GAN 356 i Carry Gift Box

GAN 356 i Carry 3x3 – smart cube with a replaceable battery

GAN 356 i Carry is a magnetic 3x3 cube with Bluetooth, also known as a smart cube. It connects to your phone and sends every move you make to the app. Unlike GAN's more expensive smart cubes, it has no rechargeable battery that you charge with a cable. Instead, it runs on a replaceable CR1632 coin cell battery, which, according to the manufacturer, lasts about 280 hours of solving. At one hour a day, that's roughly 280 days. Most speedcubers will appreciate that the cube weighs only about 77 g, even with the sensors, circuit board and battery inside.

How it turns

In your hand, the i Carry feels like a regular budget magnetic 3x3. The magnets noticeably help the layers settle into place, and forward corner cutting is good. Reverse corner cutting is weaker, so you may get lockups if your turning is less precise. You can adjust the tension with the replaceable GES nuts and springs. The plastic has a matte (frosted) finish, and the internals are pearl white.

What the app offers

The cube works with the free GAN CubeStation app. The app times your solves automatically and records your moves and statistics. It also includes tutorials, a training mode, ranked matches against other players and support for the GAN robot. The cube is also compatible with the GAN Smart Timer.

This model has no gyroscope. The app tracks layer turns, but the virtual cube on the screen doesn't rotate along with the one in your hands. This doesn't matter for learning and timing, but if you want full motion tracking, choose a more expensive smart cube.

Compared with other i Carry versions

This is the first version of the series and the successor to the GAN 356 i Play. The newer models, the i Carry S, i Carry 2 and i Carry E, differ mainly in weight, battery type and battery life. For example, according to the manufacturer, the i Carry 2 runs for up to about 700 hours. If you don't need these changes, the original i Carry gives you the same basic app connectivity.

Who is it for?

For beginners and casual solvers who want to learn with an app, track their progress and race online without spending money on a flagship smart cube. It also makes an easy gift for parents to give, because the battery only needs replacing every few months instead of frequent charging. In competitions, the mechanism matters most, so an experienced speedcuber will more likely use it as a training cube with the app.

Specifications

• Type: magnetic 3x3 cube, smart cube (Bluetooth), stickerless
• Manufacturer: GAN
• Size: 56 mm
• Weight: approx. 77 g
• Power: replaceable CR1632 battery, approx. 280 hours of use
• Gyroscope: none
• App: GAN CubeStation, compatible with GAN Smart Timer
• Adjustment: replaceable GES nuts and springs
• Finish: matte (frosted)
• Colour scheme: Stickerless Bright