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Bluboo Xtouch Smartphone Review

Attractive and inexpensive. It's no secret that budget smartphones tend to looks dated and cheap. The Blueboo Xtouch, however, is one of the best-looking smartphones we've seen for under $180. Is there a catch to this 5-inch 1080p offering?

The Bluboo Xtouch promises a lot of lucrative features for the relatively low price point of $180. 5-inch 1080p display, 3 GB RAM, CNC frame, octa-core processor, fingerprint reader, and 802.11ac compatibility are just some of the listed features.

The specifications always look good on paper. Thus, we're here to find out what corners have inevitably been cut in order to meet the low price tag and to compare the smartphone against competing 5-inch mainstream offerings.

Bluboo Xtouch
Processor
Mediatek MT6753 8 x 1.5 GHz, Cortex-A53
Graphics adapter
Memory
3 GB 
, LPDDR3
Display
5.00 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel, 5-point capacitive, IPS, glossy: yes
Storage
32 GB eMMC Flash, 32 GB 
Connections
1 USB 2.0, Audio Connections: 3.5 mm, Card Reader: MicroSD reader, 1 Fingerprint Reader, Sensors: Accelerometer, Ambient light, Magnetometer, Proximity
Networking
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth Yes, 2G: GSM 850/900/1800/1900MHz, 3G: WCDMA 850/900/2100MHz, 4G: FDD-LTE 800/1800/2100/2600MHz
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 7.5 x 143 x 71 ( = 0.3 x 5.63 x 2.8 in)
Battery
Lithium-Polymer, 3050 mAh
Operating System
Android 5.1 Lollipop
Camera
Webcam: Rear: 13 MP, Front: 8 MP
Additional features
Speakers: Monaural, Power adapter, Micro-USB cable, Quick Start guide, 12 Months Warranty
Weight
158 g ( = 5.57 oz / 0.35 pounds) ( = 0 oz / 0 pounds)
Price
170 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case

Bluboo has designed one of the better-looking smartphones in the <$200 USD range. The Gorilla Glass 3 front, reflective metal frame and edges, and glossy plastic back come together very well to give the Xtouch a classy look. Construction quality is also very good as the unit can be twisted just marginally. It is not a uni-body chassis, however, unlike on the iPhone 6 series. Pressing down on the center of the non-removable back cover produces just slight warping. Fingerprints accumulate very quickly due to the glossy and texture-less features of the phone.

The Xtouch is advertised as being just 5.5 mm thick. This is only half-true as the edges are slanted, so its true thickness on the center of the smartphone is closer to 7.5 mm. Even so, the Xtouch is thinner than many of its competitors including the Ulefone Paris, Huawei P8 Lite, and Galaxy J5. The dedicated Android buttons below the screen increase the length of the smartphone just slightly.

146 mm / 5.75 inch 71 mm / 2.8 inch 7.3 mm / 0.2874 inch 143 g0.3153 lbs144.5 mm / 5.69 inch 71.7 mm / 2.82 inch 8 mm / 0.315 inch 125 g0.2756 lbs143 mm / 5.63 inch 70.6 mm / 2.78 inch 7.7 mm / 0.3031 inch 133 g0.2932 lbs143 mm / 5.63 inch 71 mm / 2.8 inch 7.5 mm / 0.2953 inch 158 g0.3483 lbs142.1 mm / 5.59 inch 71.8 mm / 2.83 inch 7.9 mm / 0.311 inch 147 g0.3241 lbs139.7 mm / 5.5 inch 69.8 mm / 2.75 inch 10.2 mm / 0.4016 inch 136 g0.2998 lbs140.2 mm / 5.52 inch 71.5 mm / 2.81 inch 9.3 mm / 0.3661 inch 145 g0.3197 lbs141.2 mm / 5.56 inch 70.2 mm / 2.76 inch 7.9 mm / 0.311 inch 119 g0.2624 lbs148 mm / 5.83 inch 105 mm / 4.13 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 1.5 g0.00331 lbs

Connectivity

Available ports are the usual 3.5 mm audio jack and Micro-USB 2.0 port for charging and data transfer. USB OTG is supported as our connected mice and keyboards work without issues. More advanced features like MHL are not supported. The MicroSD and Micro-SIM slots are flushed on the left edge since the back is not removable.

Right: Power button, Volume rocker
Right: Power button, Volume rocker
Top: 3.5 mm audio jack
Top: 3.5 mm audio jack
Left: Micro-SIM and MicroSD tray
Left: Micro-SIM and MicroSD tray
Bottom: Micro-USB port
Bottom: Micro-USB port

Communication & GPS

The Xtouch is one of the few budget smartphones to be compatible with dual-band 802.11ac networks. We had no connectivity or dropout issues during our time with the smartphone. Signal remains strong and very stable up to until the 20 meter mark where signal strength fluctuates between -80 dBm and -70 dBm. Nonetheless, we were able to browse online without any sudden interruptions.

The integrated GPS/GLONASS is not as accurate as our dedicated Garmin standard. A short path taken on city roads shows that the Xtouch does not accurately portray sharp turns, such as those made at intersections whilst driving. Nonetheless, signal quality is good enough for driving purposes and only average for off-road trails.

1 m from source
1 m from source
~10 m from source
~10 m from source
~20 m from source
~20 m from source
Garmin Edge 500 (standard)
Garmin Edge 500 (standard)
Xtouch GPS
Xtouch GPS

Telephone & Voice Quality

SIM tray is finicky to use
SIM tray is finicky to use

Both GSM and WCDMA standard are supported. FDD-LTE is also supported, but its compatible bands (800/1800/2100/2600 MHz) are not used by major carriers in the United States. Thus, 4G is not guaranteed for U.S. users. There is no Wi-Fi calling either as found on a number of higher-end smartphones or a few mainstream ones like the Sharp Crystal.

