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Chuwi Vi8 Plus CWI519 Tablet Review

Cheap Chinese tablet. The latest Atom x5-8300, Windows 10 and an IPS touchscreen for below 100 Euros (~$111)? Find out for whom this low-cost combination is suitable, and what restrictions have to be accepted in the following report.

For the original German review, see here.

Not even 100 Euros (~$111) for a full-fledged Windows 10 tablet based on cutting-edge Intel technology? That is possible with the Chuwi V8 from China. The online retailer Gearbest.com sells the entry-level device for just 86.06 Euros (~$95) including shipping during the promotion period. The buyer gets appealing features like a 1280x800 IPS touchscreen, an Intel Atom x5-Z8300 SoC, and 32 GB of ROM. The tablet only has to compete with older Z3735 tablets even at its regular price, such as the following 8-inch Windows opponents:

Chuwi Vi8 Plus (CWI519)
Processor
Intel Atom x5-Z8300 4 x 1.4 - 1.8 GHz, Cherry Trail
Graphics adapter
Intel HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Core: 500 MHz, Memory: 800 MHz, 20.19.15.4331
Memory
2048 MB 
, DDR3L
Display
8.00 inch 16:10, 1280 x 800 pixel, MS_9003, IPS, glossy: yes
Mainboard
Intel Cherry Trail
Storage
32 GB eMMC Flash, 32 GB 
, 17.8 GB free
Soundcard
Intel SST Audio Device
Connections
1 USB 2.0, 1 HDMI, Audio Connections: headphone, integrated microphone, Card Reader: micro-SD, Sensors: accelerometer, USB Type-C ports and micro-HDMI
Networking
Broadcom 802.11n (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/), Bluetooth 4.0
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 10 x 211 x 123 ( = 0.39 x 8.31 x 4.84 in)
Battery
5000 mAh
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Home 32 Bit
Camera
Primary Camera: 2 MPix
Secondary Camera: 2 MPix
Additional features
fanless
Released
12/01/2015
Weight
346 g ( = 12.2 oz / 0.76 pounds), Power Supply: 62 g ( = 2.19 oz / 0.14 pounds)
Price
120.34 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

220.9 mm / 8.7 inch 133.8 mm / 5.27 inch 10.95 mm / 0.4311 inch 380 g0.838 lbs221 mm / 8.7 inch 126 mm / 4.96 inch 9.2 mm / 0.3622 inch 371 g0.818 lbs215.8 mm / 8.5 inch 124.4 mm / 4.9 inch 6 mm / 0.2362 inch 308 g0.679 lbs211 mm / 8.31 inch 123 mm / 4.84 inch 10 mm / 0.3937 inch 346 g0.763 lbs203.2 mm / 8 inch 134.8 mm / 5.31 inch 6.1 mm / 0.2402 inch 304 g0.67 lbs198.6 mm / 7.82 inch 134.8 mm / 5.31 inch 5.6 mm / 0.2205 inch 272 g0.6 lbs210 mm / 8.27 inch 148 mm / 5.83 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 2.9 g0.00639 lbs

Case

Screw-fixed ornamental strips composed of metal.
Screw-fixed ornamental strips composed of metal.
Beware - the power adapter broke rather easily in our review unit - danger of electric shock!
Beware - the power adapter broke rather easily in our review unit - danger of electric shock!

The Chuwi Vi8 comes in a plain plastic casing with metal strips glued and screwed to the sides as a highlight. The line-patterned plastic back provides good grip but is not particularly scratch resistant. Its stiffness does not set new standards, but it is throughout acceptable. The gaps are even, and only the screen protector applied ex-factory exhibits one minor flaw: There are two small air bubbles outside the screen surface area. The two buttons offer a well-defined pressure point and are incorporated firmly into the casing. An orange LED on the front-facing camera's right indicates whether the tablet is connected to an outlet and if it is recharging. Unfortunately, the blinking LED is somewhat distracting during use.

A side note: We found a hint about the barebone and its builder in HWInfo, namely Hampoo HC080. The corresponding data can be found on the Hampoo website, where an (optional?) GSM modem is also mentioned.

A throughout decent performance considering the price range of around 100 Euros (~$111).

