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Oukitel U16 Max Smartphone Review

Chinese gold standard. The giant new smartphone from the Far East not only tries to impress with size and weight but also with features that are decent for the price of about 130 Euros (~$145). We ask ourselves where the Chinese took shortcuts this time.

For the original German review, see here.

The Mediatek MT6753 is not really the fastest processor, and nowadays 6-inch screens have a Full HD resolution or more, rather than only 1280x720 pixels. The remaining equipment tries to boast: airplane aluminum! CNC milled! Fingerprint sensor, 3 GB RAM, 32 GB storage, dual SIM, and a fat battery are attractive features. But not all that has a shiny back is gold! 

In our test, the Oukitel U16 Max goes against similarly priced Chinese competitors (Elephone P8000, UleFone Metal), as well as competitors that can officially be purchased in Europe (Acer Liquid Z6 Plus, LG Stylus 2) for a slightly higher price.

In the US, the U16 Max starts at around $120 coming from Hong Kong, but most vendors charge around $150.

Oukitel U16 Max (U Series)
Processor
Mediatek MT6753 8 x 1.3 GHz, Cortex-A53
Graphics adapter
ARM Mali-T720 MP2, Core: 1300 MHz
Memory
3 GB 
Display
6.00 inch 16:9, 1280 x 720 pixel 245 PPI, 5-finger touch, IPS, glossy: yes
Storage
32 GB eMMC Flash, 32 GB 
, 24 GB free
Connections
1 USB 2.0, Audio Connections: 3.5 mm head set, Card Reader: microSD up to 128GB, 1 Fingerprint Reader, Brightness Sensor, Sensors: Acceleration sensor, proximity sensor, OTG
Networking
802.11 b/g/n (b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/), Bluetooth 4.0, 4G: 800/900/1800/2100/2600MHz, 3G: WCDMA 900/2100MHz, 2G: GSM 850/900/1800/1900MHz , Dual SIM, LTE, GPS
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 9 x 165 x 83 ( = 0.35 x 6.5 x 3.27 in)
Battery
4000 mAh Lithium-Ion
Operating System
Android 7.0 Nougat
Camera
Primary Camera: 13 MPix
Secondary Camera: 8 MPix
Additional features
Speakers: Mono speaker, Keyboard: On screen, Keyboard Light: yes, Bumper, cable, power supply, 12 Months Warranty, fanless
Weight
223 g ( = 7.87 oz / 0.49 pounds), Power Supply: 52 g ( = 1.83 oz / 0.11 pounds)
Price
110 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case

Oukitel built a very large phablet here. Due to the battery that is quite large at 4000 mAh, the thickness directly corresponds to the heavy weight of 223 grams (~0.49 lb). At this size, using it with one hand is naturally unthinkable.

As for the selection of materials, the U16 Max offers a rather unsuccessful mix of cheap and fancy. The metal back appears very firm and gives the smartphone quite a flashy look. The white plastic in the antenna bands and the USB and headphone ports appears less harmonious in terms of color and workmanship. In the milled parts, the manufacturer keeps its promise. The recesses for the speakers appear well-finished. The camera, flash, and fingerprint sensor sit right in their designated place. The volume rocker and power button appear solid and stable, even though the power button also rocks a little (which it should not). Just the SIM card and microSD-card slots are set a little too deep inside the body.

Anyone who does not like the golden color can also order the device in a silver-gray color.

Oukitel U16 Max
Oukitel U16 Max
Oukitel U16 Max
Oukitel U16 Max
Oukitel U16 Max
Oukitel U16 Max

Size Comparison

165 mm / 6.5 inch 83 mm / 3.27 inch 9 mm / 0.3543 inch 223 g0.4916 lbs155.2 mm / 6.11 inch 76.6 mm / 3.02 inch 9.2 mm / 0.3622 inch 203 g0.4475 lbs155 mm / 6.1 inch 79.6 mm / 3.13 inch 7.4 mm / 0.2913 inch 142 g0.3131 lbs153.8 mm / 6.06 inch 75.6 mm / 2.98 inch 8.5 mm / 0.3346 inch 169 g0.3726 lbs143 mm / 5.63 inch 71 mm / 2.8 inch 9.35 mm / 0.3681 inch 155 g0.3417 lbs148 mm / 5.83 inch 105 mm / 4.13 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 1.5 g0.00331 lbs