We were able to make calls through T-Mobile without any problems. Sound quality is acceptable, but users may want to turn up the volume if outdoors since it is a bit on the soft side. Callers on the other end claimed that volume was a bit soft from the Xtouch as well.

The removable tray is able to hold two Micro-SIM cards and a single MicroSD card. However, placing these cards on the tray itself is made difficult as there is no latch or recess to hold the items in place.

Cameras & Multimedia

The rear 13 MP camera uses the same Sony Exmor IMX214 CMOS sensor as the Nexus 6 and OnePlus One. Otherwise, the built-in LED Flash, f/2.0 aperture, and OIS (optimal image stabilization) features are standard fare. The generic Android camera application does not carry other notable features.

Camera quality is good considering the price of the Xtouch. Images are acceptably crisp with no major purple fringing to be found. Colors, however, are slightly off and with a green tint that isn't found on other mainstream smartphones.

Video quality is limited to 1080p maximum. Interestingly, frame rate is only up to 12 FPS if recording at the maximum resolution, so video recording is poor for fast-moving objects as there will be heavy blur.

Bluboo Xtouch
Bluboo Xtouch
Canon EOS Rebel XSi
Canon EOS Rebel XSi
LG G2
LG G2

Input Devices

Touchscreen

The 5-point capacitive touchscreen is as precise and accurate around the edges and corners as it is towards the center. Inputs with the onscreen keyboard respond swiftly and with no latency issues, which is not common on cheap smartphones. Even very light taps are recognized without any problems whereas we had to tap more aggressively on the screen of the less expensive Bluboo Xfire. Haptic feedback, however, is a bit on the weak side and could have been stronger.

While touchscreen responsiveness is very good, the Home button is much too soft with very little travel and tactile feedback. It feels almost broken on our model and could have benefited from a redesign. Otherwise, its built-in fingerprint sensor is very fast (up to 1 to 2 seconds at most) and works reliably to lock the smartphone.

Meanwhile, the soft-touch Tabs and Back buttons surrounding the hard Home button are lit Blue when active. Bluboo has taken the Samsung approach by having the Back button to the right of the Home button instead of the left.

Display

Subpixel array
Subpixel array

The Xtouch offers a 1080p screen for a high pixel density of 441 PPI. The 2.5D edge-to-edge protective glass is slightly curved around the edges and corners and is likely only aesthetic as the screen itself is still flat. Contrast is only average and backlight brightness is below average as most competing budget and mainstream smartphones can be much brighter. Bluboo advertises the Xtouch with a brightness of 450 nits, a contrast of 1000:1, and a gamut coverage of 95 percent NTSC. None of our measurements come close to these claims.

Subjectively, display quality is sharper than on 720p smartphones and 1080p video playback is very good with acceptable black levels, but colors are not as impressive and images do not pop.

268.9
cd/m²
275.4
cd/m²
267
cd/m²
267.1
cd/m²
275.3
cd/m²
268.4
cd/m²
269.1
cd/m²
280
cd/m²
267.5
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
tested with X-Rite i1Pro Basic 2
Maximum: 280 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 271 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 95 %
Center on Battery: 275.3 cd/m²
Contrast: 630:1 (Black: 0.437 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 7.61 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 7.28 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
Gamma: 1.97
Bluboo Xtouch
5.00, 1920x1080
Ulefone Paris
5.00, 1280x720
Motorola Moto G 3. Gen 2015 XT1541
5.00, 1280x720
HTC One A9
5.00, 1920x1080
Samsung Galaxy J5
5.00, 1280x720
LG G4c
5.00, 1280x720
Doogee Nova Y100X
5.00, 1280x720
Screen
54%
32%
41%
26%
27%
-2%
Brightness middle
275.3
436.4
59%
418
52%
346
26%
349
27%
480
74%
387.9
41%
Brightness
271
424
56%
407
50%
349
29%
353
30%
464
71%
390
44%
Brightness Distribution
95
93
-2%
95
0%
93
-2%
93
-2%
92
-3%
91
-4%
Black Level *
0.437
0.253
42%
0.49
-12%
0.49
-12%
0.583
-33%
Contrast
630
1725
174%
853
35%
980
56%
665
6%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
7.61
5.32
30%
3.92
48%
1.55
80%
5.22
31%
8.13
-7%
9.91
-30%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
7.28
5.8
20%
3.81
48%
2.05
72%
3.96
46%
6.73
8%
10.04
-38%
Gamma
1.97 112%
2.01 109%
2.27 97%
2.15 102%
2.08 106%
2.69 82%
2.53 87%
CCT
8414 77%
6369 102%
7361 88%
6267 104%
7308 89%
7727 84%
10336 63%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
70.038

* ... smaller is better

Quick measurements with an X-Rite spectrophotometer confirm our color suspicions as grayscale and saturation are very poor. Competing mainstream models like the Motorola Moto G 3 and Samsung Galaxy J5 have more accurate colors and grayscale in comparison. Color temperature is also much too cool. Even the Ulefone Paris produces more accurate colors on its brighter screen. These signs are red flags for a budget smartphone as is the case with the Bluboo Xtouch.

Grayscale
Grayscale
Saturation Sweeps
Saturation Sweeps
ColorChecker
ColorChecker

Outdoor usability is average when under shade and on maximum display brightness. Otherwise, the backlight is not powerful enough to overcome direct sunlight. The screen becomes washed out even on brighter days and glare will quickly become an obstacle.

The now standard IPS panel helps in reducing glare by providing wide viewing angles. Colors do not shift dramatically and contrast only suffers marginally if viewing from extreme angles.

Outdoors under shade
Outdoors under shade
Outdoors under direct sunlight
Outdoors under direct sunlight
Wide IPS viewing angles
Wide IPS viewing angles

Performance

The octa-core MediaTek MT6753 is a mid-range processor that's just slightly below the Snapdragon 615 in the Moto X Play. The SoC shouldn't be confused with the MT6735, which is much weaker and found on cheaper smartphones like the Bluboo Xfire. The MT6753 can idle at just 300 MHz with seven of the eight cores disabled. Otherwise, all eight cores are able to operate up to 1.3 GHz simultaneously if the app demands it.

