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Cube i7 Book CDK09 Convertible Review

Skylake convertible. The Cube i7 offers a fast Core m3-6Y30 SoC, 64 GB SSD, and a 10.6-inch IPS touchscreen for little money. Logically, cutbacks had to be made in many places. We will reveal where concessions have to be accepted in this test of the tablet including a keyboard dock.

For the original German review, see here.

Cube's i7 Book is a little Windows 10 tablet made in China. The low purchase price and relatively high-performance, passively cooled Core m processor are its special features. The CDK09 keyboard dock turns the Cube i7 into a convertible. We ordered a review sample with a 64 GB SSD and keyboard dock from Gearbest. Rivals are considerably more expensive 10-inch tablets, such as the Surface 3 (with weaker Atom) or Dell's Latitude 11.

Cube i7 Book CDK09
Processor
Intel Core m3-6Y30 2 x 0.9 - 2.2 GHz, Skylake
Graphics adapter
Memory
4 GB 
, LPDDR3L dual-channel 933 10-10-10-28
Display
10.60 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel 208 PPI, 10-finger multitouch, Samsung LTN140W1-L01, IPS, glossy: yes, detachable screen
Mainboard
Intel Skylake-Y Premium PCH
Storage
FORESEE 64GB O1229B, 64 GB 
Soundcard
Intel Skylake-U/Y PCH - High Definition Audio
Connections
2 USB 2.0, 2 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, Audio Connections: headset, Card Reader: micro-SD, Sensors: G-sensor, USB 3 ports: micro-USB 3.0 and USB-C Gen. 1
Networking
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3165 (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/)
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 18 x 274 x 172 ( = 0.71 x 10.79 x 6.77 in)
Battery
31.8 Wh, 4300 mAh Lithium-Ion, 7.4V
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64 Bit
Camera
Primary Camera: 2 MPix
Secondary Camera: 2 MPix
Additional features
Speakers: stereo, microphone, Keyboard: chiclet, Keyboard Light: no, 12 Months Warranty, fanless
Released
06/30/2016
Weight
1.354 kg ( = 47.76 oz / 2.99 pounds) ( = 0 oz / 0 pounds)
Price
556 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case & Connectivity

Both the tablet and keyboard unit are made of metal, and their good stability and feel are compelling. Our review sample's gaps and build are impeccable. The keyboard dock's limited opening angle (maximum approx. 120 degrees) is a big drawback since the device cannot be placed comfortably on the lap for typing. Overall, the Cube i7 makes a good impression for the price range.

Size Comparison

303 mm / 11.9 inch 195 mm / 7.68 inch 9 mm / 0.3543 inch 965 g2.13 lbs292.1 mm / 11.5 inch 201.4 mm / 7.93 inch 8.4 mm / 0.3307 inch 1.1 kg2.41 lbs274 mm / 10.8 inch 172 mm / 6.77 inch 18 mm / 0.709 inch 1.4 kg2.99 lbs267 mm / 10.5 inch 187 mm / 7.36 inch 8.7 mm / 0.3425 inch 917 g2.02 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Connectivity

Rear: no interfaces
Rear: no interfaces
Left: USB 2.0 in keyboard, headset, micro-SD, USB-C (3.0), mini-USB 3.0 (with adapter), power-in
Left: USB 2.0 in keyboard, headset, micro-SD, USB-C (3.0), mini-USB 3.0 (with adapter), power-in
Right: USB 2.0 in keyboard
Right: USB 2.0 in keyboard
Upper edge: power button, volume control
Upper edge: power button, volume control

The USB-C port can also be used for recharging the device (tested with an Anker PowerPort 5+ USB-C) as well as a docking station port. The Kensington SD4600P allowed supplying the tablet with power (but not quite reliably; perhaps a loose contact in the plug), added a LAN port, and even a 4K monitor could be used at 60 Hz.