Connectivity

The connectivity in 8-inch tablets is normally somewhat limited. The Chuwi Vi8 Plus offers even a bit more than some other tablets in this size category with a combined power and USB port, headset jack, micro-HDMI (1.4, 1080p maximum) and a micro-SD port. The USB port is implemented as a new Type-C, which allows inserting plugs both ways - very convenient. However, only a few accessories are available for it since the standard is still very new. Besides that, only one USB port for data and power limits connecting peripherals. Thus, the user will have to choose between recharging the battery and connecting an external storage device with standard USB adapters. The lateral micro-SD slot is convenient to use and an inserted card disappears completely into the casing. Unfortunately, a 16 GB Samsung micro-SD card was not identified reliably. For example, Windows could not find it after waking up from standby, making it necessary to remove and reinsert the card.

The HDMI port in our review sample did not function quite properly and had a slightly defective contact. However, that will unlikely apply to the entire series. It functioned impeccably after inserting the plug (and not touching it again) - including digital audio output.

The interface positioning does not give reason for complaint. All ports are sufficiently spaced in the upper edge. That will not be a problem thanks to automatic screen rotation via accelerometer.

Upper edge: headphone, micro-HDMI, USB 2.0 Type-C
Upper edge: headphone, micro-HDMI, USB 2.0 Type-C

We tested the SD card performance with a Toshiba Exceria Pro M401 (max 95 MB/s read, 80 MB/s write) and got 29 MB/s when copying 250 images (4 MB each) to the internal drive. That is below the average of 68 MB/s but up to now we had no tablet in our tests. Cheap Windows devices often perform worse (down to 11 MB/s).

SD Card Reader - average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs)
Acer Aspire E5-722-662J
Radeon R5 (Beema/Carrizo-L), A6-7310, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVX-22JC3T0
44 MB/s +52%
Chuwi Vi8 Plus (CWI519)
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8300, 32 GB eMMC Flash
29 MB/s
Acer Aspire ES1-521-87DN
Radeon R5 (Beema/Carrizo-L), A8-6410, Western Digital Scorpio Blue WD5000LPVX
17 MB/s -41%
Acer Aspire One Cloudbook 11 AO1-131-C58K
HD Graphics (Braswell), N3050, 32 GB eMMC Flash
13 MB/s -55%

Communication

The integrated Bluetooth 4.0 module functioned impeccably in the test and reliably connected to an external Logitech keyboard and mouse.

Windows does not reveal an exact model name for Broadcom's Wi-Fi module. It supports 802.1n in the 2.4 GHz frequency (our 5 GHz network was not found) and delivers a decent performance here. Its range, the identified networks and data speeds proved to be very good for a tablet. Connecting was always fast, and we did not observe any connection interruptions during the tests.

Accessories

The unadorned box only contains a power supply for the Chuwi Vi8 Plus (a US plug in our case) with a USB Type-A to Type-C cable. A USB Type-C to Type-A adapter is, unfortunately, not included, and it will have to be purchased as an accessory. The included instructions are more humorous than sensible since the translation makes a very make-do impression (see image gallery above).

"For the machines in a file or play when power consumption of large game is larger, the temperature of the machine is very high, so please don't long time continuous use machines, avoid the temperature is too high and appear crash etc anomaly."

Maintenance

The battery and innards of the Chuwi Vi8 are not accessible. Only 4 screws that additionally fix the glued metal strip are visible from the outside. However, they do not seem to keep the casing together. We did not make any further opening attempts since that would have likely also damaged the outer shell.

Warranty

Our review sample comes from the Chinese online shop Gearbest that states a general, one-year warranty on its website.

Cameras

Unfortunately, the installed rear-facing camera in the Chuwi tablet is virtually useless. Unfocused, inaccurate colors and a low resolution characterize the results. Our test photos were below average even in ideal light conditions. The front-facing camera was surprisingly useful for its intended use (videoconferencing).

Front-facing camera
Front-facing camera
Rear-facing camera in artificial low-light
Rear-facing camera in artificial low-light
Rear-facing camera in studio light
Rear-facing camera in studio light
Rear-facing camera: color accuracy
Rear-facing camera: color accuracy
Rear-facing camera: sharpness and resolution
Rear-facing camera: sharpness and resolution
 

Input Devices

Touchscreen

The installed touchscreen detected up to 10 fingers absolutely reliably and could even be used in Paint without major lags or inaccuracies. Inputs were occasionally delayed while browsing, but that could be due to the weak CPU and eMMC performance (especially when Windows 10 runs the virus scanner or looks for updates in the background).

Keyboard

Windows 10 standard keyboard is used as the onscreen keyboard in the Chuwi Vi8 Plus. Its layout is pleasant and was nice to use in the test. However, Windows 10 characteristics will sometimes still be a trial, such as the keyboard not fading in automatically or parts of the input field being covered. That functions considerably better and more reliably in IOS and Android.