System RAM is quite generous at 3 GB LPDDR3 considering the price of the Xtouch. This is more than most mainstream smartphones and matches many flagship models from major manufacturers. We are able to multi-task and open multiple applications without significantly slowing down the device.

AnTuTu v5 - Total Score (sort by value)
Bluboo Xtouch
Mali-T720 MP2, MT6753, 32 GB eMMC Flash
34595 Points
Asus Zenfone 2 ZE551ML
PowerVR G6430, Z3560, 32 GB eMMC Flash
42247 Points +22%
HTC One A9
Adreno 405, 617 MSM8952, 16 GB eMMC Flash
40780 Points +18%
Ulefone Paris
Mali-T720 MP2, MT6735, 16 GB eMMC Flash
31538 Points -9%
Motorola Moto X Play
Adreno 405, 615 MSM8939, 16 GB eMMC Flash
29699 Points -14%
Bluboo Xfire
Mali-T720, MT6735, 8 GB eMMC Flash
19740 Points -43%
PCMark for Android
Computer Vision score (sort by value)
Motorola Moto X Play
Adreno 405, 615 MSM8939, 16 GB eMMC Flash
1756 Points
Storage score (sort by value)
Motorola Moto X Play
Adreno 405, 615 MSM8939, 16 GB eMMC Flash
3900 Points
Work 2.0 performance score (sort by value)
Motorola Moto X Play
Adreno 405, 615 MSM8939, 16 GB eMMC Flash
3293 Points
Work performance score (sort by value)
Bluboo Xtouch
Mali-T720 MP2, MT6753, 32 GB eMMC Flash
3494 Points
Asus Zenfone 2 ZE551ML
PowerVR G6430, Z3560, 32 GB eMMC Flash
5083 Points +45%
HTC One A9
Adreno 405, 617 MSM8952, 16 GB eMMC Flash
4293 Points +23%
Ulefone Paris
Mali-T720 MP2, MT6735, 16 GB eMMC Flash
3683 Points +5%
Motorola Moto X Play
Adreno 405, 615 MSM8939, 16 GB eMMC Flash
3589 Points +3%
Bluboo Xfire
Mali-T720, MT6735, 8 GB eMMC Flash
2479 Points -29%
Geekbench 3
64 Bit Multi-Core Score (sort by value)
Bluboo Xtouch
Mali-T720 MP2, MT6753, 32 GB eMMC Flash
2824 Points
Asus Zenfone 2 ZE551ML
PowerVR G6430, Z3560, 32 GB eMMC Flash
2373 Points -16%
HTC One A9
Adreno 405, 617 MSM8952, 16 GB eMMC Flash
3032 Points +7%
Ulefone Paris
Mali-T720 MP2, MT6735, 16 GB eMMC Flash
2533 Points -10%
Motorola Moto X Play
Adreno 405, 615 MSM8939, 16 GB eMMC Flash
2558 Points -9%
Bluboo Xfire
Mali-T720, MT6735, 8 GB eMMC Flash
1311 Points -54%
64 Bit Single-Core Score (sort by value)
Bluboo Xtouch
Mali-T720 MP2, MT6753, 32 GB eMMC Flash
623 Points
Asus Zenfone 2 ZE551ML
PowerVR G6430, Z3560, 32 GB eMMC Flash
757 Points +22%
HTC One A9
Adreno 405, 617 MSM8952, 16 GB eMMC Flash
747 Points +20%
Ulefone Paris
Mali-T720 MP2, MT6735, 16 GB eMMC Flash
622 Points 0%
Motorola Moto X Play
Adreno 405, 615 MSM8939, 16 GB eMMC Flash
717 Points +15%
Bluboo Xfire
Mali-T720, MT6735, 8 GB eMMC Flash
476 Points -24%
3DMark
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Physics (sort by value)
HTC One A9
Adreno 405, 617 MSM8952, 16 GB eMMC Flash
1060 Points
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Graphics (sort by value)
HTC One A9
Adreno 405, 617 MSM8952, 16 GB eMMC Flash
326 Points
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) (sort by value)
HTC One A9
Adreno 405, 617 MSM8952, 16 GB eMMC Flash
385 Points
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Physics (sort by value)
HTC One A9
Adreno 405, 617 MSM8952, 16 GB eMMC Flash
1051 Points
Motorola Moto X Play
Adreno 405, 615 MSM8939, 16 GB eMMC Flash
974 Points
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Graphics (sort by value)
HTC One A9
Adreno 405, 617 MSM8952, 16 GB eMMC Flash
618 Points
Motorola Moto X Play
Adreno 405, 615 MSM8939, 16 GB eMMC Flash
178 Points
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 (sort by value)
HTC One A9
Adreno 405, 617 MSM8952, 16 GB eMMC Flash
680 Points
Motorola Moto X Play