Features

The Oukitel U16 Max comes in an attractive orange box, which contains the smartphone, a clear protective case, and the charger. Similar to the iPhone, there is also a small pointed tool that helps in opening the SIM-card tray, which also looks like the one in the Apple smartphone, in the box. In terms of the connections, the device is rather conservative, merely offering a headphone jack on top and a micro-USB port at the bottom center. USB sticks can be connected via the USB port and according to the manufacturer, other devices can be charged via OTG as well. 

The MT6753 by Mediatek runs on the inside. It is an octa-core processor clocking at 1.3 GHz, together with an ARM Mali-T720-MP2 GPU, and both of them have 3 GB of RAM at their disposal. 32 GB eMMC flash serves as the system drive, which is currently the standard for high-priced devices. However, in this price class, 8GB is standard in this country and 16 GB for Chinese manufacturers.

According to the manufacturer, the SD-card slot can handle up to 128 GB. Here, a 32 GB SanDisk card worked without any problems. The card can be formatted as internal storage and afterwards apps can also be moved there in some cases. However, then the card has to remain inside the device.

As an extra, Oukitel also provides a transparent protective case.

Charger with USB cable
Charger with USB cable
SIM-card tray and tool
SIM-card tray and tool

Software

The current Android 7.0 version is installed without additional bloatware on the smartphone. Apparently Oukitel uses its own icons for the standard apps that are installed on the device. Positive: the Google services are available as delivered, which is not a given for smartphones from the Far East. Kaspersky Internet Security did not find any Trojans or other malware. Many devices from China have root-rights activated as delivered, which prevents for example banking apps from running or sometimes even being installed. We did not find any problems here as well. Merely the developer mode was turned on. 

Home screen
Home screen
Avaliable programs / benchmarks and test apps
Avaliable programs / benchmarks and test apps
About the phone
About the phone
Level of the security update
Level of the security update

Communication and GPS

Satellite reception outdoors
Satellite reception outdoors
Satellite reception indoors
Satellite reception indoors

In the 4G net, the U16 Max transmits at 800, 900, 1800, 2100 and 2600 MHz and in the WCDMA bands at 900 and 2100 MHz. Optionally, the removable SIM-card slots can fit either a micro and a nano-SIM card, or a micro-SIM card and a microSD card. Although the WLAN only supports the 802.11 n standard as the fastest variant, apparently it utilizes this speed better than the competition. In addition, the mobile companion communicates via GPS and Bluetooth 4.0. In the test, we could connect the smartphone with a Bluetooth mouse without problems. The GPS reception also worked flawlessly. The example route that was measured in parallel with the Garmin Edge 500 can be easily seen in the pictures. The recording of the route indicates that the location was recorded only about half as often as in the Garmin Edge.

Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Oukitel U16 Max
Mali-T720 MP2, MT6753, 32 GB eMMC Flash
99.7 MBit/s
Acer Liquid Z6 Plus
Mali-T720 MP2, MT6753, 32 GB eMMC Flash
48.6 MBit/s -51%
iperf3 receive AX12
Oukitel U16 Max
Mali-T720 MP2, MT6753, 32 GB eMMC Flash
99.1 MBit/s
Acer Liquid Z6 Plus
Mali-T720 MP2, MT6753, 32 GB eMMC Flash
47.2 MBit/s -52%
GPS Oukitel U16 Max
GPS Oukitel U16 Max
GPS Oukitel U16 Max
GPS Oukitel U16 Max
GPS Oukitel U16 Max
GPS Oukitel U16 Max
GPS Garmin Edge 500
GPS Garmin Edge 500
GPS Garmin Edge 500
GPS Garmin Edge 500
GPS Garmin Edge 500
GPS Garmin Edge 500

Telephone and Call Quality

The smartphone uses Android's standard telephone app and offers no surprises. While calling, the conversation partners are easily understandable with the phone next to the ear as well as the speakerphone function. We did not notice any significant background noise. Earphones are not provided. A test with Apple's earphones shows nothing unusual. 

