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Cubot King Kong 3 Smartphone Review

The return of the king of the apes. Catchy name, outdoor smartphone, second generation: The successor to the Cubot King Kong promises to be a budget yet high-quality-looking rugged smartphone. We're excited, are you? Then read on quickly.
Cubot King Kong 3

After King Kong comes King Kong 3. That's not exactly logical and we couldn't determine why there's no King Kong 2 either. In last year's review, we found the predecessor Cubot King Kong "good" and the successor promises some improvements: The most important thing is likely that LTE is finally on board, there's a modern SoC, a dual-camera setup on the back side, an even larger battery and the smartphone is reported to be rugged.

In exchange, the King Kong 3 is more expensive than the King Kong, but it is still quite low-priced for an outdoor smartphone: This budget offering can be found online right now for about 210 Euros (~$236).

Before diving right in, we'll establish the comparison devices against which the King Kong 3 will be measured: Alongside the predecessor, we chose the Ulefone Armor 6, the Elephone Soldier and the CAT S31.

Cubot King Kong 3 (King Kong Series)
Processor
Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T 8 x 2.3 - 2.5 GHz, Cortex-A53
Graphics adapter
Memory
4 GB 
Display
5.50 inch 18:9, 1440 x 720 pixel 293 PPI, capacitive touchscreen, IPS, Corning Gorilla Glass, glossy: yes
Storage
64 GB eMMC Flash, 64 GB 
, 56 GB free
Connections
1 USB 2.0, Audio Connections: USB-C audio, Card Reader: microSD up to 128 GB, 1 Fingerprint Reader, NFC, Brightness Sensor, Sensors: accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, USB-C
Networking
802.11a/b/g/n (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/), Bluetooth 4.2, 2G (850/​900/​1800/​1900), 3G (B1/​B2/​B4/​B5), 4G (B1/​B2/​B3/​B4/​B5/​B7/​B8/​B12/​B17/​B20), Dual SIM, LTE, GPS
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 13.3 x 162.5 x 78.3 ( = 0.52 x 6.4 x 3.08 in)
Battery
23.1 Wh, 6000 mAh Lithium-Polymer, Fast battery charging 18W
Operating System
Android 8.1 Oreo
Camera
Primary Camera: 16 MPix f/​2.2, contrast AF, Dual LED flash, Videos @720p (camera 1); 2 MP, depth of field (camera 2)
Secondary Camera: 13 MPix f/2.2
Additional features
Speakers: mono speaker on the back side, Keyboard: virtual keyboard, Charger, USB cable, SIM tool, IP68 certified, notification LED (multicolor), LTE Cat. 6 (300 Mb/s Download, 50 Mb/s Upload), SAR value: 0.501 W/kg (head), 1.044 W/kg (body), fanless, ruggedized
Weight
280 g ( = 9.88 oz / 0.62 pounds), Power Supply: 62 g ( = 2.19 oz / 0.14 pounds)
Price
249 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case – Heavy outdoor smartphone

Cubot remains faithful to the design philosophy of its outdoor smartphones: visible screws, metal elements on the sides, and a back side that isn't flat but becomes thinner towards the middle. The King Kong 3 immediately reveals that it's a stable smartphone, and weighing 280 grams that it's also quite heavy. When compared against its predecessor, both the weight and display size have increased. A 5.5-inch display in a slimmer 2:1 format is to be found now, so that the smartphone has become a bit narrower.

The fact that the screen was relatively unprotected seemed to be an issue with the King Kong. On the King Kong 3 there's now at least a minimally raised bezel and the display also comes with a factory screen protector. However, other manufacturers have given their screens more thought and equipped them with much higher protective edges than the ones found on the King Kong 3. The display would have a lot to endure, should it fall on an uneven surface such as pebbles.

The colorful decorative elements on the case still exist, but it's no longer necessary to unscrew it in order to get to the SIM card. It can now be accessed through an ordinary drawer.

According to the manufacturer, the case is IP68-certified, making it resistant to water and dust. Furthermore, it should be usable at extremely low and high temperatures without problems. Irritably, a card in the package advises against using the device at very high temperatures or in harsh environments, which contradicts the manufacturer's promise.

Cubot King Kong 3
Cubot King Kong 3
Cubot King Kong 3
Cubot King Kong 3
Cubot King Kong 3

Size comparison

166 mm / 6.54 inch 83 mm / 3.27 inch 13.2 mm / 0.52 inch 268 g0.591 lbs162.5 mm / 6.4 inch 78.3 mm / 3.08 inch 13.3 mm / 0.524 inch 280 g0.617 lbs155 mm / 6.1 inch 78 mm / 3.07 inch 13 mm / 0.512 inch 251 g0.553 lbs153 mm / 6.02 inch 80.2 mm / 3.16 inch 14.85 mm / 0.585 inch 246 g0.542 lbs146 mm / 5.75 inch 74.4 mm / 2.93 inch 12.6 mm / 0.4961 inch 200 g0.4409 lbs148 mm / 5.83 inch 105 mm / 4.13 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 1.5 g0.00331 lbs

Connectivity – More storage in the King Kong 3

The King Kong 3 is significantly more expensive than the first King Kong and that's also noticeable in its configuration: There's now 64 GB storage and 4 GB RAM, which is by all means adequate for a mid-range smartphone. Not all contenders can keep up with this, but the Chinese devices from Ulefone and Elephone offer even more storage.

The smartphone is also dual-SIM and provides a microSD slot, which occupies one of the two SIM card slots, so that users will have to choose between having two SIM cards or expanding storage.

Software – Outdated security

The operating system is a partially up-to-date Android 8.1; the security patches from November 2018 are, at the time of writing, already outdated. An update is not in sight so far. Cubot opted for pure Android for the western version of the smartphone, which fortunately comes without bloatware too.

However, it's annoying that a lot of streaming content can only be watched in lower resolutions because of the lack of proper DRM support from the manufacturer.

Software Cubot King Kong 3
Software Cubot King Kong 3
Software Cubot King Kong 3

Communication and GPS – LTE in Cubot smartphone

While the predecessor only offered 3G, the King Kong 3 is now also capable of LTE. The maximum download speed reached a decent 300 Mb/s. Reception is decent in buildings in the city, but it is not great. This could be due to the metal used in the case, which can inevitably hamper the signal.

Regarding Wi-Fi, the King Kong 3 is slightly faster at receiving data than its predecessor, but at around 60 Mb/s, it still behaves like an entry-level smartphone. The Elephone Soldier and the Ulefone Armor 6 offer higher speeds on the other hand.

Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Elephone Soldier
Mali-T880 MP4, Helio X25 MTK6797T, 128 GB eMMC Flash
332 (316min - 340max) MBit/s +561%
Ulefone Armor 6
Mali-G72 MP3, Helio P60, 128 GB eMMC Flash
311 (292min - 329max) MBit/s +520%
Cubot King Kong
Mali-400 MP2, MT6580M, 16 GB eMMC Flash
57.7 MBit/s +15%
Cubot King Kong 3
Mali-G71 MP2, Helio P23 MT6763T, 64 GB eMMC Flash
50.2 (35min - 54max) MBit/s
CAT S31
Adreno 304, 210 MSM8909, 16 GB eMMC Flash
39.3 MBit/s -22%
iperf3 receive AX12
Average of class Smartphone
  (last 2 years)
376 MBit/s +497%
Ulefone Armor 6
Mali-G72 MP3, Helio P60, 128 GB eMMC Flash
344 (219min - 350max) MBit/s +446%
Elephone Soldier
Mali-T880 MP4, Helio X25 MTK6797T, 128 GB eMMC Flash
263 (259min - 265max) MBit/s +317%
Cubot King Kong 3
Mali-G71 MP2, Helio P23 MT6763T, 64 GB eMMC Flash
63 (56min - 62max) MBit/s
Cubot King Kong
Mali-400 MP2, MT6580M, 16 GB eMMC Flash
54.4 MBit/s -14%
CAT S31
Adreno 304, 210 MSM8909, 16 GB eMMC Flash
41.6 MBit/s -34%
051015202530354045505560Tooltip
Cubot King Kong 3; iperf3 receive AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø59.7 (56-62)
Cubot King Kong 3; iperf3 transmit AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø50.1 (35-54)
GPS Test indoors
GPS Test indoors
GPS Test outdoors
GPS Test outdoors

GPS tracking in buildings is not possible with the King Kong 3, but this works almost immediately outdoors and the accuracy is quite good at five meters.

In our practical test doing a bike lap, we used the professional navigator Garmin 520 as comparison device. The Cubot King Kong 3 didn't show any massive signal drops. Although the professional navigator didn't represent the difficult round trip correctly, the King Kong 3 was overall still less accurate than the Garmin device. Nevertheless, accuracy is good enough for recreational purposes and if an exact location isn't required.

GPS Garmin Edge 520 – Overview
GPS Garmin Edge 520 – Overview
GPS Garmin Edge 520 – Round trip
GPS Garmin Edge 520 – Round trip
GPS Garmin Edge 520 – Bridge
GPS Garmin Edge 520 – Bridge
GPS Cubot King Kong 3 – Overview
GPS Cubot King Kong 3 – Overview
GPS Cubot King Kong 3 – Round trip
GPS Cubot King Kong 3 – Round trip
GPS Cubot King Kong 3 – Bridge
GPS Cubot King Kong 3 – Bridge

Telephone and call quality – Buzzing noise from time to time

The phone app is the standard Google app, so Android veterans should quickly feel comfortable with it.

Call quality is good, but the ear speaker makes a buzzing noise at maximum volume; lowering the volume a bit fixes this and sound quality is good. The microphone also delivers good results and voice quality is clear both when talking quietly or louder. Sound output is also quite loud and of good quality when on speaker. The microphone has some issues in this case though: On one hand, there is a hissing noise, on the other hand, it's too sensitive, so that there's a buzzing sound even at medium volume. The only way to get clear voice quality here is to talk very quietly.

Cameras – Grainy pictures from the Cubot smartphone

Front-facing camera sample
Front-facing camera sample

Things have changed a lot in the camera department since the Cubot King Kong: In the new model, there's a dual-camera setup on the rear. There's a 16-megapixel main camera and a 2-megapixel secondary camera to achieve focal blur. You can tell at first glance that picture quality is much better than on its predecessor. However, pictures also look very grainy in detail. That's relatively noticeable in photographs of surroundings. Under low light, images quickly become blurry. HDR shots can also be taken but you'll have to give the smartphone a second for it to process them.

The front-facing camera takes passable pictures with its 14 megapixels; dynamic range isn't particularly high and we could also see a lot of graininess here. There's also no auto-focus, so that you need to find the right distance from the target in order to get a sharp image.

Videos of up to 1080p and 30 fps can be recorded on the main camera. The auto-focus is very slow in this case, it often needs manual assistance. Exposure varies significantly as ambient lighting changes.

Image Comparison

Choose a scene and navigate within the first image. One click changes the position on touchscreens. One click on the zoomed-in image opens the original in a new window. The first image shows the scaled photograph of the test device.

Scene 1Scene 2Scene 3
click to load images

Images also appeared very grainy in our lab under controlled lighting conditions, especially on large color areas. Image sharpness was decent and barely decreased towards the edges. 

Colors look a bit too washed-out though.

Photo of test chart
Photo of test chart
Detail of test chart
Detail of test chart
ColorChecker: The reference color is in the bottom half of each field.
ColorChecker: The reference color is in the bottom half of each field.

Accessories and warranty – Relying on the retailer

The package only contains the essentials: a charger, a USB cable and a SIM tool. The quick-start guide is only available in English. Since we're dealing with a standard Android device, you'll find general tips on it. The software is completely available in German too. On another note, an adapter for the USB-C port isn't included. Users who want to connect headphones or make use of USB-OTG will have to acquire a separate adapter.

Cubot promises a 12-month warranty on its website and also offers after-sales support. However, there is no option to contact the company directly and the smartphone would have to be sent to Cubot at your own expense, presumably to China. When buying from a European retailer, you'll have the chance of claiming a repair through the warranty, but after six months the following applies: The buyer must prove that the product was already defective when it was delivered. In this case, you'll usually depend on the retailer's goodwill.

Input devices and handling – Smartphone with programmable hardware button

The touchscreen on the King Kong 3 comes with a screen protector that's hard to remove. On one hand, it protects the screen, but on the other hand, it feels rough to the touch. Overall, however, the touchscreen reacts with precision and reliability. There is no glove mode and, as with the Cubot King Kong, it bothers us that menu navigation is limited to on-screen buttons only: If you wear gloves at work or have wet hands, you might not even be able to perform some basic tasks on your smartphone.

The fingerprint sensor on the back works reliably. Google's GBoard is used as the keyboard app, making for a solid typing experience.

The hardware buttons are a real highlight on the King Kong 3, they are very large and therefore easily usable, and they seem of high-quality and work with precision. On the left side of the case, you'll even find a programmable button, which is very good.

