Top 5 Best 4×4 Speed Cubes Reviews [2024 Buying Guide]

featured image for best 4x4 speed cubes articleOnce you graduate from the 3×3 rubik’s cube the next logical thing is to go one level above. However, when it comes to 4×4 cubes there are things you should know about in order to pick the best 4×4 cube.

Your 4×4 speed cube is defined by the same characteristics as the 3×3 but because it is a dimension higher it is more difficult to design and manufacture a good 4×4 speedcube.

This is why most of the 4×4 speedcubes on the market are pretty bad. They can be slow, experience frequent popups and get stuck. All of this is what you want to avoid.

You don’t want your puzzle solving to be frustrating.

In this buying guide, I will go through those characteristics that make a good 4×4 rubik’s cube and I will cover the best 4×4 speedcubes below.

Essential Characteristics

If you read anything other than the reviews below please read this. The essential characteristics of 4x4s are quite important to understand. Even if you know about 3×3 rubik’s cube characteristics, you should still read about 4×4 because they are not all the same.

Speed And Smoothness

Any speed cube can be judged based on these characteristics. Speedcube can provide you with speed or smoothness or a mixture of both which is usually the case.

You will want to have a speedcube which resonates with your turning style.

If you like extreme speeds than you should go with the one that is very fast which will, in turn, sacrifice some control because of lack of smoothness. This can result in overshooting which is slightly more dangerous with 4×4 speedcubes compared to 3x3s because you have more layers to accidentally mess up.

However, if you want more control, then you should go for a 4×4 cube which is smooth. Meaning that there is more friction between the layers. This results in less speed but with more control.

Having said that, you should avoid 4x4s which require too much effort to rotate the layers because the whole solving process is longer and you don’t want to get your hands tired.

Corner Cutting

An example of bad corner cutting

This is one of the most important factors when it comes to 4×4 rubik’s cube because you don’t want your cube to be rigid and difficult to solve.

Corner cutting is the speedcubes ability to make a turn in a case where the vertical face is not fully aligned.

This is going to happen very often and especially when you are speedsolving because you will overshoot when performing algorithms. No one is that precise and nor should you be.

Your 4×4 cube must have proper corner cutting which will not throw you out of balance and interrupt your algorithm execution.

Pro tip:
Not all corner cutting is good. The cube may offer an ability to corner cut but that doesn’t mean that it has proper corner cutting. The corner cutting is only good if you do not feel it and if it doesn’t interrupt you.

Cubing is fun and beautiful hobby but poor corner cutting will quickly annoy you. It is way worse than when your online game lags.

4×4 Cubes Stability

Stability determines how much the cube can deform, does it flex and above all its pop up resistance.

Note:
When it comes to 4×4 rubik’s cubes this can be a problem due to their complex design so when you are speedsolving it can pop up.

Can you imagine speedsolving your 4×4 in front of your friends or casually on the bus stop and having your speedcube violently explode scattering its pieces everywhere?

This is not something you want to happen so you will want a stable cube. Trust me, I’ve been there.

Additional important characteristics:

These are not deal breaker characteristics but they will influence your 4×4 cube experience. You should read them and understand them.

If you are a serous cuber then it is best to get a speedcube which will do well when tested for these characteristics as well.

Catching

Catching happens when a layer catches on another layer on your speedcube.

Usually, it is the case when an edge piece catches on another edge piece and when a corner piece catches on a center piece.

Catching can disrupt the flow of the algorithm and mess up your solve or slow you down. You should avoid 4×4 speed cubes with a lot of catching.

Catching is more problematic on 4×4 speedcubes when compared to 3×3 cubes because there are more central and edge pieces to catch on. Therefore, it is very hard for any 4×4 cube to be as good as 3×3’s when it comes to catching but there are of course manufacturers who did their best to minimize the catching.

Lockups on 4×4 speedcubes

Since we are talking about a higher dimension cube you are to expect lockups unlike with 3×3 or 2×2 speed cubes.

It is very difficult to design a speed cube with more layers like 4×4, 5×5, 6×6 and so on without lockups but luckily for us advancements have been made over the years since higher dimensional speed cubes have first started appearing.

In most high quality 4×4 speedcubes you shouldn’t experience lockups at a frequent rate.

Reviews of the Best 4×4 speed cubes:

These are the best 4×4 speedcubes you can purchase today. They offer the best combination of the above mentioned characteristics and you should pick one which matches your cubing style.

These cubes are not only the best in my opinion but also widely appreciated in the cubing community and also used by world class record cubers. You can’t go wrong with any of them but it is important to decide which one is for you based on your preferences.

I would like to be open with you and let you know that I can earn a small commission if you purchase a cube through the affiliate links below. This helps me to keep the site running and it doesn’t influence which cubes I recommend. These are the top 4x4s you can get today in my opinion.

I advise buying your cube at TheCubicle (cubes linked below). They are the biggest US-based puzzle shop led by passionate speedcubers. You will get the best possible experience. They are loved and trusted by the cubing community. To top it off most of their cubes are cheaper than on the big retail stores.

1. Moyu Aosu GTS2 M

Last update on 2024-03-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

MoYu Aosu is one of the best 4x4x4 speedcubes ever made. It set the ground rules for the quality when it was first launched and it still represents a positive example on which speedcubes are rated upon.

Its successor Aosu GTS2 M is highly accepted and appreciated in the cubing community and this cube is used by many world class cubers and was used to set some of the fastest solves.