Cameras

Although the front and back cameras boast with fairly decent resolutions (13 and 5 megapixels), neither can convince. Neither camera can display good detail, and both of them show visible image noise. In addition, the camera on the back shows a strong yellow tint and does not display the colors correctly. In terms of color accuracy, the selfie camera is to be preferred. In badly lit surroundings, the pictures appear too pale, while the colors are often oversaturated in strong sunlight. 

Yet, some of the problems can be repaired with image-processing programs (colors) and the high resolution makes up a little for the noise in the details. In general, the performance is not any worse than in the cheap Android devices that are available locally. 

However, anyone who wants to take good pictures with their smartphone should stay away from this device.

Back camera: This box is really orange
Back camera: This box is really orange
Front camera: The colors are pale but at least it is orange!
Back camera: In fall, the yellow tint would be fitting.
Back camera: The sky is more gray than blue.

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

In the direct comparison, the color deviations that are significant in some cases are easily recognizable. While the blue is still halfway decent, the red tends to look rather orange. Almost all the colors look too pale. In good lighting conditions, the noise is noticeably reduced. Mainly in the center, details are easily recognizable, but towards the edges, they become blurry to some extent.

On the edges the sharpness becomes visibly less.
On the edges the sharpness becomes visibly less.
The color deviations are significant in some cases.
In bright lighting, the color noise is not so strong and many details are still recognizable.

Accessories and Warranty

Accessories: USB cable and charger
Accessories: USB cable and charger

Besides the charger and USB cable, Oukitel provides a protective case as a further accessory. The manufacturer offers a one-year non-transferable warranty for the device. However, it is questionable whether it is worth claiming it, when the device first has to be sent to the Far East. If the device is purchased for example from Amazon (Germany), the purchase falls under the warranties required by German law, which can be claimed from the supplier. If purchasing it directly from a Chinese vendor, please note our article on the required declarations and customs. Please see our Guarantees, Return policies and Warranties FAQ for country-specific information.

Input Devices and Operation

The keyboard has remained the Android standard keyboard as well. The touchscreen supports five simultaneous touch points and reacts quite quickly. You can even play a virtual piano on it without any problematic delays.

Even though the processor is not the fastest, the operation of the device seems quite fast, although from time to time there is one or the other lapse in larger apps. 

The sensing surfaces of the Google keys are separate and set off in white. The fingerprint sensor reacts quickly and is also able to unlock the smartphone also in Standby mode. However, it can happen often that you accidentally touch the sensor with another finger several times and then have to unlock the device with your PIN input due to too many "failed attempts."

Display

Subpixel grid
Subpixel grid

According to the manufacturer, the display comes from JDI (merger of the display divisions of Sony, Hitachi, and Toshiba) and has a 1280x720 pixel resolution. The resolution is appropriate for the price range. Some competitors come with a Full HD display but are more expensive accordingly. The brightness is sufficient outdoors as well. In direct sunlight, things become more difficult. The low resolution should benefit the battery life.

399
cd/m²
415
cd/m²
404
cd/m²
403
cd/m²
417
cd/m²
405
cd/m²
400
cd/m²
408
cd/m²
393
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
IPS tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 417 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 404.9 cd/m² Minimum: 18.16 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 94 %
Center on Battery: 417 cd/m²
Contrast: 1986:1 (Black: 0.21 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 11.9 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 14.4 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
Gamma: 2.19
Oukitel U16 Max
1280x720, 6.00
Ulefone Metal
IPS, 1280x720, 5.00
Elephone P8000
IPS, 1920x1080, 5.50
Acer Liquid Z6 Plus
IPS, 1920x1080, 5.50
LG Stylus 2
IPS, 1280x720, 5.70
Screen
-21%
-16%
2%
7%
Brightness middle
417
312
-25%
338
-19%
419
0%
370
-11%
Brightness
405
315
-22%
329
-19%
408
1%
374
-8%
Brightness Distribution
94
87
-7%
95
1%
83
-12%
92
-2%
Black Level *
0.21
0.56
-167%
0.36
-71%
0.35
-67%
0.25
-19%
Contrast
1986
557
-72%
939
-53%
1197
-40%
1480
-25%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
11.9
6.8
43%
9.38
21%
6.6
45%
6.1
49%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
21.5
14
35%
12.6
41%
16.5
23%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
14.4
7.1
51%
10.33
28%
7.9
45%
7
51%
Gamma
2.19 100%
2.77 79%
2.3 96%
2.08 106%
2.25 98%
CCT
12820 51%
7402 88%
10118 64%
8576 76%
8350 78%

* ... 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.

