From the appearance of the first Rubik’s cube until today, we have come to many variations on this theme. The famous brain teaser got a new look and became extremely popular all over the world. Today, we have teams competing in speedcubing – and records are being broken almost every year. However, those who are in love with speedcubing often wonder which cubes are better – magnetic or non-magnetic? Here is the answer.
The History Of Speedcubing
As we hinted at the beginning – we owe everything to Erno Rubik, the Hungarian architect who invented the famous Rubik’s Cube. Then begins the era of solving the cube, brain-teasing, and speed. The first World Cubing Championship was held in Budapest. What is interesting is that at the time, unknown Lars Petrus from Sweden and Jessica Fridrich from the Czech Republic – participated in that competition. The two of them will later become known for perfecting the two most famous methods for solving the Rubik’s Cube. Although interest in this discipline began to wane after the 1980s – it will revive again in Toronto in the early 2000s. However, in this period, some changes occurred. Namely, the cubes that had been used until then were quite slow. Therefore, people started developing new, more advanced mechanisms – due to which today competitors can achieve a time of even less than 6 seconds.
How To Choose The Right Cube For Speedcubing?
Before you can master the skills of speedcubing – logically, you need to have a cube. Many people who are just starting to be interested in this brain teaser are wondering which cube is good and which one to choose – because today, the choice is quite large. Although Master Erno Rubik devised the concept and made the first cube of this kind – today, such a cube is more a part of history and stands in the hands of collectors. Today, speedcubing is quite popular, so there are many manufacturers and brands – and in most cases, the best manufacturers come from China, where speedcubing is very widespread among all generations. Still, that doesn’t mean you should walk into the first Chinese store and buy the first cube you see on the shelf. Keep in mind that when it comes to speedcubing – the brand really means quality. Many cubes that are not branded, that is, are not of good quality – don’t turn out to be even close as they should. They crack and break quickly, so new-cubers often give up at the very beginning.
Therefore, keep in mind that no matter how little they cost – non-branded cubes are too expensive compared to what they offer. Speaking of quality, branded cubes – speedcubers usually have only one dilemma: Magnetic or non-magnetic speed cubes – which is better?
Which Speedcubes Are Better – Magnetic Or Non-Magnetic?
When we talk about the skill of speedcubing, we must point out that here, the choice depends primarily on the degree of your skill. For someone who is a beginner – it is not so important that the cube is magnetic. However, most users prefer the magnetic speed cube from the start. There are many reasons for this. Namely, most users who are new to solving the speed cube puzzle – think that magnets benefit them a lot. Of course, magnets will not solve the puzzle, but they have some of the following advantages.
Improve Performance
Most users believe that magnetic speedcubes can somewhat improve the performance – because they affect the position of the cube they hold in a flat position making it easier to rotate the components of the cube. The magnets themselves do not affect your performance. However, they certainly help you solve the task quickly.
Stability
When it comes to stability, this is definitely the advantage of magnetic speed cubes. You can visit here, and see that magnets affect stability by their weight – acting on you so that you have a feeling of smoothness and easier rotation of the components of the cube. In addition to increasing stability, magnets also reduce the frequency of blocking.
Greater Precision
When turning speed cubes that do not have magnets – very often, it happens that you are not precise enough. Simply, the cube is moving, changing the position in which you left it. This is not the case with magnetic speed cubes, because magnets enable you to keep the desired position. This certainly contributes to the higher turning speed that speedcubing competitors achieve. A large increase in the degree of precision is perhaps the most significant feature of magnetic speed cubes.
They Are Not Way More Expensive Than Non-Magnetic Speed Cubes
Although they are slightly more expensive than ordinary ones – the difference in price between magnetic and non-magnetic speedcubes is not so significant. Namely, for the price difference, you will get a speed cube that will significantly facilitate the task that this brain teaser gives you. The fact that you will be more able to manually handle magnetic speed cubes, makes you able to work on increasing the speed of solving tasks.
The Benefits Of Speedcubing Are Exceptional
We already know that speedcubing is said to be good for developing both intellectual and physical skills – at least when it comes to motor skills. Here’s why speedcubing is so useful.
It Trains Your Memory
When solving this task, it is necessary to make an exact sequence of actions and remember all the steps very well. Beginners usually have only about 8 possible combinations in mind – but there are actually far more combinations than you think. So, this way, you will train your memory.
It Will Help You Develop Better Hand Motor Skills
The movement of the components of the cube affects the development of fine motor skills. Moving left, right, or up and down affects the better development of the joints – as well as the fine motor skills of the fingers. Certainly, we must not neglect the logical component either, and speed and motor skills should follow the speed of your thoughts. Really fascinating, isn’t it?
Relieves Stress
Instead of biting your nails or squeezing rubber stress eliminators – try practicing this puzzle. Not only does it relieve you of stress, but your brain works faster – your thoughts are more logical, and your self-confidence is higher. Solving this puzzle will remind you of the fact that there are no problems that cannot be solved.
