Top 5 compared
The best speed cubes
A puzzle that keeps hands and mind busy, whether you’re learning your first solve or chasing a faster time.
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The top 5 at a glance
A speed cube is a 3x3 puzzle cube built to turn quickly and keep turning without catching. Most now have magnets that pull each layer into line as a turn finishes, so the next move starts square, and most are stickerless, with the colors molded into the plastic. Beyond the racing 3x3 there’s the original Rubik’s Cube, and sets of other shapes, from 2x2s to pyramids.
A beginner can learn without magnets, though they help once solves speed up. Better cubes let you loosen or tighten the turning to suit your hands, while a budget cube may have basic screws only. A mixed set is one way to find out which kind appeals.
What matters
- Corner cutting, so a slightly off turn still goes through.
- A frosted or coated finish that grips under the fingers.
#1GAN 356 M 3x3 Magnetic Speed Cube (Stickerless)
$20–$30
GAN’s mid-range magnetic 3x3: visible magnets click each layer into line, its corner feet help it cut corners without popping, and its GES+ nuts loosen or tighten it by hand. This listing leaves out the spare GES nuts.
What owners say: Owners say it turns smoothly and quickly, with magnets that snap the layers into place, and find it suits beginners as well as faster solvers. Durability is the mixed point: some say theirs holds up well, while others had one come apart within minutes.
A closer look: Out of the box it’s already set up, so play with it as it comes for a while; the GES+ nuts only need a push and a twist if the turning feels too loose or too stiff. Learn a beginner’s method slowly first, since the magnets help most once you speed up. A drop of cube lube now and then keeps it quiet and smooth.
- Cuts corners without popping
- Honeycomb surface holds lube
- Anti-scratch surface
- Weighs 74 grams
- Spare tension nuts not included
Best for: Stepping up to a magnetic cube
- Magnets
- Yes
- Size
- 56 mm
- Finish
- Stickerless
- Adjustable tension
- GES+, 2 settings
- Puzzles in the box
- 1
- Ages
- 3+
#2Rubik's Cube The Original 3x3
Under $10
The puzzle that started it all, on sale since 1980. Spin Master’s current version turns more smoothly than the old one and uses colored plastic tiles in place of stickers, so nothing peels, fades or gets swapped around. It’s the real Rubik’s Cube rather than a racing cube.
What owners say: Owners say it’s the Rubik’s Cube they remember and that working it out fills hours. How it turns divides them: many find it smooth, while some have had trouble with the layers moving.
A closer look: Most beginner’s guides teach it layer by layer: one face with its edges lined up, then the middle band, then the last face. Turn with your fingertips rather than gripping hard, and the layers move more freely. It slips into a backpack or a desk drawer for a few minutes’ puzzling.
- Colors never peel or fade
- Reworked for smoother turns
- Made from 100% recycled plastic
Best for: Solving the classic puzzle
- Magnets
- No
- Size
- 57 mm
- Finish
- Plastic tiles
- Adjustable tension
- –
- Puzzles in the box
- 1
- Ages
- 8+
#3Monster Go EDU 3x3 Magnetic Speed Cube
Under $10
From GAN’s Monster Go line for learners, it puts 48 magnets and a real speed-cube mechanism in a cube that costs far less than the GAN 356 M. The free CubeStation app lets you color in your scrambled cube on screen and follow a 3D walk-through to the solve.
What owners say: Owners find it turns quickly with almost no effort, and the magnets line the layers up as they go. They say it holds together well and suits a beginner, with one solving it in about 30 seconds.
A closer look: Scramble it, then copy the colors face by face into the CubeStation app, which shows each step of the solve in 3D; there’s nothing to pair or charge. Basic screws are the only adjustment, so it’s a cube to learn and practice on rather than tinker with. Anyone who later wants to fine-tune the feel can move up to a GAN with tension nuts.
- Free CubeStation solving app
- Nothing to pair or charge
- Reinforced edges, interlocking corners
- Factory lubricated and tensioned
Best for: Learning to solve with an app
- Magnets
- 48 magnets
- Size
- 56 mm
- Finish
- Stickerless, frosted
- Adjustable tension
- Screws only
- Puzzles in the box
- 1
- Ages
- 6+
#4GAN V100 Maglev 3x3 Magnetic Speed Cube (UV Coated)
$30–$50
GAN’s maglev flagship sets its layers on magnetic levitation, which GAN says cuts friction for a smoother, steadier turn, and its omni-directional positioning helps each layer settle into line. At 55 mm and about 64 grams it’s a touch smaller and lighter than most 3x3s, and the tool in the box tunes it to any of 72 feels.
What owners say: Owners call it extremely fast and very smooth, one saying a turn takes barely any movement, and they like the grip and the premium feel of the UV coating. Durability is mixed: some find it solid, while others say it breaks easily.
A closer look: Give it a week or so at the factory setting, then work through the tuning tool and the manual one change at a time, so you can feel what each step does. The slightly smaller size suits quick finger moves. The manual points to an online solving tutorial, but this is really a cube for someone already solving regularly.
- Tuning tool in the box
- Weighs about 64 grams
- Suits quick finger moves
- Manual links an online tutorial
Best for: Regular solvers who like to fine-tune
- Magnets
- Maglev, positioning
- Size
- 55 mm
- Finish
- UV-coated
- Adjustable tension
- 72 settings
- Puzzles in the box
- 1
- Ages
- 6+
#5STEAM Life Speed Cube Set (10 Pack)
$20–$30
Ten different puzzles in one box, from a 2x2 and a 3x3 up to a 4x4, with a pyramid, a mirror cube, a megaminx and a skewb among the shapes, so a newcomer can find out which kind they enjoy before spending more on one.
What owners say: Owners like the range of shapes and how smoothly the puzzles turn, and they find the set suits several skill levels, with nine-year-olds the age that comes up most. Durability is the recurring complaint: several have had pieces come apart.
A closer look: Start with the 2x2, which solves like the corners of a 3x3, then move on to the 3x3 before the bigger and odder shapes. The mirror cube is solved like a 3x3 but by shape instead of color, which makes a good second challenge. Split between siblings, a set this size keeps several people puzzling at once.
- 2x2, 3x3 and 4x4 cubes
- Pyramid and mirror cube included
- Mirror cube solves by shape
- Range of difficulty levels
Best for: Trying lots of puzzle types
- Magnets
- –
- Size
- Varies by puzzle
- Finish
- –
- Adjustable tension
- –
- Puzzles in the box
- 10
- Ages
- 3+
How they compare
Swipe sideways or rotate device to see all 5.
| Feature | #1GAN 356 M | #2Rubik's Original | #3Monster Go EDU | #4GAN V100 Maglev | #5STEAM Life set |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Best classic | Best budget magnetic | Most adjustable | Best set | |
| Picked Rating | 9.5 | 9.4 | 9.4 | 9.3 | 9.3 |
| Price | $20–$30 | Under $10 | Under $10 | $30–$50 | $20–$30 |
| Magnets | Yes | No | 48 magnets | Maglev, positioning | – |
| Size | 56 mm | 57 mm | 56 mm | 55 mm | Varies by puzzle |
| Finish | Stickerless | Plastic tiles | Stickerless, frosted | UV-coated | – |
| Adjustable tension | GES+, 2 settings | – | Screws only | 72 settings | – |
| Puzzles in the box | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 10 |
| Ages | 3+ | 8+ | 6+ | 6+ | 3+ |
| Best for | Stepping up to a magnetic cube | Solving the classic puzzle | Learning to solve with an app | Regular solvers who like to fine-tune | Trying lots of puzzle types |
| Buy now | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon |
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