Subjectively, there is nothing to complain about the color reproduction of the display. Black and white are displayed well and the colors also appear saturated but not too gaudy. This is also confirmed by the measured values which attest a good contrast and high black values. At a contrast of almost 2000:1, the Oukitel outperforms all the direct competitors. Merely the Delta-E deviations are too high. Here, the measurements show a clear blue tint, although it is hardly noticeable subjectively. 

Due to the relatively low resolution, the display's pixel density of 245 ppi is not very high. The single pixels are noticeable when looking closely.

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

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
23.6 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 11.2 ms rise
↘ 12.4 ms fall
The screen shows good response rates in our tests, but may be too slow for competitive gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 47 % 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
72 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 50 ms rise
↘ 22 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. » 99 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

The smartphone achieves a brightness of almost 400 cd/m² and thus can be read easily outdoors. Merely in direct sunlight, the reflective display is slightly disturbing.

The viewing-angle stability is very good as well. The display can be easily read from all angles and the colors remain stable. 

Direct sun
Direct sun
Viewing in the shade
Viewing in the shade
Viewing angles
Viewing angles

Performance

In the benchmarks, the Oukitel U16 Max shows its best side. Not because it sets new high marks, but because it outperforms all the competing devices with the same processor. The values are close here, but we can conclude that Oukitel extracts the maximum from the hardware. However, it is still clear that we are looking at a low-budget device with the corresponding processor which ranges at the lower end of the new devices in terms of speed.

In the surf benchmarks, things look a little different. While the U16 Max is ahead in the Kraken benchmark, it comes out at the lower end in the Octane and JetStream benchmarks. All the values were measured with the standard browser version 7.0. However subjectively, the browser reacts to input quickly, even in large news sites with long feeds.

In the comparison, the internal storage turns out to be rather fast, even though it is only eMMC storage here. The card reader is left slightly behind by that of the Stylus 2. But anyone who buys a cheap Chinese phone will probably also save on the storage, which will be even slower accordingly. The card reader is unlikely to become the bottleneck here. 