Adreno 405, 615 MSM8939, 16 GB eMMC Flash
218 Points
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Physics (sort by value)
Bluboo Xtouch
Mali-T720 MP2, MT6753, 32 GB eMMC Flash
10540 Points
Asus Zenfone 2 ZE551ML
PowerVR G6430, Z3560, 32 GB eMMC Flash
16550 Points +57%
HTC One A9
Adreno 405, 617 MSM8952, 16 GB eMMC Flash
9423 Points -11%
Ulefone Paris
Mali-T720 MP2, MT6735, 16 GB eMMC Flash
6220 Points -41%
Motorola Moto X Play
Adreno 405, 615 MSM8939, 16 GB eMMC Flash
6839 Points -35%
Bluboo Xfire
Mali-T720, MT6735, 8 GB eMMC Flash
7313 Points -31%
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Graphics Score (sort by value)
Bluboo Xtouch
Mali-T720 MP2, MT6753, 32 GB eMMC Flash
6183 Points
Asus Zenfone 2 ZE551ML
PowerVR G6430, Z3560, 32 GB eMMC Flash
14270 Points +131%
HTC One A9
Adreno 405, 617 MSM8952, 16 GB eMMC Flash
9015 Points +46%
Ulefone Paris
Mali-T720 MP2, MT6735, 16 GB eMMC Flash
4527 Points -27%
Motorola Moto X Play
Adreno 405, 615 MSM8939, 16 GB eMMC Flash
7796 Points +26%
Bluboo Xfire
Mali-T720, MT6735, 8 GB eMMC Flash
2192 Points -65%
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Score (sort by value)
Bluboo Xtouch
Mali-T720 MP2, MT6753, 32 GB eMMC Flash
6808 Points
Asus Zenfone 2 ZE551ML
PowerVR G6430, Z3560, 32 GB eMMC Flash
14721 Points +116%
HTC One A9
Adreno 405, 617 MSM8952, 16 GB eMMC Flash
9163 Points +35%
Ulefone Paris
Mali-T720 MP2, MT6735, 16 GB eMMC Flash
4818 Points -29%
Motorola Moto X Play
Adreno 405, 615 MSM8939, 16 GB eMMC Flash
7561 Points +11%
Bluboo Xfire
Mali-T720, MT6735, 8 GB eMMC Flash
2596 Points -62%
1920x1080 Ice Storm Extreme Physics (sort by value)
Bluboo Xtouch
Mali-T720 MP2, MT6753, 32 GB eMMC Flash
6137 Points
Asus Zenfone 2 ZE551ML
PowerVR G6430, Z3560, 32 GB eMMC Flash
7530 Points +23%
HTC One A9
Adreno 405, 617 MSM8952, 16 GB eMMC Flash
8761 Points +43%
Ulefone Paris
Mali-T720 MP2, MT6735, 16 GB eMMC Flash
8440 Points +38%
Motorola Moto X Play
Adreno 405, 615 MSM8939, 16 GB eMMC Flash
6841 Points +11%
Bluboo Xfire
Mali-T720, MT6735, 8 GB eMMC Flash
6554 Points +7%
1920x1080 Ice Storm Extreme Graphics (sort by value)
Bluboo Xtouch
Mali-T720 MP2, MT6753, 32 GB eMMC Flash
3783 Points
Asus Zenfone 2 ZE551ML
PowerVR G6430, Z3560, 32 GB eMMC Flash
7875 Points +108%
HTC One A9
Adreno 405, 617 MSM8952, 16 GB eMMC Flash
4969 Points +31%
Ulefone Paris
Mali-T720 MP2, MT6735, 16 GB eMMC Flash
2646 Points -30%
Motorola Moto X Play
Adreno 405, 615 MSM8939, 16 GB eMMC Flash
5082 Points +34%
Bluboo Xfire
Mali-T720, MT6735, 8 GB eMMC Flash
1375 Points -64%
1920x1080 Ice Storm Extreme Score (sort by value)
Bluboo Xtouch
Mali-T720 MP2, MT6753, 32 GB eMMC Flash
4136 Points
Asus Zenfone 2 ZE551ML
PowerVR G6430, Z3560, 32 GB eMMC Flash
7796 Points +88%
HTC One A9
Adreno 405, 617 MSM8952, 16 GB eMMC Flash
5498 Points +33%
Ulefone Paris
Mali-T720 MP2, MT6735, 16 GB eMMC Flash
3122 Points -25%
Motorola Moto X Play
Adreno 405, 615 MSM8939, 16 GB eMMC Flash
5390 Points +30%
Bluboo Xfire
Mali-T720, MT6735, 8 GB eMMC Flash
1668 Points -60%
1280x720 Ice Storm Standard Physics (sort by value)
Bluboo Xtouch
Mali-T720 MP2, MT6753, 32 GB eMMC Flash
6168 Points
HTC One A9
Adreno 405, 617 MSM8952, 16 GB eMMC Flash
8656 Points +40%
Ulefone Paris
Mali-T720 MP2, MT6735, 16 GB eMMC Flash
4569 Points -26%
Motorola Moto X Play
Adreno 405, 615 MSM8939, 16 GB eMMC Flash
6799 Points +10%
Bluboo Xfire
Mali-T720, MT6735, 8 GB eMMC Flash
6556 Points +6%
1280x720 Ice Storm Standard Graphics (sort by value)
Bluboo Xtouch
Mali-T720 MP2, MT6753, 32 GB eMMC Flash
6673 Points
HTC One A9
