I've never had a square 1 before so I can't compare it to the Qiyi or others. However, this is the cheapest one out there and it turns great. Popping was a slight issue but went away after I tightened the tensions some. I can't really speak from a speedcubing standpoint, but for a casual solver like me, this is a great square 1 and at such a great price, you can't beat it. Definitely the best option for a first square 1.