Display

Evident spacing between glass and panel
Evident spacing between glass and panel

Despite the low price, we find an IPS screen with a resolution of 1280x800 pixels in the Chuwi Vi8. Its maximum brightness of 230 cd/m² in AC mode and 190 cd/m² in battery mode is, however, only enough for indoor use. On the other hand, the illumination is very homogeneous and the contrast is even very good thanks to the decent black level. The measurements were performed with the screen protector applied ex-factory.

230
cd/m²
221
cd/m²
216
cd/m²
240
cd/m²
234
cd/m²
222
cd/m²
243
cd/m²
231
cd/m²
226
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
MS_9003 tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 243 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 229.2 cd/m² Minimum: 9.3 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 89 %
Center on Battery: 193 cd/m²
Contrast: 1064:1 (Black: 0.22 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 6.2 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 5.9 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
80.2% sRGB (Calman 2D)
77.7% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
51% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
57.8% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
78.1% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
57.3% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.53
Display
Display P3 Coverage (sort by value)
Chuwi Vi8 Plus (CWI519)
57.3 %
i.onik TW Series 1
49.35 % -14%
Acer Iconia Tab 8 W
48.97 % -15%
HP Stream 8 5900ng
48.83 % -15%
Dell Venue 8 Pro 3845
55.7 % -3%
Asus VivoTab 8 M81C-1B010W
53.8 % -6%
sRGB Coverage (sort by value)
Chuwi Vi8 Plus (CWI519)
78.1 %
i.onik TW Series 1
74.2 % -5%
Acer Iconia Tab 8 W
72.2 % -8%
HP Stream 8 5900ng
73.3 % -6%
Dell Venue 8 Pro 3845
77.5 % -1%
Asus VivoTab 8 M81C-1B010W
76.6 % -2%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage (sort by value)
Chuwi Vi8 Plus (CWI519)
57.8 %
i.onik TW Series 1
51 % -12%
Acer Iconia Tab 8 W
50.7 % -12%
HP Stream 8 5900ng
50.5 % -13%
Dell Venue 8 Pro 3845
57.7 % 0%
Asus VivoTab 8 M81C-1B010W
55.4 % -4%
Response Times
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% (sort by value)
Chuwi Vi8 Plus (CWI519) (24, 26)
50 ms *
Response Time Black / White (sort by value)
Chuwi Vi8 Plus (CWI519) (14, 10.4)
24.4 ms *
PWM Frequency (sort by value)
Chuwi Vi8 Plus (CWI519) (50, 120)
50 Hz
Screen
Brightness middle (sort by value)
Chuwi Vi8 Plus (CWI519)
234 cd/m²
i.onik TW Series 1
208 cd/m²
Acer Iconia Tab 8 W
313 cd/m²
HP Stream 8 5900ng
340 cd/m²
Dell Venue 8 Pro 3845
382 cd/m²
Asus VivoTab 8 M81C-1B010W
352 cd/m²
Lenovo Yoga Tablet 2 8
389 cd/m²
Brightness (sort by value)
Chuwi Vi8 Plus (CWI519)
229 cd/m²
i.onik TW Series 1
201 cd/m²
Acer Iconia Tab 8 W
298 cd/m²
HP Stream 8 5900ng
327 cd/m²
Dell Venue 8 Pro 3845
365 cd/m²
Asus VivoTab 8 M81C-1B010W
340 cd/m²
Lenovo Yoga Tablet 2 8
371 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution (sort by value)
Chuwi Vi8 Plus (CWI519)
89 %
i.onik TW Series 1
83 %
Acer Iconia Tab 8 W
80 %
HP Stream 8 5900ng
88 %
Dell Venue 8 Pro 3845
87 %
Asus VivoTab 8 M81C-1B010W
91 %
Lenovo Yoga Tablet 2 8
88 %
Black Level (sort by value)
Chuwi Vi8 Plus (CWI519)
0.22 cd/m² *
i.onik TW Series 1
0.35 cd/m² *
Acer Iconia Tab 8 W
0.57 cd/m² *
HP Stream 8 5900ng
0.61 cd/m² *
Dell Venue 8 Pro 3845
0.35 cd/m² *
Asus VivoTab 8 M81C-1B010W
0.45 cd/m² *
Lenovo Yoga Tablet 2 8
0.25 cd/m² *
Contrast (sort by value)
Chuwi Vi8 Plus (CWI519)
1064 :1
i.onik TW Series 1
594 :1
Acer Iconia Tab 8 W
549 :1
HP Stream 8 5900ng
557 :1
Dell Venue 8 Pro 3845
1091 :1
Asus VivoTab 8 M81C-1B010W
782 :1
Lenovo Yoga Tablet 2 8
1556 :1
Colorchecker dE 2000 (sort by value)
Chuwi Vi8 Plus (CWI519)
6.2 *
i.onik TW Series 1
6.38 *
Acer Iconia Tab 8 W
7.3 *
HP Stream 8 5900ng
4.89 *
Dell Venue 8 Pro 3845
4.97 *
Asus VivoTab 8 M81C-1B010W
5.84 *
Lenovo Yoga Tablet 2 8
10.28 *
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. (sort by value)
Chuwi Vi8 Plus (CWI519)
17.5 *
Greyscale dE 2000 (sort by value)
Chuwi Vi8 Plus (CWI519)
5.9 *
i.onik TW Series 1
7.64 *
Acer Iconia Tab 8 W
8.38 *
HP Stream 8 5900ng
4.19 *
Dell Venue 8 Pro 3845
4.44 *
Asus VivoTab 8 M81C-1B010W
7.21 *
Lenovo Yoga Tablet 2 8
9.65 *
Gamma (sort by value)
Chuwi Vi8 Plus (CWI519)
2.53
i.onik TW Series 1
2.56
Acer Iconia Tab 8 W
2.43
HP Stream 8 5900ng
2.44
Dell Venue 8 Pro 3845
2.37
Asus VivoTab 8 M81C-1B010W
2.43
Lenovo Yoga Tablet 2 8
1.25
CCT (sort by value)
Chuwi Vi8 Plus (CWI519)
7678
i.onik TW Series 1
7478
Acer Iconia Tab 8 W
6145
HP Stream 8 5900ng
7344
Dell Venue 8 Pro 3845
6090
Asus VivoTab 8 M81C-1B010W
6140
Lenovo Yoga Tablet 2 8
6657
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998) (sort by value)
Chuwi Vi8 Plus (CWI519)
51 %
i.onik TW Series 1
47 %
Acer Iconia Tab 8 W
46 %
HP Stream 8 5900ng
46.5 %
Dell Venue 8 Pro 3845
50.6 %
Asus VivoTab 8 M81C-1B010W
38 %
Color Space (Percent of sRGB) (sort by value)
Chuwi Vi8 Plus (CWI519)
77.7 %

