So You are ready for the big cubes huh? That’s both fantastic and admirable! When you have mastered the 3×3 it is only right to explore more dimensions. In this guide I am going to show you some things you need to know so that you can pick the best 5X5 cube.
The 5X5 speed cube works pretty much the same as the regular 3×3 speed cubes but it is two dimensions higher which means that it is significantly harder to design a great 5X5 speed cube.
This is the reason why most of the 5X5 speedcubes you can buy are quite bad to say the least. They basically suck at every level of the analysis. These poorly designed cubes are slow, have bad corner cutting, get stuck and etc. You want to avoid these.
Puzzle solving should be a joyful activity.
In this buying guide I will show you the most important characteristics which are essential for a good 5×5 rubiks cube and I will review the best 5X5 speed cubes below.
Table of Contents
Essential Characteristics
I don’t know how familiar you are with the speedcube characteristics but even if you know them, you should still read how they influence the 5×5 cubes.
These characteristics are the most important for the puzzle solving activity.
Speed And Smoothness
Every speedcube can be evaluated when it comes to the speed and smoothness. Any speedcube will provide you with one or the other or the mixture of both which is most often the case.
If you are asking yourself which is better for the 5X5 cubes then I would have to say that it depends on you personally. The cube should match your turning style.
If you decide to go with a cube which has more speed then you will as a consequence lose some control which can result in overshooting. Overshooting can be a bit problematic on the 5X5 speedcubes because there are so many layers which you can mess up.
Also if the cube has less smoothness it will have less friction between the layers and because of this you can accidentally push and turn other layers which you didn’t intend to during the extreme speeds.
On the other hand if you go with a more smooth cube you will get more control but this will cost you some speed.
Corner Cutting
5×5 speed cubes have so much layers that the proper corner cutting is really needed.
Corner cutting is defined by the ability of the speedcube to make a layer turn even if the vertical face is not fully aligned.
Since we like to solve our cubes with speed and we are talking about the 5X5 rubik’s cube here, some overshooting is bound to happen. Your puzzle should be able to corner cut in such situations and not to throw you out of the game and interrupt the algorithm.
5X5 Cubes Stability
Your 5X5 cube should be fairly stable so that it can flex a little but not deform or pop up.
Since they have a very complex design there is always the problem of pop ups which means that a piece of the puzzle can pop out of its place during the fast algorithm execution.
The worst that can happen is when the entire cube explodes and everything shatters. But thankfully this is not often the case.
Reviews of the Best 5X5 speed cubes:
I would like to be open with you and let you know that I can earn a small commission if you buy your puzzle through the affiliate links below. This helps to keep the site running and it doesn’t influence which cubes I recommend. These are the top 5x5s you can get today.
I recommend buying puzzles at TheCubicle (linked below). They are the biggest US-based cubing shop led by passionate speedcubers. You will get the best possible service. They are loved and trusted by the cubing community. Now let’s see the cubes!
1. QiYi Valk 5 M 5×5
Last update on 2024-04-26 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
The QiYi Valk 5 M is the best 5×5 speed cube on the market today. You won’t experience this type of quality with any other 5×5 cubes today. That is my opinion but it is shared by a large portion of the speedcubing community.
Max Park broke the world record using this cube twice! First he broke the record, then he broke his own record for the single fastest 5×5 solve. He also broke the single average for the first ever sub 40 solve in the history of 5×5 competition.
Its an overstatement to say that the Valk 5 M is fast. It is one of the fastest 5x5s but it is also incredibly easy to control thanks to the magnets that are just right. Not too strong and not too weak. The layers closer to the center have stronger magnets than the outer layers so that you can work fast on the outer layers without losing your inner progress.
This 5×5 rubik’s cube has the best corner cutting of them all. IT is incredibly stable and it doesn’t pop up easily.
It has a beautiful smooth feel to it that doesn’t seem to influence the speed while giving you additional control. Overall, if you want the top of the line, go with the Valk 5 M.
Turning: Fast and smooth turning, Corner cutting: Very good, Control: Great, Catching: Very Rare, Lockups: Very Rare, Popups: Very Rare, Speed Solving: Excellent
2. Moyu Aochuang GTS M 5X5
Last update on 2024-04-26 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
MoYu AoChuang is definitely one of the best 5×5 speed cubes that were ever made. MoYu being one of the biggest names in the cubing world had to have its champion amongst the 5×5 cubes as well.
The MoYu AoChuang is a smooth cube which means that you can easily control it but it doesn’t lack in speed either. It just means that the layers will not go flying everywhere.
This 5×5 puzzle has the buttery smooth feel along with the bubbly feel to the touch of the surface of the pieces. This gives it its signature feel which I think is very appreciated.
This cube can range in speed quite a lot depending on the lube you apply to it.
I didn’t experience any pop ups with this cube whatsoever and haven’t heard of anyone who has. Thou I am sure that they can happen but the design of the MoYu AoChuang has basically solved this problem for us.
Corner cutting with this 5X5X5 cube is pretty good too and it can corner cut about one layer. Anything deeper than that into the puzzle and in most cases it will not cut.