Keyboard in landscape mode
Keyboard in landscape mode
Keyboard in portrait mode
Keyboard in portrait mode

Display – Room for improvement

Subpixel array
Subpixel array

The 18:9 display comes with HD resolution but offers only moderate brightness, which is incidentally also quite unevenly distributed along the screen. With an average of 378.9 cd/m², the maximum brightness is even significantly lower than on the Cubot King Kong. This is very annoying for an outdoor smartphone since it's supposed to be usable outside.

The competition not only delivers displays with considerably better brightness but also even with substantially higher resolution in some cases, like on the Ulefone Armor 6 or the Elephone Soldier, for example.

413
cd/m²
345
cd/m²
341
cd/m²
415
cd/m²
365
cd/m²
375
cd/m²
406
cd/m²
369
cd/m²
381
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 415 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 378.9 cd/m² Minimum: 12.9 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 82 %
Center on Battery: 365 cd/m²
Contrast: 2607:1 (Black: 0.14 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 8.03 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 10.3 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
94.6% sRGB (Calman 2D)
Gamma: 2.197
Cubot King Kong 3
IPS, 1440x720, 5.50
Cubot King Kong
IPS, 1280x720, 5.00
Ulefone Armor 6
IPS LCD, 2246x1080, 6.20
Elephone Soldier
IPS, 2560x1440, 5.50
CAT S31
IPS, 1280x720, 4.70
Screen
-1%
18%
-22%
13%
Brightness middle
365
466
28%
418
15%
542
48%
784
115%
Brightness
379
449
18%
413
9%
531
40%
750
98%
Brightness Distribution
82
90
10%
91
11%
88
7%
92
12%
Black Level *
0.14
0.25
-79%
0.2
-43%
0.68
-386%
0.45
-221%
Contrast
2607
1864
-29%
2090
-20%
797
-69%
1742
-33%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
8.03
7.03
12%
4.5
44%
3.8
53%
4.28
47%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
16.34
16.25
1%
6.8
58%
7
57%
8.75
46%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
10.3
7.1
31%
3.3
68%
2.8
73%
6.1
41%
Gamma
2.197 100%
2.26 97%
2.24 98%
2.16 102%
2.49 88%
CCT
9941 65%
7244 90%
7205 90%
6971 93%
7175 91%

* ... smaller is better

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

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

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.

At least there's a good black level, which produces decent contrast. We also found that colors looked bright on the display.

We noticed a clear blue tint when looking at the screenshots provided by the CalMAN software. This was accompanied by a marked deviation from the color-space specifications, which resulted in inaccurate colors. Professional users will be particularly bothered by this.

CalMAN grayscales
CalMAN grayscales
CalMAN sRGB color-space
CalMAN sRGB color-space
CalMAN color accuracy
CalMAN color accuracy
CalMAN saturation
CalMAN saturation

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
28 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 15 ms rise
↘ 13 ms fall
The screen shows relatively slow response rates in our tests and may be too slow for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 67 % 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
44 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 21 ms rise
↘ 23 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. » 69 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

No PWM was identified, at least. However, outdoor use showed that the display reaches its limits in bright environments. Viewing angles are decent, but shifts in brightness at lateral angles are noticeable.

Viewing angles
Viewing angles
Outdoor use
Outdoor use

Performance – A clear step ahead

When it comes to performance, the King Kong 3 is a clear step ahead of the original King Kong: The MediaTek Helio P23 performs significantly better and is worthy of a mid-range smartphone. Compatibility with apps has also been improved; benchmarks that wouldn't even start on the King Kong can now be run. There are also limitations though: Occasionally, apps freeze or misbehave. The slightly older AnTuTu 6, for example, doesn't start, but more modern benchmarks do. So you should thoroughly test important apps before buying.