Kensington SD4600P used as docking station and power supply
Kensington SD4600P used as docking station and power supply
Anker PowerPort 5+ USB-C used for supplying power
Anker PowerPort 5+ USB-C used for supplying power
SD Card Reader
maximum SDCardreader Maximum Transfer Rate
average SDCardreader Average Transfer Rate

Cube installs the latest, low-cost Intel 3165 AC dual-band chip. As a 1x1 solution, it naturally cannot compete with the fast high-end competition. However, other low-cost n-Wi-Fi solutions (like in the Cube i9) are outperformed clearly.

Networking
Cube i7 Book CDK09
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3165
iperf3 transmit AX12
219 MBit/s ∼29%
iperf3 receive AX12
357 MBit/s ∼47%
MSI CX61 2QC 2970M MS-16GD
Realtek RTL8723AE Wireless LAN 802.11n
iperf3 transmit AX12
113 MBit/s ∼15%
iperf3 receive AX12
100 MBit/s ∼13%
MSI PE60 2QD
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3165
iperf3 transmit AX12
322 MBit/s ∼42%
iperf3 receive AX12
236 MBit/s ∼31%
Intel NUC5i5RYH
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7265
iperf3 transmit AX12
549 MBit/s ∼71%
iperf3 receive AX12
443 MBit/s ∼58%
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core i5, 128GB
Marvell AVASTAR Wireless-AC Network Controller
iperf3 transmit AX12
593 MBit/s ∼77%
iperf3 receive AX12
459 MBit/s ∼60%
Lenovo ThinkPad T460s-20FA003GGE
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8260
iperf3 transmit AX12
534 MBit/s ∼70%
iperf3 receive AX12
637 MBit/s ∼84%
MSI GT72S-6QEG16SR421BW
Killer Wireless-n/a/ac 1535 Wireless Network Adapter
iperf3 transmit AX12
625 MBit/s ∼81%
iperf3 receive AX12
664 MBit/s ∼87%
Apple MacBook Pro Retina 13 inch 2013-10
Broadcom 802.11ac
iperf3 transmit AX12
768 MBit/s ∼100%
iperf3 receive AX12
762 MBit/s ∼100%

Input Devices

The keyboard's well-set pressure point allows typing quickly when familiar with the English keyboard or touch-typing. However, the touchpad is a drawback here. On the one hand, it is oversensitive making a smooth workflow, for example, in a jerky train virtually impossible; on the other hand, it either did not respond at all or just randomly responded during diverse gaming attempts. The cursor perpetually jumped or the screen often changed unintentionally in unstable environments. Thus, connecting a mouse is absolutely recommended. In tablet mode, the multitouch-screen functioned very fast and reliably.

Display

Cube installs a glossy touchscreen by Samsung. It has a resolution of 1920x1080. Thanks to the IPS technology, it offers good viewing angles. Both contrast and maximum brightness are good. However, the dynamic brightness was enabled out-of-the-box, and thus we only measured 200 cd/m² and could hardly see anything outdoors. Unfortunately, the screen is not anti-glare and thus quickly becomes a mirror outdoors.

