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Cubot KingKong Mini Smartphone Review – Handy Mobile Phone from China

It's the little thing that counts. We hadn't tested a smartphone as handy as the Cubot KingKong Mini for a long time. In addition, it is still powerful and offers decent equipment. So is the Cubot mobile phone a real power dwarf?
Cubot KingKong Mini
Cubot Kingkong Mini (King Kong Series)
Processor
Mediatek Helio A22 MT6761 4 x 2 GHz, Cortex-A53
Graphics adapter
Memory
3 GB 
Display
4.00 inch 18:9, 1080 x 540 pixel 302 PPI, Capacitive, IPS, glossy: yes, 60 Hz
Storage
32 GB eMMC Flash, 32 GB 
, 24 GB free
Connections
1 USB 2.0, Audio Connections: Soundausgabe über USB-C, Card Reader: microSD upto 128 GB, Brightness Sensor, Sensors: Accelerometer, gyroscope, proximity sensor, compass
Networking
802.11a/b/g/n (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/), Bluetooth 4.2, 2G (850/​900/​1800/​1900), 3G (B1/​B8), 4G (B1/​B3/​B7/​B8/​B19/​B20), Dual SIM, LTE, GPS
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 12.1 x 119 x 58 ( = 0.48 x 4.69 x 2.28 in)
Battery
2000 mAh Lithium-Ion
Operating System
Android 9.0 Pie
Camera
Primary Camera: 13 MPix f/2.2, Phase detection AF, LED flash, video @1080p (camera 1); 2.0MP, depth of field (camera 2)
Secondary Camera: 8 MPix
Additional features
Speakers: Mono speakers at the rear, Keyboard: Virtual, Charger, USB-C cable, screwdriver, Notification LED (front/monochrome); LTE Cat-7 DL / Cat-13 UL, fanless, ruggedized
Weight
124 g ( = 4.37 oz / 0.27 pounds), Power Supply: 49 g ( = 1.73 oz / 0.11 pounds)
Price
109 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Comparison devices

Bewertung
Rating Version
Datum
Modell
Gewicht
Laufwerk
Groesse
Aufloesung
Preis ab
73.5 %7
02/2020
Cubot Kingkong Mini
Helio A22 MT6761, PowerVR GE8300
124 g32 GB eMMC Flash4.00"1080x540
89.3 %6
12/2017
Sony Xperia XZ1 Compact
SD 835, Adreno 540
143 g32 GB UFS 2.0 Flash4.60"1280x720
79.6 %7
04/2016
Apple iPhone SE
A9, A9 / PowerVR GT7600
113 g64 GB eMMC Flash4.00"1136x640
79 %6
01/2018
CAT S31
210 MSM8909, Adreno 304
200 g16 GB eMMC Flash4.70"1280x720
75.7 %7
04/2019
Cubot King Kong 3
Helio P23 MT6763T, Mali-G71 MP2
280 g64 GB eMMC Flash5.50"1440x720

Case, equipment and operation - Small and stable

The Cubot KingKong Mini is a small 4-inch mobile phone with the typical look of an outdoor smartphone: A rubber-like plastic surface, metal side panels and visible screws are intended to visually emphasize the stability of the phone. The case is robustly built overall and, according to the manufacturer, is also protected against dust and water. However, there is no official IP certification for this and Cubot explicitly excludes water damage as a reason for warranty. In this case, one is probably dependent on the goodwill of the dealer from whom one bought the smartphone.

You can get the Smartphone for just under 110 Euros, 32 GB mass storage and 3 GB RAM are quite a decent equipment. To access the dual SIM slots and the dedicated microSD slot, you have to use the included screwdriver and unscrew a part of the back. In terms of WLAN, the KingKong Mini does quite well in our test with the reference router Linksys Nighthawk AX12. For example, it offers significantly faster transfer rates than the Cubot King Kong 3.

As the smartphone is very handy, it is easy to use for people with small hands and children, but people with larger hands have to live with the rather small buttons. Overall, the Smartphone fits well in the hand and the touchscreen is quite accurate. There is no fingerprint sensor.