Geekbench 4.4
64 Bit Single-Core Score (sort by value)
Cubot King Kong 3
Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T, Mali-G71 MP2, 4096
878 Points
Cubot King Kong
Mediatek MT6580M, Mali-400 MP2, 2048
425 Points -52%
Ulefone Armor 6
Mediatek Helio P60, Mali-G72 MP3, 6144
Points -100%
Elephone Soldier
Mediatek Helio X25 MTK6797T, Mali-T880 MP4, 4096
1791 Points +104%
CAT S31
Qualcomm Snapdragon 210 MSM8909, Adreno 304, 2048
437 Points -50%
Average Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T
  (787 - 920, n=5)
841 Points -4%
Average of class Smartphone
  (800 - 9574, n=90, last 2 years)
5063 Points +477%
64 Bit Multi-Core Score (sort by value)
Cubot King Kong 3
Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T, Mali-G71 MP2, 4096
3948 Points
Cubot King Kong
Mediatek MT6580M, Mali-400 MP2, 2048
1237 Points -69%
Ulefone Armor 6
Mediatek Helio P60, Mali-G72 MP3, 6144
Points -100%
Elephone Soldier
Mediatek Helio X25 MTK6797T, Mali-T880 MP4, 4096
4554 Points +15%
CAT S31
Qualcomm Snapdragon 210 MSM8909, Adreno 304, 2048
1135 Points -71%
Average Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T
  (3504 - 4262, n=5)
3808 Points -4%
Average of class Smartphone
  (2630 - 26990, n=90, last 2 years)
13549 Points +243%
Compute RenderScript Score (sort by value)
Cubot King Kong 3
Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T, Mali-G71 MP2, 4096
2965 Points
Cubot King Kong
Mediatek MT6580M, Mali-400 MP2, 2048
773 Points -74%
Elephone Soldier
Mediatek Helio X25 MTK6797T, Mali-T880 MP4, 4096
3449 Points +16%
Average Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T
  (2707 - 3246, n=4)
2957 Points 0%
Average of class Smartphone
  (2053 - 18432, n=70, last 2 years)
10590 Points +257%
PCMark for Android
Work performance score (sort by value)
Cubot King Kong 3
Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T, Mali-G71 MP2, 4096
6379 Points
Cubot King Kong
Mediatek MT6580M, Mali-400 MP2, 2048
3041 Points -52%
Ulefone Armor 6
Mediatek Helio P60, Mali-G72 MP3, 6144
9513 Points +49%
Elephone Soldier
Mediatek Helio X25 MTK6797T, Mali-T880 MP4, 4096
5563 Points -13%
CAT S31
Qualcomm Snapdragon 210 MSM8909, Adreno 304, 2048
3080 Points -52%
Average Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T
  (5909 - 6846, n=8)
6278 Points -2%
Average of class Smartphone
  (10884 - 19297, n=2, last 2 years)
15091 Points +137%
Work 2.0 performance score (sort by value)
Cubot King Kong 3
Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T, Mali-G71 MP2, 4096
4960 Points
Cubot King Kong
Mediatek MT6580M, Mali-400 MP2, 2048
0 Points -100%
Ulefone Armor 6
Mediatek Helio P60, Mali-G72 MP3, 6144
6950 Points +40%
CAT S31
Qualcomm Snapdragon 210 MSM8909, Adreno 304, 2048
2300 Points -54%
Average Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T
  (4622 - 5054, n=7)
4825 Points -3%
Average of class Smartphone
  (9101 - 12871, n=4, last 2 years)
10872 Points +119%
3DMark
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Score (sort by value)
Cubot King Kong 3
Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T, Mali-G71 MP2, 4096
11505 Points
Cubot King Kong
Mediatek MT6580M, Mali-400 MP2, 2048
2841 Points -75%
Ulefone Armor 6
Mediatek Helio P60, Mali-G72 MP3, 6144
19616 Points +70%
Elephone Soldier
Mediatek Helio X25 MTK6797T, Mali-T880 MP4, 4096
14858 Points +29%
CAT S31
Qualcomm Snapdragon 210 MSM8909, Adreno 304, 2048
5291 Points -54%
Average Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T
  (8983 - 12148, n=7)
10783 Points -6%
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Graphics Score (sort by value)
Cubot King Kong 3
Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T, Mali-G71 MP2, 4096
11234 Points
Cubot King Kong
Mediatek MT6580M, Mali-400 MP2, 2048
2396 Points -79%
Ulefone Armor 6
Mediatek Helio P60, Mali-G72 MP3, 6144
18998 Points +69%
Elephone Soldier
Mediatek Helio X25 MTK6797T, Mali-T880 MP4, 4096
16864 Points +50%
CAT S31
Qualcomm Snapdragon 210 MSM8909, Adreno 304, 2048
5042 Points -55%
Average Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T
  (9862 - 12146, n=7)
11064 Points -2%
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Physics (sort by value)
Cubot King Kong 3
Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T, Mali-G71 MP2, 4096
12566 Points
Cubot King Kong
Mediatek MT6580M, Mali-400 MP2, 2048
8112 Points -35%
Ulefone Armor 6
Mediatek Helio P60, Mali-G72 MP3, 6144
22137 Points +76%
Elephone Soldier
Mediatek Helio X25 MTK6797T, Mali-T880 MP4, 4096
10490 Points -17%
CAT S31
Qualcomm Snapdragon 210 MSM8909, Adreno 304, 2048
6396 Points -49%
Average Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T
  (6847 - 12566, n=7)
10109 Points -20%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 (sort by value)
Cubot King Kong 3
Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T, Mali-G71 MP2, 4096
720 Points
Ulefone Armor 6
Mediatek Helio P60, Mali-G72 MP3, 6144
1008 Points +40%
Elephone Soldier
Mediatek Helio X25 MTK6797T, Mali-T880 MP4, 4096
997 Points +38%
Average Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T
  (70 - 732, n=8)
461 Points -36%
Average of class Smartphone
  (712 - 7285, n=52, last 2 years)
3548 Points +393%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Graphics (sort by value)
Cubot King Kong 3
Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T, Mali-G71 MP2, 4096
616 Points
Ulefone Armor 6
Mediatek Helio P60, Mali-G72 MP3, 6144
861 Points +40%
Elephone Soldier
Mediatek Helio X25 MTK6797T, Mali-T880 MP4, 4096
929 Points +51%
Average Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T
  (55 - 626, n=8)
394 Points -36%
Average of class Smartphone
  (618 - 9451, n=52, last 2 years)
3905 Points +534%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Physics (sort by value)
Cubot King Kong 3
Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T, Mali-G71 MP2, 4096
1754 Points
Ulefone Armor 6
Mediatek Helio P60, Mali-G72 MP3, 6144
2511 Points +43%
Elephone Soldier
Mediatek Helio X25 MTK6797T, Mali-T880 MP4, 4096
1338 Points -24%
Average Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T
  (1200 - 1804, n=8)
1515 Points -14%
Average of class Smartphone
  (1093 - 4525, n=52, last 2 years)
3005 Points +71%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Unlimited (sort by value)
Cubot King Kong 3
Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T, Mali-G71 MP2, 4096
753 Points
Ulefone Armor 6
Mediatek Helio P60, Mali-G72 MP3, 6144
1581 Points +110%
Elephone Soldier
Mediatek Helio X25 MTK6797T, Mali-T880 MP4, 4096
999 Points +33%
Average Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T
  (629 - 766, n=8)
695 Points -8%
Average of class Smartphone
  (704 - 23024, n=115, last 2 years)
9038 Points +1100%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Unlimited Graphics (sort by value)
Cubot King Kong 3
Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T, Mali-G71 MP2, 4096
643 Points
Ulefone Armor 6
Mediatek Helio P60, Mali-G72 MP3, 6144
1441 Points +124%
Elephone Soldier
Mediatek Helio X25 MTK6797T, Mali-T880 MP4, 4096
927 Points +44%
Average Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T
  (564 - 654, n=8)
606 Points -6%
Average of class Smartphone
  (607 - 45492, n=114, last 2 years)
15757 Points +2351%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Unlimited Physics (sort by value)
Cubot King Kong 3
Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T, Mali-G71 MP2, 4096
1882 Points
Ulefone Armor 6
Mediatek Helio P60, Mali-G72 MP3, 6144
2765 Points +47%
Elephone Soldier
Mediatek Helio X25 MTK6797T, Mali-T880 MP4, 4096
1372 Points -27%
Average Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T
  (1024 - 1906, n=8)
1504 Points -20%
Average of class Smartphone
  (1075 - 8749, n=114, last 2 years)
4335 Points +130%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) (sort by value)
Cubot King Kong 3
Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T, Mali-G71 MP2, 4096
477 Points
Ulefone Armor 6
Mediatek Helio P60, Mali-G72 MP3, 6144
733 Points +54%
Elephone Soldier
Mediatek Helio X25 MTK6797T, Mali-T880 MP4, 4096
803 Points +68%
CAT S31
Qualcomm Snapdragon 210 MSM8909, Adreno 304, 2048
0 Points -100%
Average Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T
  (68 - 483, n=8)
313 Points -34%
Average of class Smartphone
  (286 - 7890, n=102, last 2 years)
2685 Points +463%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Graphics (sort by value)
Cubot King Kong 3
Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T, Mali-G71 MP2, 4096
395 Points
Ulefone Armor 6
Mediatek Helio P60, Mali-G72 MP3, 6144
628 Points +59%
Elephone Soldier
Mediatek Helio X25 MTK6797T, Mali-T880 MP4, 4096
697 Points +76%
CAT S31
Qualcomm Snapdragon 210 MSM8909, Adreno 304, 2048
0 Points -100%
Average Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T
  (53 - 399, n=8)
261 Points -34%
Average of class Smartphone
  (240 - 9814, n=102, last 2 years)
2675 Points +577%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Physics (sort by value)
Cubot King Kong 3
Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T, Mali-G71 MP2, 4096
1768 Points
Ulefone Armor 6
Mediatek Helio P60, Mali-G72 MP3, 6144
2478 Points +40%
Elephone Soldier
Mediatek Helio X25 MTK6797T, Mali-T880 MP4, 4096
1719 Points -3%
CAT S31
Qualcomm Snapdragon 210 MSM8909, Adreno 304, 2048
560 Points -68%
Average Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T
  (1240 - 1820, n=8)
1534 Points -13%
Average of class Smartphone
  (858 - 4679, n=102, last 2 years)
3127 Points +77%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited (sort by value)
Cubot King Kong 3
Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T, Mali-G71 MP2, 4096
502 Points
Ulefone Armor 6
Mediatek Helio P60, Mali-G72 MP3, 6144
1037 Points +107%
Elephone Soldier
Mediatek Helio X25 MTK6797T, Mali-T880 MP4, 4096
950 Points +89%
Average Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T
  (431 - 507, n=8)
466 Points -7%
Average of class Smartphone
  (317 - 20131, n=174, last 2 years)
6545 Points +1204%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited Graphics (sort by value)
Cubot King Kong 3
Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T, Mali-G71 MP2, 4096
415 Points
Ulefone Armor 6
Mediatek Helio P60, Mali-G72 MP3, 6144
881 Points +112%
Elephone Soldier
Mediatek Helio X25 MTK6797T, Mali-T880 MP4, 4096
