Magnetic Rubik's Cube: What Changes and Is It Worth It?

What is a magnetic Rubik's cube?

Inside every corner piece and edge piece sit a few small magnets. They are placed so that pieces next to each other pull together instead of pushing apart (Ruwix). When you turn a layer and it gets close to lining up, the pull snaps it into place. Your fingers feel a light "click" at the end of every turn.

!The corner, edge and centre pieces of a 3x3 speedcube taken apart Photo: [Luis Alvaz / Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cubo_de_Rubik_desarmado_01.jpg), CC BY-SA 4.0

The photo above shows a speedcube taken apart. This one has no magnets, but in a magnetic version the magnets hide inside corner and edge pieces just like these, so once the cube is put back together you cannot see them.

Cubes have not always had magnets. According to Wikipedia, in 2016 GAN released the GAN356 Air UM, the first mass-produced cube with magnets built into its edge and corner pieces. In 2017, the GAN356 X became the first cube with adjustable magnets, thanks to magnets you could swap out. In 2021, GAN brought out the first mass-produced cube using MagLev (Wikipedia). Today, as Ruwix points out, magnets are standard on the top cubes from every brand.

How do magnets change the way a cube turns?

The biggest difference is that the cube stops in the right place. SpeedCubeShop calls this the biggest upgrade in feel for beginners: a layer stops where you want it instead of sliding too far (SpeedCubeShop). When every layer lines up after each turn, the next turn is less likely to catch.

But stronger magnets are not always better. Ruwix describes the trade-off like this (Ruwix):

Our view: for beginners, medium or slightly strong magnets feel nicer, because they tidy up turns that are not quite accurate. This is a general opinion, not a measured result.

Try the magnet feel with one algorithm

When you pick up a new magnetic cube (or try one in a shop), the quickest way to feel the magnets is to repeat the algorithm R U R' U' over and over (it is called the "sexy move"; see Rubik's cube notation if the letters are new to you). It only uses two faces, so your hands can keep turning without changing grip.

1. You start with (input)
3. After the formula

One R U R' U' moves 7 pieces around the front right corner. Do it 3 times in a row and the edge pieces are back where they started, leaving only 4 corner pieces swapped:

1. You start with (input)
3. After the formula

Do it 6 times in total and the cube goes back to exactly how it was. That means you can test as much as you like without scrambling the cube. While you turn, check three things:

• Is there a clear "click" at the end of each turn? If you can barely feel it, the magnets are weak or the cube has no magnets.
• Does it catch when you turn fast? Magnets pull layers back into line, so the cube catches less, and according to Cuboss, cubes with extra magnets between the edge pieces and the core catch even less (Cuboss). If a cube still catches a lot, try another one to compare before you buy.
• Do your hands get tired? Magnets that are too strong make every turn heavier. If the cube can be adjusted, lower the strength by one notch and try again.

Ways to adjust a magnetic cube

Newer magnetic cubes often have several things you can adjust. Do not mix them up: each one changes a different part of the feel.

Adjusting magnet strength

Some cubes let you change how strong the magnets are without taking the cube apart. Ruwix gives two examples: the GAN 356 XS uses a slider on each piece, while the GAN 11 M Pro has adjustable corner magnets and comes with a set of spare magnets (Ruwix). With the slider type, according to Ruwix, the setting furthest from the piece is the strongest, the middle setting is medium, and the setting closest to the piece is the weakest.

!A GAN 356 XS, a cube with adjustable magnet strength, with one layer half turned Photo: [Timothy5597 / Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:GAN_356_XS_(2019-11-21)_cropped,_resized_and_compressed.jpg), CC BY-SA 4.0

The biggest benefit of adjustable magnets: what you like will change as you get faster, and you only need to move the slider instead of buying a new cube (Ruwix).

Adjusting the springs (dual adjustment)

This kind of adjustment was around before magnets. According to Cuboss, "dual adjustment" is a name made popular by MoYu, and it has two parts (Cuboss):

• The screw under the centre cap: sets how tightly the pieces press together. Loosening the screw makes the cube faster, but pieces pop out and corners twist more easily.
• Spring stiffness: only changes whether the cube feels fast or controlled, and does not make it pop more easily.

For example, H2 Rubik Shop lists all three versions of the MoYu Weilong WRM V9 as having 9 tension settings of this kind (rubikonline.vn).

MagLev: magnets instead of springs

In a normal cube, each centre piece is held to the core by a screw and a spring. A MagLev cube drops the spring and uses two rings of magnets around the screw that push each other apart (Cuboss).

!A speedcube with one centre piece lifted off, showing the cross-shaped core and the metal screws joining the core to the centre pieces Photo: [Luis Alvaz / Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cubo_de_Rubik_desarmado_11.jpg), CC BY-SA 4.0

The photo shows the core of a cube with ordinary springs: metal screws join the core to the centre pieces. In a MagLev cube, the spring around each screw is replaced by a pair of magnets that push apart.

!A MoYu RS3 M 2021 MagLev cube seen from the outside, looking just like a normal speedcube Photo: [多多123 / Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Speedcube_MoYu.jpg), CC BY 4.0

From the outside, a MagLev cube like the MoYu RS3 M in the photo looks no different from a normal one. To find out whether a cube has MagLev, read the version name on the box or the product page.

