanchi are still widely available despite being a decade old because they were so popular and sold everywhere.


I havent been cubing for long enough... Whats zanchi? (nooob)


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## Tabe (Apr 13, 2021)

Kaiju_cube said:


> Like from China I can get the MoYu 15x15 for like $175. but The Cubicle wants $300. .. that's a pretty substantial price difference. To save $125. I wouldn't mind waiting 4-5 weeks.


Look on Aliexpress for the 15x15. I got mine from there for about $169 (maybe less?). I found a listing that guaranteed delivery in 2 weeks or the cube would be free. Man, I have never been so disappointed to have a cube arrive faster than promised...


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## Filipe Teixeira (Apr 13, 2021)

SH03L4C3 said:


> I havent been cubing for long enough... Whats zanchi? (nooob)


check this out:








DaYan Zhanchi


Available in 57mm, 55mm, 50mm, and 42mm Used in the 5.66 and 5.55 former World Record solves by Feliks Zemdegs and Mats Valk



www.speedcubereview.com


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## Kaiju_cube (Apr 13, 2021)

Filipe Teixeira said:


> check this out:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



DaYan is so underrated imo. The DaYan Tengyuin V2 M cubes I have easily rival the Gans, for much less money. They are fantastic.

And the DaYan megaminx is almost exactly the same as the Gan megaminx. The same size, lightness and smooth crisp turning. Even the colors are identical.



Tabe said:


> Look on Aliexpress for the 15x15. I got mine from there for about $169 (maybe less?). I found a listing that guaranteed delivery in 2 weeks or the cube would be free. Man, I have never been so disappointed to have a cube arrive faster than promised...



I've always been hesitant to order anything on Aliexpress. It just seems shady or something. I usually stick with eBay, Amazon, and The Cubicle. I wouldn't mind giving SpeedCubeShop a try but the Cubicle is only a day or so away since I'm on the East Coast.


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## abunickabhi (Apr 14, 2021)

Kaiju_cube said:


> DaYan is so underrated imo. The DaYan Tengyuin V2 M cubes I have easily rival the Gans, for much less money. They are fantastic.
> 
> And the DaYan megaminx is almost exactly the same as the Gan megaminx. The same size, lightness and smooth crisp turning. Even the colors are identical.
> 
> ...


Yeah I agree Dayan became underrated in the last 8 years. I hope they revive as a company, and become the best!


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## Filipe Teixeira (Apr 14, 2021)

Kaiju_cube said:


> I wouldn't mind giving SpeedCubeShop a try but the Cubicle is only a day or so away since I'm on the East Coast.



1 day? That's awesome.

As I live in Brazil, buying from inside the country is very expensive because of the taxes, so you can pay like 3 or 4 times the price of the cube sold in china. So I buy from cubezz, it's cheap but it can take 3 months to arrive


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## Kaiju_cube (Aug 23, 2021)

Learned something pretty cool about V-Cubes today. (didn't want to make a new thread)

My 5x5 > 8x8 all came with sheets of extra stickers. I had no idea. In the cardboard section and bottom of the packaging they all have extra sets of stickers for the cube.

Pretty cool. Wish I'd known that before I cut and replaced a couple stickers on the 7x7.


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## qwr (Aug 23, 2021)

Kaiju_cube said:


> I've always been hesitant to order anything on Aliexpress. It just seems shady or something. I usually stick with eBay, Amazon, and The Cubicle. I wouldn't mind giving SpeedCubeShop a try but the Cubicle is only a day or so away since I'm on the East Coast.


Old post but I would go cubing stores like Cubicle, SCS, ziicube, cubezz first, then ebay, then amazon or aliexpress as a last resort.
Aliexpress is great for buying very cheap electronic components tho.


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## Kaiju_cube (Aug 23, 2021)

yeah I generally just use The Cubicle, SpeedCubeShop, or Amazon,... then I check eBay if I can't find what I want at the first three.

Though since poking around that HKnowstore.com site I'm tempted to try and order a couple from them. They have some odd stuff I haven't seen before.

to update the thread, the V-Cube 5x5 and 7x7 are still incredibly hard to turn. The 6x6 broke in, as did the 8x8. They're not 'fast', but they're loose enough to solve easily.

all but the 5 and 7 are pretty good. Not 'speedcubes', but solid little puzzles with a nice clacky 'Rubikesque' type of feel.

the 5 and 7 are still painful and I have no idea how to get them to loosen up.


....for the sake of completion I admit being tempted to get the 9x9.


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## qwr (Aug 23, 2021)

Kaiju_cube said:


> yeah I generally just use The Cubicle, SpeedCubeShop, or Amazon,... then I check eBay if I can't find what I want at the first three.
> 
> Though since poking around that HKnowstore.com site I'm tempted to try and order a couple from them. They have some odd stuff I haven't seen before.
> 
> ...


did you try just loosening them?


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## Tabe (Aug 23, 2021)

Kaiju_cube said:


> I've always been hesitant to order anything on Aliexpress. It just seems shady or something. I usually stick with eBay, Amazon, and The Cubicle. I wouldn't mind giving SpeedCubeShop a try but the Cubicle is only a day or so away since I'm on the East Coast.


I've purchase cubes several times from Aliexpress, never had an issue. Got my Moyu 15x15 from there, in fact.


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## Kaiju_cube (Aug 23, 2021)

I was under the impression this one (and the Rubiks Professor 5x5) weren't really adjustable. 

Both of mine, V-Cube and Rubiks 5x5, barely turn. Outer edges have a hard click to them on the V-Cube.


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## EngiNerdBrian (Aug 24, 2021)

Kaiju_cube said:


> Learned something pretty cool about V-Cubes today. (didn't want to make a new thread)
> 
> My 5x5 > 8x8 all came with sheets of extra stickers. I had no idea. In the cardboard section and bottom of the packaging they all have extra sets of stickers for the cube.
> 
> Pretty cool. Wish I'd known that before I cut and replaced a couple stickers on the 7x7.


I have my original replacement stickers and some cubesmith sticker sets for my V-cube 7. Every time I’ve resticketed a “classic” cube I’ve regretted it though, goung to leave it as-is!


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## abunickabhi (Aug 25, 2021)

EngiNerdBrian said:


> I have my original replacement stickers and some cubesmith sticker sets for my V-cube 7. Every time I’ve resticketed a “classic” cube I’ve regretted it though, goung to leave it as-is!


I have had a similar experience when I restickered my shengshou 5x5 cube in 2014. The cube turned out worse, and the I just switched to another cube called MoYu Aochuang.


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## Megaminx lover (Aug 25, 2021)

Kaiju_cube said:


> I've found MoYu, MGC, Shengshou, YuXin, and YongJun all make much, much nicer big cubes, for less money. At the moment I'd say MoYu and Shengshou make my favorites, but MGC, YuXin and YJ are not far behind them.


Gan?


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## CubeRed (Aug 25, 2021)

Megaminx lover said:


> Gan?


To expensive for the about same quality as other brands


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## Kaiju_cube (Aug 25, 2021)

Megaminx lover said:


> Gan?



they don't really have "big" cubes. They have the incredibly overpriced 4x4, and they have a very nice Megaminx, and that's about it unless I totally miss something. 

They're in the top 3 for 3x3's,.. of course.


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