After the Cubot Note S, I never really focused on testing other Cubot phones because of all the promises the Note S gave but failed to deliver – good battery life and good cameras.
The phone was, for many people, probably the ‘answer’ to the long time question: can we get a really good phone at a cheap price? But it failed miserably for me. The 4150mAh battery didn’t deliver. The 8MP camera produced very bad quality images. And I wrote this post titled Problems with the Cubot Note S.
One thing however to note is that the Cubot Note S had a really good display. Read my full review.
I later on realised, from Google searches, Online Fora, and emails from people with these devices, that Cubot phones, not sure if all of them or just some of them, generally have problems. And the major issues are always:
- Battery
- Cameras
Battery:
I cannot explain the battery issues. I don’t understand why, for example, the 4150mAh Note S battery cannot last as much as a 3000mAH battery on the Infinix Hot 3.
Is it because the battery ratings are fake? Is it because there’s no proper optimisation to help reduce battery drain?
The former could be true. Because even using Greenify and other battery saving techniques the 4150mAh battery just couldn’t deliver.
Cameras:
I later on realised Cubot interpolate their cameras. Not that interpolating is bad because most, if not all digital cameras use some form of interpolation. But I think it is Cubot’s outright interpolation techniques that are really bad.
Interpolation in the simplest (and probably fakest) of terms is like claiming a 5MP Camera is 8MP using software techniques to make the lens capture “larger” photos.
So if you are getting a 13MP Cubot camera, it could just be 8MP interpolated to 13MP and that’s why you’ll really dislike the quality of pictures it takes.
Finally…
If you have a Cubot phone, what is the best thing about the phone and what is the worst thing about it?
I shouldn’t judge all Cubot phones because of one device, and as such I will be looking for more Cubot devices to review in the coming weeks.
You can buy Cubot Phones from Jumia Kenya
I want to write something, especially, on the Cubot Rainbow that’s just Ksh. 7,499 on avechi.com.
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How do I fix my cubot manito ? The temperature goes so high and run down its battery.
Can I get screen replacement for cubot note 20
Hi, can i get a screen replacement for my Cubot x 18 plus. Am in Mombasa, Kenya.
I want a Cubot Mini – not the KIngkong version which I have, but sleek mini – In the mode of an iPhone 4! Happy to pay a premium for it as well
i dont suggest you! i got a cubot mini today! the camera resolution is very bad probably not 13 m! aout focus doesnt work properly! and is not 4 inches but 3.8 inches!
Had Note S, as you said warm battery, warming cameras, bad camera quality , but everything worked 3 years without repairs. And it looked elegant (golden case). I was quite happy with it (but I don’t use camera much) while it had some very nice integrated apps with lots of cool ringtones inside which wife with sumsung hadn’t
Is cubot j3 a good one and planning to buy
Comment:
Anyone who has had an experience with either CUBOT P20 or X18 Plus, what are the ratings here? Are they good phones or should I just stick to my Tecno Family?
I have a Cubot Dinosaur V12… let me list it
1.No repair or spare parts readily available in the country so when you crack your screen which I was assured it will take longer to crack a dinosaur it did before ethe second fall..youl yo have to wait for 3months to a whole year to get repairs.
2.the battery is fake …if that’s the correct term coz there’s no difference between 5% and 0% ..OR 15% and 9%…I have to charge it 3-4 times a day if I’m on Wi-Fi or fast data..hence me always walking with my charger..and no Ultra mode to preserve the battery charge thus am on airplane mode when it’s 15% charge just to preserve it.
3.The battery can overheat sometimes and coz the phone to shut down randomly which is frustrating if you are busy relying on your phone.
4.Its takes longer to turn on because this “App optimising” takes longer to complete .
5.The camera…it’s all a lie there’s no 13MP camera here..total lie. It’s extremely poor even the video quality… The front camera is not reaching the standards set by the phone properties.