According to Cuboss, MagLev gets rid of spring noise, needs less maintenance and is usually a little faster. On the other hand, MagLev versions cost more, can be so fast that an already fast cube becomes hard to control, and cut corners slightly worse (Cuboss). SpeedCubeShop sees MagLev as a matter of taste, not something you must have (SpeedCubeShop).

Core magnets (ball core)

This is a second set of magnets, sitting in the middle of the cube. According to Cuboss, the "ball core" design puts a small ball right in the centre with 8 magnets facing the 8 corner pieces. Some cubes also have pushing magnets between the edge pieces and the core, which pull the cube back into a cube shape in the middle of a turn, so it very rarely catches (Cuboss).

SpeedCubeShop says core magnets are a real upgrade for fast solvers, but they will not make a beginner faster than a well set-up mid-priced cube (SpeedCubeShop).

Example: one cube model, three versions

For the same cube model, every version with more magnets costs more. Here are three versions of the MoYu Weilong WRM V9 at H2 Rubik Shop, checked on 10 October 2026 (rubikonline.vn). That day all three were out of stock, so these are listed prices, not prices you can be sure to pay:

From the version with the fewest magnets to the one with the most, the listed price is more than three times higher. For a beginner, the first version is plenty.

Should you buy a magnetic Rubik's cube?

Yes, if you are buying a cube to really get the hang of solving it. The reason is simple: magnetic cubes are no longer expensive. At ZyO Rubik on 10 October 2026, the MoYu Meilong 3M, a version clearly labelled "magnets fitted by the maker", cost 97,500 VND and was in stock (ZyO Rubik). At the same shop, the Meilong 3 cost 75,000 VND, but the product page did not say whether it had magnets (ZyO Rubik). When you buy, pick a version that clearly says "magnetic" in its name or description, and ask the seller if you cannot find it.

To be fair, not everyone thinks beginners need magnets. Cuboss writes that for beginners, having magnets or not "doesn't matter much", but anyone planning to get fast or enter competitions should choose a magnetic version (Cuboss). SpeedCubeShop, on the other hand, sees magnets as a feature worth paying a few extra dollars for (SpeedCubeShop).

How we would choose:

• Buying a cube to get the hang of solving, or for a child to practise on: pick the cheapest magnetic version from a speedcube brand.
• Only solving for fun a few times, or keeping it on display: a normal cube still solves just fine.
• Already solving in under a minute and wanting an upgrade: now is the time to look at adjustable magnets, MagLev or core magnets, because you know whether you like a light or a solid cube.
• You do not need the most expensive cube. SpeedCubeShop also notes that cheap magnetic cubes do not last as long as mid-range ones, but for a first cube that matters little (SpeedCubeShop).

Got your cube? Get started right away with the beginner's guide to solving a 3x3 Rubik's cube.

Should you add magnets to an old cube yourself?

If your cube has no magnets, or its magnets cannot be adjusted, cubers can "mod" it themselves. Ruwix mentions two ways: stack an extra magnet on top of each existing one, or prise the old magnets out and put different ones in. Ruwix itself advises against prising them out, because it is easy to damage the plastic (Ruwix).

For beginners, our advice is simpler: do not mod it yourself. Buying a cube that already has magnets is much cheaper and quicker than buying loose magnets and glue and spending ages getting every magnet facing the right way. If one ends up the wrong way round, two pieces will push apart instead of pulling together.

Are magnetic cubes allowed in WCA competitions?

Yes. The WCA Guidelines (version of 1 April 2026) say clearly that a cube may be improved on the inside by sanding, lubricating or changes that make it more stable, and they give magnets as an example (guideline 3h+) (WCA Guidelines). So MagLev, core magnets or adjustable magnets do not make a cube illegal.

What you need to avoid is electronic parts: regulation 3a4 bans cubes with Bluetooth, sensors, lights or motors (WCA Regulations). Some smart cubes have magnets too, but they cannot be used in competitions because they have circuits inside. If you plan to compete, see also WCA Rubik's cube competitions.

Got a magnetic cube? What next?

A magnetic cube helps you turn more accurately, but your solve time depends on your method. Start with the beginner's guide to solving a 3x3 Rubik's cube, or follow EasyRubic's step-by-step guide, where every step has a picture:

Once you know the steps by heart, algorithms like the R U R' U' above will come up a lot. By then, a cube that stops in the right place will help you do them more smoothly.

Sources

• Best Magnetic Speed Cubes – SpeedCubeShop (Lynn Brown)
• Magnetic Rubik's Cubes – Ruwix
• Frequently asked questions about cubes and speedcubing – Cuboss
• Gancube – Wikipedia
• WCA Regulations (version of 1 April 2026)
• WCA Guidelines (version of 1 April 2026)
• MoYu Weilong WRM V9 – H2 Rubik Shop
• Rubik 3x3 – ZyO Rubik
• Rubik 3x3 Meilong 3M Stickerless – ZyO Rubik