Legend

 
Chuwi Vi8 Plus (CWI519) Intel Atom x5-Z8300, Intel HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), 32 GB eMMC Flash
 
i.onik TW Series 1 Intel Atom Z3735G, Intel HD Graphics (Bay Trail), 16 GB eMMC Flash
 
Acer Iconia Tab 8 W Intel Atom Z3735G, Intel HD Graphics (Bay Trail), 32 GB eMMC Flash
 
HP Stream 8 5900ng Intel Atom Z3735G, Intel HD Graphics (Bay Trail), 32 GB eMMC Flash
 
Dell Venue 8 Pro 3845 Intel Atom Z3735G, Intel HD Graphics (Bay Trail), 32 GB eMMC Flash
 
Asus VivoTab 8 M81C-1B010W Intel Atom Z3745, Intel HD Graphics (Bay Trail), 32 GB eMMC Flash
 
Lenovo Yoga Tablet 2 8 Intel Atom Z3745, Intel HD Graphics (Bay Trail), 32 GB eMMC Flash

* ... smaller is better

The color accuracy is not particularly good. Most colors shift into blue and virtually all tested colors of the Pantone ColorChecker are visibly different. Thus, photographers will not be happy with the panel in the low-cost device.

Reflections on the touchscreen, as well as its middling brightness, disturb outdoor use.

Brightness flickering below 50% was very evident in the test (PWM). That is not a major drawback since only 100 cd/m² is available in battery mode, and a higher brightness is usually selected anyway. As the response time diagram illustrates, a minor flickering is also measured in maximum brightness. Therefore, prolonged use could lead to eye problems in sensitive users; that, however, was noticed subjectively. The response times are on a good average even for an IPS panel.

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
24.4 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 14 ms rise
↘ 10.4 ms fall
The screen shows good response rates in our tests, but may be too slow for competitive gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 51 % 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
50 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 24 ms rise
↘ 26 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. » 84 % 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 detected 50 Hz ≤ 50 % brightness setting
≤ 120 cd/m² brightness

The display backlight flickers at 50 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) Flickering detected at a brightness setting of 50 % (120 cd/m²) and below. There should be no flickering or PWM above this brightness setting.