858 Points +107%
Average Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T
  (371 - 419, n=8)
391 Points -6%
Average of class Smartphone
  (267 - 33376, n=173, last 2 years)
9330 Points +2148%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited Physics (sort by value)
Cubot King Kong 3
Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T, Mali-G71 MP2, 4096
1895 Points
Ulefone Armor 6
Mediatek Helio P60, Mali-G72 MP3, 6144
2675 Points +41%
Elephone Soldier
Mediatek Helio X25 MTK6797T, Mali-T880 MP4, 4096
1523 Points -20%
Average Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T
  (964 - 1928, n=8)
1492 Points -21%
Average of class Smartphone
  (938 - 8480, n=173, last 2 years)
4158 Points +119%
GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7
T-Rex Onscreen (sort by value)
Cubot King Kong 3
Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T, Mali-G71 MP2, 4096
36 fps
Cubot King Kong
Mediatek MT6580M, Mali-400 MP2, 2048
7.5 fps -79%
Ulefone Armor 6
Mediatek Helio P60, Mali-G72 MP3, 6144
32 fps -11%
Elephone Soldier
Mediatek Helio X25 MTK6797T, Mali-T880 MP4, 4096
18 fps -50%
CAT S31
Qualcomm Snapdragon 210 MSM8909, Adreno 304, 2048
9.8 fps -73%
Average Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T
  (20 - 36, n=7)
25.1 fps -30%
Average of class Smartphone
  (22 - 165, n=177, last 2 years)
83.6 fps +132%
1920x1080 T-Rex Offscreen (sort by value)
Cubot King Kong 3
Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T, Mali-G71 MP2, 4096
23 fps
Cubot King Kong
Mediatek MT6580M, Mali-400 MP2, 2048
4.2 fps -82%
Ulefone Armor 6
Mediatek Helio P60, Mali-G72 MP3, 6144
34 fps +48%
Elephone Soldier
Mediatek Helio X25 MTK6797T, Mali-T880 MP4, 4096
27 fps +17%
CAT S31
Qualcomm Snapdragon 210 MSM8909, Adreno 304, 2048
5.6 fps -76%
Average Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T
  (21 - 24, n=7)
22.1 fps -4%
Average of class Smartphone
  (19 - 791, n=177, last 2 years)
243 fps +957%
GFXBench 3.0
on screen Manhattan Onscreen OGL (sort by value)
Cubot King Kong 3
Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T, Mali-G71 MP2, 4096
22 fps
Ulefone Armor 6
Mediatek Helio P60, Mali-G72 MP3, 6144
17 fps -23%
Elephone Soldier
Mediatek Helio X25 MTK6797T, Mali-T880 MP4, 4096
8.3 fps -62%
CAT S31
Qualcomm Snapdragon 210 MSM8909, Adreno 304, 2048
4.3 fps -80%
Average Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T
  (10 - 22, n=7)
13.3 fps -40%
Average of class Smartphone
  (6.8 - 165, n=178, last 2 years)
71.3 fps +224%
1920x1080 1080p Manhattan Offscreen (sort by value)
Cubot King Kong 3
Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T, Mali-G71 MP2, 4096
11 fps
Ulefone Armor 6
Mediatek Helio P60, Mali-G72 MP3, 6144
18 fps +64%
Elephone Soldier
Mediatek Helio X25 MTK6797T, Mali-T880 MP4, 4096
14 fps +27%
CAT S31
Qualcomm Snapdragon 210 MSM8909, Adreno 304, 2048
1.9 fps -83%
Average Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T
  (10 - 11, n=7)
10.4 fps -5%
Average of class Smartphone
  (9.2 - 363, n=178, last 2 years)
137.9 fps +1154%
GFXBench 3.1
on screen Manhattan ES 3.1 Onscreen (sort by value)
Cubot King Kong 3
Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T, Mali-G71 MP2, 4096
16 fps
Ulefone Armor 6
Mediatek Helio P60, Mali-G72 MP3, 6144
11 fps -31%
Elephone Soldier
Mediatek Helio X25 MTK6797T, Mali-T880 MP4, 4096
5 fps -69%
Average Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T
  (6.2 - 16, n=7)
8.97 fps -44%
Average of class Smartphone
  (3.7 - 158, n=178, last 2 years)
60.2 fps +276%
1920x1080 Manhattan ES 3.1 Offscreen (sort by value)
Cubot King Kong 3
Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T, Mali-G71 MP2, 4096
7.2 fps
Ulefone Armor 6
Mediatek Helio P60, Mali-G72 MP3, 6144
12 fps +67%
Elephone Soldier
Mediatek Helio X25 MTK6797T, Mali-T880 MP4, 4096
9.1 fps +26%
Average Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T
  (6.5 - 7.2, n=7)
6.8 fps -6%
Average of class Smartphone
  (6.2 - 279, n=178, last 2 years)
97 fps +1247%
GFXBench
on screen Car Chase Onscreen (sort by value)
Cubot King Kong 3
Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T, Mali-G71 MP2, 4096
8.5 fps
Ulefone Armor 6
Mediatek Helio P60, Mali-G72 MP3, 6144
7 fps -18%
Elephone Soldier
Mediatek Helio X25 MTK6797T, Mali-T880 MP4, 4096
3.5 fps -59%
Average Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T
  (3.6 - 8.5, n=7)
5.1 fps -40%
Average of class Smartphone
  (5 - 117, n=178, last 2 years)
42.9 fps +405%
1920x1080 Car Chase Offscreen (sort by value)
Cubot King Kong 3
Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T, Mali-G71 MP2, 4096
4.1 fps
Ulefone Armor 6
Mediatek Helio P60, Mali-G72 MP3, 6144
7 fps +71%
Elephone Soldier
Mediatek Helio X25 MTK6797T, Mali-T880 MP4, 4096
6.1 fps +49%
Average Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T
  (3.5 - 4.2, n=7)
3.87 fps -6%
Average of class Smartphone
  (2.9 - 166, n=178, last 2 years)
58.6 fps +1329%
on screen Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Onscreen (sort by value)
Cubot King Kong 3
Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T, Mali-G71 MP2, 4096
6.9 fps
Ulefone Armor 6
Mediatek Helio P60, Mali-G72 MP3, 6144
6.9 fps 0%
Elephone Soldier
Mediatek Helio X25 MTK6797T, Mali-T880 MP4, 4096
4 fps -42%
Average Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T
  (4 - 6.9, n=3)
5.77 fps -16%
Average of class Smartphone
  (3.6 - 123, n=218, last 2 years)
43.3 fps +528%
1920x1080 Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Offscreen (sort by value)
Cubot King Kong 3
Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T, Mali-G71 MP2, 4096
4.1 fps
Ulefone Armor 6
Mediatek Helio P60, Mali-G72 MP3, 6144
7.6 fps +85%
Elephone Soldier
Mediatek Helio X25 MTK6797T, Mali-T880 MP4, 4096
7 fps +71%
Average Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T
  (3.8 - 4.1, n=3)
4 fps -2%
Average of class Smartphone
  (2.3 - 229, n=218, last 2 years)
62.9 fps +1434%
on screen Aztec Ruins High Tier Onscreen (sort by value)
Cubot King Kong 3
Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T, Mali-G71 MP2, 4096
3.9 fps
Ulefone Armor 6
Mediatek Helio P60, Mali-G72 MP3, 6144
2.6 fps -33%
Elephone Soldier
Mediatek Helio X25 MTK6797T, Mali-T880 MP4, 4096
2.4 fps -38%
Average Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T
  (2.4 - 3.9, n=3)
3.33 fps -15%
Average of class Smartphone
  (2.8 - 105, n=218, last 2 years)
32.2 fps +726%
2560x1440 Aztec Ruins High Tier Offscreen (sort by value)
Cubot King Kong 3
Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T, Mali-G71 MP2, 4096
1.5 fps
Ulefone Armor 6
Mediatek Helio P60, Mali-G72 MP3, 6144
4.3 fps +187%
Elephone Soldier
Mediatek Helio X25 MTK6797T, Mali-T880 MP4, 4096
2.4 fps +60%
Average Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T
  (1.4 - 1.5, n=3)
1.467 fps -2%
Average of class Smartphone
  (0.85 - 94, n=218, last 2 years)
25 fps +1567%
AnTuTu v7 - Total Score (sort by value)
Cubot King Kong 3
Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T, Mali-G71 MP2, 4096
91026 Points
Cubot King Kong
Mediatek MT6580M, Mali-400 MP2, 2048
21088 Points -77%
Ulefone Armor 6
Mediatek Helio P60, Mali-G72 MP3, 6144
131861 Points +45%
Elephone Soldier
Mediatek Helio X25 MTK6797T, Mali-T880 MP4, 4096
95765 Points +5%
Average Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T
  (54192 - 95559, n=8)
77102 Points -15%
BaseMark OS II
Overall (sort by value)
Cubot King Kong 3
Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T, Mali-G71 MP2, 4096
1276 Points
Cubot King Kong
Mediatek MT6580M, Mali-400 MP2, 2048
420 Points -67%
Ulefone Armor 6
Mediatek Helio P60, Mali-G72 MP3, 6144
2062 Points +62%
Elephone Soldier
Mediatek Helio X25 MTK6797T, Mali-T880 MP4, 4096
1476 Points +16%
CAT S31
Qualcomm Snapdragon 210 MSM8909, Adreno 304, 2048
1 Points -100%
Average Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T
  (443 - 1370, n=8)
1168 Points -8%
Average of class Smartphone
  (411 - 11438, n=158, last 2 years)
5704 Points +347%
System (sort by value)
Cubot King Kong 3
Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T, Mali-G71 MP2, 4096
2952 Points
Cubot King Kong
Mediatek MT6580M, Mali-400 MP2, 2048
985 Points -67%
Ulefone Armor 6
Mediatek Helio P60, Mali-G72 MP3, 6144
4736 Points +60%
Elephone Soldier
Mediatek Helio X25 MTK6797T, Mali-T880 MP4, 4096
2973 Points +1%
CAT S31
Qualcomm Snapdragon 210 MSM8909, Adreno 304, 2048
899 Points -70%
Average Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T
  (2543 - 3229, n=8)
2846 Points -4%
Average of class Smartphone
  (2376 - 16475, n=158, last 2 years)
9621 Points +226%
Memory (sort by value)
Cubot King Kong 3
Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T, Mali-G71 MP2, 4096
1252 Points
Cubot King Kong
Mediatek MT6580M, Mali-400 MP2, 2048
403 Points -68%
Ulefone Armor 6
Mediatek Helio P60, Mali-G72 MP3, 6144
2276 Points +82%
Elephone Soldier
Mediatek Helio X25 MTK6797T, Mali-T880 MP4, 4096
1325 Points +6%
CAT S31
Qualcomm Snapdragon 210 MSM8909, Adreno 304, 2048
328 Points -74%
Average Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T
  (1128 - 1609, n=8)
1381 Points +10%
Average of class Smartphone
  (670 - 12306, n=158, last 2 years)
6230 Points +398%
Graphics (sort by value)
Cubot King Kong 3
Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T, Mali-G71 MP2, 4096
952 Points
Cubot King Kong
Mediatek MT6580M, Mali-400 MP2, 2048
138 Points -86%
Ulefone Armor 6
Mediatek Helio P60, Mali-G72 MP3, 6144
1486 Points +56%
Elephone Soldier
Mediatek Helio X25 MTK6797T, Mali-T880 MP4, 4096
1357 Points +43%
CAT S31
Qualcomm Snapdragon 210 MSM8909, Adreno 304, 2048
256 Points -73%
Average Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T
  (855 - 952, n=8)
894 Points -6%
Average of class Smartphone
  (697 - 58651, n=158, last 2 years)
13900 Points +1360%
Web (sort by value)
Cubot King Kong 3
Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T, Mali-G71 MP2, 4096
753 Points
Cubot King Kong
Mediatek MT6580M, Mali-400 MP2, 2048
567 Points -25%
Ulefone Armor 6
Mediatek Helio P60, Mali-G72 MP3, 6144
1128 Points +50%
Elephone Soldier
Mediatek Helio X25 MTK6797T, Mali-T880 MP4, 4096
888 Points +18%
CAT S31
Qualcomm Snapdragon 210 MSM8909, Adreno 304, 2048
10 Points -99%
Average Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T
  (10 - 829, n=8)
674 Points -10%
Average of class Smartphone
  (10 - 2145, n=158, last 2 years)
1487 Points +97%