AnTuTu v6 - Total Score (sort by value)
Oukitel U16 Max
38295 Points
Ulefone Metal
37103 Points -3%
Acer Liquid Z6 Plus
37286 Points -3%
LG Stylus 2
28232 Points -26%
Asus Zenfone 3 Max ZC520TL
30365 Points -21%
Geekbench 4.0
64 Bit Single-Core Score (sort by value)
Ulefone Metal
609 Points
Acer Liquid Z6 Plus
608 Points
Asus Zenfone 3 Max ZC520TL
569 Points
64 Bit Multi-Core Score (sort by value)
Ulefone Metal
2458 Points
Acer Liquid Z6 Plus
2442 Points
Asus Zenfone 3 Max ZC520TL
1362 Points
3DMark
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Score (sort by value)
Oukitel U16 Max
Points
Ulefone Metal
7059 Points
Elephone P8000
6892 Points
Acer Liquid Z6 Plus
7045 Points
LG Stylus 2
4307 Points
Asus Zenfone 3 Max ZC520TL
3827 Points
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Graphics Score (sort by value)
Oukitel U16 Max
Points
Ulefone Metal
6469 Points
Elephone P8000
6283 Points
Acer Liquid Z6 Plus
6456 Points
LG Stylus 2
3744 Points
Asus Zenfone 3 Max ZC520TL
3369 Points
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Physics (sort by value)
Oukitel U16 Max
10549 Points
Ulefone Metal
10371 Points -2%
Elephone P8000
10433 Points -1%
Acer Liquid Z6 Plus
10347 Points -2%
LG Stylus 2
9085 Points -14%
Asus Zenfone 3 Max ZC520TL
7298 Points -31%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 (sort by value)
Oukitel U16 Max
300 Points
Ulefone Metal
293 Points -2%
Elephone P8000
286 Points -5%
Acer Liquid Z6 Plus
291 Points -3%
LG Stylus 2
53 Points -82%
Asus Zenfone 3 Max ZC520TL
157 Points -48%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Graphics (sort by value)
Oukitel U16 Max
248 Points
Ulefone Metal
243 Points -2%
Elephone P8000
236 Points -5%
Acer Liquid Z6 Plus
241 Points -3%
LG Stylus 2
42 Points -83%
Asus Zenfone 3 Max ZC520TL
128 Points -48%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Physics (sort by value)
Oukitel U16 Max
1098 Points
Ulefone Metal
1057 Points -4%
Elephone P8000
1077 Points -2%
Acer Liquid Z6 Plus
1090 Points -1%
LG Stylus 2
728 Points -34%
Asus Zenfone 3 Max ZC520TL
741 Points -33%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) (sort by value)
Oukitel U16 Max
208 Points
Ulefone Metal
195 Points -6%
Elephone P8000
183 Points -12%
Acer Liquid Z6 Plus
197 Points -5%
Asus Zenfone 3 Max ZC520TL
103 Points -50%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Graphics (sort by value)
Oukitel U16 Max
169 Points
Ulefone Metal
158 Points -7%
Elephone P8000
148 Points -12%
Acer Liquid Z6 Plus
160 Points -5%
Asus Zenfone 3 Max ZC520TL
83 Points -51%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Physics (sort by value)
Oukitel U16 Max
1104 Points
Ulefone Metal
1084 Points -2%
Elephone P8000
1072 Points -3%
Acer Liquid Z6 Plus
1076 Points -3%
Asus Zenfone 3 Max ZC520TL
699 Points -37%
GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7
T-Rex Onscreen (sort by value)
Oukitel U16 Max
20 fps
Ulefone Metal
12 fps -40%
Elephone P8000
12 fps -40%
Acer Liquid Z6 Plus
13 fps -35%
LG Stylus 2
4.9 fps -75%
Asus Zenfone 3 Max ZC520TL
10 fps -50%
1920x1080 T-Rex Offscreen (sort by value)
Oukitel U16 Max
12 fps
Ulefone Metal
19 fps +58%
Elephone P8000
12 fps 0%
Acer Liquid Z6 Plus
12 fps 0%
LG Stylus 2