Adreno 405, 617 MSM8952, 16 GB eMMC Flash
9962 Points +49%
Ulefone Paris
Mali-T720 MP2, MT6735, 16 GB eMMC Flash
5240 Points -21%
Motorola Moto X Play
Adreno 405, 615 MSM8939, 16 GB eMMC Flash
10194 Points +53%
Bluboo Xfire
Mali-T720, MT6735, 8 GB eMMC Flash
2902 Points -57%
1280x720 Ice Storm Standard Score (sort by value)
Bluboo Xtouch
Mali-T720 MP2, MT6753, 32 GB eMMC Flash
6554 Points
HTC One A9
Adreno 405, 617 MSM8952, 16 GB eMMC Flash
9639 Points +47%
Ulefone Paris
Mali-T720 MP2, MT6735, 16 GB eMMC Flash
5074 Points -23%
Motorola Moto X Play
Adreno 405, 615 MSM8939, 16 GB eMMC Flash
9176 Points +40%
Bluboo Xfire
Mali-T720, MT6735, 8 GB eMMC Flash
3312 Points -49%
Vellamo 3.x
Metal (sort by value)
Bluboo Xtouch
Mali-T720 MP2, MT6753, 32 GB eMMC Flash
1128 Points
Asus Zenfone 2 ZE551ML
PowerVR G6430, Z3560, 32 GB eMMC Flash
1200 Points +6%
Ulefone Paris
Mali-T720 MP2, MT6735, 16 GB eMMC Flash
1529 Points +36%
Motorola Moto X Play
Adreno 405, 615 MSM8939, 16 GB eMMC Flash
1291 Points +14%
Bluboo Xfire
Mali-T720, MT6735, 8 GB eMMC Flash
786 Points -30%
Multicore Beta (sort by value)
Bluboo Xtouch
Mali-T720 MP2, MT6753, 32 GB eMMC Flash
1519 Points
Asus Zenfone 2 ZE551ML
PowerVR G6430, Z3560, 32 GB eMMC Flash
1251 Points -18%
Ulefone Paris
Mali-T720 MP2, MT6735, 16 GB eMMC Flash
1023 Points -33%
Motorola Moto X Play
Adreno 405, 615 MSM8939, 16 GB eMMC Flash
1025 Points -33%
Bluboo Xfire
Mali-T720, MT6735, 8 GB eMMC Flash
1212 Points -20%
Browser (sort by value)
Bluboo Xtouch
Mali-T720 MP2, MT6753, 32 GB eMMC Flash
2753 Points
Asus Zenfone 2 ZE551ML
PowerVR G6430, Z3560, 32 GB eMMC Flash
3005 Points +9%
Ulefone Paris
Mali-T720 MP2, MT6735, 16 GB eMMC Flash
2755 Points 0%
Motorola Moto X Play
Adreno 405, 615 MSM8939, 16 GB eMMC Flash
1849 Points -33%
Bluboo Xfire
Mali-T720, MT6735, 8 GB eMMC Flash
1515 Points -45%
PassMark PerformanceTest Mobile V1
3D Graphics Tests (sort by value)
Bluboo Xtouch
Mali-T720 MP2, MT6753, 32 GB eMMC Flash
1128 Points
Asus Zenfone 2 ZE551ML
PowerVR G6430, Z3560, 32 GB eMMC Flash
1541 Points +37%
Ulefone Paris
Mali-T720 MP2, MT6735, 16 GB eMMC Flash
902 Points -20%
Motorola Moto X Play
Adreno 405, 615 MSM8939, 16 GB eMMC Flash
1069 Points -5%
Bluboo Xfire
Mali-T720, MT6735, 8 GB eMMC Flash
572 Points -49%
2D Graphics Tests (sort by value)
Bluboo Xtouch
Mali-T720 MP2, MT6753, 32 GB eMMC Flash
2835 Points
Asus Zenfone 2 ZE551ML
PowerVR G6430, Z3560, 32 GB eMMC Flash
3289 Points +16%
Ulefone Paris
Mali-T720 MP2, MT6735, 16 GB eMMC Flash
2994 Points +6%
Motorola Moto X Play
Adreno 405, 615 MSM8939, 16 GB eMMC Flash
1818 Points -36%
Bluboo Xfire
Mali-T720, MT6735, 8 GB eMMC Flash
2352 Points -17%
Memory Tests (sort by value)
Bluboo Xtouch
Mali-T720 MP2, MT6753, 32 GB eMMC Flash
4838 Points
Asus Zenfone 2 ZE551ML
PowerVR G6430, Z3560, 32 GB eMMC Flash
5465 Points +13%
Ulefone Paris
Mali-T720 MP2, MT6735, 16 GB eMMC Flash
4878 Points +1%
Motorola Moto X Play
Adreno 405, 615 MSM8939, 16 GB eMMC Flash
2457 Points -49%
Bluboo Xfire
Mali-T720, MT6735, 8 GB eMMC Flash
2703 Points -44%
Disk Tests (sort by value)
Bluboo Xtouch
Mali-T720 MP2, MT6753, 32 GB eMMC Flash
35176 Points
Asus Zenfone 2 ZE551ML
PowerVR G6430, Z3560, 32 GB eMMC Flash
17649 Points -50%
Ulefone Paris
Mali-T720 MP2, MT6735, 16 GB eMMC Flash
30879 Points -12%
Motorola Moto X Play
Adreno 405, 615 MSM8939, 16 GB eMMC Flash
23839 Points -32%
Bluboo Xfire
Mali-T720, MT6735, 8 GB eMMC Flash
9297 Points -74%
CPU Tests (sort by value)
Bluboo Xtouch
Mali-T720 MP2, MT6753, 32 GB eMMC Flash
120120 Points
Asus Zenfone 2 ZE551ML
