ShengShou 16x16x16

ShengShou 16x16x16

The ShengShou 16x16x16 is the first 16x16 cube from ShengShou. It came out at the end of 2021 and belongs to the same series of big cubes as the brand's 14x14. It has a rounded, pillowed shape, a stickerless bright colour scheme and no magnets. For a cube with sixteen layers on every axis, it is surprisingly small: each edge measures approx. 117-118 mm, so you can hold it in your hands like a normal cube instead of only turning it on a table.

How it turns

This is not a cube for fast solving, and there is no point judging it like a speedcube. The turning is fairly heavy and stiff, which is no surprise given the number of pieces. Straight out of the box, expect lockups. When turning wide inner layers, you will often need to wiggle the layers slightly (shimmying) to line them up before you can continue. The cube needs calm, precise turning, because turning too hard on layers that are not fully aligned can cause problems. Reviewers note that the layers misalign less often than on the ShengShou 14x14, but it is not perfect. After the first few solves, the mechanism usually breaks in noticeably.

Construction and adjustment

The construction is simple for a cube of this size. There are no features that improve stability or smoothness, such as magnets, MagLev or Ball-Core. Tension is set with adjustment screws. If the cube feels too stiff or too loose, adjusting the screws and applying lube are the basic ways to set it up to your liking.

Who is it for?

For big cube collectors and cubers who want to take on a long solve lasting several hours. Experience with smaller NxN cubes will help, because the same methods (centres, edges, parity) apply here on a much larger scale. The 16x16 cube is not an official WCA event. It is not a good choice as a child's first cube.

Specifications

• Type: 16x16x16 cube, non-magnetic
• Manufacturer: ShengShou
• Shape: pillowed (rounded)
• Size: approx. 117-118 mm
• Weight: approx. 986 g
• Adjustment: adjustment screws
• Colour scheme: stickerless bright
• Release year: 2021
• Official WCA competitions: no

The set includes:

1. the puzzle