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Bluboo S8 Smartphone Review

1/6th the price, 1/6th the performance. Bluboo is capitalizing on the Galaxy S8 craze with its own copycat version for $150 USD. The Bluboo S8 would have been quite impressive if it weren't for some deep faults.

Along with the Leagoo S8, the Bluboo S8 is riding behind the popularity of the Samsung Galaxy S8 with design features that mimic the South Korean flagship. There's no denying that the Bluboo model borrows heavily from the Samsung model and its name certainly makes no attempt to hide it.

The Bluboo S8 can currently be had for less than $150 USD as opposed to the the $700+ USD Galaxy S8. While they may look somewhat similar, there are a hosts of differences and cut corners on the Bluboo model that we will go over in this review page.

Bluboo S8 (S Series)
Processor
Mediatek MT6750 8 x 1.5 GHz, Cortex-A53
Graphics adapter
Memory
3 GB 
Display
5.70 inch 2:1, 1440 x 720 pixel 282 PPI, Capacitive, SHARP, IPS, glossy: yes
Storage
32 GB eMMC Flash, 32 GB 
Connections
Audio Connections: 3.5mm, Card Reader: microSD (shared, up to 256GB), Sensors: G-sensor, proximity sensor, Ambient Light Sensor, Geomagnetic sensor, USB Type-C
Networking
802.11a/b/g/n (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/), Bluetooth 4.0, GSM 850/900/1800/1900MHz, WCDMA 900/2100MHz (B8/B1), FDD LTE 800/900/1800/2100/2600MHz (B20/B8/B3/B1/B7), Dual SIM, GPS
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 8.4 x 149.5 x 70.6 ( = 0.33 x 5.89 x 2.78 in)
Battery
3450 mAh
Operating System
Android 7.0 Nougat
Camera
Primary Camera: 13 MPix (SW:16.0MP) AF+3MP, Dual Rear Flash LED Light
Secondary Camera: 5 MPix (SW:8.0 MP)
Additional features
Keyboard: Virtual
Weight
200 g ( = 7.05 oz / 0.44 pounds) ( = 0 oz / 0 pounds)
Price
200 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case

The Bluboo is surprisingly dense and firm for the price. Despite being very nearly the same size as the proper Galaxy S8, it is about 30 percent heavier than the Samsung for a weighty first impression. Bluboo has crafted its version of the S8 to be smooth and round at every corner with no sharp edges to be as visually similar to the Samsung as possible even if its plastic materials are far inferior.

Quality is solid as well. Applying pressure on the plastic back results in no depressions and attempting to twist the unit will cause just slight creaking. There are some very small imperfections on our unit as the gaps between the blue back plate and chrome edges are not uniform and there is a grain-sized dent on the chrome edge near the volume rocker on our specific unit.

158.7 mm / 6.25 inch 77.7 mm / 3.06 inch 8.95 mm / 0.3524 inch 170 g0.3748 lbs153.6 mm / 6.05 inch 76.4 mm / 3.01 inch 8.4 mm / 0.3307 inch 165 g0.3638 lbs152.5 mm / 6 inch 74.8 mm / 2.94 inch 8 mm / 0.315 inch 181 g0.399 lbs149.5 mm / 5.89 inch 70.6 mm / 2.78 inch 8.4 mm / 0.3307 inch 200 g0.4409 lbs148.9 mm / 5.86 inch 68.1 mm / 2.68 inch 8 mm / 0.315 inch 155 g0.3417 lbs142.6 mm / 5.61 inch 69.3 mm / 2.73 inch 8.1 mm / 0.3189 inch 149 g0.3285 lbs148 mm / 5.83 inch 105 mm / 4.13 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 1.5 g0.00331 lbs

Connectivity

Conspicuously missing from the smartphone is a 3.5 mm audio jack. Typically, the audio jack may be omitted due to thickness limitations like on the Moto Z, but even the Galaxy S8 ships with a standard audio jack despite it being slightly thinner than the Bluboo model.

Wireless features include Bluetooth 4.0 and up to 802.11n connectivity. There are no IR, NFC, or Wi-Fi calling options.

Left: Volume rocker
Left: Volume rocker
Top: Dual-SIM w/ MicroSD
Top: Dual-SIM w/ MicroSD
Right: Power button
Right: Power button
Bottom: USB Type-C
Bottom: USB Type-C
SD Card Reader
maximum SDCardreader Maximum Transfer Rate
average SDCardreader Average Transfer Rate

Communication and GPS

WLAN functions without any issues when connected to our Linksys EA8500 test router. Average transfer rate sits at around 47 Mbps as expected from an 802.11n radio limited to 54 Mbps. GPS also appears to work as intended when running GPS Test, but it is unusable on the road due to no 3G/4G compatibility with major US carriers.

Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Samsung Galaxy S8
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
651 MBit/s +1300%
Huawei Y7
802.11 b/g/n
50.6 MBit/s +9%
Bluboo S8
802.11a/b/g/n
46.5 MBit/s
iperf3 receive AX12
Samsung Galaxy S8
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
329 MBit/s +891%
Huawei Y7
802.11 b/g/n
52.4 MBit/s +58%
Bluboo S8
802.11a/b/g/n
33.2 MBit/s

Telephone and Call Quality

Dual nano-SIM slots w/ MicroSD
Dual nano-SIM slots w/ MicroSD

The telephone software on our test unit appears to be buggy. Making calls is impossible as we would receive the error message "InCallUI has stopped" when attempting to place or receive calls and are unable to test call quality as a result. Our Bluboo software was at its latest version at the time of testing (v2.0.040).