PowerVR G6430, Z3560, 32 GB eMMC Flash
23651 Points -80%
Ulefone Paris
Mali-T720 MP2, MT6735, 16 GB eMMC Flash
101503 Points -15%
Motorola Moto X Play
Adreno 405, 615 MSM8939, 16 GB eMMC Flash
10592 Points -91%
Bluboo Xfire
Mali-T720, MT6735, 8 GB eMMC Flash
9848 Points -92%
System (sort by value)
Bluboo Xtouch
Mali-T720 MP2, MT6753, 32 GB eMMC Flash
4454 Points
Asus Zenfone 2 ZE551ML
PowerVR G6430, Z3560, 32 GB eMMC Flash
5108 Points +15%
Ulefone Paris
Mali-T720 MP2, MT6735, 16 GB eMMC Flash
3906 Points -12%
Motorola Moto X Play
Adreno 405, 615 MSM8939, 16 GB eMMC Flash
3050 Points -32%
Bluboo Xfire
Mali-T720, MT6735, 8 GB eMMC Flash
2283 Points -49%
BaseMark OS II
Web (sort by value)
Bluboo Xtouch
Mali-T720 MP2, MT6753, 32 GB eMMC Flash
610 Points
Asus Zenfone 2 ZE551ML
PowerVR G6430, Z3560, 32 GB eMMC Flash
688 Points +13%
HTC One A9
Adreno 405, 617 MSM8952, 16 GB eMMC Flash
786 Points +29%
Ulefone Paris
Mali-T720 MP2, MT6735, 16 GB eMMC Flash
658 Points +8%
Motorola Moto X Play
Adreno 405, 615 MSM8939, 16 GB eMMC Flash
710 Points +16%
Bluboo Xfire
Mali-T720, MT6735, 8 GB eMMC Flash
571 Points -6%
Graphics (sort by value)
Bluboo Xtouch
Mali-T720 MP2, MT6753, 32 GB eMMC Flash
423 Points
Asus Zenfone 2 ZE551ML
PowerVR G6430, Z3560, 32 GB eMMC Flash
1432 Points +239%
HTC One A9
Adreno 405, 617 MSM8952, 16 GB eMMC Flash
726 Points +72%
Ulefone Paris
Mali-T720 MP2, MT6735, 16 GB eMMC Flash
415 Points -2%
Motorola Moto X Play
Adreno 405, 615 MSM8939, 16 GB eMMC Flash
785 Points +86%
Bluboo Xfire
Mali-T720, MT6735, 8 GB eMMC Flash
142 Points -66%
Memory (sort by value)
Bluboo Xtouch
Mali-T720 MP2, MT6753, 32 GB eMMC Flash
931 Points
Asus Zenfone 2 ZE551ML
PowerVR G6430, Z3560, 32 GB eMMC Flash
954 Points +2%
HTC One A9
Adreno 405, 617 MSM8952, 16 GB eMMC Flash
1018 Points +9%
Ulefone Paris
Mali-T720 MP2, MT6735, 16 GB eMMC Flash
846 Points -9%
Motorola Moto X Play
Adreno 405, 615 MSM8939, 16 GB eMMC Flash
595 Points -36%
Bluboo Xfire
Mali-T720, MT6735, 8 GB eMMC Flash
333 Points -64%
System (sort by value)
Bluboo Xtouch
Mali-T720 MP2, MT6753, 32 GB eMMC Flash
1745 Points
Asus Zenfone 2 ZE551ML
PowerVR G6430, Z3560, 32 GB eMMC Flash
1622 Points -7%
HTC One A9
Adreno 405, 617 MSM8952, 16 GB eMMC Flash
1595 Points -9%
Ulefone Paris
Mali-T720 MP2, MT6735, 16 GB eMMC Flash
1331 Points -24%
Motorola Moto X Play
Adreno 405, 615 MSM8939, 16 GB eMMC Flash
1177 Points -33%
Bluboo Xfire
Mali-T720, MT6735, 8 GB eMMC Flash
824 Points -53%
Overall (sort by value)
Bluboo Xtouch
Mali-T720 MP2, MT6753, 32 GB eMMC Flash
805 Points
Asus Zenfone 2 ZE551ML
PowerVR G6430, Z3560, 32 GB eMMC Flash
1111 Points +38%
HTC One A9
Adreno 405, 617 MSM8952, 16 GB eMMC Flash
981 Points +22%
Ulefone Paris
Mali-T720 MP2, MT6735, 16 GB eMMC Flash
745 Points -7%
Motorola Moto X Play
Adreno 405, 615 MSM8939, 16 GB eMMC Flash
701 Points -13%
Bluboo Xfire
Mali-T720, MT6735, 8 GB eMMC Flash
386 Points -52%
Linpack Android / IOS
Multi Thread (sort by value)
Bluboo Xtouch
Mali-T720 MP2, MT6753, 32 GB eMMC Flash
264.4 MFLOPS
HTC One A9
Adreno 405, 617 MSM8952, 16 GB eMMC Flash
306.7 MFLOPS +16%
Motorola Moto X Play
Adreno 405, 615 MSM8939, 16 GB eMMC Flash
275 MFLOPS +4%
Bluboo Xfire
Mali-T720, MT6735, 8 GB eMMC Flash
120.6 MFLOPS -54%
Single Thread (sort by value)
Bluboo Xtouch
Mali-T720 MP2, MT6753, 32 GB eMMC Flash
114.2 MFLOPS
HTC One A9
Adreno 405, 617 MSM8952, 16 GB eMMC Flash
228.4 MFLOPS +100%
Motorola Moto X Play
Adreno 405, 615 MSM8939, 16 GB eMMC Flash
134 MFLOPS +17%
Bluboo Xfire
Mali-T720, MT6735, 8 GB eMMC Flash
55.7 MFLOPS -51%

