Quick Answer
Identifying a fake Rubik’s cube is easy if you know exactly what to look for. The most common red flags are unrealistically low prices, unknown sellers, weird product names, poor packaging, missing accessories, and cubes that, in general, feel worse than described by its reviews.
In fact, before you make any speed cube purchase, you should always compare it with prices across trusted cube stores like Cubelelo, find real customer-uploaded photos, and avoid listings that look too vague (or even too good to be true).
In India, there are many fake/misleading advertisements for speedcubes, and counterfeit cubes have become common across e-marketplaces, social media websites, and lower-quality cube stores.
There are three factors that you should consider before purchasing a cube from a source:
How authentic is the brand? How realistic is the price? How reputed is the seller?
For example, if a particular cubestore/marketplace is showcasing a flagship cube model at half the usual price, there is a strong chance that it is defective/misrepresented. For first-time buyers in particular, fake speedcubes can be very frustrating to receive, since they look identical to the genuine versions presented in product photos online.
This article will help you navigate the online speedcube landscape and be prepared to spot fakes such as these!
Why are fake speed cubes becoming more common in India?
India is a country of many budding young and talented cubers, and as more cubers begin to compete in official WCA competitions, the demand for premium cubes goes up. This encourages the online marketplaces for cubing to invite many third-party sellers that are trying to capitalize on this opportunity.
Unfortunately, that growth has created a large market for fake products. Today, buyers reportedly encounter the following:
Fake flagship cubes Knockoff magnetic cubes Repackaged low-quality puzzles Misleading product names Incorrect branding: cheap clones of flagships that are marketed as premium cubes
Many counterfeit sellers also use official product images forged from legitimate cube stores, making it hard to identify their scams at first glance. As a result, people only realize that they’ve purchased a fake cube once they open the package and the cube performs poorly.
Why are Fake Speedcubes A Problem?
A fake cube performs much worse than an original flagship speedcube, and the common problems associated with counterfeits are: Rough turning Weak/fake magnets Cheap plastic quality Internal popping Loose/uneven tensions Broken adjustment systems Missing accessories
This creates a terrible first experience for newer cubers, and could make them perceive all speedcubes to have a sub-par quality.
Fake Cube Checklist: 8 Easy Red Flags to Watch Out For !!
A) Unrealistically Low Pricing
>>The price is unrealistically low This is maybe the single biggest warning sign, and there’s a strong chance that something is wrong if the flagship you spot is listed for something like Rs. 1200 when its actual cost is between Rs. 4000 and Rs. 6000.
>>Genuine cube sellers will never slash prices dramatically unless the cube is older stock. There’s an official sale/occasion. The model has been discontinued
B) No Presence in the Cubing Community
The seller has no cube community presence. Reputable cube sellers are usually well-known within the Indian speedcubing community through: Social media competition sponsorships Community events/recognition YouTube reviews repeat buyers.
>>Positive recommendations from other cubers Always look up the name and background of the seller thoroughly on YouTube, Instagram, Reddit, and in Indian cubing community forums before proceeding with a purchase.
C) Suspicious or Misleading Product Names
>>The name of the product looks weird Counterfeit ads may have relatively ambiguous or purposely deceptive titles.
>>Authentic listings are always specific and detailed including the actual brand, model, version, coating, magnetic system and release edition.
D) Cheap or Incorrect Packaging
>>Inexpensive/incorrect packing Premium speedcube brands focus a lot of efforts on their packing quality as part of the unboxing experience.
>>Fake cubes usually have more generic packaging, wrong logos, low resolution printing and/or missing paperwork.
E) Use of Stolen Product Images
>>The listing uses stolen product photos A lot of fake sellers copy official product photos directly from other reputed cube stores, so always take a look at customer-uploaded pictures before making a purchase!
F) Reviews That Only Talk About Looks
>>The reviews only focus on appearance Real cuber reviews will include opinions on performance metrics such as turning feel, corner cutting, magnet strength, stability, speed and setup quality.
>>If you come across a review page filled with aesthetic-based comments about how the cube/packaging looks or if it’s the same as the advertised photo, then beware of that platform, since the reviews may not be legitimate.
G) Poor Turning Performance and Feel
>>The turning quality feels terrible If you’ve already made a flagship purchase and your cube feels scratchy, unstable, crunchy or hollow, then there’s a good chance that it’s fake. In fact, fake cubers cannot perfectly replicate the original internals, plastic quality, magnet placement or factory setup of an original flagship accurately.
H) Missing Accessories in the Package
>>Missing accessories In case your flagship cube arrives without accessories like adjustment tools, spare magnets/springs, storage pouches, manuals and/or display cases, then be cautious because counterfeit cubes are known to exclude these from packages.
Are All Cheap Speedcubes Fake?
Absolutely not. There are plenty of budget speedcubes that have been brought into the market by brands such as MoYu, QiYi and YJ, and these are excellent for beginners.
Here are a few cubes listed for you :
1) MoYu RS3M v5 3x3 Cube
2) QiYiX-Man XT3 v1 3x3 (Magnetic)
3) Drift 3M PLUS v2 3x3 (Magnetic) Speed Cube
The only real problem with cheaper cubes is when they’re specifically advertised falsely, as in cases of: Beginner cubes as flagships Non-magnetic cubes as magnetic Clones as originals Quick Guide to Verify Speedcube Authenticity Compare official product photos for logo placement, packaging, accessories, etc. Watch multiple YouTube reviews to ensure uniformity. Compare prices across multiple trusted stores. Read customer reviews and browse photos carefully. Buy only from trusted cube stores (such as India’s No. 1 cubestore, Cubelelo).
4) DianSheng SMC Super Mini 7x7 Cube
5) YJ MGC Square-1 Magnetic Cube Puzzle
6) GAN i4 Smart Cube 3x3 (Magnetic)
Final Thoughts
To summarize, while fake speedcubes are becoming more common with the growth of the sport, you are now equipped with the ability to identify them more easily! Look for the biggest red flags mentioned and be sure to follow our 5-step guide to ensure that you always get legitimate speedcubes! Spending those extra few minutes before making a purchase to verify authenticity can save you a lot of money on a cube that performs worse than advertised. Or you could just get all your cubes on Cubelelo, and never worry about any of this ever again!
FAQs
-Akshaansh Chilakapati