Cubot KingKong Mini
Cubot KingKong Mini
Cubot KingKong Mini

Size comparison

162.5 mm / 6.4 inch 78.3 mm / 3.08 inch 13.3 mm / 0.524 inch 280 g0.617 lbs146 mm / 5.75 inch 74.4 mm / 2.93 inch 12.6 mm / 0.4961 inch 200 g0.4409 lbs129 mm / 5.08 inch 64 mm / 2.52 inch 9.3 mm / 0.3661 inch 143 g0.3153 lbs123.8 mm / 4.87 inch 58.6 mm / 2.31 inch 7.6 mm / 0.2992 inch 113 g0.2491 lbs119 mm / 4.69 inch 58 mm / 2.28 inch 12.1 mm / 0.4764 inch 124 g0.2734 lbs148 mm / 5.83 inch 105 mm / 4.13 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 1.5 g0.00331 lbs
Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Sony Xperia XZ1 Compact
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
669 MBit/s +228%
Cubot Kingkong Mini
802.11a/b/g/n
204 (174min - 216max) MBit/s
Cubot King Kong 3
802.11a/b/g/n
50.2 (35min - 54max) MBit/s -75%
CAT S31
802.11 b/g/n
39.3 MBit/s -81%
iperf3 receive AX12
Sony Xperia XZ1 Compact
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
521 MBit/s +188%
Cubot Kingkong Mini
802.11a/b/g/n
181 (109min - 210max) MBit/s
Cubot King Kong 3
802.11a/b/g/n
63 (56min - 62max) MBit/s -65%
CAT S31
802.11 b/g/n
41.6 MBit/s -77%
0153045607590105120135150165180195210Tooltip
Cubot Kingkong Mini; iperf3 receive AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø181 (109-210)
Cubot Kingkong Mini; iperf3 transmit AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø204 (174-216)

Cameras - At the level of the price range

Recording front camera
Recording front camera

A dual camera is available at the back, whereby the second lens only serves to calculate depth of field and cannot be used as a separate lens. The main lens has a resolution of 13 megapixels and makes a passable impression in our test shots for the reasonable price of the Cubot KingKong Mini: although surfaces quickly appear pixelated and there are blurred areas, under normal lighting conditions the camera can be used for snapshots. In low light, however, the camera's performance is not very convincing with little dynamic range and sharpness. At 1 lux illuminance, nothing is visible in the pictures. 

Videos can be recorded in 1080p, the quality here is also okay in normal light, but transitions of different light levels are made with visible gradations and on closer inspection many details appear blurred. 

The front camera has a decent high resolution of 8 megapixels. The pictures don't seem incredibly sharp, but for the price point of the Cubot phone they are okay.

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
ColorChecker
3 ∆E
5.6 ∆E
6.7 ∆E
3.4 ∆E
8 ∆E
6.8 ∆E
6.4 ∆E
5.5 ∆E
5.3 ∆E
6.5 ∆E
5.9 ∆E
6.6 ∆E
4.2 ∆E
6 ∆E
2.1 ∆E
1.2 ∆E
5.5 ∆E
6.8 ∆E
2.6 ∆E
3.1 ∆E
4 ∆E
7.3 ∆E
9.8 ∆E
11 ∆E
ColorChecker Cubot Kingkong Mini: 5.56 ∆E min: 1.23 - max: 11.02 ∆E
ColorChecker
29.1 ∆E
54.4 ∆E
39.9 ∆E
36.3 ∆E
45.4 ∆E
63.3 ∆E
53.3 ∆E
35.7 ∆E
43.2 ∆E
28.7 ∆E
64.9 ∆E
64.3 ∆E
31.4 ∆E
47.7 ∆E
36.9 ∆E
76.4 ∆E
43.7 ∆E
44.1 ∆E
93 ∆E
71 ∆E
52.5 ∆E
37 ∆E
24.4 ∆E
14 ∆E
ColorChecker Cubot Kingkong Mini: 47.11 ∆E min: 14.02 - max: 92.95 ∆E
Testchart - perfect lighting
Testchart - perfect lighting
Testchart – 1 Lux
Testchart – 1 Lux

Display - Bright, but not very true color

Sub-pixel array
Sub-pixel array

The Cubot King Kong Mini comes with a 4-inch display with IPS technology that averages 545 cd/m² in brightness. However, the illumination is not very even. The Helligketi on sight is quite good for the price range and beats other outdoor smartphones from Cubot.

The resolution of 1,080 x 540 pixels is unusual and not particularly high, but as the screen is quite small, this is not so noticeable in everyday life. We measured PWM at a fairly high frequency of around 845 Hz, so there should normally be no problems with this.

