In 2017, major smartphone manufacturers, with the release of their next top models, established new trends, including the transition to displays with an aspect ratio of 18:9. This feature did not remain the prerogative of flagships for long: soon smartphones with widescreen displays appeared even in the budget segment.
The list of such models includes the affordable Cubot X18 phablet. The manufacturer equipped the device with a 5.7-inch screen, substantial amounts of ROM and RAM, a fingerprint scanner, a removable battery, “pure” Android OS without third-party software and other interesting features, details of which are described in this review.
Equipment
The package includes the following items: silicone case, quick start guide, power supply (5V/1A) and USB-MicroUSB flat cable. There is a factory protective film on the front panel of the smartphone.
Features of appearance, ergonomics
The manufacturer neglected the classic case color options, presenting the model in dark blue and gold. The front panel is covered with 2.5D glass, and the back and sides of the case are made of plastic. It is worth noting the good build quality, as well as the absence of any squeaks when squeezing the case.
The device has a rather nice design, due to the glossy finish of the back panel and side edges. It looks beautiful, however, such a solution has its drawbacks. If the smartphone is used without a cover or protective case, the glossy surface of the plastic may quickly lose its original appearance, becoming covered with fingerprints and scratches.
Despite the large screen diagonal, the device fits relatively well in the hand. This is facilitated by the curves along the edges of the rear panel, as well as the dimensions of the device (159.6 x 74 x 8.5 mm). Given the new ratio, the body is slightly elongated, but its width is comparable to conventional 5.5-inch models. For comparison, the dimensions of the Google Pixel XL are: 154.72 x 75.74 x 8.58 mm.
Arrangement of elements on the body
The top of the front panel contains proximity/light sensors, a camera with flash, a speaker and a blue LED notification indicator. The earpiece has a sufficient volume reserve, ensuring clear voice transmission during telephone conversations.
The navigation bar is located on the screen, at the bottom of the OS interface. The manufacturer does not provide the ability to programmatically configure the order of virtual control elements.
Mechanical volume and power control buttons are traditionally located on the side on the right side.
The bottom edge is occupied by a MicroUSB port (without OTG support), the main speaker and microphone. The speaker has more than sufficient volume reserve so that even in a noisy environment the user can hear the melody of an incoming call. The sensitivity of the microphone is within normal limits; during a telephone conversation, there are no complaints from the interlocutors regarding the audibility and intelligibility of speech.
The smartphone is equipped with a standard headphone jack, which is placed on the top edge.
On the back of the case, under the main camera unit and the flash LED, there is a biometric sensor. The scanner responds to touches from any angle and demonstrates high accuracy in fingerprint recognition, second only to flagship models in operating speed.
As with most smartphones with a plastic collapsible body, slots for installing SIM and external storage are located under the removable back cover.
Display
Cubot X18 uses a 5.7-inch IPS display, extended to an aspect ratio of 18:9. The screen resolution is 1440 x 720 pixels. There is no air gap between the glass and the matrix. The screen is characterized by good viewing angles (although not maximum), a fairly wide range of brightness adjustments, rich colors and an excellent level of contrast of the transmitted image.
For individual adjustment of image parameters, the MiraVision utility is provided. The user can independently adjust saturation, color temperature and contrast, depending on his own preferences. The touchpad is characterized by excellent sensitivity, speed and accuracy of response to gestures and touches. MultiTouch supports up to 5 touches simultaneously.
Hardware platform
The smartphone is equipped with a MediaTek MT6737T chipset – an improved version of the 64-bit SoC MT6737, with an increased RAM frequency of up to 733 MHz and four processor cores of up to 1.5 GHz. The Mali-T720 MP2 GPU is used as an integrated graphics video accelerator. The chipset has a relatively low gaming power reserve. For example, you can achieve smooth gameplay in GTA: SA and World of Tanks only at minimum graphics quality settings.