As usual, North American users should make note that the Bluboo S8 was designed for Asian and European carriers. The smartphone lacks compatibility with most 3G and 4G networks in the United States. In theory, however, users should still be able to make calls.

Camera Quality

The rear 13 MP camera produces muddy pictures that are slightly overexposed with lost details in clouds and leaves. Colors have a green hue to them as is common on very cheap smartphone cameras. Noise is far too prevalent for indoor pictures.

Videos record at up to 1080p30. Quality is acceptable when outdoors under bright light, but is far too blurry when indoors.

Bluboo S8
Bluboo S8
Huawei Mate 10 Pro
Huawei Mate 10 Pro
Canon EOS Rebel XSi
Canon EOS Rebel XSi

Accessories and Warranty

Lots of accessories, but no earbuds
Lots of accessories, but no earbuds

Included extras are a clear flexible plastic cover, USB Type-C data cable, screen protector, Warranty card, SIM key, European-style AC charger, Quick Start guide, and the all-important USB Type-C to 3.5 mm audio adapter.

Warranty is the standard one-year limited warranty, although users in the US may have to pay for overseas return shipping. Please see our Guarantees, Return Policies & Warranties FAQ for country-specific information.

Input Devices and Operation

Touchscreen

The capacitive touchscreen can recognize up to five fingers at once whereas most other Android smartphones have 10-point screens. In practice, this has little significance for day-to-day use as very few apps take advantage of more than 4-point or 5-point touch features.

Touch-typing is responsive without any uneven input delays if typing very quickly. The 18:9 form factor, however, makes the keyboard feel more cramped than usual due to the narrower design. Simple actions like scrolling and pinch-to-zoom are registered reliably albeit with more frame skips and animation latency compared to mainstream smartphones with more refined software and nimble processors.

The rear fingerprint reader is unreliable. Multiple tries are required almost every time. The unlocking process is very fast for those rare moments where the fingerprint reader unlocks on the first attempt.

Lastly, the vibration feedback is both weak and loud on our unit. It seems as if the vibration is clattering some components inside of the phone to produce an abnormal sound that is very different from most other smartphones we've tested.

Narrow onscreen keyboard due to 18:9 aspect ratio
Narrow onscreen keyboard due to 18:9 aspect ratio
Elongated keyboard in Landscape mode
Elongated keyboard in Landscape mode

Display

Subpixel array. The image is zoomed out due to the very thick overlying glass
Subpixel array. The image is zoomed out due to the very thick overlying glass

The Bluboo S8 display attempts to mimic the round 18:9 displays of the latest flagships including the Galaxy S8, Galaxy Note 8, and LG V30.  Picture quality is better than what one would expect in this price range with its respectable contrast ratio of 812:1 and a very bright backlight that's surprisingly almost as bright as on the Galaxy S8.

Nonetheless, a number of core drawbacks separate the Bluboo S8 display from its pricier alternatives. Firstly, the IPS panel is under a thicker layer of outer glass when compared to the Galaxy S8 and colors do not pop as much as a result. Secondly, response times are much slower than on many other cheap competitors for more noticeable ghosting when scrolling or gaming. Thirdly, colors are nowhere near as accurate as on the Galaxy S8 with higher DeltaE values and color deviation as expected on a budget smartphone. And lastly, the 1440 x 720 native resolution is less than half of the Galaxy S8 and Asus Zenfone AR for a comparatively grainier experience.

522
cd/m²
546.2
cd/m²
547.9
cd/m²
531.2
cd/m²
544.2
cd/m²
542.8
cd/m²
533.9
cd/m²
543.9
cd/m²
538.1
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
SHARP tested with X-Rite i1Basic Pro 2
Maximum: 547.9 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 538.9 cd/m² Minimum: 21.81 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 95 %
Center on Battery: 544.2 cd/m²
Contrast: 812:1 (Black: 0.67 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 7.4 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 8.1 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
Gamma: 2.01
Bluboo S8
SHARP, IPS, 5.70, 1440x720
Samsung Galaxy S8
Infinity Display, Corning Gorilla Glas 5, Super AMOLED, 5.80, 2960x1440
Asus ZenFone AR ZS571KL
Super AMOLED, 5.70, 2560x1440
Huawei Y7
IPS, 5.50, 1280x720
LG Q6
IPS, 5.50, 2160x1080
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
Super AMOLED, 5.50, 1920x1080
Response Times
90%
88%
9%
21%
89%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
45.6 ?(23.6, 22)
5.6 ?(2.8, 2.8)
88%
4.8 ?(2, 2.8)
89%
59.2 ?(30, 29.2)
-30%
38 ?(19, 19)
17%
4.8 ?(2.8, 2)
89%
Response Time Black / White *
34.4 ?(18.8, 15.6)
3.2 ?(2, 1.2)
91%
4.8 ?(2.8, 2)
86%
18.4 ?(3.6, 14.8)
47%
26 ?(13, 13)
24%
4 ?(2, 2)
88%
PWM Frequency
250
231.5
2315 ?(14)
257.7
Screen
31%
6%
24%
29%
27%
Brightness middle
544.2
566
4%
338
-38%
467
-14%
523
-4%
454
-17%
Brightness
539
564
5%
341
-37%
456
-15%
498
-8%
463
-14%
Brightness Distribution
95
94
-1%
90
-5%
92
-3%
88
-7%
86
-9%
Black Level *
0.67
0.39
42%
0.24
64%
Contrast
812
1197
47%
2179
168%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
7.4
2.7
64%
3.7
50%
4.3
42%
6.4
14%
2
73%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
10.8
5.4
50%
7.9
27%
6.8
37%
11
-2%
5.3
51%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
8.1
3.1
62%
4.9
40%
3.5
57%
7.4
9%
1.7
79%
Gamma
2.01 109%
2.15 102%
2.25 98%
2.35 94%
2.4 92%
2.1 105%
CCT
8989 72%
6335 103%
7286 89%
7273 89%
8641 75%
6394 102%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
81.57
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
99.87
Total Average (Program / Settings)
61% / 45%
47% / 27%
17% / 21%
25% / 28%
58% / 43%

