Not for speed. Zipping the yo-yo around pinwheels and between string hits. Unless you mean the initial throw alone.
Perceived speed is not really speed though, is it?
Speed is determined by the player primarily, and slightly affected by the base weight.
I donât have a backlog of physics texts to consult. But it seems obvious to me that the overall mass is what matters; rim-weighting vs. center-weighting factors in for other things, as Philip says, âworth designing forâ.
I very much also believe that a lot of it is perception and attitude. You pick up an allegedly âfastâ yoyo and say, âNow Iâmma rip it!â and away you go⌠rippinâ it. You take your âslow comfort throwâ and you are going to play slow and comfortable. And even if you decide to try to debunk the power of perception and ârip itâ with your âslow comfort throwâ I am willing to bet a dozen doughnuts (I know, a heavy wager) that youâll walk out saying âYeah, I was NOT feelinâ that for speed,â which wouldnât prove anything at all other than it might still be about perception. 
Or, on a good day, you might go, âYeah⌠I think I was just as fast on that yoyo after allâŚâ
So Iâm not referring to perceived speed but actual speed⌠itâs just that certain approaches, attitudes, and preconceptions will determine whether you the player are imparting actual speed to the yoyo or not. It really is about the player at the end of the day. As FiveIronBrian says, slightly affected by base weight.
I think itâs worth noting that stability factors in to a certain extent, but not in terms of pure physics: you will take more chances with speedy play on a yoyo that youâre not likely to knock off kilter with a bit of sloppy play. Amirite? But thatâs still not the pure physics of the rigid mass in motion. Itâs knowing that youâre throwing a yoyo that can handle more breakneck speeds without falling apart.
Lol, the Speedaholic isnât even fast. Great yoyo though, especially for the price. Shape is usually the major factor in the speed of a yoyo; that and weight. Narrow angular yoyos that are relatively light are usually speedy; ex: The V and Sleipnir. It also usually helps if a yoyo has more centerweight.
Just thought Iâd add; be yourself and DONâT try to go fast. When yoyoers do, it tends to look REALLY sloppy and TERRIBLE (specifically for most American yoyoers). Iâm sure most fast âJapanese techâ style yoyoers still donât âtryâ to go fast, it just happens due to the flow and smoothness in the style of their tricks.
ITT physics slash fiction.
I think its funny how the name of a yoyo makes people assume thatâs what the yoyo does.
I never buy the Widowmaker colourway.
if its lighter weight it will play faster if its heavy it will play smoother
if its narrow it will play faster if its wide it will play smoother
Thats my opinion hope it helps
As a physics major I can say for certain that if a yoyo has flames or a lightning bolt on it, it goes faster.
True dat
Here is the description of the speedaholic from this link:
C3 YoYo Design is about to flip your entire world upside down and completely change everything you think you know about plastic yo-yos.
The newest addition to the C3 line is the Speedaholic! It one of the most mind-blowingly awesome plastic yo-yos we have seen in a long time, and the best part? You can probably buy this amazing yo-yo with the spare change you find under the couch!
The Speedaholic was designed with a rounded organic V-shape for ideal comfort in hand and the flawlessly molded, translucent, plastic catches the light beautifully when in motion. It has a nice wide stance for extra stability and the thick plastic rim walls add just enough weight to keep the Speedaholic flowing through every trick. And, if you didnât guess it from the name, this yo-yo is fast! The Speedaholic is the first inexpensive plastic yo-yo to rival the performance of most full metal yo-yos on the market.
So if youâre looking for an unbeatable yo-yo that wont break your bank this is the one for you. Once you throw the Speedaholic youâll be hooked!
I believe you are neglecting that a rotating yo-yo has its own angular momentum vector. What you are saying is true if you are flailing a dead yo-yo around. My physics is a little (very) rusty so I may be off though.
Technically this is a matter of opinion, so we could debate about this all day. I however claim that this yoyo is not fast. If it was âfastâ, I probably wouldnât like it because I tend to dislike plastic yoyos that donât feel âsolidâ.