The contrast ratio of 1.028:1 could be better, dark areas show a clear grey haze. Colours and greyscales also partly deviate quite clearly from the reference value, so you shouldn't evaluate printing colours on the screen. A hefty blue cast is visible.

499
cd/m²
531
cd/m²
553
cd/m²
528
cd/m²
545
cd/m²
592
cd/m²
525
cd/m²
548
cd/m²
584
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 592 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 545 cd/m² Minimum: 21.76 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 84 %
Center on Battery: 545 cd/m²
Contrast: 1028:1 (Black: 0.53 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 6.46 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 7.4 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
85.4% sRGB (Calman 2D)
Gamma: 2.652
Cubot Kingkong Mini
IPS, 1080x540, 4.00
Sony Xperia XZ1 Compact
IPS, 1280x720, 4.60
Apple iPhone SE
IPS, 1136x640, 4.00
CAT S31
IPS, 1280x720, 4.70
Cubot King Kong 3
IPS, 1440x720, 5.50
Display
Display P3 Coverage
65.9
sRGB Coverage
96.8
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
68.1
Response Times
11%
13%
-5%
-16%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
48 ?(25, 23)
56 ?(27, 29)
-17%
31 ?(17, 14)
35%
42 ?(21, 21)
12%
44 ?(21, 23)
8%
Response Time Black / White *
20 ?(7, 13)
46 ?(29, 17)
-130%
22 ?(11, 11)
-10%
24.4 ?(13.6, 10.8)
-22%
28 ?(15, 13)
-40%
PWM Frequency
845 ?(15)
2358 ?(25)
179%
Screen
12%
18%
33%
9%
Brightness middle
545
566
4%
603
11%
784
44%
365
-33%
Brightness
545
560
3%
579
6%
750
38%
379
-30%
Brightness Distribution
84
98
17%
93
11%
92
10%
82
-2%
Black Level *
0.53
0.53
-0%
0.88
-66%
0.45
15%
0.14
74%
Contrast
1028
1068
4%
685
-33%
1742
69%
2607
154%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
6.46
4.6
29%
1.8
72%
4.28
34%
8.03
-24%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
12.86
9.4
27%
3.5
73%
8.75
32%
16.34
-27%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
7.4
6.5
12%
2.3
69%
6.1
18%
10.3
-39%
Gamma
2.652 83%
2.14 103%
2.21 100%
2.49 88%
2.197 100%
CCT
7448 87%
8189 79%
6955 93%
7175 91%
9941 65%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
62.13
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
96.74
Total Average (Program / Settings)
12% / 12%
16% / 17%
14% / 25%
-4% / 4%

* ... smaller is better

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
20 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 7 ms rise
↘ 13 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. » 37 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is similar to the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
48 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 25 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. » 80 % 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 845 Hz
≤ 15 cd/m² brightness

The display backlight flickers at 845 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) Flickering detected at a brightness setting of 15 cd/m² and below. There should be no flickering or PWM above this brightness setting.

The frequency of 845 Hz is quite high, so most users sensitive to PWM should not notice any flickering.

As the flickering occurs only on very low brightness settings, it should not be an issue in typical office settings. Nonetheless, use in low light conditions may be straining to the eyes.

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 18100 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.


CalMAN Grayscale
CalMAN Grayscale
CalMAN Color accuracy
CalMAN Color accuracy
CalMAN Color space
CalMAN Color space
CalMAN Saturation
CalMAN Saturation

Performance, emissions and battery life - Long lasting

The processor is quite conductive for this price range: The MediaTek Helio A22 ensures mostly smooth navigation through the menus and also offers a few power reserves. However, this only applies to the processor part; the graphics card can't keep up with most other smartphones. However, the low resolution of the screen helps here again, so that some somewhat more demanding games are still playable after all.

In terms of memory performance, the Cubot KingKong Mini is once again quite brave and the microSD Toshiba Exeria Pro M501 is also read quite fast.

However, the small case is obviously difficult to cool, with a maximum of 45.6°C it can warm up noticeably and can also become unpleasant in summer if you put it under load for a longer time. A warming is also noticeable in idle mode, but this is less serious.

The mono loudspeaker is mounted on the back, which isn't ideal because you can easily cover it with your hand or a smartphone lying on the table only sounds muffled. In return, the speaker also becomes quite loud. The sound is very, very high frequency and sounds unpleasant in the ears at high volumes. Overall, the speaker cannot be recommended for listening to music for a longer period of time.