* ... smaller is better

Calman measurements reveal inaccurate grayscale and colors, an overly cool color temperature, and poor RGB balance. Thus, while contrast is good, picture quality is nowhere near as good as pricier alternatives since most everything else about the Bluboo display is subpar.

Grayscale
Grayscale
Saturation Sweeps
Saturation Sweeps
ColorChecker
ColorChecker

Display Response Times

Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
       Response Time Black to White
34.4 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 18.8 ms rise
↘ 15.6 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 91 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
45.6 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 23.6 ms rise
↘ 22 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 75 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
Screen flickering / PWM not detected ≤ 100 % brightness setting

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 18110 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

Ourdoor visibility is better than expected and not unlike on the Galaxy S8 since the backlight is almost as bright. Onscreen content remains easy to read if working under shade. Glare is still present, but it's kept to a minimum thanks to the strong backlight and above-average contrast. Direct sunlight will still overpower the display and cause washed out colors.

Outdoors under shade
Outdoors under shade
Outdoors on overcast day
Outdoors on overcast day
Outdoors on overcast day
Outdoors on overcast day
Wide IPS viewing angles
Wide IPS viewing angles

Performance

The octa-core MediaTek MT6750 SoC is commonly found on very low-end Android smartphones including the Leagoo Kiicaa Mix, LG K10, and the recent Doogee BL5000. According to Geekbench, multi-core performance is slower than even the budget Snapdragon 430 and comparable to the nearly five-year old Tegra 4. It is at least 3 to 5 times slower than the Exynos 8895 in the Galaxy S8 in terms of raw benchmark performance.

The 3 GB of system RAM is a healthy amount considering the price of the device. Still, we wouldn't mind giving up 1 GB of RAM if it had meant a much faster processor for swifter general operation.