350
cd/m²
379
cd/m²
371
cd/m²
341
cd/m²
384
cd/m²
372
cd/m²
374
cd/m²
380
cd/m²
376
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
Samsung LTN140W1-L01 tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 384 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 369.7 cd/m² Minimum: 7.5 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 89 %
Center on Battery: 384 cd/m²
Contrast: 1038:1 (Black: 0.37 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 5.8 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 5.1 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
Gamma: 2.4
Cube i7 Book CDK09
Samsung LTN140W1-L01, , 1920x1080, 10.60
Microsoft Surface 3
Panasonic MEI9001, , 1920x1280, 10.80
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core i5, 128GB
Samsung 123YL01-001 ID: SDC3853, , 2736x1824, 12.30
Cube i9
KDC0000, , 1920x1200, 12.20
Display
Display P3 Coverage
68.8
65
65.7
sRGB Coverage
98.7
96.5
88.7
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
70.4
67
65.1
Response Times
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
46 ?(17.2, 28.8, plateau, spikes in between)
37.2 ?(16.4, 20.8)
Response Time Black / White *
31.2 ?(6, 25.2, Spikes in between)
24 ?(9.2, 14.8)
PWM Frequency
50 ?(50)
200 ?(99, 255)
Screen
19%
14%
4%
Brightness middle
384
399
4%
413
8%
263
-32%
Brightness
370
380
3%
396
7%
263
-29%
Brightness Distribution
89
90
1%
87
-2%
77
-13%
Black Level *
0.37
0.49
-32%
0.36
3%
0.28
24%
Contrast
1038
814
-22%
1147
11%
939
-10%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
5.8
1.66
71%
3.09
47%
4.1
29%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
19.8
3.24
84%
12.1
39%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
5.1
2.75
46%
3.92
23%
3.8
25%
Gamma
2.4 92%
2.22 99%
2.3 96%
2.25 98%
CCT
7125 91%
6358 102%
7333 89%
6433 101%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
64.4
61
57.7
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
98.8
97
76.2
Total Average (Program / Settings)
19% / 19%
14% / 14%
4% / 4%

* ... smaller is better

The color accuracy is not particularly good. Especially the blue rates break out strongly, and the grayscales have a visible bluish tint. Thus, the screen is not really suitable for photographers. We did not ascertain PWM, but the backlight flickered in the lowest brightness ranges with the plug (50 Hz).

Performance

Thanks to the modern Skylake Core m3-6Y30, the little 10-inch tablet has enough power for routine tasks.

Processor

The Core m3-6Y30 is based on two cores that can clock at up to 2.2 GHz. The single-core test started at 2 - 2.2 GHz in Cinebench R15, and the multi-core test started at 2 GHz. Thus, Turbo functions impeccably. The Cinebench R15 scores are within a good midfield for the tested 6Y30 SoCs. Here, there is no reason for complaint.

Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Cube i7 Book CDK09
Intel Core m3-6Y30
89 Points
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core m3
Intel Core m3-6Y30
88 Points -1%
Cube i9
Intel Core m3-6Y30
73 Points -18%
Microsoft Surface 3
Intel Atom x7-Z8700
38 Points -57%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Cube i7 Book CDK09
Intel Core m3-6Y30
211 Points
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core m3
Intel Core m3-6Y30
206 Points -2%
Cube i9
Intel Core m3-6Y30
192 Points -9%
Microsoft Surface 3
Intel Atom x7-Z8700
134 Points -36%
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
31.13 fps
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
97.8 %
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
211 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
89 Points
Help

System Performance

The little 10-inch tablet does an excellent job in PCMark 8. All other Core m3-6Y30-based devices were slower in the test. The competition's performance ranged from 95% (Asus Zenbook X305CA) down to 71% (HP Spectre x2 12). The Surface Pro 4 with Core-m3 achieved 82% and Cube's i9 88%.

Compared with all convertibles tested over the past 12 months, Cube's i7 can surpass the average by 9%. The fastest device based on the Core m SoC is Toshiba's Portege Z20t, which is only 3% faster. The fastest convertible in PCMark 8 is Dell's Inspiron 13 5368 based on a Core i7-6500U with a 24% higher PCMark 8 score.