The battery is short with 2.000 mAh and can't be replaced. Due to the small screen, it's still enough for a runtime of up to 16:37 hours in our WLAN test, which proves to be extremely suitable for everyday use. Thus, even two days in the office shouldn't be a problem, even with demanding use, without charging the smartphone.

PCMark for Android
Work performance score (sort by value)
Cubot Kingkong Mini
Mediatek Helio A22 MT6761, PowerVR GE8300, 3072
6731 Points
Sony Xperia XZ1 Compact
Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 (8998), Adreno 540, 4096
7496 Points +11%
CAT S31
Qualcomm Snapdragon 210 MSM8909, Adreno 304, 2048
3080 Points -54%
Cubot King Kong 3
Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T, Mali-G71 MP2, 4096
6379 Points -5%
Average Mediatek Helio A22 MT6761
  (4229 - 7216, n=9)
6389 Points -5%
Average of class Smartphone
  (10884 - 19297, n=2, last 2 years)
15091 Points +124%
Work 2.0 performance score (sort by value)
Cubot Kingkong Mini
Mediatek Helio A22 MT6761, PowerVR GE8300, 3072
4657 Points
Sony Xperia XZ1 Compact
Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 (8998), Adreno 540, 4096
6421 Points +38%
CAT S31
Qualcomm Snapdragon 210 MSM8909, Adreno 304, 2048
2300 Points -51%
Cubot King Kong 3
Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T, Mali-G71 MP2, 4096
4960 Points +7%
Average Mediatek Helio A22 MT6761
  (4195 - 5511, n=11)
4831 Points +4%
Average of class Smartphone
  (9101 - 12871, n=4, last 2 years)
10872 Points +133%
3DMark
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 (sort by value)
Cubot Kingkong Mini
Mediatek Helio A22 MT6761, PowerVR GE8300, 3072
417 Points
Sony Xperia XZ1 Compact
Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 (8998), Adreno 540, 4096
4705 Points +1028%
Apple iPhone SE
Apple A9, A9 / PowerVR GT7600, 2048
3149 Points +655%
Cubot King Kong 3
Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T, Mali-G71 MP2, 4096
720 Points +73%
Average Mediatek Helio A22 MT6761
  (411 - 507, n=12)
458 Points +10%
Average of class Smartphone
  (712 - 7285, n=52, last 2 years)
3548 Points +751%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Graphics (sort by value)
Cubot Kingkong Mini
Mediatek Helio A22 MT6761, PowerVR GE8300, 3072
365 Points
Sony Xperia XZ1 Compact
Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 (8998), Adreno 540, 4096
6007 Points +1546%
Apple iPhone SE
Apple A9, A9 / PowerVR GT7600, 2048
4255 Points +1066%
Cubot King Kong 3
Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T, Mali-G71 MP2, 4096
616 Points +69%
Average Mediatek Helio A22 MT6761
  (357 - 454, n=12)
406 Points +11%
Average of class Smartphone
  (618 - 9451, n=52, last 2 years)
3905 Points +970%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Physics (sort by value)
Cubot Kingkong Mini
Mediatek Helio A22 MT6761, PowerVR GE8300, 3072
817 Points
Sony Xperia XZ1 Compact
Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 (8998), Adreno 540, 4096
2675 Points +227%
Apple iPhone SE
Apple A9, A9 / PowerVR GT7600, 2048
1649 Points +102%
Cubot King Kong 3
Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T, Mali-G71 MP2, 4096
1754 Points +115%
Average Mediatek Helio A22 MT6761
  (755 - 923, n=12)
842 Points +3%
Average of class Smartphone
  (1093 - 4525, n=52, last 2 years)
3005 Points +268%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Unlimited (sort by value)
Cubot Kingkong Mini
Mediatek Helio A22 MT6761, PowerVR GE8300, 3072
442 Points
Sony Xperia XZ1 Compact
Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 (8998), Adreno 540, 4096
4017 Points +809%
Cubot King Kong 3
Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T, Mali-G71 MP2, 4096
753 Points +70%
Average Mediatek Helio A22 MT6761
  (442 - 539, n=12)