The King Kong 3 also proved to be quicker than its predecessor at browsing the web. Still, this was only good enough to gain a place in the midfield of our test field.

Octane V2 - Total Score
Average of class Smartphone (4633 - 89112, n=202, last 2 years)
33355 Points +581%
Ulefone Armor 6 (Chrome 71)
8287 Points +69%
Elephone Soldier (Chrome 70)
6089 Points +24%
Cubot King Kong 3 (Chrome 73)
4896 Points
Average Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T (3051 - 4987, n=8)
3949 Points -19%
Cubot King Kong (Chrome 66)
2208 Points -55%
CAT S31
2010 Points -59%
Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total
Cubot King Kong (Chrome 66)
18388 ms * -62%
CAT S31
17828 ms * -57%
Average Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T (11352 - 23714, n=8)
14967 ms * -32%
Cubot King Kong 3 (Chrome 73)
11353 ms *
Elephone Soldier (Chrome 70)
6470 ms * +43%
Ulefone Armor 6 (Chrome 71)
4416 ms * +61%
Average of class Smartphone (388 - 9999, n=165, last 2 years)
1658 ms * +85%
Jetstream 2 - Total Score
Average of class Smartphone (13.8 - 351, n=167, last 2 years)
104 Points +550%
Average Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T
16 Points 0%
Cubot King Kong 3
15.99 Points

