9x9x9 

9x9x9 cubes for long solves

9x9x9 cubes are puzzles for people who enjoy long solves. Each face has 49 center pieces and 7 edge pieces along each side, so most of the solve is spent building centers and pairing edges. It's the same reduction method anyone who has solved a 4x4 or 5x5 already knows. 9x9 is not an official WCA event, so your choice of cube mainly comes down to how comfortable it is to solve at home.

History of 9x9 cubes

The mechanism of cubes larger than 5x5 is based on designs patented by Panagiotis Verdes, the creator of the V-Cube brand. The first mass-produced 9x9 cubes had a rounded shape, were large and had a very simplified construction. As a result, they were unstable and popped easily. Later, models from ShengShou, V-Cube, YuXin and MoFangJiaoShi appeared. A big change came with the MoFangJiaoShi MF9, released at the end of 2018 together with the smaller MF8. It was the first 9x9 that felt truly comfortable in the hands, and its small size clearly changed what people expect from cubes of this size.

Types of 9x9 cubes

In this category you will find two types of cubes. Simpler non-magnetic models include ShengShou 9x9x9 v2, SengSo MoSheng Cubic 9x9, YuXin Little Magic 9x9x9, QiYi 9x9 and MoYu MeiLong 9x9 V3. They are a good choice for your first cube this big, when you want to find out whether long solves are for you. The second group are magnetic versions: SengSo MoSheng Cubic 9x9 Magnetic, DianSheng Galaxy 9x9 M, the first factory-magnetized 9x9, and models with Ball-Core: QiYi Magnetic 9x9x9 Ball-Core, MoYu MeiLong 9x9 V3 M Core-Ball and DianSheng Galaxy 9x9 M-Ball Core.

How to choose a 9x9 cube?

When choosing a 9x9 cube, check its size first. A smaller cube is lighter and easier to rotate as a whole, but its pieces are smaller. For example, the MeiLong 9x9 V3 measures 65.5 mm and weighs about 176 g, which is very little for a 9x9. The second thing is magnets. In a cube with so many inner layers, small misalignments happen easily and then lead to lockups and catching. Magnets help the layers settle into place, and magnets in the core (Ball-Core) additionally stabilize the whole structure. Non-magnetic cubes are less precise but more forgiving, and they work well for relaxed, casual solving. Whatever the model, big cubes usually improve noticeably after lubing and breaking in.