5.1 fps -57%
Asus Zenfone 3 Max ZC520TL
5.9 fps -51%
GFXBench 3.0
on screen Manhattan Onscreen OGL (sort by value)
Oukitel U16 Max
9.2 fps
Ulefone Metal
6.4 fps -30%
Elephone P8000
4.2 fps -54%
Acer Liquid Z6 Plus
4.7 fps -49%
LG Stylus 2
1.8 fps -80%
Asus Zenfone 3 Max ZC520TL
4.7 fps -49%
1920x1080 1080p Manhattan Offscreen (sort by value)
Oukitel U16 Max
2.9 fps
Ulefone Metal
2.9 fps 0%
Elephone P8000
4.2 fps +45%
Acer Liquid Z6 Plus
4.5 fps +55%
LG Stylus 2
3.9 fps +34%
Asus Zenfone 3 Max ZC520TL
2.2 fps -24%
GFXBench 3.1
on screen Manhattan ES 3.1 Onscreen (sort by value)
Oukitel U16 Max
6.5 fps
Ulefone Metal
4.5 fps -31%
Acer Liquid Z6 Plus
2.9 fps -55%
LG Stylus 2
fps -100%
Asus Zenfone 3 Max ZC520TL
3.4 fps -48%
1920x1080 Manhattan ES 3.1 Offscreen (sort by value)
Oukitel U16 Max
2.9 fps
Ulefone Metal
8.9 fps +207%
Acer Liquid Z6 Plus
3.1 fps +7%
LG Stylus 2
fps -100%
Asus Zenfone 3 Max ZC520TL
1.4 fps -52%
PCMark for Android - Work performance score (sort by value)
Oukitel U16 Max
4040 Points
Ulefone Metal
4079 Points +1%
Acer Liquid Z6 Plus
2979 Points -26%
LG Stylus 2
4030 Points 0%
Asus Zenfone 3 Max ZC520TL
2517 Points -38%
Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total (sort by value)
Oukitel U16 Max
21899 ms *
Ulefone Metal
13397 ms * +39%
Elephone P8000
23047 ms * -5%
Acer Liquid Z6 Plus
14218 ms * +35%
LG Stylus 2
12713 ms * +42%
Asus Zenfone 3 Max ZC520TL
14983 ms * +32%
JetStream 1.1 - Total Score (sort by value)
Oukitel U16 Max
16.72 Points
Ulefone Metal
17.83 Points +7%
Elephone P8000
20.7 Points +24%
Acer Liquid Z6 Plus
18.05 Points +8%
LG Stylus 2
17.8 Points +6%
Asus Zenfone 3 Max ZC520TL
16.47 Points -1%
Octane V2 - Total Score (sort by value)
Oukitel U16 Max
2734 Points
Ulefone Metal
2738 Points 0%
Elephone P8000
3256 Points +19%
Acer Liquid Z6 Plus
2892 Points +6%
LG Stylus 2
2742 Points 0%
Asus Zenfone 3 Max ZC520TL
2534 Points -7%
AndroBench 3-5
Sequential Write 256KB SDCard (sort by value)
Oukitel U16 Max
24.56 MB/s
Ulefone Metal
27.6 MB/s +12%
Acer Liquid Z6 Plus
27.97 MB/s +14%
LG Stylus 2
49.73 MB/s +102%
Asus Zenfone 3 Max ZC520TL
29.59 MB/s +20%
Sequential Read 256KB SDCard (sort by value)
Oukitel U16 Max
36.27 MB/s
Ulefone Metal
49.6 MB/s +37%
Acer Liquid Z6 Plus
42.76 MB/s +18%
LG Stylus 2
74.9 MB/s +107%
Asus Zenfone 3 Max ZC520TL
47.67 MB/s +31%
Random Write 4KB (sort by value)
Oukitel U16 Max
11.24 MB/s
Ulefone Metal
7.87 MB/s -30%
Elephone P8000
12.6 MB/s +12%
Acer Liquid Z6 Plus
10.4 MB/s -7%
LG Stylus 2
7.3 MB/s -35%
Asus Zenfone 3 Max ZC520TL
9.1 MB/s -19%
Random Read 4KB (sort by value)
Oukitel U16 Max
18.5 MB/s
Ulefone Metal
22.18 MB/s +20%
Elephone P8000
23.5 MB/s +27%
Acer Liquid Z6 Plus
22.2 MB/s +20%
LG Stylus 2
9.8 MB/s -47%
Asus Zenfone 3 Max ZC520TL
20.9 MB/s +13%
Sequential Write 256KB (sort by value)
Oukitel U16 Max
69.9 MB/s
Ulefone Metal
39.91 MB/s -43%
Elephone P8000
72 MB/s +3%
Acer Liquid Z6 Plus
70.1 MB/s 0%
LG Stylus 2
75.9 MB/s +9%
Asus Zenfone 3 Max ZC520TL
65.2 MB/s -7%
Sequential Read 256KB (sort by value)
Oukitel U16 Max
231.1 MB/s
Ulefone Metal
228.8 MB/s -1%
Elephone P8000
233 MB/s +1%
Acer Liquid Z6 Plus
209.4 MB/s -9%
LG Stylus 2
130.3 MB/s -44%
Asus Zenfone 3 Max ZC520TL
174.2 MB/s -25%