PCMark 8 - Home Score Accelerated v2
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Tablet
HD Graphics 515, 6Y75, Samsung PM871 MZYLN256HCHP
2976 Points 0%
Cube i7 Book CDK09
HD Graphics 515, 6Y30, FORESEE 64GB O1229B
2976 Points
HP Pavilion x2 12-b000ng
HD Graphics 515, 6Y30, SanDisk Z400s SD8SNAT-128G
2831 Points -5%
Huawei MateBook m5-6Y54
HD Graphics 515, 6Y54, SanDisk SD8SN8U256G1027
2717 Points -9%
Cube i9
HD Graphics 515, 6Y30, FORESEE 128GB O1229B
2628 Points -12%
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
HD Graphics 515, 6Y30, Apple SSD AP0256
2550 Points -14%
Acer Aspire Switch 12S SW7-272-M3A0
HD Graphics 515, 6Y30, Lite-On CV1-8B128
2536 Points -15%
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core m3
HD Graphics 515, 6Y30, Samsung MZFLV128 NVMe
2426 Points -18%
Dell Latitude 12 E7275
HD Graphics 515, 6Y75, Samsung SSD PM871 MZNLN256HCHP
2367 Points -20%
Dell XPS 12 9250 4K
HD Graphics 515, 6Y75, Samsung PM951 NVMe 512 GB
2277 Points -23%
Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro S W700N
HD Graphics 515, 6Y30, Lite-On CV1-8B128
2217 Points -26%
HP Spectre x2 12-a001ng
HD Graphics 515, 6Y30, Liteon L8H-256V2G
2116 Points -29%
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
2976 points
Help

Storage Device

Cube installs a 64 GB SSD in the M.2 format by Forsee into the i7. It is sooner weak in the category comparison. The average of all AS SSD scores of the convertibles that we tested is 221% faster with 838 points in the total score. Interestingly, the 128 GB Forsee in Cube's i9 is easily outperformed.

Cube i7 Book CDK09
FORESEE 64GB O1229B
Cube i9
FORESEE 128GB O1229B
Microsoft Surface 3
128 GB eMMC Flash
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core m3
Samsung MZFLV128 NVMe
CrystalDiskMark 3.0
2%
-64%
49%
Read Seq
433.2
337
-22%
149.3
-66%
663
53%
Write Seq
157
208
32%
47.99
-69%
158.2
1%
Read 512
252.4
197
-22%
133.7
-47%
313.1
24%
Write 512
130.7
199
52%
39.9
-69%
158.2
21%
Read 4k
14.72
18.4
25%
12.64
-14%
30.14
105%
Write 4k
51.3
56.8
11%
9.52
-81%
68
33%
Read 4k QD32
121.3
22.7
-81%
27.94
-77%
243.7
101%
Write 4k QD32
96.2
116
21%
11.2
-88%
149.2
55%
FORESEE 64GB O1229B
Sequential Read: 433.2 MB/s
Sequential Write: 157 MB/s
512K Read: 252.4 MB/s
512K Write: 130.7 MB/s
4K Read: 14.72 MB/s
4K Write: 51.3 MB/s
4K QD32 Read: 121.3 MB/s
4K QD32 Write: 96.2 MB/s

Graphics Card

Cube's i7 places itself between the Switch 12S (90%) and Cube's i9 (122%), which are both also based on the 6Y30 SoC and consequently have an HD Graphics 515 graphics card, in the 3DMark Sky Driver test. We previously tested the gaming performance in Cube's i9. Here, actually only World of Warships could be played smoothly using minimum settings.

3DMark - 1280x720 Sky Diver Graphics
Cube i9
Intel HD Graphics 515, Intel Core m3-6Y30
2464 Points +23%
Cube i7 Book CDK09
Intel HD Graphics 515, Intel Core m3-6Y30
2010 Points
Acer Aspire Switch 12S SW7-272-M3A0
Intel HD Graphics 515, Intel Core m3-6Y30
1750 Points -13%
3DMark 06 Standard Score
6599 points
Help

Stress Test

With a stability of 73% in the stress test, the performance is comparable with Cube's i9 (70%). It is evident that the Turbo still allows high clock rates and performance in the first run. Then, the performance settles down and the GPU clocks at 500 MHz.

Emissions & Energy Management

System Noise

The fanless build prevents noise emissions even during high load.

Temperature

The tablet remains pleasantly cool without load. The passively cooled processor can heat up the tablet considerably during load. However, our measured 46 °C during extreme load (which can be expected in demanding games or CPU full load) is not critical.

The keyboard dock that we also tested always remained agreeably cool.