The frequency of 50 Hz is very low, so the flickering may cause eyestrain and headaches after extended use.

Flickering occurs at relatively low brightness settings, so extended use at this brightness setting or lower can cause eyestrain.

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.

Thanks to the IPS technology, the user will only have to count with brightness losses but not color deviations when altering the viewing angles. The Chuwi tablet does a good job here.

No visible backlight bleeding / clouding
No visible backlight bleeding / clouding
Middling brightness is not quite enough for use in sunlight
Middling brightness is not quite enough for use in sunlight
Annoying reflections
Annoying reflections
Very good viewing angles
Very good viewing angles
Colorspace compared to sRGB (transparent)
Colorspace compared to sRGB (transparent)

Performance

The modern 14 nm Atom SoC places the little 8-inch tablet in the entry-level sector of Windows devices. In terms of price, only models based on old Atom processors are present rivals. Despite a 64-bit processor, only a 32-bit Windows 10 is installed on the Chuwi tablet; probably a sanction by Microsoft for free Windows distribution.

DPC Latency: Apparently not suitable for real-time audio

Processor

The installed Intel Atom x5-Z8300 is a quad-core SoC designed for tablets. It was launched in March 2015, and it is built in the state-of-the-art 14 nm process using FinFETs. The SoC integrates four "Airmont" processor cores that clock at 1.44 - 1.84 GHz. The processor cores offer a comparable performance-per-megahertz as in the former generation, e.g. Atom Z3745. This is very clear in the Cinebench R10 32-bit single and multi tests. The performance of the Atom Z3735F in the IdeaPad Miix is similar. Higher clocked Z8500 and 8700-based devices can first outrun it.

Cinebench R10
Rendering Single 32Bit (sort by value)
Chuwi Vi8 Plus (CWI519)
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8300, 32 GB eMMC Flash
885 Points
i.onik TW Series 1
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 16 GB eMMC Flash
946 Points +7%
Acer Iconia Tab 8 W
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 32 GB eMMC Flash
945 Points +7%
HP Stream 8 5900ng
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 32 GB eMMC Flash
958 Points +8%
Toshiba Satellite Click 10 LX0W-C-104
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8300, 32 GB eMMC Flash
948 Points +7%
Asus Transformer Book T100HA-C4-GR
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, Samsung CGND3R eMMC
1168 Points +32%
Microsoft Surface 3
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8700, 128 GB eMMC Flash
1225 Points +38%
Fujitsu Stylistic Q665
HD Graphics 5300, 5Y31, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
3123 Points +253%
Acer Aspire ES1-521-87DN
Radeon R5 (Beema/Carrizo-L), A8-6410, Western Digital Scorpio Blue WD5000LPVX
1883 Points +113%
Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit (sort by value)
Chuwi Vi8 Plus (CWI519)
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8300, 32 GB eMMC Flash
2964 Points
i.onik TW Series 1
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 16 GB eMMC Flash
2857 Points -4%
Acer Iconia Tab 8 W
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 32 GB eMMC Flash
2881 Points -3%
HP Stream 8 5900ng
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 32 GB eMMC Flash
2925 Points -1%
Toshiba Satellite Click 10 LX0W-C-104
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8300, 32 GB eMMC Flash
2911 Points -2%
Asus Transformer Book T100HA-C4-GR
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, Samsung CGND3R eMMC
4107 Points +39%
Microsoft Surface 3
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8700, 128 GB eMMC Flash
4356 Points +47%
Fujitsu Stylistic Q665
HD Graphics 5300, 5Y31, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
5280 Points +78%
Acer Aspire ES1-521-87DN
Radeon R5 (Beema/Carrizo-L), A8-6410, Western Digital Scorpio Blue WD5000LPVX
5659 Points +91%
Cinebench R10 Rendering Single 32Bit
885
Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
2964
Cinebench R10 Shading 32Bit
2007
Cinebench R11.5 OpenGL 32Bit
7.52 fps
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Multi 32Bit
1.11 Points
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Single 32Bit
0.33 Points
Help

System Performance

The modern Intel SoC can present its strengths in PCMark 8 Home. For example, the old Atom Z3735F in the IdeaPad Miix is clearly outperformed. Interestingly, the low-cost Chuwi tablet is even faster than the considerably more expensive Satellite Click 10 based on the same SoC. Z8500 and Z8700 devices are still up front. We also added an entry-level Core M and AMD's A8-6410 in our tests for comparison; both operate much faster.