AnTuTu v6 - Total Score
OnePlus 5
177156 Points +320%
Samsung Galaxy S8
171884 Points +307%
Asus ZenFone AR ZS571KL
150228 Points +256%
Sony Xperia XA1
59082 Points +40%
Honor 6X
56764 Points +35%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
47339 Points +12%
Huawei Y7
43303 Points +3%
LG Q6
42718 Points +1%
Bluboo S8
42181 Points
Doogee Shoot 1
39275 Points -7%
PCMark for Android
Work 2.0 battery life
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
669 min
Samsung Galaxy S8
527 min
Computer Vision score
Samsung Galaxy S8
2730 Points +56%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
2024 Points +15%
Bluboo S8
1754 Points
Storage score
Samsung Galaxy S8
4420 Points +28%
Bluboo S8
3445 Points
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
3440 Points 0%
Work 2.0 performance score
OnePlus 5
6579 Points +97%
Asus ZenFone AR ZS571KL
5972 Points +78%
Samsung Galaxy S8
5370 Points +60%
Huawei Y7
3928 Points +17%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
3722 Points +11%
LG Q6
3710 Points +11%
Bluboo S8
3347 Points
Doogee Shoot 1
2249 Points -33%
Sony Xperia XA1
Points -100%
Work performance score
OnePlus 5
7826 Points
Asus ZenFone AR ZS571KL
6318 Points
Samsung Galaxy S8
6035 Points
Huawei Y7
5365 Points
LG Q6
5081 Points
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
4920 Points
Sony Xperia XA1
4759 Points
Honor 6X
4383 Points
Doogee Shoot 1
3653 Points
BaseMark OS II
Web
OnePlus 5
1287 Points +84%
Samsung Galaxy S8
1156 Points +65%
Asus ZenFone AR ZS571KL
985 Points +41%
Sony Xperia XA1
847 Points +21%
Honor 6X
720 Points +3%
Bluboo S8
701 Points
Huawei Y7
606 Points -14%
Doogee Shoot 1
10 Points -99%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
10 Points -99%
LG Q6
10 Points -99%
Graphics
OnePlus 5
6144 Points +854%
Samsung Galaxy S8
6096 Points +847%
Asus ZenFone AR ZS571KL
4649 Points +622%
Sony Xperia XA1
1016 Points +58%
Honor 6X
819 Points +27%
Huawei Y7
768 Points +19%
Bluboo S8
644 Points
LG Q6
591 Points -8%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
533 Points -17%
Doogee Shoot 1
383 Points -41%
Memory
OnePlus 5
4423 Points +354%
Samsung Galaxy S8
3039 Points +212%
Asus ZenFone AR ZS571KL
1948 Points +100%
Honor 6X
1779 Points +83%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
1265 Points +30%
Sony Xperia XA1
1063 Points +9%
Bluboo S8
974 Points
LG Q6
736 Points -24%
Huawei Y7
686 Points -30%
Doogee Shoot 1
558 Points -43%
System
OnePlus 5
5902 Points +199%
Samsung Galaxy S8
5386 Points +173%
Asus ZenFone AR ZS571KL
3220 Points +63%
Sony Xperia XA1
2969 Points +51%
Honor 6X
2721 Points +38%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
2368 Points +20%
Bluboo S8
1971 Points
Huawei Y7
1790 Points -9%
LG Q6
1489 Points -24%
Doogee Shoot 1
1164 Points -41%
Overall
OnePlus 5
3790 Points +293%
Samsung Galaxy S8
3277 Points +240%
Asus ZenFone AR ZS571KL
2315 Points +140%
Honor 6X
1300 Points +35%
Sony Xperia XA1
1284 Points +33%
Bluboo S8
965 Points
Huawei Y7
869 Points -10%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
353 Points -63%
LG Q6
282 Points -71%
Doogee Shoot 1
221 Points -77%
Geekbench 4.4
Compute RenderScript Score
Samsung Galaxy S8
8490 Points +509%
OnePlus 5
8005 Points +475%
Sony Xperia XA1
2747 Points +97%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
2371 Points +70%
Huawei Y7
2235 Points +60%
LG Q6
1840 Points +32%
Bluboo S8
1393 Points
64 Bit Multi-Core Score
OnePlus 5
6799 Points +280%
Samsung Galaxy S8
6711 Points +275%
Asus ZenFone AR ZS571KL
4359 Points +144%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
3777 Points +111%
Sony Xperia XA1
3621 Points +102%
Huawei Y7
2866 Points +60%
LG Q6
2210 Points +23%
Bluboo S8
1790 Points
64 Bit Single-Core Score
Samsung Galaxy S8
1997 Points +231%
OnePlus 5
1973 Points +227%
Asus ZenFone AR ZS571KL
1891 Points +214%
Sony Xperia XA1
828 Points +37%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
736 Points +22%
LG Q6
647 Points +7%
Huawei Y7
645 Points +7%
Bluboo S8
603 Points
3DMark
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited Physics
OnePlus 5
2963 Points
Samsung Galaxy S8
2479 Points
Sony Xperia XA1
1928 Points
Asus ZenFone AR ZS571KL
1864 Points
Honor 6X
1438 Points
Huawei Y7
1352 Points
LG Q6
1028 Points
Doogee Shoot 1
966 Points
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited Graphics
OnePlus 5
4151 Points
Samsung Galaxy S8
3584 Points
Asus ZenFone AR ZS571KL
3099 Points
Sony Xperia XA1
583 Points
Huawei Y7
306 Points
Honor 6X
299 Points
LG Q6
237 Points
Doogee Shoot 1
131 Points
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited
OnePlus 5
3811 Points
Samsung Galaxy S8
3261 Points
Asus ZenFone AR ZS571KL
2701 Points
Sony Xperia XA1
690 Points
Huawei Y7
370 Points
Honor 6X
363 Points
LG Q6
286 Points
Doogee Shoot 1
163 Points
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Unlimited Physics
OnePlus 5
2960 Points +321%
Samsung Galaxy S8
2454 Points +249%
Sony Xperia XA1
1900 Points +170%
Asus ZenFone AR ZS571KL
1788 Points +154%
Honor 6X
1391 Points +98%
Huawei Y7
1382 Points +97%
LG Q6
1002 Points +43%
Doogee Shoot 1
767 Points +9%
Bluboo S8
703 Points
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Unlimited Graphics
OnePlus 5
5077 Points +1043%
Samsung Galaxy S8
4908 Points +1005%
Asus ZenFone AR ZS571KL
4635 Points +944%
Sony Xperia XA1
833 Points +88%
Huawei Y7
542 Points +22%
Honor 6X
477 Points +7%
Bluboo S8
444 Points
LG Q6
425 Points -4%
Doogee Shoot 1
220 Points -50%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Unlimited