Legend

 
Oukitel U16 Max Mediatek MT6753, ARM Mali-T720 MP2, 32 GB eMMC Flash
 
Ulefone Metal Mediatek MT6753, ARM Mali-T720, 16 GB eMMC Flash
 
Elephone P8000 Mediatek MT6753, ARM Mali-T720 MP4, 16 GB eMMC Flash
 
Acer Liquid Z6 Plus Mediatek MT6753, ARM Mali-T720 MP2, 32 GB eMMC Flash
 
LG Stylus 2 Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 MSM8916, Qualcomm Adreno 306, 16 GB eMMC Flash
 
Asus Zenfone 3 Max ZC520TL Mediatek MT6737, ARM Mali-T720 MP2, 32 GB eMMC Flash

* ... smaller is better

Games

For its price class, the smartphone is also well suited for gaming with its Mali-T720-MP2 graphics chip. The touchscreen, as well as the position sensor, react quickly, so that unpleasant delays are avoided. The sparing features benefit the speed. But you should not expect wonders. It is a chip from the lower third of the range, and in demanding 3D titles the graphics unit quickly runs out of steam.

Screenshot: AirFighters
Screenshot: AirFighters
Screenshot: Real Racing 3
Screenshot: Real Racing 3

Emissions

Temperature

The temperature development is also encouraging: Even during load, the heat remains below body temperature and is about at the same level as that of the ZTE Blade V8. The UleFone Metal and the Elephone P8000 are almost 10 degrees hotter here, which should clearly be noticeable. The temperature remains very comfortable during gaming as well.

Heat development on the front during load
Heat development on the front during load
Heat development on the back during load
Heat development on the back during load
Max. Load
 35 °C
95 F
34.6 °C
94 F
32.8 °C
91 F
 
 34.3 °C
94 F
35 °C
95 F
33.4 °C
92 F
 
 34.1 °C
93 F
33.2 °C
92 F
32.8 °C
91 F
 
Maximum: 35 °C = 95 F
Average: 33.9 °C = 93 F
30.9 °C
88 F
31.1 °C
88 F
31.9 °C
89 F
30.9 °C
88 F
31 °C
88 F
32.2 °C
90 F
30.2 °C
86 F
30.9 °C
88 F
31.9 °C
89 F
Maximum: 32.2 °C = 90 F
Average: 31.2 °C = 88 F
Power Supply (max.)  28.8 °C = 84 F | Room Temperature 21.3 °C = 70 F | Voltcraft IR-260
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 33.9 °C / 93 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 35 °C / 95 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 32.2 °C / 90 F, compared to the average of 33.8 °C / 93 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 31.2 °C / 88 F, compared to the device average of 32.7 °C / 91 F.

Speaker

The volume of the speakers is sufficient at up to 86 db(A); however, the quality is not very good. As is common for small devices, the bass in particular is lacking. We did not notice any noise. To really enjoy music, you should use premium headphones or an external speaker.

Speaker test
Speaker test
dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2031.641.52525.435.53125.332.14032.930.25033.632.96331.626.28028.429.41002725.412520.823.31602225.720021.324.425020.833.331521.24440019.452.950019.559.163017.764.580017.968.7100017.870.4125017.372.8160017.472.9200016.772250017.270.7315018.271.4400017.975.8500017.670.7630017.762.5800017.857.11000017.952.61250018.142.61600018.234SPL3082.8N1.349median 17.9median 59.1Delta1.415.726.428.426.42826.72825.828.725.829.133.229.126.12626.123.925.523.927.724.727.733.426.933.441.53741.540.320.240.343.720.243.745.521.845.547224752.822.252.860.121.860.166.517.266.569.217.869.271.619.871.669.919.169.96815.46869.515.669.56614.96671.514.771.571.214.271.272.21472.271.213.971.26713.86758.913.958.952.413.952.454.713.754.781.529.581.549.91.349.9median 66median 17.2median 6610.13.810.120.622.921.920.620.721.720.320.722.32123.622.322.626.934.422.621.222.321.921.217.820.318.917.817.918.118.617.922.522.823.922.534.733.236.134.716.72617.216.716.433.215.816.419.438.919.119.422.345.519.122.327.552.717.927.533.658.319.133.639.163.216.139.143.466.515.543.442.764.716.442.739.26213.739.236.8601336.834.857.913.934.834.558.911.434.537.861.110.737.839.16310.339.141.464.29.841.442.7689.442.748.271.69.548.240.764.99.440.730.755.79.630.726.850.39.426.852.876.426.652.88.337.30.98.3median 34.8median 58.9median 13.9median 34.87.710.24.17.7hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseOukitel U16 MaxApple iPhone 7 PlusUlefone Metal
Oukitel U16 Max audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (82.8 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 29.7% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (12% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 9.1% higher than median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (9% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 9.2% higher than median
(±) | linearity of highs is average (10.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(-) | overall sound is not linear (38% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 83% of all tested devices in this class were better, 1% similar, 16% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 93% of all tested devices were better, 1% similar, 6% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Apple iPhone 7 Plus audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (81.4 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 24.1% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (7.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 4.7% away from median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (7.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 4.3% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (6.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (22% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 38% of all tested devices in this class were better, 7% similar, 54% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 58% of all tested devices were better, 7% similar, 35% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Ulefone Metal audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (76.4 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 25.6% lower than median
(-) | bass is not linear (15.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 3.7% away from median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (8.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 5.6% higher than median
(+) | highs are linear (6.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (24.4% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 52% of all tested devices in this class were better, 7% similar, 41% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 70% of all tested devices were better, 6% similar, 24% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Frequency diagram in comparison (checkboxes above can be checked/unchecked!)