The Chuwi tablet normally runs smoothly in routine use. However, perceptible lags are sometimes noticed - usually when something is still being processed in the background or the eMMC storage is loaded. That can still be considered "normal" in this performance category.

PCMark 7 Score
2220 points
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
1394 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
1202 points
Help
PCMark 8 - Home Score Accelerated v2 (sort by value)
Chuwi Vi8 Plus (CWI519)
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8300, 32 GB eMMC Flash
1394 Points
HP Stream 8 5900ng
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 32 GB eMMC Flash
1037 Points -26%
Acer Iconia Tab 8 W
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 32 GB eMMC Flash
1069 Points -23%
Toshiba Satellite Click 10 LX0W-C-104
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8300, 32 GB eMMC Flash
1294 Points -7%
Asus Transformer Book T100HA-C4-GR
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, Samsung CGND3R eMMC
1697 Points +22%
Microsoft Surface 3
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8700, 128 GB eMMC Flash
1677 Points +20%
Fujitsu Stylistic Q665
HD Graphics 5300, 5Y31, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
2588 Points +86%
Acer Aspire ES1-521-87DN
Radeon R5 (Beema/Carrizo-L), A8-6410, Western Digital Scorpio Blue WD5000LPVX
1872 Points +34%

Storage Device

Cutbacks have evidently been made in the integrated eMMC storage of the Chuwi tablet. The ascertained write rates are clearly slower than the data of other (more expensive) tablets, and the sequential read speed reminds us of bygone HDD times. By comparison: the 32 GB version in the Transformer Book T100TA achieves 109/43 MB/s (read/write) in CDM3. The considerably slower 64 GB version has a clear lead, at least in write, with 70/31 MB/s.

CrystalDiskMark 3: eMMC storage
CrystalDiskMark 3: eMMC storage
CrystalDiskMark 5: eMMC storage
CrystalDiskMark 5: eMMC storage
CrystalDiskMark 5: A 64 GB SD card by Samsung
CrystalDiskMark 5: A 64 GB SD card by Samsung
AS SSD crashed with an error message during the test
AS SSD crashed with an error message during the test
32 GB eMMC Flash
Sequential Read: 65.6 MB/s
Sequential Write: 11.8 MB/s
512K Read: 63.5 MB/s
512K Write: 11.3 MB/s
4K Read: 8.9 MB/s
4K Write: 1.3 MB/s
4K QD32 Read: 12 MB/s
4K QD32 Write: 1.3 MB/s

Graphics Card

The graphics card integrated in the x5-Z8300 has been clearly reworked compared with the former generation. Intel's HD Graphics comes from Intel's Gen8 architecture and has 12 shader clusters that clock at a maximum of 500 MHz. It supports DirectX 11.2 and is comparable with the graphics cores integrated in the Broadwell processors (e.g. HD Graphics 5300) technically. However, it requires considerably less energy.

The synthetic 3DMark 11 illustrates the clear performance leap over the former generation. Dell's Venue 8 Pro based on a Z3749D lags behind by 34%, for example. Other Z8300 and Z8500 Atoms have a slight edge. The x7-Z8700 in the Surface 3 and the Core M 5Y31 are, however, in another league.

3DMark 06 Standard Score
2523 points
3DMark 11 Performance
325 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
1426 points
Help
3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance Combined (sort by value)
Chuwi Vi8 Plus (CWI519)
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8300, 32 GB eMMC Flash
293 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad 8
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3770, SanDisk SEM64G
189 Points -35%
Dell Venue 8 Pro
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3740D, 32 GB eMMC Flash
196 Points -33%
i.onik TW Series 1
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 16 GB eMMC Flash
187 Points -36%
Acer Iconia Tab 8 W
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 32 GB eMMC Flash
188 Points -36%
HP Stream 8 5900ng
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 32 GB eMMC Flash
170 Points -42%
Asus VivoTab 8 M81C-1B010W
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3745, 32 GB eMMC Flash
191 Points -35%
Lenovo Yoga Tablet 2 8
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3745, 32 GB eMMC Flash
230 Points -22%
HP Pro Tablet 608 G1
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, Hynix HCG8E 64 GB
392 Points +34%
Toshiba Satellite Click 10 LX0W-C-104
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8300, 32 GB eMMC Flash
361 Points +23%
Asus Transformer Book T100HA-C4-GR
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, Samsung CGND3R eMMC
433 Points +48%
Microsoft Surface 3
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8700, 128 GB eMMC Flash
554 Points +89%
Fujitsu Stylistic Q665
HD Graphics 5300, 5Y31, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
657 Points +124%