Processor

Browser-based benchmarks generally place the Xtouch in between the Xfire and Paris. Mainstream smartphones like the Moto X Play and Asus Zenfone 2 are still significantly faster across the board. 

Octane V2 - Total Score (sort by value)
Bluboo Xtouch
Mali-T720 MP2, MT6753, 32 GB eMMC Flash
3040 Points
Asus Zenfone 2 ZE551ML
PowerVR G6430, Z3560, 32 GB eMMC Flash
6507 Points +114%
HTC One A9
Adreno 405, 617 MSM8952, 16 GB eMMC Flash
3911 Points +29%
Motorola Moto X Play
Adreno 405, 615 MSM8939, 16 GB eMMC Flash
3764 Points +24%
Ulefone Paris
Mali-T720 MP2, MT6735, 16 GB eMMC Flash
3217 Points +6%
Bluboo Xfire
Mali-T720, MT6735, 8 GB eMMC Flash
2300 Points -24%
Sunspider
1.0 Total Score (sort by value)
Bluboo Xtouch
Mali-T720 MP2, MT6753, 32 GB eMMC Flash
1518 ms *
Asus Zenfone 2 ZE551ML
PowerVR G6430, Z3560, 32 GB eMMC Flash
818 ms * +46%
HTC One A9
Adreno 405, 617 MSM8952, 16 GB eMMC Flash
1228 ms * +19%
Motorola Moto X Play
Adreno 405, 615 MSM8939, 16 GB eMMC Flash
1235 ms * +19%
Ulefone Paris
Mali-T720 MP2, MT6735, 16 GB eMMC Flash
1561 ms * -3%
Bluboo Xfire
Mali-T720, MT6735, 8 GB eMMC Flash
2235 ms * -47%
0.9.1 Total Score (sort by value)
Bluboo Xtouch
Mali-T720 MP2, MT6753, 32 GB eMMC Flash
1396 ms *
Asus Zenfone 2 ZE551ML
PowerVR G6430, Z3560, 32 GB eMMC Flash
840 ms * +40%
Ulefone Paris
Mali-T720 MP2, MT6735, 16 GB eMMC Flash
1477 ms * -6%
Bluboo Xfire
Mali-T720, MT6735, 8 GB eMMC Flash
2085 ms * -49%
Browsermark - 2.1 (sort by value)
Bluboo Xtouch
Mali-T720 MP2, MT6753, 32 GB eMMC Flash
1233 points
Motorola Moto X Play
Adreno 405, 615 MSM8939, 16 GB eMMC Flash
1471 points +19%
Ulefone Paris
Mali-T720 MP2, MT6735, 16 GB eMMC Flash
1317 points +7%
Bluboo Xfire
Mali-T720, MT6735, 8 GB eMMC Flash
566 points -54%
WebXPRT 2015 - Overall (sort by value)
Bluboo Xtouch
Mali-T720 MP2, MT6753, 32 GB eMMC Flash
58 Points
Asus Zenfone 2 ZE551ML
PowerVR G6430, Z3560, 32 GB eMMC Flash
109 Points +88%
HTC One A9
Adreno 405, 617 MSM8952, 16 GB eMMC Flash
69 Points +19%
Motorola Moto X Play
Adreno 405, 615 MSM8939, 16 GB eMMC Flash
56 Points -3%
Ulefone Paris
Mali-T720 MP2, MT6735, 16 GB eMMC Flash
58 Points 0%
Bluboo Xfire
Mali-T720, MT6735, 8 GB eMMC Flash
36 Points -38%
Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total (sort by value)
Bluboo Xtouch
Mali-T720 MP2, MT6753, 32 GB eMMC Flash
13679 ms *
Asus Zenfone 2 ZE551ML
PowerVR G6430, Z3560, 32 GB eMMC Flash
5846 ms * +57%
HTC One A9
Adreno 405, 617 MSM8952, 16 GB eMMC Flash
11054 ms * +19%
Motorola Moto X Play
Adreno 405, 615 MSM8939, 16 GB eMMC Flash
11694 ms * +15%
Ulefone Paris
Mali-T720 MP2, MT6735, 16 GB eMMC Flash
13305 ms * +3%
Bluboo Xfire
Mali-T720, MT6735, 8 GB eMMC Flash
16775 ms * -23%
JetStream 1.1 - Total Score (sort by value)
Bluboo Xtouch
Mali-T720 MP2, MT6753, 32 GB eMMC Flash
20.13 Points
HTC One A9
Adreno 405, 617 MSM8952, 16 GB eMMC Flash
24.79 Points +23%
Motorola Moto X Play
Adreno 405, 615 MSM8939, 16 GB eMMC Flash
24.51 Points +22%
Ulefone Paris
Mali-T720 MP2, MT6735, 16 GB eMMC Flash
20.16 Points 0%
Bluboo Xfire
Mali-T720, MT6735, 8 GB eMMC Flash
14.78 Points -27%

* ... smaller is better

Storage Devices

Unexpectedly, SSD performance from the integrated 32 GB eMMC is very good and rivals that of the costlier HTC one M9 and surpasses the Asus Zenfone 2. Sequential read and write rates are significantly faster than competing budget devices to aid in lowering latency and increasing system performance.

MicroSD cards are also supported for additional storage. However, access is not convenient as it sits right next to the SIM slot and requires a sharp pin to release.

Bluboo XtouchHTC One M9Samsung Galaxy J5Motorola Moto X PlayAsus Zenfone 2 ZE551MLDoogee Nova Y100X
AndroBench 3-5
-5%
-44%
-27%
-39%
-71%
Random Write 4KB
16.11
13.91
-14%
7.2
-55%
16
-1%
5.91
-63%
2.41
-85%
Random Read 4KB
24.08
20.66
-14%
19.25
-20%
16
-34%
22.69
-6%
15.64
-35%
Sequential Write 256KB
113.2
123.8
9%
39.4
-65%
75
-34%
54.6
-52%
21.09
-81%
Sequential Read 256KB
232.1
235.1
1%
145.5
-37%
139
-40%
147.6
-36%
38.05
-84%

Gaming Performance

Raw performance according to 3DMark is roughly 10 percent below the Moto X Play and 30 percent ahead of the Ulefone Paris. A 30-minute stress test via GFXBench shows consistent performance with no throttling throughout the run. In comparison, high-power smartphones like the Galaxy S6 Edge will throttle after a few minutes of heavy use.

The Xtouch is able to play 3D titles from the Play Store with little to no issues. 2D titles play flawlessly while 3D titles will stutter during intense moments. Asphalt 8, for example, plays fine until frame rates begin to dip if multiple cars are onscreen. The Mali-T720 GPU is normally paired with 720p displays and not 1080p like we have here on the Bluboo.

