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After months of waiting, the highly anticipated X-Man Tornado V3 is finally released. It comes in three versions: standard, flagship, and pioneer. What are the differences between them, and which one should you buy?
Each version of the Tornado V3 comes at a different price point and has different features. Below is a table summarizing the key differences between them.
Specifications
All three versions of the Tornado V3 have the X-Man dual adjustment core, which offer 5 settings for spring compression and 5 settings for center travel distance, in addition to adjustable corner-edge magnets with 5 different settings. Even though the differences between the magnet strengths aren't as noticeable as with other cubes, it's nice to have a little bit of fine-tuning to one's own liking.
The Tornado V3s are only available in primary plastic internals, and there aren't any plans to produce black internal versions. They all have the same shades and are 56 mm across.
Accessories
Included with the Tornado V3 are a transparent clam-shell case, leather cube bag, and an adjustment tool. The clam-shell case has magnets inside of it, giving it a satisfying click when opening and closing.
Adjustment
All 3 versions of the Tornado V3 are customized the same way. Underneath the center caps are rotating mechanisms that can be adjusted using the included tool. Rotating counterclockwise will adjust the center travel distance, and rotating clockwise will adjust the spring compression. The magnets can be easily adjusted with a small flathead screwdriver.
"Make sure you do NOT adjust the screw with a screwdriver. They're all dialed in to be the same depth into the core, so if you start messing with that, it will hinder the dual adjustment's effectiveness and accuracy."
-Cameron Brown
Similarities
All three versions have a lightweight, clacky feel, and they have a loose and flexible design. They're pretty quiet, similar to the noise of the Tornado V2, which some cubers may enjoy.
Corner cutting is easily past 45 degrees on all three versions of the cube. Reverse corner cutting, which was a major issue with the Tornado V2, has been fixed - all versions of the Tornado V3 are able to easily reverse cut past line-to-line.
Differences
The differences between the three versions become apparent in the cubes' turning. The standard version is the most controllable and has the slowest turning. The flagship version is substantially faster than the the standard, but it still maintains a balance of speed and controllability. The pioneer version is the fastest, since it features a MagLev core. Some people may find it to be too uncontrollable, but others enjoy the fast turning.
Which one should you buy?
Since there are significant price gaps between each version of the Tornado V3, price is an important factor when choosing which version to buy. If you're on a budget, the standard version is a good choice. It's a very reasonable price and has great value, with performance outstripping that of the Tornado V2.
If you're able to buy one of the more expensive versions, the corner-core magnets make a substantial difference and justify the higher price. Many speedcubers have bought corner-core kits for the Tornado V2, and the extra degree of performance it provides is a significant upgrade to the puzzle. Having a corner-core system built-in to the flagship and pioneer versions of the Tornado V3 is something that many cubers will enjoy.
The difference between the flagship and pioneer versions is mostly in the speed provided by the MagLev core. If you love extremely fast cubes, then the pioneer version is the best option for you. But if you're not sure, then the flagship version provides a good balance of speed and controllability that's hard to go wrong with.