Gaming Performance

Candy Crush runs smoothly
Candy Crush runs smoothly

The Atom lineup has not been designed for demanding 3D games. Despite the much improved graphics card compared with the former generation, even undemanding games are sometimes a challenge for the 8-inch tablet. Counter Strike GO only achieved an unplayable 12 FPS, and the popular DOTA 2 was not well-playable using 1024x768 and minimum details. 16 frames per second (from the SD card) was very jerky. 20 FPS was sometimes achieved in replays.

Undemanding games, such as Sid Meier's Ace Patrol (stable 30 FPS) or the preloaded Candy Crush presented smooth gameplay with good touchscreen control.

low med. high ultra
World of Warcraft (2005) 44
World of Warships (2015) 16.8
Rocket League (2017) 15.5
Team Fortress 2 (2017) 21.4

Emissions

System Noise

The Chuwi Vi8 does not produce annoying running noises since the installed Atom SoC can be cooled without a fan and a conventional HDD is not installed. We did not hear transistor whining or other noises from our review sample, either.

Temperature

The surface temperatures of the small 8-inch tablet remain within limits although the SoC is cooled passively. We did not observe an excessive temperature increase when it was not loaded heavily. The tablet usually remained agreeably cool. We only measured up to 49 °C when both the graphics card and processor's cores were loaded extremely at the same time.

However, the limits of the passive cooling are seen when looking at the internal data of the stress test. The CPU cores only still clocked at 480 MHz at 65 - 74 °C after 90 minutes of extreme load (Furmark and Prime95). The GPU clocked at 400 MHz from its possible 500 MHz. It clocked at just 280 MHz at 75 °C when only the graphics card was loaded via Furmark in a heated state. However, the four processor cores clocked stably at 1.6 GHz in the normal Cinebench 10 benchmark. We could not provoke the crash or anomaly the instructions warn about.

Max. Load
 47 °C
117 F
43 °C
109 F
32 °C
90 F
 
 34 °C
93 F
32 °C
90 F
28 °C
82 F
 
 28 °C
82 F
28 °C
82 F
26 °C
79 F
 
Maximum: 47 °C = 117 F
Average: 33.1 °C = 92 F
36 °C
97 F
31 °C
88 F
27 °C
81 F
46 °C
115 F
36 °C
97 F
26 °C
79 F
49 °C
120 F
44 °C
111 F
29 °C
84 F
Maximum: 49 °C = 120 F
Average: 36 °C = 97 F
Power Supply (max.)  29 °C = 84 F | Room Temperature 19 °C = 66 F | Fluke 62 Mini
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 33.1 °C / 92 F, compared to the average of 30 °C / 86 F for the devices in the class Tablet.
(-) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 47 °C / 117 F, compared to the average of 33.8 °C / 93 F, ranging from 20.7 to 53.2 °C for the class Tablet.
(-) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 49 °C / 120 F, compared to the average of 33.3 °C / 92 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 26.8 °C / 80 F, compared to the device average of 30 °C / 86 F.

Speaker

Unfortunately, the audio jacks in the Chuwi Vi8 Plus fail miserably. The integrated microphone's heavy noise characteristic made it virtually useless in the test. The rear-sided speaker also only conveys a disappointing impression. The output is very quiet with just 70 dB(A), and the frequency diagram shows low quality that is also audible. Even YouTube videos are no fun. The headphone-out is better, but we perceived quiet static noise using an AKG K701 and AKG GHS 1. Though not a deal-breaker, it is not suitable for audiophiles. The port did not at all get along with a Bose in-ear headset. The sound output was absolutely distorted and the microphone did not function, either. Perhaps the speaker jack does not support a combo plug or it was another defect in our review sample.

Pink noise at 70dB(A)
Pink noise at 70dB(A)
Rear-sided mono speaker
Rear-sided mono speaker

Energy Management

Power Consumption

The maximum of 12 watts that the Vi8 Plus drained from the outlet with the included USB power supply makes it quite frugal. Although we do not yet have extensive comparison measurements based on the new Metrahit Energy by Gossen in the tablet sector, Amazon's Fire HD 8 consumes more in idle, for example. It is on par with HP's Pro tablets still based on Bay Trail Atoms during load (and which need considerably more without load).

