Choosing the Right Speedcube Brand for Beginners
The quick answer to this question is MoYu, which is perhaps the best overall speedcube brand to start with in 2026. MoYu puzzles offer the best balance of performance, price and availability, making them more beginner-friendly than most brands out there.
While GAN and QiYi make excellent puzzles, they have their pitfalls. GAN cubes are excellent in quality and performance but tend to be overly expensive. QiYi makes good budget cubes and has decent puzzles overall, but may not always suit a beginner’s turning style, owing to their different build style.
Why Choosing the Right Brand Matters
Most beginners think that all speedcubes are effectively the same, but there are stark differences that become evident once you make a choice. The brand that you choose directly affects the following:
- Turning feel
- Stability
- Customization
- Durability
- Price
While a good cube won’t magically speed you up to begin with, it can make learning much more enjoyable as a whole.
What Makes GAN Different?
GAN is a speedcube manufacturer that if often considered the “Apple” of speedcubing, in that their focus lies in:
- Premium materials
- Advanced customization
- Innovative technology
- lightweight designs
BENEFITS :
>>Some of the benefits of GAN puzzles are the following:
1) Extremely smooth turning
GAN is famous for its near-effortless turning feel, with many cubers instantly manning their puzzles right out of the box.
2) Excellent customization
GAN cubes are equipped with their trademarked state-of-the-art GES nut system, which allows you to change the compression of the puzzle as a whole, in addition to adjustable magnet strengths, an innovation that changed cubing forever.
3) Premium build quality
GAN cubes feel premium right out of the box, with the plastic, internals, and packaging all being the best in the industry.
DRAWBACKS:
>>However, some drawbacks with GAN puzzles, especially with beginners, are:
1) Very expensive
The price is a giant hurdle when it comes to beginners purchasing GAN puzzles, because most GAN cubes cost way more than beginner-friendly alternatives, which doesn’t always translate into much better performance for a newer cuber.
2) Very high speed
GAN cubes are known to be extremely fast, which can cause beginners (and many high-level solvers as well) to struggle with adjusting to it, leading to overshooting and loss of control.
A few bestseller recommendations of GAN:
GAN V100 3x3 (Magnetic, Core Magnets)
GAN 251 M 2x2 (Magnetic)
GAN V100 Leap 3x3 (Year of Horse Edition)
What Makes QiYi Different?
QiYi’s primary focus has been affordability, which actually does make them a good second option if you’re a beginner that’s looking to get into cubing but not invest too much in it right from the get-go. They’ve introduced thousands of people to speedcubing with their budget-friendly cubes.
BENEFITS :
>>Some of the benefits they have to offer are:
1) Affordability
Price is QiYi’s biggest strength, because you can get a legitimately good speedcube for a fraction of what premium cubes cost.
2) Great for learning
QiYi's puzzles are very reliable, stable, and consistent, meaning that they make for great beginner cubes.
3) Accessibility
QiYi's cubes are widely available in nearly all cubestores and online marketplaces.
DRAWBACKS:
>>They do have some drawbacks, though.
1) Fewer flagship options
While QiYi does have strong premium/flagship options, most people know the brand for its budget lineup.
2) Less advanced features
Compared to GAN and MoYu, QiYi’s cubes offer fewer customization options, making them very hard to mold into a particular cuber’s turning style, which can be demotivating to beginners.
A few bestseller recommendations of QIYI:
QiYi X-Man Tornado v3 Premium 3x3 (Magnetic)
QiYi X-Man Tornado v3 3x3
What Makes MoYu Different?
MoYu is one of the oldest and most popular cube manufacturers in the world, with their puzzles consistently offering great performance and wide variety at very reasonable prices. This makes them (in my opinion) the top choice for beginners.
BENEFITS :
>>Some benefits of MoYu’s puzzles are:
1) Best value for money
MoYu has had this advantage for years now, with them offering performances close to most flagship cubes without the expenditure, which, along with their durability, makes them a multiple-year main for most cubers.
2) Excellent beginner models
Cubes like the RS3M series completely changed the budget cube market for good, with strong magnets, smooth turning, and good corner cutting becoming the norm for even the most accessible MoYu cubes.
3) Huge product range
MoYu has options in nearly every category of puzzles, ranging from budget to mid-range to even flagship cubes that outperform the majority of other puzzles on the market.
DRAWBACKS:
>>However, it’s crucial to note a couple of drawbacks with MoYu cubes (that shouldn’t affect beginners too much):
1) Varied quality
Since MoYu produces many models of cubes, not every cube becomes the best in the market in its category, which makes doing your research that much more important.
2) Less premium feel
Compared to GAN puzzles, MoYu cubes tend to feel slightly less refined, which takes away from the ‘premium’ experience offered by other puzzles.
A few bestseller recommendations of MOYU:
MoYu WeiLong v11 3x3 (Magnetic)
MoYu AoSu v7 4x4 Magnetic
MoYu WeiLong WR M V10 (Magnetic) Flagship Cube
MoYu RS3M v5 SE (Magnetic)
GAN vs QiYi vs MoYu: Head-to-Head Comparison
| Category | GAN | MoYu | QiYi | |
| Beginner Friendliness | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | |
| Value for Money |
❌ | ✅ | ✅ | |
| Premium Feel | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | |
| Speed | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | |
| Control | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | |
| Budget Options | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | |
What’s the Best Speedcube to Start With?
Well, if you’re just getting into speedcubing, I would definitely recommend the MoYu RS3M v5 3x3. This is one of the best puzzles on the market, with many intermediate and professional speedcubers also using it as their main puzzle!
It performs excellently, with affordable pricing and modern features that are simply unbeatable at its price point.
As a backup, the QiYi MS 3x3 can also be an option to consider if you’re looking for something safe and affordable, but not as reliable (short-term, basically).
Final Thoughts
If you’re looking for a good introduction to speedcubing that would last you long, be affordable and perform really well, MoYu is the top choice in 2026.
Remember, as a beginner, your progress is much more dependent on your practice routine and the methods you learn than the hardware!
MoYu is effectively the jack of all trades, so before you jump into buying super expensive premium cubes, consider getting a MoYu speedcube that offers you the same performance without the hefty price tag.
The best speedcube brand isn’t necessarily the most expensive one. Get your first puzzle here NOW!