502 Points +14%
Average of class Smartphone
  (704 - 23024, n=115, last 2 years)
9038 Points +1945%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Unlimited Graphics (sort by value)
Cubot Kingkong Mini
Mediatek Helio A22 MT6761, PowerVR GE8300, 3072
390 Points
Sony Xperia XZ1 Compact
Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 (8998), Adreno 540, 4096
6152 Points +1477%
Cubot King Kong 3
Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T, Mali-G71 MP2, 4096
643 Points +65%
Average Mediatek Helio A22 MT6761
  (390 - 485, n=12)
449 Points +15%
Average of class Smartphone
  (607 - 45492, n=114, last 2 years)
15757 Points +3940%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Unlimited Physics (sort by value)
Cubot Kingkong Mini
Mediatek Helio A22 MT6761, PowerVR GE8300, 3072
836 Points
Sony Xperia XZ1 Compact
Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 (8998), Adreno 540, 4096
1814 Points +117%
Cubot King Kong 3
Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T, Mali-G71 MP2, 4096
1882 Points +125%
Average Mediatek Helio A22 MT6761
  (775 - 954, n=12)
867 Points +4%
Average of class Smartphone
  (1075 - 8749, n=114, last 2 years)
4335 Points +419%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) (sort by value)
Cubot Kingkong Mini
Mediatek Helio A22 MT6761, PowerVR GE8300, 3072
239 Points
Sony Xperia XZ1 Compact
Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 (8998), Adreno 540, 4096
3549 Points +1385%
Apple iPhone SE
Apple A9, A9 / PowerVR GT7600, 2048
2298 Points +862%
CAT S31
Qualcomm Snapdragon 210 MSM8909, Adreno 304, 2048
0 Points -100%
Cubot King Kong 3
Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T, Mali-G71 MP2, 4096
477 Points +100%
Average Mediatek Helio A22 MT6761
  (239 - 298, n=11)
263 Points +10%
Average of class Smartphone
  (286 - 7890, n=102, last 2 years)
2685 Points +1023%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Graphics (sort by value)
Cubot Kingkong Mini
Mediatek Helio A22 MT6761, PowerVR GE8300, 3072
198 Points
Sony Xperia XZ1 Compact
Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 (8998), Adreno 540, 4096
3925 Points +1882%
Apple iPhone SE
Apple A9, A9 / PowerVR GT7600, 2048
2524 Points +1175%
CAT S31
Qualcomm Snapdragon 210 MSM8909, Adreno 304, 2048
0 Points -100%
Cubot King Kong 3
Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T, Mali-G71 MP2, 4096
395 Points +99%
Average Mediatek Helio A22 MT6761
  (197 - 250, n=11)
220 Points +11%
Average of class Smartphone
  (240 - 9814, n=102, last 2 years)
2675 Points +1251%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Physics (sort by value)
Cubot Kingkong Mini
Mediatek Helio A22 MT6761, PowerVR GE8300, 3072
858 Points
Sony Xperia XZ1 Compact
Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 (8998), Adreno 540, 4096
2658 Points +210%
Apple iPhone SE
Apple A9, A9 / PowerVR GT7600, 2048
1749 Points +104%
CAT S31
Qualcomm Snapdragon 210 MSM8909, Adreno 304, 2048
560 Points -35%
Cubot King Kong 3
Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T, Mali-G71 MP2, 4096
1768 Points +106%
Average Mediatek Helio A22 MT6761
  (738 - 918, n=11)
843 Points -2%
Average of class Smartphone
  (858 - 4679, n=102, last 2 years)
3127 Points +264%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited (sort by value)
Cubot Kingkong Mini
Mediatek Helio A22 MT6761, PowerVR GE8300, 3072
257 Points
Sony Xperia XZ1 Compact
Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 (8998), Adreno 540, 4096
3808 Points +1382%
Cubot King Kong 3
Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T, Mali-G71 MP2, 4096
502 Points +95%
Average Mediatek Helio A22 MT6761
  (238 - 317, n=11)
288 Points +12%
Average of class Smartphone
  (317 - 20131, n=174, last 2 years)