The standby power consumption is a relatively high 1.2 watts in the direct comparison (perhaps due to connected standby?). The power supply is satisfied with 0.14 watts in a turned-off-state and can therefore stay connected to the outlet without making the user feel guilty.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.14 / 1.2 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 1.7 / 1.7 / 3.3 Watt
Load midlight 7.4 / 12.1 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.

Battery Runtime

The Chuwi Vi8 cannot exactly boast with the measured battery runtimes. It is situated at the very bottom in the tablet comparison with a battery life of 3 to 3.5 hours at 150 cd/m². The current average in our Wi-Fi test is over twice as high with 485 minutes. Unfortunately, the battery capacity cannot be read out in Windows, but we assume that it is a relatively small battery. Mobility is quite restricted since the little 8-incher also needs a relatively long time for recharging.

Battery Runtime
WiFi Websurfing
3h 34min
Big Buck Bunny H.264 1080p
3h 00min
Battery Runtime
WiFi v1.3 (sort by value)
Chuwi Vi8 Plus (CWI519)
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8300, 32 GB eMMC Flash
214 min
Acer Iconia One 8
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 16 GB eMMC Flash
742 min
Toshiba Satellite Click 10 LX0W-C-104
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8300, 32 GB eMMC Flash
662 min
Asus Transformer Book T100HA-C4-GR
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, Samsung CGND3R eMMC
541 min
HP Pro Tablet 608 G1
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, Hynix HCG8E 64 GB
293 min
WiFi (sort by value)
HP Pro Tablet 608 G1
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, Hynix HCG8E 64 GB
293 min
i.onik TW Series 1
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 16 GB eMMC Flash
339 min
Acer Iconia Tab 8 W
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 32 GB eMMC Flash
362 min
HP Stream 8 5900ng
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 32 GB eMMC Flash
324 min
Dell Venue 8 Pro 3845
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 32 GB eMMC Flash
402 min
Asus VivoTab 8 M81C-1B010W
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3745, 32 GB eMMC Flash
311 min
Lenovo Yoga Tablet 2 8
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3745, 32 GB eMMC Flash
368 min

Pros

+ low price
+ IPS screen's good viewing angles and high contrast
+ included and fitted screen protector
+ USB Type-C port

Cons

- screen dims in battery mode
- short battery life
- PWM utilized for backlight <50%
- still few accessories for USB Type-C (powered)
- USB 2.0 port only (40 MB with external SSD in test)
- SD card not detected reliably
- very weak speaker
- slow eMMC storage

Verdict

The Chuwi Vi8 Plus is a low-cost entry-level tablet with the latest Atom technology made in China. Casing, performance and screen are compelling for the price. The biggest drawbacks are its short battery life and the poor speaker. That will clearly restrict the user in some application scenarios.

The tablet can be used as a full-fledged PC thanks to a full-scale Windows 10 version. However, the tablet experience in Android and IOS is considerably better by comparison. Especially the larger selection of touch apps has to be mentioned here. Their browsers also seem to be optimized a bit better than Microsoft's Edge in our opinion.

The USB Type-C port, unfortunately, only supports the slower USB 2.0 standard, and it sooner qualifies as a lightweight power supply due to the lack of accessories. That will likely change in the course of the year.

Gearbest offers the device presently for 86 Euros (~$95) including shipping in a promotional campaign. However, only devices with older Z3735G Atom SoCs are normally found even at the regular price of 120 Euros (~$133). Buyers willing to accept the above mentioned shortcomings and who can benefit from a full Windows 10 version should look closer at the Chuwi Vi8 Plus.

Update: Since the newsest Windows Updates (in Q4 2016), the WiFi of the tablet wont work properly anymore. Resetting the device enables wireless again, but only until Windows Updates installs the newest Windows 10 versions. It looks like Windows Update installs non working drivers automatically (still the same in late 2017). However, trying to install the original drivers also did not work with our unit.

Chuwi Vi8 Plus (CWI519) - 02/16/2016 v5(old)
Klaus Hinum

Chassis
71%
Keyboard
69 / 80 → 86%
Pointing Device
83%
Connectivity
39 / 65 → 59%
Weight
86 / 40-88 → 96%
Battery
79%
Display
80%
Games Performance
29 / 68 → 43%
Application Performance
41 / 76 → 53%
Temperature
86%
Noise
100%
Audio
18 / 91 → 20%
Camera
24 / 85 → 28%
Average
62%
77%
Tablet - Weighted Average

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Klaus Hinum, 2016-02-15 (Update: 2017-12- 9)