However, the MediaTek MT6737T has good energy efficiency and provides sufficient performance for everyday tasks. The amount of RAM is 3 GB. This is more than enough for comfortable web surfing, video playback, messaging, etc. In addition, users will appreciate the highly responsive user interface, excellent performance when launching applications and switching between them.
An internal storage capacity of 32 GB is provided for installing software, storing multimedia and other user data. The amount of available memory is approximately 25 GB, in addition, the smartphone has a separate slot for memory expansion. Supports installation of a MicroSD card with a capacity of up to 128 GB.
Software
The phablet runs on pure Android 7.0 Nougat OS, with support for Split Screen. The system components and its interface have not been subject to any modifications by the manufacturer. In general, the absence of extraneous background processes had a positive effect on system performance. The firmware is fully localized and contains pre-installed Google services. It is worth noting the support for OTA updates (the ability to obtain new firmware versions via a wireless connection).
Cameras
The main camera is a 13-megapixel sensor made by Sony, with software interpolation up to 16 MP. It is complemented by autofocus and a single LED flash of medium brightness. The maximum resolution of recorded video is Full HD, at 30 frames per second. Focusing is carried out by tap. Electronic image stabilization is supported.
When shooting in daylight conditions, you can count on getting relatively good photos, with a sufficient level of sharpness and detail.
Frames shot in artificial or low-light conditions have lower edge sharpness, increased noise, etc. However, taking into account the price category of the device, the result obtained can still be considered satisfactory.
The maximum resolution of images obtained using an 8-megapixel front photo module has been increased to 13 MP due to interpolation. The camera is perfect for making video calls, but with a good level of natural lighting, the user can also achieve good quality self-portraits. To ensure higher detail of frames in low light conditions, a front LED flash is provided.
Battery
The autonomy of the Cubot X18 is ensured by a built-in battery with a capacity of 3200 mAh. The battery is removable, so you can replace it if desired. One charge is consistently enough for a full day of battery life, under standard loads. If the usage scenario is limited to instant messengers, short calls and watching a few videos on YouTube, the battery will last for one and a half to two days.
In standby mode, Cubot X18 consumes a minimal amount of energy: daily consumption is approximately 4-5% of 100. The device does not support fast charging, so it will take 3.5 hours to fully restore energy using a standard 5V/2A power supply.
Wireless interfaces
The smartphone has 2 separate slots for installing MicroSIM cards. In addition to 2G GSM and 3G WCDMA mobile networks, Cubot X18 supports 4G FDD-LTE frequencies relevant for the Russian Federation, including Band 1/3/7/8/20. The device is equipped with wireless interfaces Bluetooth 4.0 and Wi-Fi (802.1.1 b/g/n), with support for Wi-Fi Direct.
GPS/A-GPS and GLONASS satellite systems are also supported. The built-in navigation module provides a fairly high speed of searching for satellites (in “warm” and “hot” start conditions), stable signal reception and correct location determination.
Advantages and disadvantages
Pros:
- large and high-quality widescreen display;
- decent amounts of memory;
- “clean” firmware and a relatively recent version of the OS;
- optimization for multitasking;
- removable battery;
- separate slots for 2 SIM cards and MicroSD storage;
- acceptable shooting quality in good lighting;
- good fingerprint scanner;
- presence of LED notification indicator;
- The front camera is complemented by a flash.
Minuses:
- glossy plastic quickly becomes covered with fingerprints and scratches;
- OTG support is not implemented;
- long recharging time.
Review results
Cubot X18 runs on Android 7.0 OS with split-screen support, is equipped with a widescreen display and is complemented by 3 GB of RAM. Taking these factors into account, the device can be a good option for users who are in Looking for an affordable 5.7-inch phablet optimized for multi-app experience simultaneously. In addition, Cubot X18 is perfect as a tool for working with navigation software, communicating in instant messengers and social networks, viewing web pages and HD videos.