This speedcube will offer you an excellent cubing experience without noticeable corner cutting and with minimal lockups and popups which could happen if you are very rough.

The speed and control ratio is very good. It is very fast and smooth and has a soft clicky sound when solving.

This is one of those cubes that have a well established reputation and is an evergreen solution if you don’t know what to look for because you can’t go wrong with this one.

Turning: Fast and light turning, Corner cutting: Unnoticeable, Control: Very good, Catching: Rare, Lockups: Very Rare, Popups: Rare, Speed Solving: Excellent

2. VALK 4 M (STRONG)

Last update on 2024-03-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Valk 4M is an excellent 4×4 cube from the new Valk line. Their iconic line produced some of the better cubes on the market of various sizes and the 4×4 really deserves its place among the best. A lot of people think that this is the best 4×4 you can get today.

This puzzle comes in two magnet strength versions. Light and strong. I am talking about the strong version here and I recommend that one because the difference is not that big as they make it sound and the strong version provides more control.

Speaking of which.. This cube is one of the most controllable on the market. It is also very fast which means that you will be making fast moves without fear of losing the algorithm halfway.

It has a very quiet sound and a light papery feel to it. Out of the box, it will need some breaking in to show you its potential and on top of that, you should lube it too.

This 4x4x4 is 2mm smaller than the regular ones which is good if you like smaller cubes or if you have smaller hands. But most newer 4x4x4 rubik’s cubes are smaller now days. They used to be about 62mm like the QiYi WuQue but the Valk 4 is 60mm.

Turning: Fast and light turning, Corner cutting: Unnoticeable, Control: Excellent, Catching: Rare, Lockups: Very Rare, Popups: Rare, Speed Solving: Excellent

3. Qiyi WuQue

Last update on 2024-03-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

WuQue is definitely still one of the best 4×4 speed cubes available today even if it is an older cube now. It is believed by many that it is even better than the Moyu Aosu (older model) which maintained its position as the best one until WuQue arrived on the scene. But I don’t think that it’s better than MoYu Aosu GTS2 M or Valk 4 M above.

The current world record for 4x4x4 fastest solve is held by Feliks Zemdegs and he used this cube to set it. And the second fastest solve was also made using this speedcube.

This speedcube will offer you excellent corner cutting and reverse corner cutting which is something not many 4×4 cubes can do. You will not even feel the corner cutting and it will not interrupt your algorithm flow.

QiYi QuQue offers excellent speed but with very little loss of control. In my experience, it does not overshoot but this will depend on how rough you are when executing algorithms.

This speedcube is great right out of the box or at least it was for me and many other cubers but if needed you can adjust it for your preferences.

Considering the excellence of the design, this cube is not expensive at all and you can find other 4x4x4 speedcubes in the similar price range which are not as good.

Turning: Fast and light turning, Corner cutting: Unnoticeable, Control: Enough control, Catching: Very Rare, Lockups: Very Rare, Popups: Very Rare, Speed Solving: Excellent

4. YJ MGC 4X4

Last update on 2024-03-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

YJ really hit the sweet spot with a lot of their cubes that they released recently. Their MGC line was well received as cubes that provided the best value for the price.

Yj MGC 4×4 speed cube is a puzzle that justifies each cent of its price. It is not as good as those above it but it is cheaper.

This 4x4x4 feels good right out of the box but depending on your preferences you may want to adjust it after you break it in.

It has decent corner cutting and it can easily pop into pieces if you make a bit aggressive turn while corner cutting more than you should have. So it definitely has its down sides.

Other than that it is pretty fast. Not fast as the 4x4s above but it comes pretty close. Where it excels the most is the control. It is very easy to maneuver the layers and they don’t tend to overshoot.

This cube is quite smooth after breaking in providing you with enough control with an understandable cost of speed. This is a great option if you are a beginner in 4×4 solving. A lot of cubers choose this one as their main.

Turning: Fast and smooth, Corner cutting: Somewhat noticeable, Control: Enough control, Catching: Rare, Lockups: Very Rare, Popups: Can happen, Speed Solving: Very Good

5. QiYi MS

Last update on 2024-03-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

This is the best 4x4x4 budget speedcube. At this price, it is very hard to find a speedcube with better characteristics and overall quality.

If you are on a tight budget or if you are not absolutely dedicated to this hobby and need something cheap but good to try it out then this cube is probably for you.

QiYi MS is quite fast and smooth giving you enough control for the speed it provides.

The corner cutting is noticeable but it is not a deal breaker and this cube can lockup and popup sometimes but nothing that happens too often.

You will probably need to tension it and lube it after you break it in so that you can adjust it to your needs but this cube in most cases is very good out of the box.

Overall this is one of the best budget 4x4x4 rubik’s cubes and it over delivers when it comes to the price and quality ratio.

Turning: Fast and smooth, Corner cutting: Noticeable, Control: Enough control, Catching: Rare, Lockups: Rare, Popups: Can happen, Speed Solving: Decent

Conclusion

There are many options when buying a 4×4 speedcube but most of them will not provide you with the proper cubing experience. As you can tell even the best 4×4 rubik’s cubes have some flaws but these are the best in their price ranges.

You should choose the speedcube that works the best for you considering your cubing style and how dedicated you are to this hobby.

If you are a serious speed cuber who really needs a proper speedcube to break records then you should probably go with the Aosu, Valk or WuQue because you can’t go wrong with these three.

Which is your favorite 4×4? Please comment below and share the article with your cuber friends. ?

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