What's the difference between a cheap $3.50 Wal-Mart cueball and a $20 Aramath

The difference in the top of the line Aramith ball and a Walmart CB will be in the material and the manufacturing.

The material of the Aramith ball will be much harder, and probably also more uniform. This will lead to a ball that wears longer, scratches less, rolls truer, and bounces better.

The manufacturing differences will make the Aramith ball rounder, and more consistent from ball to ball.

Whether any of this matters in a bar league situation, will depend on the environment you are playing in. If none of your team mates care about using an oversize or magnetic ball vs a regulation ball, then the rest of the ball set and table equipment is probably well below top quality equipment. If that is an accurate assumption, then you probably bought the right CB for your situation and saved yourself $17.
 
Simple answer: Wal-Mart purchases most of it's products from China, usually poorly made products using low quality materials, inexact specifications, and catering to customers who aren't aware of, or don't care about, the differences. Of course, many people pay extra for perceived benefits that don't really exist, but usually, the price reflects the quality.

Then, of course, there's that old intentionally insulting sales line: "if you have to ask the price, you can't afford it". :wink:

J
 
Thanks for the replies everyone! Well the consensus here is it may not be as good as the Aramith but it beats playing with the "Mudball" any day!
 
there are 2 ways the bar table separates the cue ball from the rest for the return . one way is the bigger cue ball (actually a billiard ball) 1/8/to 1/4 inch bigger and the second way is to put a steel magnet in the center of the cue-ball to deflect it into another trap or cause a spring to allow it to fall to a lower return track. the larger ball besides being heavier hits the smaller ball higher than the equator and also hits the rails higher causing "jump" either way the extra mass of the bar balls makes them hard to draw and stun .
the aramath balls are made to exact standards assuring a perfect roundness and have a material that will stay smooth longer . the matt finish of bar balls is caused by dirt and sand in the return tracks mostly (thats why pool halls have drop net pockets to save the balls) .
our friend who is missing with the better ball is not compensating for a ball of equal height with out a mat finish where ever there is not french fry or potato chip grease on the ball if he used the new ball for a week or two his body memory would learn the compensation factors as it has learned the use of the off sized weight or size of his favorite chipped up mess of a bar ball

the cheap ball may not be round or may not have the most expensive resins or be cured in the same way. it is worthy of note to mention that Willie Mosconi never played with house balls and brought his own set for exhibitions because he believed in controlling the controllable.


POOL BALL SPECIFICATIONS:
Molded and finished in a perfect sphere in the following weight and diameter: Pocket Billiard Balls
Weight: 5 1⁄2 to 6 oz.
*Diameter: 2 1⁄4”
*Diameter tolerance: ± .005”



the image link below shows cueballs from 3 cushion down to snooker (size matters)
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Go ahead and shoot me again! I think the blue dot is lighter than the red dot! I have both. Maybe because I have had the blue dot for about 15 years and it has been worn down some? :o
It won't even get clean with the diamond polisher!
 
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