Max. Load
 39 °C
102 F
34 °C
93 F
28 °C
82 F
 
 37 °C
99 F
36 °C
97 F
30 °C
86 F
 
 35 °C
95 F
32 °C
90 F
29 °C
84 F
 
Maximum: 39 °C = 102 F
Average: 33.3 °C = 92 F
35 °C
95 F
40 °C
104 F
46 °C
115 F
34 °C
93 F
39 °C
102 F
45 °C
113 F
34 °C
93 F
38 °C
100 F
41 °C
106 F
Maximum: 46 °C = 115 F
Average: 39.1 °C = 102 F
Power Supply (max.)  28 °C = 82 F | Room Temperature 21 °C = 70 F | Flir One
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 33.3 °C / 92 F, compared to the average of 30.2 °C / 86 F for the devices in the class Convertible.
(+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 39 °C / 102 F, compared to the average of 35.3 °C / 96 F, ranging from 19.6 to 55.7 °C for the class Convertible.
(-) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 46 °C / 115 F, compared to the average of 36.7 °C / 98 F
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are reaching skin temperature as a maximum (35 °C / 95 F) and are therefore not hot.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.1 °C / 82.6 F (-6.9 °C / -12.4 F).
Rear: extreme load
Rear: extreme load
Front: extreme load
Front: extreme load

Speakers

Both stereo speakers are situated on the tablet's right and their sound is quite modest. They are not particularly loud at a measured 72 dB but are sufficient for quiet surroundings. The sound characteristic is very modest and lacks bass and trebles. The speakers in the Switch 12 are linear but also marginally quieter. The Surface Pro 4 clearly offers more basses, and the MacBook 12 remains to be the reference with louder and much better audio output. Thus, headphones (the AKG K701 transmitted sufficiently loud and noise-free) or speakers are recommended for listening to music. The Bluetooth connection functioned quickly and reliably.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs203234.92531.631.53133.333.74045.441.85030.6306332.830.78026.328.710026.428.212527.927.81602723.620024.123.725024.422.531523.421.640031.620.550039.419.763048.319.980052.519.6100058.819.1125058.317160058.217.2200061.617.6250062.216.9315061.817.340006317.4500062.816.8630063.516.9800052.717.3100004517.11250038.917.11600039.317.3SPL72.230.3N261.4median 48.3median 17.6Delta15.81.935.335.132.931.831.83236.535.132.428.93328.936.328.848.32761.52752.924.860.92462.822.763.32269.521.267.82174.82075.919.472.718.97117.770.117.86917.671.817.668.117.671.417.673.717.670.417.571.617.671.617.669.617.459.717.583.630.662.51.5median 69.6median 17.84.72.430.134.232.131.629.732.129.828.629.330.428.234.926.536.425.437.324.243.224.746.324.546.523.249.822.552.62056.319.958.520.259.218.660.418.455.919.258.118.557.317.958.31860.117.561.316.96217.459.817.56117.561.217.555.517.542.917.529.630.671.61.529.8median 18.5median 57.31.56.831.434.435.431.432.832.934.832.835.23333.935.231.231.231.731.23534.734.1352928.729.32928.327.429.328.32930.734.62934.237.642.234.235.941.546.335.937.241.546.737.231.135.439.631.138.643.448.138.6535862.25353.758.362.753.755.96164.955.952.557.461.652.556.461.265.256.455.760.765.555.756.961.966.856.956.761.766.256.75661.365.85653.859.263.453.853.258.36353.256.961.766.356.959.664.46959.654.759.864.354.746.451.255.746.443.848.853.443.84246.651.24267.672.677.167.622.530.740.422.5median 53.2median 58.3median 62.7median 53.28.48.37.88.4hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseCube i7 Book CDK09Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHzMicrosoft Surface Pro 4, Core i5, 128GBAcer Aspire Switch 12S SW7-272-M3A0
Cube i7 Book CDK09 audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (72 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 22.8% lower than median
(+) | bass is linear (3.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 9.2% higher than median
(-) | mids are not linear (16% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 11.3% higher than median
(±) | linearity of highs is average (10.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(-) | overall sound is not linear (46.1% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 99% of all tested devices in this class were better, 0% similar, 1% worse
» The best had a delta of 6%, average was 21%, worst was 57%
Compared to all devices tested
» 95% 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%

Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core i5, 128GB audio analysis

(-) | not very loud speakers (71.6 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 11.3% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (7% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 1.3% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (5.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 3.4% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (4.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (19.2% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 40% of all tested devices in this class were better, 7% similar, 53% worse
» The best had a delta of 6%, average was 21%, worst was 57%
Compared to all devices tested
» 40% of all tested devices were better, 7% similar, 52% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Acer Aspire Switch 12S SW7-272-M3A0 audio analysis

(-) | not very loud speakers (68 dB)
Analysis not possible as minimum curve is missing or too high

Frequency diagram in comparison (check boxes above can be turned on/off!)

Power Consumption

The power consumption using the included power supply is a bit higher than those of other devices based on a Core m3-6Y30 CPU without load. The top devices achieve a minimum consumption of around 3 watts. The tablet also places itself in the upper range during load. Some devices only consume 12 watts in the 3DMark06 test. 3DMark06 starts at 22 watts and gradually drops to 20 watts in the course of the first test. We record 23 watts for a moment during extreme load, which then slowly drops (22 watts in the first minutes, then down to 18 watts).

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.4 / 0.9 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 6.6 / 10 / 12 Watt
Load midlight 21.1 / 22 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

We managed a battery life of 4 to 5 hours in practice. This is owed to the relatively small battery (32 Wh).

Battery Runtime - WiFi Websurfing
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core m3
6Y30, HD Graphics 515, 38 Wh
488 min +63%
Microsoft Surface 3
Z8700, HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), 28 Wh
437 min +46%
Cube i7 Book CDK09
6Y30, HD Graphics 515, 31.8 Wh
300 min
Cube i9
6Y30, HD Graphics 515, 38 Wh
262 min -13%
Battery Runtime
WiFi Websurfing
5h 00min

Pros

+ straightforward, attractive design
+ good build for the price range
+ price
+ decent keyboard
+ office and multimedia performance
+ IPS panel with good viewing angles
+ dual-band Intel 3165 AC Wi-Fi

Cons

- 64 GB storage only
- annoying ClickPad
- limited opening angles
- poor cameras
- poor speakers
- glossy screen

Verdict

Not a direct rival - Surface 4 Pro
Not a direct rival - Surface 4 Pro

Cube's i7 Book with keyboard dock made a good impression for the price. Build, design, and the Core m3's performance are definitely plus points. The screen convinces with good viewing angles and contrasts, although the color reproduction is sooner weak. The battery life is average; not more than 4 hours is possible using maximum brightness and medium load. The SSD, speakers, cameras, and ClickPad are points where Cube makes evident cutbacks. Cube's i7 is currently available at Gearbest for 315 Euros (~$352) including shipping (promotion; listed at 556 Euros, ~$622). However, duty fees of 17.5% up to 700 Euros (~$783) and import turnover tax of 19% might have to be added in Germany. Gearbest offers a "Germany Express" option that allegedly does not incur these fees. Nevertheless, the device has to be shipped back to China in a warranty case.

Cube i7 Book CDK09 - 09/28/2016 v5.1(old)
Peter Strasser, Klaus Hinum

Chassis
78 / 98 → 80%
Keyboard
83%
Pointing Device
75%
Connectivity
30 / 80 → 38%
Weight
71 / 35-78 → 84%
Battery
82%
Display
81%
Games Performance
48 / 68 → 71%
Application Performance
71 / 87 → 82%
Temperature
85%
Noise
100%
Audio
42 / 91 → 46%
Camera
20 / 85 → 24%
Average
67%
78%
Convertible - Weighted Average

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Peter Strasser, Klaus Hinum, 2016-10- 5 (Update: 2017-05-23)