Epic Citadel Ultra Quality
Epic Citadel Ultra Quality
Ice Storm Extreme
Ice Storm Extreme
3DMark - 1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Score (sort by value)
Bluboo Xtouch
Mali-T720 MP2, MT6753, 32 GB eMMC Flash
6808 Points
Asus Zenfone 2 ZE551ML
PowerVR G6430, Z3560, 32 GB eMMC Flash
14721 Points +116%
HTC One A9
Adreno 405, 617 MSM8952, 16 GB eMMC Flash
9163 Points +35%
Motorola Moto X Play
Adreno 405, 615 MSM8939, 16 GB eMMC Flash
7561 Points +11%
Ulefone Paris
Mali-T720 MP2, MT6735, 16 GB eMMC Flash
4818 Points -29%
Bluboo Xfire
Mali-T720, MT6735, 8 GB eMMC Flash
2596 Points -62%
3DMark Ice Storm Standard Score
6554 points
Help

Emissions

Temperature

Surface temperatures are flat on both sides with no notable hot spots when the system is idling. After running very high loads for extended periods, we were able to record a maximum surface temperature of 36 C near the earpiece while surfaces closer to the Home button remain relatively cool. This is common on most smartphones as the motherboard is typically near the top of the device and away from the battery. Users will not have to worry about uncomfortable temperatures when gaming or browsing.

The Xtouch runs much cooler compared to the Ulefone Paris and about equal to the Galaxy J5 when taking into account the ambient temperature differences at the time of testing.

Front on high processing load
Front on high processing load
Back on high processing load
Back on high processing load
Max. Load
 36 °C
97 F
29.6 °C
85 F
32.6 °C
91 F
 
 32.6 °C
91 F
29.2 °C
85 F
30.2 °C
86 F
 
 32.2 °C
90 F
29.8 °C
86 F
28.8 °C
84 F
 
Maximum: 36 °C = 97 F
Average: 31.2 °C = 88 F
30 °C
86 F
30.8 °C
87 F
36.2 °C
97 F
30.2 °C
86 F
30.8 °C
87 F
33.4 °C
92 F
29.8 °C
86 F
30.8 °C
87 F
30.8 °C
87 F
Maximum: 36.2 °C = 97 F
Average: 31.4 °C = 89 F
Room Temperature 20 °C = 68 F | Fluke 62 Mini IR Thermometer
(+) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 31.2 °C / 88 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 36 °C / 97 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 36.2 °C / 97 F, compared to the average of 33.8 °C / 93 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 28.6 °C / 83 F, compared to the device average of 32.7 °C / 91 F.

Speakers

Speaker grilles on bottom
Speaker grilles on bottom

The mono speaker is located on the bottom of the device adjacent to the USB port. Sounds are loud and of decent quality at about the 50 percent mark. Any louder, however, and static becomes very noticeable to the point where music and voices begin to crack. Bass is almost non-existent. The speaker is good enough as a loudspeaker during calls, but 3.5 mm earphones are recommended for media playback.

Note that while there are two sets of grilles on the bottom, sounds only emanate from the set closest to the microphone.

Battery Life

Runtimes are slightly below average at just over 6 hours of constant WLAN use at 150 nits brightness (about 50 percent setting). Competing 5-inch models like the Galaxy J5 and LG G4c can last longer despite having lower capacity batteries. Furthermore, the battery on the Xtouch is non-removable, which is uncommon on budget smartphones. Bluboo advertises 14 hours of Internet browsing, which is impossible even at the lowest brightness setting.

Bluboo Xtouch
3050 mAh
Ulefone Paris
2250 mAh
Huawei P8 lite
2200 mAh
Samsung Galaxy J5
2600 mAh
LG G4c
2540 mAh
HTC One A9
2150 mAh
Motorola Moto G 3. Gen 2015 XT1541
2470 mAh
Battery Runtime
-1%
-10%
49%
18%
8%
44%
Reader / Idle
756
953
26%
715
-5%
1292
71%
955
26%
1154
53%
1364
80%
WiFi v1.3
364
361
-1%
351
-4%
495
36%
457
26%
368
1%
526
45%
Load
250
180
-28%
194
-22%
350
40%
252
1%
176
-30%
264
6%
Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
12h 36min
WiFi Websurfing
6h 04min
Load (maximum brightness)
4h 10min

Pros

+ solid chassis design and quality
+ CNC frame
+ 1080p display
+ fast fingerprint reader
+ MicroSD reader
+ fast eMMC performance
+ wireless-ac compatibility
+ acceptable camera quality
+ no performance throttling
+ inexpensive

Cons

- haptic feedback could have been stronger
- below average backlight brightness
- inaccurate grayscale and colors
- moderate static at higher volume settings
- non-removable battery
- battery life could have been better
- Home button has poor tactile feedback
- no NFC, MHL, or IR blaster
- LTE bands not compatible with U.S. carriers

Verdict

In review: Bluboo Xtouch. Test model provided by Bluboo.
In review: Bluboo Xtouch. Test model provided by Bluboo.

Inexpensive smartphones are getting better at incorporating features from the high-end category into more affordable solutions. The Xtouch fingerprint scanner works very well and the chassis is strong for the price. This is one of the better smartphones for under $200 if smooth multi-tasking is a concern due to its spacious 3 GB RAM.

The downside to the Xtouch is that its 1080p display is not as bright or as accurate as other mainstream smartphones. The integrated battery would have been easier to live with if battery life was made longer to compensate. The lack of 4G for U.S. carriers may be a deal breaker for some. We fully expect the potential Xtouch successor to focus on display quality and brightness to really make it an easy recommendation.

The Bluboo Xtouch is the manufacturer's flagship for good reason. It's well-made, well-designed, and smooth to use. It's a shame that brightness and color quality are just average at best.

Bluboo Xtouch now available at Gearbest.com and Geekbuying.com.

Bluboo Xtouch - 12/02/2015 v4(old)
Allen Ngo

Chassis
76%
Keyboard
84%
Pointing Device
80%
Connectivity
45%
Weight
92%
Battery
90 / 70 → 100%
Display
78%
Games Performance
56%
Application Performance
38 / 91 → 42%
Temperature
92%
Noise
100%
Audio
70%
Average
75%
81%
Smartphone - Weighted Average

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Allen Ngo, 2015-12- 2 (Update: 2015-12- 2)