6545 Points +2447%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited Graphics (sort by value)
Cubot Kingkong Mini
Mediatek Helio A22 MT6761, PowerVR GE8300, 3072
214 Points
Sony Xperia XZ1 Compact
Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 (8998), Adreno 540, 4096
4324 Points +1921%
Cubot King Kong 3
Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T, Mali-G71 MP2, 4096
415 Points +94%
Average Mediatek Helio A22 MT6761
  (197 - 267, n=11)
242 Points +13%
Average of class Smartphone
  (267 - 33376, n=173, last 2 years)
9330 Points +4260%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited Physics (sort by value)
Cubot Kingkong Mini
Mediatek Helio A22 MT6761, PowerVR GE8300, 3072
863 Points
Sony Xperia XZ1 Compact
Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 (8998), Adreno 540, 4096
2686 Points +211%
Cubot King Kong 3
Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T, Mali-G71 MP2, 4096
1895 Points +120%
Average Mediatek Helio A22 MT6761
  (780 - 940, n=11)
862 Points 0%
Average of class Smartphone
  (938 - 8480, n=173, last 2 years)
4158 Points +382%
GFXBench
on screen Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Onscreen (sort by value)
Cubot Kingkong Mini
Mediatek Helio A22 MT6761, PowerVR GE8300, 3072
5.8 fps
Cubot King Kong 3
Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T, Mali-G71 MP2, 4096
6.9 fps +19%
Average Mediatek Helio A22 MT6761
  (2.3 - 6.1, n=14)
4.65 fps -20%
Average of class Smartphone
  (3.6 - 123, n=218, last 2 years)
43.3 fps +647%
1920x1080 Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Offscreen (sort by value)
Cubot Kingkong Mini
Mediatek Helio A22 MT6761, PowerVR GE8300, 3072
1.9 fps
Cubot King Kong 3
Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T, Mali-G71 MP2, 4096
4.1 fps +116%
Average Mediatek Helio A22 MT6761
  (1.9 - 4.2, n=14)
2.49 fps +31%
Average of class Smartphone
  (2.3 - 229, n=218, last 2 years)
62.9 fps +3211%
on screen Aztec Ruins High Tier Onscreen (sort by value)
Cubot Kingkong Mini
Mediatek Helio A22 MT6761, PowerVR GE8300, 3072
3.7 fps
Cubot King Kong 3
Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T, Mali-G71 MP2, 4096
3.9 fps +5%
Average Mediatek Helio A22 MT6761
  (2.7 - 3.9, n=14)
3.09 fps -16%
Average of class Smartphone
  (2.8 - 105, n=218, last 2 years)
32.2 fps +770%
2560x1440 Aztec Ruins High Tier Offscreen (sort by value)
Cubot Kingkong Mini
Mediatek Helio A22 MT6761, PowerVR GE8300, 3072
0.72 fps
Cubot King Kong 3
Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T, Mali-G71 MP2, 4096
1.5 fps +108%
Average Mediatek Helio A22 MT6761
  (0.7 - 0.9, n=14)
0.825 fps +15%
Average of class Smartphone
  (0.85 - 94, n=218, last 2 years)
25 fps +3372%
Cubot Kingkong MiniSony Xperia XZ1 CompactCAT S31Cubot King Kong 3Average 32 GB eMMC FlashAverage of class Smartphone
AndroBench 3-5
76%
-31%
-8%
7%
873%
Sequential Read 256KB
246.9
668
171%
71.1
-71%
241
-2%
242 ?(25.8 - 452, n=247)
-2%
1468 ?(215 - 4512, n=210, last 2 years)
495%
Sequential Write 256KB
129.7
119.9
-8%
62.1
-52%
134.3
4%
100.5 ?(14.8 - 196, n=247)
-23%
1078 ?(57.5 - 3678, n=210, last 2 years)
731%
Random Read 4KB
26.9
113.3
321%
14.28
-47%
17.21
-36%
43.2 ?(3.59 - 117.2, n=247)
61%
242 ?(22.2 - 543, n=210, last 2 years)
800%
Random Write 4KB
17
17.13
1%
14.81
-13%
11.21
-34%
22.4 ?(0.75 - 91, n=247)
32%
266 ?(13 - 709, n=210, last 2 years)
1465%
Sequential Read 256KB SDCard
83.5 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
73.3 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
-12%
81.8
-2%
81.2
-3%
71.8 ?(8.2 - 96.5, n=178)
-14%
Sequential Write 256KB SDCard
60.2 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
50.2 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
-17%
59.5
-1%
74.3
23%
52.9 ?(3.4 - 87.1, n=178)
-12%