But since nothing is perfect I do have one small problem with this cube. Sometimes the catching will happen when one layer catches on to another but it is not a big deal as it will not interrupt you. Considering that this 5×5 doesn’t have pop ups or lock ups this is a minor problem.
Another problem with the AoChuang is the tensioning. The caps are quite difficult to remove.
Turning: Fast and smooth turning, Corner cutting: Pretty good, Control: Great, Catching: Very Rare, Lockups: Very Rare, Popups: Very Rare, Speed Solving: Excellent
3. Qiyi Wushuang
Last update on 2024-04-26 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
QiYi Wushuang is also one of the best 5X5 cubes that ever hit the market. It has a status of the legend among the 5×5’s. QiYi is a brand that is responsible for some of the highest of quality cubes and this is definitely one of their prime additions to the cubing world. It is also the cube the Felix Zemdegs used when he set the previous world record for the fastest 5x5x5 solve. At it was also used by the Max Park to set the world record for the single fastest 5×5 rubiks cube solve.
This 5X5 speed cube has an incredibly smooth feel to it but it is also quite fast. The puzzle is designed to be controllable at all times and it is one of the smoothest 5×5’s out there.
QiYi Wushuang doesn’t pop up but still being a high dimension puzzle it is not impossible for it to happen. Still, the phenomenal design of QiYi Wushuang will not allow any pop ups in any normal speed solving session.
Speaking of the design, the Wushuang has one of the best corner cutting there is among the 5X5 cubes. It can corner cut up to two layers and its reverse corner cutting is also excellent.
Another interesting thing to point out is its size. It is a bit smaller than the regular 5×5 with its size of 62mm.
Turning: Fast and smooth turning, Corner cutting: Very good, Control: Great, Catching: Very Rare, Lockups: Very Rare, Popups: Very Rare, Speed Solving: Excellent
4. YJ MGC 5X5
Last update on 2024-04-26 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
YJ recently released their MGC puzzle series which was a huge success in many cube sizes and their 5×5 is not an exception. It is a great value puzzle that is on par with the above models but it has its minor flaws.
It is one of the best cheap 5X5 speed cubes on the market. If you are looking for a budget version then this is it. I wouldn’t bother going with anything else. Although there is an even cheaper 5×5 (below in the article).
This puzzle is very fast and has a pretty decent control to it. You can always add lubes to manipulate the feel and the friction to better match your style. But it is also very good on its own.
The corner cutting is very good for its price and it is almost on par with the Aochuang GTS but not quite there.
This cube can pop on you and the catching can definitely happen so those are the biggest downsides to it. You should be careful when doing fast moves. If you mess up and apply force in a wrong moment you can easily interlock layers or have pieces pop out on you.
Turning: Quite fast, Corner cutting: Good, Control: Pretty Good, Catching: Rare, Lockups: Rare, Popups: Can happen, Speed Solving: Pretty Good
5. YuXin Little Magic 5×5 M
Last update on 2024-04-26 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
YuXin Little Magic 5×5 magnetic version is the best budget 5X5 speed cube. Known for their Little Magic 3×3, YuXin decided to offer their take on the 5×5 as well and we are glad that they did.
This budget 5×5 cube is mostly up to par with their high end competitors but the YJ MGC above does a much better job at offering professional experience at a cheap rate. Still, the YuXin is really surprising considering the price range and especially since this is a magnetic cube which means more stability and control for you.
Now when it comes to the magnets, they are not as strong as they should be but they get the job done most of the time. However, I would love it if the inner layers had a bit of stronger magnets so that they could help keep those layers stable in their position.
This cube is pretty fast but the magnets help with the control. It has a dry, sharp feel to it because the friction between the layers is not buttery smooth like on the better 5X5 cubes but it is overall a very good, fast and controllable puzzle. Applying various lubes can definitely help you customize the relation of speed and smoothness.
The corner cutting on this puzzle is pretty good considering the price range. The Little Magic can corner cut for one layer but anything deeper than that and layers will get caught on each other.
Pop ups shouldn’t happen unless you get some layers caught one on top of another during a strong hand movement when twisting layers.
Turning: Fast and smooth turning, Corner cutting: Good, Control: Good, Catching: Rare, Lockups: Very Rare, Popups: Can happen, Speed Solving: Good
Are You Also Looking For 3X3 Speed Cube Reviews?
In case that you are, I invite you to check out this huge guide for 3×3 cubes that I wrote where you can learn more about the speed cube’s characteristics in general and see highly rated cubes. In that guide, you will find the most up to date 3×3’s and their reviews. If you need to update your 3×3 arsenal then don’t forget to check out the guide.
Conclusion
When it comes to making a choice among these puzzles you have to take everything in account and especially your personal style. What may be the best 5×5 speedcube for you may not be for someone else.
Still, the design of the puzzle is what differentiates the better options from the less quality ones. It is up to you to find the balance between the speed and control and to go with an option which resonates with your turning style.
Do you corner cut aggressively? Do you solve to beat your PB? Or are you just there for the joy of it? These are all the questions to keep in mind when getting your 5×5.
Hopefully, this guide will help you make your choice. Please share it with your cuber friends if you found it helpful and happy cubing!