OnePlus 5
4381 Points +805%
Samsung Galaxy S8
4016 Points +730%
Asus ZenFone AR ZS571KL
3424 Points +607%
Sony Xperia XA1
978 Points +102%
Huawei Y7
620 Points +28%
Honor 6X
559 Points +15%
Bluboo S8
484 Points
LG Q6
482 Points 0%
Doogee Shoot 1
261 Points -46%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Physics
OnePlus 5
3026 Points +326%
Samsung Galaxy S8
2494 Points +251%
Sony Xperia XA1
1804 Points +154%
Asus ZenFone AR ZS571KL
1787 Points +152%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
1522 Points +114%
Honor 6X
1440 Points +103%
Huawei Y7
1340 Points +89%
LG Q6
1016 Points +43%
Doogee Shoot 1
852 Points +20%
Bluboo S8
710 Points
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Graphics
OnePlus 5
3757 Points +1182%
Samsung Galaxy S8
3472 Points +1085%
Asus ZenFone AR ZS571KL
2767 Points +844%
Sony Xperia XA1
574 Points +96%
Honor 6X
318 Points +9%
Bluboo S8
293 Points
Huawei Y7
281 Points -4%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
199 Points -32%
LG Q6
188 Points -36%
Doogee Shoot 1
141 Points -52%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1)
OnePlus 5
3566 Points +958%
Samsung Galaxy S8
3194 Points +848%
Asus ZenFone AR ZS571KL
2466 Points +632%
Sony Xperia XA1
677 Points +101%
Honor 6X
385 Points +14%
Huawei Y7
341 Points +1%
Bluboo S8
337 Points
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
247 Points -27%
LG Q6
230 Points -32%
Doogee Shoot 1
173 Points -49%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Physics
OnePlus 5
3012 Points +319%
Samsung Galaxy S8
2440 Points +240%
Sony Xperia XA1
1892 Points +164%
Asus ZenFone AR ZS571KL
1721 Points +140%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
1535 Points +114%
Honor 6X
1433 Points +100%
Huawei Y7
1360 Points +89%
LG Q6
995 Points +39%
Doogee Shoot 1
874 Points +22%
Bluboo S8
718 Points
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Graphics
Samsung Galaxy S8
4923 Points +989%
OnePlus 5
4765 Points +954%
Asus ZenFone AR ZS571KL
4354 Points +863%
Sony Xperia XA1
827 Points +83%
Huawei Y7
533 Points +18%
Honor 6X
468 Points +4%
Bluboo S8
452 Points
LG Q6
404 Points -11%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
278 Points -38%
Doogee Shoot 1
218 Points -52%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0
OnePlus 5
4219 Points +756%
Samsung Galaxy S8
4015 Points +714%
Asus ZenFone AR ZS571KL
3249 Points +559%
Sony Xperia XA1
945 Points +92%
Huawei Y7
616 Points +25%
Honor 6X
550 Points +12%
Bluboo S8
493 Points
LG Q6
465 Points -6%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
340 Points -31%
Doogee Shoot 1
282 Points -43%
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Physics
Asus ZenFone AR ZS571KL
22750 Points +284%
Samsung Galaxy S8
21543 Points +264%
OnePlus 5
19411 Points +228%
Sony Xperia XA1
16394 Points +177%
Honor 6X
13535 Points +128%
Honor 6X
13535 Points +128%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
12955 Points +119%
Doogee Shoot 1
9525 Points +61%
Huawei Y7
9345 Points +58%
LG Q6
8983 Points +52%
Bluboo S8
5926 Points
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Graphics Score
OnePlus 5
58001 Points +711%
Samsung Galaxy S8
36347 Points +408%
Asus ZenFone AR ZS571KL
34038 Points +376%
Sony Xperia XA1
13125 Points +83%
Honor 6X
11353 Points +59%
Honor 6X
11353 Points +59%
Huawei Y7
10152 Points +42%
LG Q6
7924 Points +11%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
7456 Points +4%
Bluboo S8
7155 Points
Doogee Shoot 1
6115 Points -15%
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Score
OnePlus 5
40229 Points +488%
Samsung Galaxy S8
31532 Points +361%
Asus ZenFone AR ZS571KL
30658 Points +348%
Sony Xperia XA1
13734 Points +101%
Honor 6X
11775 Points +72%
Honor 6X
11775 Points +72%
Huawei Y7
9961 Points +46%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
8318 Points +22%
LG Q6
8137 Points +19%
Bluboo S8
6840 Points
Doogee Shoot 1
6645 Points -3%
GFXBench
on screen Aztec Ruins High Tier Onscreen
OnePlus 5
16 fps
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
1.1 fps
2560x1440 Aztec Ruins High Tier Offscreen
OnePlus 5
9.8 fps
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
0.63 fps
on screen Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Onscreen
OnePlus 5
26 fps
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
9.5 fps
1920x1080 Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Offscreen
OnePlus 5
26 fps
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
14.2 fps
on screen Car Chase Onscreen
OnePlus 5
25 fps
Samsung Galaxy S8
13 fps
Asus ZenFone AR ZS571KL
11 fps
Sony Xperia XA1
7.9 fps
Huawei Y7
5.9 fps
Honor 6X
3 fps
LG Q6
2.1 fps
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
1.9 fps
1920x1080 Car Chase Offscreen
OnePlus 5
25 fps
Samsung Galaxy S8
25 fps
Asus ZenFone AR ZS571KL
19 fps
Sony Xperia XA1
3.7 fps
Honor 6X
2.8 fps
Huawei Y7
2.7 fps
LG Q6
2.2 fps
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
1.9 fps
Lightmark - 1920x1080 1080p
Samsung Galaxy S8
30.64 fps +858%
Sony Xperia XA1
4.88 fps +53%
Bluboo S8
3.2 fps
Basemark X 1.1
High Quality
Samsung Galaxy S8
42183 Points +603%
Sony Xperia XA1
9655 Points +61%
Bluboo S8
6004 Points
Medium Quality
Samsung Galaxy S8
43852 Points +237%
Sony Xperia XA1
18345 Points +41%
Bluboo S8
13009 Points
Epic Citadel
Ultra High Quality
Samsung Galaxy S8
59.8 fps +67%
Sony Xperia XA1
57.8 fps +61%
Bluboo S8
35.8 fps
High Quality
Bluboo S8
48.2 fps
High Performance
Bluboo S8
49.6 fps