Temperature

Max. Load
 45.3 °C
114 F
37.7 °C
100 F
41.5 °C
107 F
 
 45.6 °C
114 F
37.9 °C
100 F
40.5 °C
105 F
 
 44.1 °C
111 F
37.2 °C
99 F
40.9 °C
106 F
 
Maximum: 45.6 °C = 114 F
Average: 41.2 °C = 106 F
36.3 °C
97 F
36.6 °C
98 F
44.6 °C
112 F
36.2 °C
97 F
36.6 °C
98 F
45.6 °C
114 F
36.6 °C
98 F
37.2 °C
99 F
44.6 °C
112 F
Maximum: 45.6 °C = 114 F
Average: 39.4 °C = 103 F
Power Supply (max.)  43.3 °C = 110 F | Room Temperature 21.4 °C = 71 F | Voltcraft IR-260/Fluke t3000 FC
(-) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 41.2 °C / 106 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 45.6 °C / 114 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 45.6 °C / 114 F, compared to the average of 33.8 °C / 93 F
(±) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 36.1 °C / 97 F, compared to the device average of 32.7 °C / 91 F.


Heatmap top
Heatmap top
Heatmap bottom
Heatmap bottom

Speakers

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2039.644.32545.342.83137.132.74037.438.55040.239.2633733.28028.627.910027.526.112526.926.516024.924.520022.925.125022.531.431521.439.44002345.750021.151.763022.254.98002057.6100019.865.4125018.373.6160017.876200017.679.6250016.876.331501776.4400016.777.3500017.875.9630016.872.7800017.167.61000017.258.81250017.452.91600017.441.7SPL30.986.7N1.557median 18.3median 57.6Delta2.817.641.639.1434134.132.240.535.640.235.833.931.723.829.4262528.323.822.725.418.73218.341.117.548.517.155.317.158.715.861.31664.917.568.11565.51666.31663.915.864.314.662.214.461.114.468.514.576.914.577.514.568.514.754.114.74864.861.464.527.981.916.412.318.1147.1median 16median 61.3median 41.3median 14.5median 64.53.711.523.213.517.4hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseCubot Kingkong MiniCubot King Kong 3
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
Cubot Kingkong Mini audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (86.7 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 28.8% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (8.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 10.6% higher than median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (12.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 14.5% higher than median
(±) | linearity of highs is average (8.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(-) | overall sound is not linear (41.6% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 84% of all tested devices in this class were better, 0% similar, 16% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 94% of all tested devices were better, 0% similar, 5% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

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%

Battery life

Cubot Kingkong Mini
2000 mAh
Sony Xperia XZ1 Compact
2700 mAh
Apple iPhone SE
1624 mAh
CAT S31
4000 mAh
Cubot King Kong 3
6000 mAh
Average of class Smartphone
 
Battery Runtime
WiFi Websurfing
997
736
-26%
673
-32%
1074
8%
1267
27%
908 ?(424 - 2844, n=219, last 2 years)
-9%
Battery Runtime
WiFi Websurfing
16h 37min

Pros

+ fast WLAN
+ quite good price
+ proper equipment
+ robust housing
+ long battery life
+ very handy

Cons

- inaccurate colors of the display
- low-resolution camera images
- no 3.5mm audio port
- quite strong warming
- little graphics power

Verdict - Compact Cubot mobile phone with good features

In review: Cubot KingKong Mini.
In review: Cubot KingKong Mini.

Because of its outdoor qualities, the Cubot KingKong Mini should perhaps not be bought, because although the manufacturer promises water and dust resistance, there is no IP certification and the warranty situation outside China is at least unclear. Although there are no other ports apart from the sealed USB-C port and thus few places where water could penetrate, one is probably pretty much alone with the risk.

However, the KingKong Mini is interesting if you're looking for a cheap smartphone that even small hands can operate well. Although there are still very cheap smartphones with a small screen, the Cubot phone offers a lot of power and a reasonable price. The case is also stable and should forgive a mishap.

The Cubot KingKong Mini is a very handy smartphone with a lot of power and good battery life.

The long battery life, the rather fast WLAN and the bright screen are further aspects that speak for a recommendation of the Cubot KingKong Mini.

Cubot Kingkong Mini - 02/17/2020 v7
Florian Schmitt

Chassis
79%
Keyboard
64 / 75 → 85%
Pointing Device
86%
Connectivity
38 / 70 → 54%
Weight
95%
Battery
91%
Display
81%
Games Performance
3 / 64 → 5%
Application Performance
50 / 86 → 58%
Temperature
82%
Noise
100%
Audio
50 / 90 → 56%
Camera
43%
Average
66%
74%
Smartphone - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Cubot KingKong Mini Smartphone Review – Handy Mobile Phone from China
Florian Schmitt, 2020-02-17 (Update: 2020-02-17)