* ... smaller is better

It's not uncommon at this price point to find that the King Kong 3 only supports eMMC flash memory. However, the comparison devices from Ulefone and Elephone offer considerably faster internal storage. Compared to the King Kong, our review device makes a huge leap forward in terms of storage speed.

We tested the speed of the microSD reader with our reference card, the Toshiba Exceria Pro M501. The King Kong 3 showed its very fast side here. It's a shame that our review device doesn't support cards using the ExFAT format.

Cubot King Kong 3Cubot King KongUlefone Armor 6Elephone SoldierCAT S31Average 64 GB eMMC FlashAverage of class Smartphone
AndroBench 3-5
-57%
81%
45%
-21%
74%
1198%
Sequential Read 256KB
241
77.3
-68%
290.8
21%
246.7
2%
71.1
-70%
273 ?(95.6 - 704, n=201)
13%
1468 ?(215 - 4512, n=210, last 2 years)
509%
Sequential Write 256KB
134.3
32.6
-76%
188.4
40%
172.2
28%
62.1
-54%
176.8 ?(40 - 274, n=201)
32%
1078 ?(57.5 - 3678, n=210, last 2 years)
703%
Random Read 4KB
17.21
17.2
0%
81.3
372%
61
254%
14.28
-17%
59.1 ?(9.58 - 148.5, n=201)
243%
242 ?(22.2 - 543, n=210, last 2 years)
1306%
Random Write 4KB
11.21
7
-38%
19.87
77%
12.14
8%
14.81
32%
31.7 ?(2.34 - 146.9, n=201)
183%
266 ?(13 - 709, n=210, last 2 years)
2273%
Sequential Read 256KB SDCard
81.2
20.6 ?(Kingston 32GB)
-75%
75.6 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M401)
-7%
72.3 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
-11%
81.8
1%
77.4 ?(21.1 - 107.6, n=144)
-5%
Sequential Write 256KB SDCard
74.3
10.3 ?(Kingston 32GB)
-86%
60.1 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M401)
-19%
67.9 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
-9%
59.5
-20%
58.3 ?(11.2 - 83.3, n=144)
-22%

Games – King Kong 3 is suitable for gaming

Current games like Arena of Valor can be played on the King Kong 3, and performance is good enough in many games to get smooth gameplay. However, we observed a crash in Arena of Valor when using the menu, but the app is in general not the most stable though. In Temple Run 2, we could assess how precisely the touchscreen and position sensors reacted to input, we didn't have anything to complain about in this regard.

Arena of Valor
Arena of Valor
Temple Run 2
Temple Run 2

Emissions – Low heat build-up

Temperature

The device showed limited heat build-up under load: The maximum temperature measured on the top area of the smartphone was 37.6 °C. Temperatures in idle usage were between 30 °C and 32 °C. The device only ever becomes moderately warm, thus never getting uncomfortably hot.

Max. Load
 37.6 °C
100 F
34 °C
93 F
32.7 °C
91 F
 
 37.3 °C
99 F
33.7 °C
93 F
34 °C
93 F
 
 36.9 °C
98 F
33.7 °C
93 F
33.1 °C
92 F
 
Maximum: 37.6 °C = 100 F
Average: 34.8 °C = 95 F
31.8 °C
89 F
33.8 °C
93 F
37 °C
99 F
32.4 °C
90 F
33.4 °C
92 F
37.4 °C
99 F
32.8 °C
91 F
34.1 °C
93 F
36.9 °C
98 F
Maximum: 37.4 °C = 99 F
Average: 34.4 °C = 94 F
Power Supply (max.)  39.6 °C = 103 F | Room Temperature 21.4 °C = 71 F | Voltcraft IR-260
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 34.8 °C / 95 F, compared to the average of 32.7 °C / 91 F for the devices in the class Smartphone.
(+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 37.6 °C / 100 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 37.4 °C / 99 F, compared to the average of 33.8 °C / 93 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 30.9 °C / 88 F, compared to the device average of 32.7 °C / 91 F.

Speakers

Pink Noise speaker test
Pink Noise speaker test

The first things to notice in our test graphics are the strongly over-emphasized high frequencies. In addition, the mono speaker is mounted on the back, where it can easily be covered. That can only mean trouble, right? Surprisingly, no: Sound is sufficiently loud and pretty acceptable due to the balanced mids. If you're only interested in listening to music from time to time, the King Kong 3 can handle that well.