Legend

 
Bluboo S8 Mediatek MT6750, ARM Mali-T860 MP2, 32 GB eMMC Flash
 
Samsung Galaxy S8 Samsung Exynos 8895 Octa, ARM Mali-G71 MP20, 64 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
 
Asus ZenFone AR ZS571KL Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 MSM8996 Pro, Qualcomm Adreno 530, 128 GB UFS 2.0 Flash
 
Huawei Y7 Qualcomm Snapdragon 435, Qualcomm Adreno 505, 16 GB eMMC Flash
 
LG Q6 Qualcomm Snapdragon 435, Qualcomm Adreno 505, 32 GB eMMC Flash
 
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017 Samsung Exynos 7870 Octa, ARM Mali-T830 MP1, 16 GB eMMC Flash
 
OnePlus 5 Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 (8998), Qualcomm Adreno 540, 64 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
 
Sony Xperia XA1 Mediatek Helio P20 (LP4) MT6757, ARM Mali-T880 MP2, 32 GB eMMC Flash
 
Doogee Shoot 1 Mediatek MT6737T, ARM Mali-T720 MP2, 16 GB eMMC Flash
 
Honor 6X HiSilicon Kirin 655, ARM Mali-T830 MP2, 32 GB eMMC Flash

Browser-based benchmarks like Jetstream, Octane, and WebXPRT rank the Bluboo S8 near the bottom of the barrel. The MediaTek MT6750 processor and integrated GPU are outclassed by budget-mainstream offerings like the Honor 6X or Sony Xperia XA1 powered by low-end Kirin and Helio SoCs, respectively.

JetStream 1.1 - Total Score
OnePlus 5
71.6 Points +279%
Samsung Galaxy S8
65.8 Points +249%
Asus ZenFone AR ZS571KL
56.9 Points +201%
Sony Xperia XA1
28.45 Points +51%
Honor 6X
26.46 Points +40%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
25.97 Points +38%
Doogee Shoot 1
20.78 Points +10%
Huawei Y7
20.6 Points +9%
Bluboo S8
18.88 Points
LG Q6
16.53 Points -12%
Octane V2 - Total Score
Samsung Galaxy S8
12941 Points +304%
OnePlus 5
11945 Points +273%
Asus ZenFone AR ZS571KL
9863 Points +208%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
4560 Points +43%
Honor 6X
4199 Points +31%
Sony Xperia XA1
3956 Points +24%
Doogee Shoot 1
3389 Points +6%
Huawei Y7
3209 Points 0%
Bluboo S8
3200 Points
LG Q6
2689 Points -16%
Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total
Bluboo S8
14150 ms *
LG Q6
13102 ms * +7%
Doogee Shoot 1
11058 ms * +22%
Huawei Y7
11007 ms * +22%
Sony Xperia XA1
9506 ms * +33%
Honor 6X
9373 ms * +34%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
6821 ms * +52%
OnePlus 5
2622 ms * +81%
Asus ZenFone AR ZS571KL
2423 ms * +83%
Samsung Galaxy S8
1887 ms * +87%
WebXPRT 2015 - Overall
Samsung Galaxy S8
194 Points +181%
OnePlus 5
161 Points +133%
Asus ZenFone AR ZS571KL
142 Points +106%
Sony Xperia XA1
78 Points +13%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
75 Points +9%
Honor 6X
73 Points +6%
Bluboo S8
69 Points
LG Q6
55 Points -20%
Huawei Y7
44 Points -36%

* ... smaller is better

Storage Devices

The 32 GB SSD returns average sequential transfer rates according to AndroBench. Sequential write rate, while still slow, is at least faster than on the latest Galaxy J7. Smartphones with UFS storage will easily run laps around the eMMC storage of the Bluboo S8.

Bluboo S8
32 GB eMMC Flash
Samsung Galaxy S8
64 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
Asus ZenFone AR ZS571KL
128 GB UFS 2.0 Flash
Huawei Y7
16 GB eMMC Flash
LG Q6
32 GB eMMC Flash
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
16 GB eMMC Flash
AndroBench 3-5
95%
52%
-17%
18%
-16%
Sequential Write 256KB SDCard
55.9
53.5
-4%
62.6
12%
62.6
12%
62.6
12%
63.9
14%
Sequential Read 256KB SDCard
75.9
63.9
-16%
83.4
10%
82.5
9%
84.8
12%
76.1
0%
Random Write 4KB
12.37
15.25
23%
13.51
9%
6.9
-44%
9.2
-26%
10.54
-15%
Random Read 4KB
38.24
127.2
233%
88.4
131%
53.2
39%
54.3
42%
25.86
-32%
Sequential Write 256KB
77.6
193.2
149%
142.8
84%
33.2
-57%
133.5
72%
53
-32%
Sequential Read 256KB
281
793
182%
458.9
63%
119.4
-58%
263.1
-6%
198.5
-29%

Gaming

3DMark Ice Storm scores are similar to the Qualcomm Adreno 505 as found on budget phones like the LG Q6, Nokia 5, and Xiaomi Redmi 4X. Asphalt 8 runs smoothly on the Bluboo S8 as well as 720p Youtube videos to fit the native resolution of the display. Local 1080p H.264 video files play without noticeable frame skips even if the picture quality is not as crisp as we would like.

