ShengShou Aurora Pyraminx

ShengShou Aurora Pyraminx

The Aurora is the second, improved version of the pyraminx from ShengShou, a brand known mainly for its big cubes. The ShengShou Aurora Pyraminx has Florian-style holes and torpedoes on the edges. Cubers used to add these features themselves as mods, but here they come built into the factory design. This pyraminx is legal for official WCA competitions and comes in two plastic colors: black and white.

The design of the Aurora pyraminx is similar to newer models of this puzzle. The edge bases are fairly wide and sit deep inside the puzzle, which protects against popping. The edge surface that touches the center has a dimple and grooves for the stabilizing balls. The ball stabilizers themselves sit at 1/3 of the height of the surface between the center and the edge. The Florian holes make corner cutting easier, and the torpedoes keep the edges in place during fast turning.

The feel is similar to the MoYu Magnetic Pyraminx: it is just as soft, and the turning resistance is very close. Layers give medium resistance and finish each move with a medium-strength click. The tips turn heavily, and their stabilizers are barely noticeable. Corner cutting is very good, close to the level of top pyraminxes. Users report that the puzzle is not set up very well out of the box and only shows what it can do after lubing and tension adjustment. Lockups can also happen when an edge is not precisely aligned. Tightening the puzzle reduces them, but it then turns noticeably heavier. It is best to find a setting somewhere in between.

Tension adjustment is done with screws. To reach them, you need to remove the tips, and according to buyers' reviews they are quite stiff to take off the first time.

Who is it for? For anyone who wants to buy their first decent pyraminx for speedcubing, and for cubers who like the soft, classic ShengShou feel with good corner cutting. If you want a puzzle that is ready to solve straight out of the box, without your own setup, a magnetic model will suit you better.

Specifications

Manufacturer: ShengShou
Type: Pyraminx
Size: 81 mm
Weight: approx. 77 g
Tension adjustment: adjustment screws
Release year: 2017
WCA competition legal: yes
Plastic colors: black, white

The set includes:

1. the puzzle