PROS: 1. Inexpensive. 2. Stand is a nice bonus for display. People who come to my house, will always pick it up and play with it when they see it. 3. Perfect for hours, days, even months of fun...definitely the best investment for the money. 4. High quality. I have been using it for months now and it is still working great (though the "Rubik's Cube symbol" on the center white square is starting to fade off). CONS: 1. Not really a con, but while this is a super smooth cube, it is not a speed-cube like that you see real experts use. You can easily make it into a speed cube for the best solving times by using it a lot and using silicone lubricant spray to make it really slippery. 2. Again, not really a con, but the white center has a "Rubik's Cube" emblem and that is starting to fade off after months of use. It does not affect the functionality of the cube itself. 3. Again, a non-con, but in certain low light situations, I find it difficult to differentiate the yellow pieces from the white pieces. Under low yellow (warm) light, the white looks more yellowish and that makes the two colors hard to tell apart. Just remember to solve the cube in decent lighting and this is not a problem (unless you can do it blindfolded, in which case, it is definitely not a problem). It's been a long time since first solved the cube. I still have my older one but it is a mess now...very sticky and difficult to move the pieces. I wanted a "speed cube" and though this isn't it, it is pretty darn close. The more you use it the smoother and quicker it gets. A little silicone spray also did wonders and it is fast and easy to move. I don't do the modified CFOP technique for the best times (all speed-cubers use it but I simply don't have the time to memorize 100+ algorithms right now...maybe later), but slowly and surely the old basic system/technique I developed in the late 70's or early 80's (I don't remember exactly when...I was just a kid back then) came back to me and I can solve the cube using that method in under 1 minute now. I highly recommend this to anyone who wants something to play with, challenge themselves to try to get better and better times, and, in general, have hours of fun for as little money as possible. This is definitely the best investment (for a money/time value) I have made in decades. Just think about it. Most games, you get tired of in a couple of hours. Most video games last one day. Some really good ones last a week and some online games that are constantly upgraded last longer, but you pay through your nose for those games. For a just a few bucks, this is a toy you can play with for hours, days, weeks, months on end...again, the best entertainment investment you can have. Challenge your friends to beat your scores...everyone who is new to my house and sees the cube immediately start playing with it and eventually ask if I can do it and when I say yes, they want me to because they are still amazed at how someone can solve it. This is a definite buy! Go for it!