Ice Storm
Ice Storm
Asphalt 8
Asphalt 8

Emissions

Temperature

Surface temperatures are generally flat when idling on both sides of the device. Like most smartphones, the top half will become warmer after extended use since the battery occupies nearly the entire bottom half. The area closest to the MediaTek SoC can become as warm as 42 C compared to just 37 C on the Galaxy S8. Fortunately, the Bluboo never becomes uncomfortably warm during browsing loads.

Idle (front)
Idle (front)
Idle (back)
Idle (back)
Maximum load (front)
Maximum load (front)
Maximum load (back)
Maximum load (back)
Max. Load
 41.4 °C
107 F
34.4 °C
94 F
31.6 °C
89 F
 
 39 °C
102 F
33 °C
91 F
32.2 °C
90 F
 
 37 °C
99 F
34.4 °C
94 F
31.2 °C
88 F
 
Maximum: 41.4 °C = 107 F
Average: 34.9 °C = 95 F
32.8 °C
91 F
34.6 °C
94 F
46.4 °C
116 F
33 °C
91 F
34.2 °C
94 F
42.4 °C
108 F
32.8 °C
91 F
34 °C
93 F
38.2 °C
101 F
Maximum: 46.4 °C = 116 F
Average: 36.5 °C = 98 F
Room Temperature 21 °C = 70 F | Fluke 62 Mini IR Thermometer
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 34.9 °C / 95 F, compared to the average of 32.7 °C / 91 F for the devices in the class Smartphone.
(±) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 41.4 °C / 107 F, compared to the average of 35 °C / 95 F, ranging from 21.9 to 56 °C for the class Smartphone.
(-) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 46.4 °C / 116 F, compared to the average of 33.8 °C / 93 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 28.2 °C / 83 F, compared to the device average of 32.7 °C / 91 F.

Speakers

The speakerphone is lacking in bass and overemphasizes treble as shown by our pink graph below. Sound quality is tinny as a result and volume could have been louder for outdoor use. The phone does not rattle if on higher volume settings.

Strangely, the speaker exhibits recurring static noises from time to time even when on mute. It's very low in volume, but the mere presence of static suggests imperfect wiring or interference surrounding the speaker.

Bluboo S8 (Red: Background, Pink: Pink noise)
Bluboo S8 (Red: Background, Pink: Pink noise)
Leagoo Kiicaa Mix
Leagoo Kiicaa Mix
Samsung Notebook 9 NP900X3N
Samsung Notebook 9 NP900X3N
dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs203635.52534.134.43132.633.74033.632.45031.233.96330.931.88031.230.710030.629.612528.829.116027.828.720027.727.825026.728.231525.83440025.540.750025.347.263024.553.280024.359.6100024.567.6125024.474.4160023.974.2200023.671.1250023.873.1315023.472.1400023.677.4500023.478630023.567.6800023.664.31000023.660.31250023.5571600023.653.4SPL36.184.8N2.651.9median 24.3median 59.6Delta1.416.135.335.132.931.831.83236.535.132.428.93328.936.328.848.32761.52752.924.860.92462.822.763.32269.521.267.82174.82075.919.472.718.97117.770.117.86917.671.817.668.117.671.417.673.717.670.417.571.617.671.617.669.617.459.717.583.630.662.51.5median 69.6median 17.84.72.4hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseBluboo S8Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Bluboo S8 audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (77.9 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 30% lower than median
(+) | bass is linear (4.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 10.8% higher than median
(-) | mids are not linear (15.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 10.8% higher than median
(±) | linearity of highs is average (10.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(-) | overall sound is not linear (43.5% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 84% of all tested devices in this class were better, 0% similar, 15% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 94% of all tested devices were better, 0% similar, 5% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (83.6 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 11.3% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (14.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 2.4% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (5.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (4.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (10.2% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 5% of all tested devices in this class were better, 2% similar, 93% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 19%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 3% of all tested devices were better, 1% similar, 96% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Frequency Comparison (Checkbox selectable!)
Graph 1: Pink Noise 100% Vol.; Graph 2: Audio off

Energy Management

Power Consumption

The Bluboo smartphone is not as efficient as a handful of other 5.5-inch and 5.7-inch alternatives including the Huawei Y7. When idling, the Bluboo will draw anywhere from 1.5 W to 2.5 W compared to roughly 0.5 W to 1.5 W on the Huawei Y7 or Samsung Galaxy S8. Perhaps unexpectedly, the Bluboo S8 is more demanding than the Galaxy S8 when under similar average loads. The poorer efficiency of the Bluboo model is in line with its shorter runtimes as well as shown in our next section.