Battery Life

Power Consumption

Apparently the power usage is not as optimized as it could be. In comparison to the other devices, it turns out a little higher on average. Especially compared to the LG Stylus 2, the values are too high. There is considerable room for improvement. But this also goes for the other Chinese smartphones.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.06 / 0.08 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 0.93 / 2.23 / 2.31 Watt
Load midlight 5.61 / 8.26 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 Life

There is quite a large 4000-mAh battery built into the U16 Max. It needs about 5 hours to fully charge. Combined with the moderate display resolution, the runtimes are above average but not outstanding. Looking at the power consumption and resolution, a lot more should be possible. With those numbers, the device should really be an endurance runner. Yet, except for the Liquid 6 which wastes less power, it leaves the direct competitors far behind.

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
26h 13min
WiFi Websurfing
12h 11min
Load (maximum brightness)
5h 46min
Oukitel U16 Max
4000 mAh
Ulefone Metal
3050 mAh
Elephone P8000
 mAh
Acer Liquid Z6 Plus
4080 mAh
LG Stylus 2
3000 mAh
Battery Runtime
-45%
-36%
25%
-19%
Reader / Idle
1573
1225
-22%
WiFi v1.3
731
403
-45%
637
-13%
1087
49%
663
-9%
Load
346
146
-58%
351
1%
258
-25%
H.264
697

Pros

+ affordable price
+ fingerprint sensor
+ large screen
+ stable metal casing
+ very good battery life
+ dual SIM
+ storage can be extended by up to 128 GB
+ 3 GB RAM
+ low heat development
+ current version of Android
+ good call quality
+ sufficient storage

Cons

- cameras only have snapshot quality
- heavy
- high power usage
- mediocre processor

Verdict

Oukitel U16 Max - provided by Oukitel.
Oukitel U16 Max - provided by Oukitel.

If we imagine a target audience that wants a huge smartphone with a large screen, does not mind a high weight, and for the small price is willing to accept the corresponding limitations, we need to acknowledge that Oukitel has built an attractive package here. 

A good and balanced package, if only the cameras were better.

The device is solid, has a large screen, and it has a large battery. The speed is not outstanding, but for that price we cannot expect more. The display resolution is not up-to-date anymore, although probably most would not notice any difference without looking at the specs. It is mainly the cameras that arouse serious criticism. Unfortunately, they are only suitable for snapshots in good lighting conditions. If instead of the high resolution, they just had a better quality, the device could have been recommended. As it is, it is only a low-budget recommendation with some reservations. 

Oukitel U16 Max - 05/26/2017 v6(old)
Florian Schaar

Chassis
74%
Keyboard
66 / 75 → 88%
Pointing Device
87%
Connectivity
33 / 60 → 54%
Weight
88%
Battery
100%
Display
79%
Games Performance
21 / 63 → 33%
Application Performance
34 / 70 → 49%
Temperature
92%
Noise
100%
Audio
56 / 91 → 61%
Camera
51%
Average
68%
78%
Smartphone - Weighted Average

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Florian Schaar, 2017-06- 1 (Update: 2019-04- 5)