The King Kong 3 doesn't include a 3.5 mm audio jack. Instead, sound is carried over the USB-C port. Unfortunately, an adapter for 3.5 mm plugs isn't provided, but several adapters we tested worked without any issues, and audio was clear. Sound output is also possible through Bluetooth 4.2, which works equally well.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2041.639.12543413134.132.24040.535.65040.235.86333.931.78023.829.4100262512528.323.816022.725.420018.73225018.341.131517.548.540017.155.350017.158.763015.861.38001664.9100017.568.112501565.516001666.320001663.9250015.864.3315014.662.2400014.461.1500014.468.5630014.576.9800014.577.51000014.568.51250014.754.11600014.748SPL64.861.464.527.981.9N16.412.318.1147.1median 16median 61.3median 41.3median 14.5median 64.5Delta3.711.523.213.517.440.740.53537.635.637.233.128.43430.632.328.519.823.519.222.617.821.914.121.714.82512.630.311.339.210.847.610.252.79.459.1964.18.364.78.363.28.262.6861.98.162.3863.7864.77.964.6860.88.353.48.349.78.343.78.326.868.32174.421.60.331.4median 8.3median 52.7median 52.94.717.221.5hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseCubot King Kong 3Cubot King Kong
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
Cubot King Kong 3 audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (81.9 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 64.5% lower than median
(+) | bass is linear (0% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(-) | nearly no mids - on average 64.5% lower than median
(+) | mids are linear (0% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(-) | nearly no highs - on average 64.5% lower than median
(+) | highs are linear (0% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(-) | overall sound is not linear (121.4% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 88% of all tested devices in this class were better, 9% similar, 2% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 96% of all tested devices were better, 3% similar, 1% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Cubot King Kong audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (74.4 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 52.9% lower than median
(+) | bass is linear (0% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(-) | nearly no mids - on average 52.9% lower than median
(+) | mids are linear (0% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(-) | nearly no highs - on average 52.9% lower than median
(+) | highs are linear (0% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(-) | overall sound is not linear (113.1% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 85% of all tested devices in this class were better, 2% similar, 13% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 95% of all tested devices were better, 1% similar, 4% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Battery life – Cubot smartphone lasts forever

Energy consumption

The energy consumption is average in the Cubot smartphone: Most comparison devices need less energy. The smartphone becomes especially demanding under load.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0 / 0.1 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 0.9 / 1.9 / 2.4 Watt
Load midlight 5.2 / 6.8 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.
Cubot King Kong 3
6000 mAh
Cubot King Kong
4400 mAh
Ulefone Armor 6
5000 mAh
Elephone Soldier
5000 mAh
CAT S31
4000 mAh
Average Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T
 
Average of class Smartphone
 
Power Consumption
22%
7%
-56%
18%
9%
6%
Idle Minimum *
0.9
0.7
22%
0.9
-0%
2.6
-189%
0.73
19%
0.873 ?(0.63 - 1.08, n=8)
3%
0.894 ?(0.42 - 2.37, n=157, last 2 years)
1%
Idle Average *
1.9
1.6
16%
2.04
-7%
2.77
-46%
2.21
-16%
2.08 ?(1.65 - 2.51, n=8)
-9%
1.452 ?(0.69 - 4.26, n=157, last 2 years)
24%
Idle Maximum *
2.4
1.8
25%
2.09
13%
2.9
-21%
2.25
6%
2.18 ?(1.71 - 2.53, n=8)
9%
1.632 ?(0.79 - 4.45, n=157, last 2 years)
32%
Load Average *
5.2
3.8
27%
3.4
35%
6.34
-22%
2.99
42%
3.88 ?(2.7 - 6.46, n=8)
25%
5.55 ?(2.4 - 16.5, n=157, last 2 years)
-7%
Load Maximum *
6.8
5.5
19%
7.31
-8%
6.77
-0%
4.12
39%
5.58 ?(3.62 - 8.32, n=8)
18%
8.23 ?(4.32 - 20.8, n=157, last 2 years)
-21%

* ... smaller is better

Battery runtime

With its massive 6000 mAh battery, the Cubot King Kong 3 overshadows all comparison devices. The actual runtime? This is also impressive: You can browse the web for over 21 hours until the device needs to be plugged in again. That's more than enough for several workdays.

Thanks to the 18 W fast charger, the smartphone can be fully charged again in well under 2 hours.

Battery Runtime
WiFi Websurfing
21h 07min
Cubot King Kong 3
6000 mAh
Cubot King Kong
4400 mAh
Ulefone Armor 6
5000 mAh
Elephone Soldier
5000 mAh
CAT S31
4000 mAh
Battery Runtime
WiFi v1.3
1267
1098
-13%
874
-31%
493
-61%
1074
-15%

Pros

+ decent performance
+ robust case
+ great battery life
+ solid mono speaker
+ barely heats up
+ programmable button

Cons

- dated security patches
- grainy pictures
- difficult usage with gloves
- dim display
- unclear warranty terms
- not enough screen protection

Verdict – The new king of the apes does it better

In review: Cubot King Kong 3.
In review: Cubot King Kong 3.

The ape makes a big leap forward; King Kong even skips the model name "2" and lands directly in the mid-range. In fact, in many ways, the King Kong 3 doesn't seem like a successor to the Cubot King Kong, but more like an extension of the model range in a completely different class. The King Kong 3 is clearly more expensive than its predecessor, but in return it offers significantly more power, LTE, more storage and an eternal battery life. In this way, 249 Euros (~$280) seems to be a reasonable price, even when the competition, primarily from China, doesn't rest and has equally strong offerings between 200 (~$225) and 300 Euros (~$337).

The new King Kong inherited some weaknesses from its predecessor though: In our opinion, the screen is still not adequately protected. Using the screen when it's wet or with gloves on is almost impossible, and in general the protection doesn't seem completely trustworthy. This is also emphasized by the manufacturer, who cautions against usage in harsh environments.

Good mid-range outdoor smartphone with long battery life. However, it is only partially suitable for harsh environments.

Users who only need general protection against water and dust, and also like the phone's design, will find a good overall package in the Cubot King Kong 3. But some annoyances must be accepted: Software updates come rarely, if ever, and the quality of the support you get will depend on the retailer you choose.

Cubot King Kong 3 - 10/16/2019 v7
Florian Schmitt

Chassis
83%
Keyboard
69 / 75 → 92%
Pointing Device
90%
Connectivity
38 / 70 → 55%
Weight
87%
Battery
93%
Display
79%
Games Performance
6 / 64 → 10%
Application Performance
47 / 86 → 54%
Temperature
90%
Noise
100%
Audio
58 / 90 → 64%
Camera
63%
Average
70%
76%
Smartphone - Weighted Average

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Florian Schmitt, 2019-04- 3 (Update: 2019-04- 6)