# What do magnets do for a speedcube?



## Jont828 (Nov 18, 2018)

I haven't bought a cube in quite a while, and now it seems like a lot of the new cubes use magnets. What are they for and how does it change the feel of the turning?


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## rubik2005 (Nov 18, 2018)

Magnets are used to make puzzles more stable, and usually give them a bumpy feeling. Magnetic cubes are usually more expensive because it takes time to insert the magnets into each individual piece. Hope this helps!


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## Jont828 (Nov 18, 2018)

Thanks! Does it make the cube seem slower or take away from a light turning style?


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## Tabe (Nov 19, 2018)

Jont828 said:


> Thanks! Does it make the cube seem slower or take away from a light turning style?


No.


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## rawkhopper (Dec 5, 2018)

I’m a magnet freak. I love magnets in my cubes. The idea is not just stability but it also adds feedback to know when a move is complete. It keeps the cubies aligned. It also helps prevent me from making unintended moves when I get excited with a fast cube. I have been known to accidentally do 3 wrong moves in a row. I am a bit ham handed and sloppy .

It does change the smoothness of some cubes. The Yuxin Little Magic, for example, is so thin that the same magnets that are perfect in a GTS2 are overkill for the little magic. The little magic is a very smooth satisfying turn but I have yet to find the perfect magnet that allows it to feel as smooth as without magnets yet enough strength to actually add stability.

I do not own any factory magnetized cubes or premium cubes that have been magnetized professionally. All my cubes are home made.

The right magnet in the right cube can makes a huge difference though. I have n48 5x1 in a GTS2 and I feel like those are pretty close to perfect. I bought the GTS2 on a super sale and when I got it I hated it. Abandoned it for a while. My turning style is just too sloppy for a cube that uncontrollable. I love faster cubes but they need stability. I decided to add magnets and this was my first choice. I felt like I had nothing to lose since I hated it.

Anyway my first attempt was a major success and now I seek similar results in other cubes.

Thicker cubes seem to be a bit easier to keep a smooth feel and have the tactile feedback of the magnets. Thinner cubes seem to lose their smoothness.

GTS2 N48 5x1 seems a nice combo. DMCubing thinks the N42 5x1 is perfect. I haven’t tried it but it sounds like a nice combo from what I have felt.

MF3RS2 N35 4x2 feels really nice. It keeps that ultra smoothness of the cube but adds to the stability and gives some tactile feedback.

So far N42 5x1 is a good fit for the Yuxin Little Magic but it drastically changes the feel of the cube. I had a little magic that was magnetized aftermarket but the magnets were so weak you couldn’t tell they were there. They were 3x1 not sure the strength.
These (n42) are my biggest successes so far,in the Little Magic, if you decide to magnetize yourself. Just recognize that in my experience the cubes that are thinner than the GTS2 seem to be hard to find the right combo to not drastically change the feel. The cube might still be great but it is not the same.

I take and put and edge and a corner together and drop in two magnets as if I were gluing them and then use calipers to measure the thickness of the magnets and the plastic between them. Then I subtract the magnets. The GTS2 is 2.14mm for reference. And so far the cubes I tried that thick or thicker than that maintained their feel but added stability. The thinner ones changed drastically in feel but still are nice with a good magnet.

That’s my two cents. Hopefully that helps.


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