Power consumption values for maximum load is lower than average load possibly due to throttling of the SoC when subjected to Stability Test stress.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.99 / 1.14 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 1.6 / 2.4 / 2.5 Watt
Load midlight 6.5 / 4 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Metrahit Energy
Currently we use the Metrahit Energy, a professional single phase power quality and energy measurement digital multimeter, for our measurements. Find out more about it here. All of our test methods can be found here.
Bluboo S8
MT6750, Mali-T860 MP2, 32 GB eMMC Flash, IPS, 1440x720, 5.70
Samsung Galaxy S8
Exynos 8895, Mali-G71 MP20, 64 GB UFS 2.1 Flash, Super AMOLED, 2960x1440, 5.80
Asus ZenFone AR ZS571KL
SD 821, Adreno 530, 128 GB UFS 2.0 Flash, Super AMOLED, 2560x1440, 5.70
Huawei Y7
435, Adreno 505, 16 GB eMMC Flash, IPS, 1280x720, 5.50
LG Q6
435, Adreno 505, 32 GB eMMC Flash, IPS, 2160x1080, 5.50
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
7870 Octa, Mali-T830 MP1, 16 GB eMMC Flash, Super AMOLED, 1920x1080, 5.50
Power Consumption
33%
2%
35%
22%
56%
Idle Minimum *
1.6
0.78
51%
0.88
45%
0.57
64%
0.92
42%
0.39
76%
Idle Average *
2.4
1.1
54%
1.24
48%
1.61
33%
2.19
9%
1.06
56%
Idle Maximum *
2.5
1.16
54%
1.26
50%
1.62
35%
2.24
10%
1.08
57%
Load Average *
6.5
4.15
36%
7.71
-19%
3.09
52%
3.38
48%
1.82
72%
Load Maximum *
4
5.12
-28%
8.64
-116%
4.26
-7%
4
-0%
3.21
20%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

The non-removable 3450 mAh battery is larger in capacity than the 3000 mAh battery in the proper Galaxy S8. Even after taking into the account the slower MediaTek processor in the Bluboo S8, battery life is still significantly shorter than on the Samsung flagship. Constant WLAN use will last about 6.5 hours on the Bluboo smartphone compared to almost 12 hours on the Samsung under similar brightness settings and conditions.

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
17h 49min
WiFi Websurfing
6h 30min
Load (maximum brightness)
4h 15min
Bluboo S8
MT6750, Mali-T860 MP2,  Wh
Samsung Galaxy S8
Exynos 8895, Mali-G71 MP20,  Wh
Asus ZenFone AR ZS571KL
SD 821, Adreno 530,  Wh
Huawei Y7
435, Adreno 505, 15.2 Wh
LG Q6
435, Adreno 505, 10.5 Wh
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
7870 Octa, Mali-T830 MP1,  Wh
Battery Runtime
48%
13%
74%
18%
107%
Reader / Idle
1069
1667
56%
1476
38%
1914
79%
1367
28%
1950
82%
WiFi v1.3
390
719
84%
444
14%
716
84%
502
29%
904
132%
Load
255
264
4%
221
-13%
402
58%
251
-2%
525
106%

Pros

+ USB Type-C to 3.5 mm adapter included
+ USB Type-C + dual-SIM w/ MicroSD
+ very bright display backlight
+ solid and weighty chassis
+ inexpensive

Cons

- slow display response times; lots of ghosting
- slow processor and performance
- unreliable fingerprint reader
- no integrated 3.5 mm audio
- inoperable telephone app
- vibration tends to clatter
- speaker could be louder
- poor camera quality
- average battery life
- inaccurate colors

Verdict

In review: Bluboo S8. Test unit provided by Bluboo
In review: Bluboo S8. Test unit provided by Bluboo

The Bluboo S8 looks great, feels good to hold, and has a surprisingly bright 18:9 display. Everything else is simply lukewarm at best or not even functional at worst.

For starters, North American users should be aware that the Bluboo S8 does not carry the necessary 3G or 4G radios for compatibility with major providers. Second, the telephone app would crash on our unit even after updating to the latest software version. Vibration is weak, colors are off, the fingerprint reader takes several tries, camera quality is grainy, there is static from the speaker seemingly at random intervals, and the lack of an audio jack feels insulting especially when the core basics are such a failure. Perhaps we simply received a faulty unit, but at the same time, this certainly reflects poorly upon Bluboo's quality assurance standards and longevity of the device.

A Galaxy S8 clone on the surface, but an ultra-budget phone within. We don't expect much from a smartphone for under $150 USD except for functional basics, but the Bluboo S8 can't even get calling or speakerphone to work reliably.

Bluboo S8 - 11/16/2017 v6(old)
Allen Ngo

Chassis
73%
Keyboard
65 / 75 → 87%
Pointing Device
84%
Connectivity
21 / 60 → 35%
Weight
88%
Battery
89%
Display
76%
Games Performance
20 / 63 → 32%
Application Performance
37 / 70 → 53%
Temperature
88%
Noise
100%
Audio
30 / 91 → 33%
Camera
32%
Average
62%
73%
Smartphone - Weighted Average

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Allen Ngo, 2017-11-16 (Update: 2019-03-31)