7.The screen resolution is fine..that’s okay.
8.They said 16GB?..it’s a lie it’s 13GB, I have to delete apps just to put a movie on my phone.
I’ve had this phone for…say, a year and 7 months now.
I really wish I could say it’s a perfect phone. But at its price range, you get what you pay for. What has been particularly of annoyance to me is the appalling battery life. Most times, it gives a false battery status level. Now, given this could be a software issue where it can’t read this accurately. But on the off chance it isn’t, I’ve been looking for a replacement batt. Which, unsurprisingly, is just as hard to find as was the slim back cover, or screen protector (can only find them at Avechi), initially.
It’s camera is okay… 8MP interpolated to 13. Takes less than average pics, but does that job well. That said though, it has served me for about as long as a regular smartphone’s life is estimated at, if not longer. So, as long as you’ve got an SD card I offset the 16Gig. internal storage. Which frankly isn’t much once shared by apps and the system…you’re good.
Truth is, if your Cubot ain’t suffering from a camera issue, you probably have to deal with dismal battery life. Oh, and if you’re a techie and do periodic audits of your apps, there’s some hidden bloatware that conveniently lies in wait then activates periodically. Some stock system apks also have some really sneaky behaviour…communicating with a couple servers in china. Persistent despite numerous factory resets, and disables! And it’s un-rootable at the moment. And believe me, I HAVE TRIED!
And that’s just it! You get what you pay for.
I bought the cubot s200 some years ago and it was one of my best phones back then.. they were making really good quality phones compared to now…the note s is shitty . I recently bought the Note plus and it does have some few issues
any reviews on the cubot r9
I am writing this on my Cubot x12 as my Cubot Cheetah 2 has died, I’ve only had it about 5 months, here’s the problems on both phones….
The x12: The battery, it isn’t bad but goes from around 40% to zero in seconds! Camera is rubbish and the 1gb of ram isn’t enough, it freezes a lot unless I close every app after I have used it.
The Cheetah 2: Oh where to start! SD card reading issues and battery life is shocking (if that’s a 3000 mah battery I’ll show my backside in public) can’t use it anymore, I get an hour uptime when fully charged before it goes from 90% to zilch! I googled battery life issues and SD card reading issues on the Cheetah 2 and a LOT of folk are having this problem.
I feel cheated as the Cheetah 2 is a lovely phone, just need a better battery and SD card problems sorted.
Glad to have found your review on Cubot phones, I feel not alone in my frustrations.
Cubot manufactures will never learn to produce phones with good cameras. am Soo disappointed in cubot dinasour which I recently purchased. both front and rear cameras are just water marks and my former lg l5 5mpxl camera is 10 times better than their 13mpxl. the battery drains in seconds from 8% to 0%. every enticing specification about it is a mess.
I bought my wife a Cubot Rainbow. No issues with the battery, but the 13MP camera is really poor. The front ‘selfie’ camera works well, though.
I am willing to place an order for Cubot Rainbow from Jumia, please any insights before i proceed?
yeah infinix hot 3 rules
My new cubot phone is great. I’ve just discovered when taking photos that there is a black blob on screen which shoes in photos. It’s in top left near the corner. Any thoughts on that ?
Izzie
It may be your phone case. Try taking the phone out of the cover and taking a photo. Is the blob still there?
It may be your phone case. Try taking the phone out of the cover and taking a photo. Is the blob still there?
wah,i hav anote s,n its tru bat camera,overheating!!!! damn,,,,the onli giod ting here is da sharp crisp display,,,,,,,,
Comment:
am using cubot note s .I rooted it’s working pretty good phone even the battery lasts.
Hey Otieno ,I love ua post Bt I have a question ,have you reviewed the cubot cheetah? I would like to buy it.
Comment:I have a cubot p11 and I simply really dislike it. The 13mp camera is really bad. Frankly the techno H6 I had before took sharper, better images and its autofocus was on point. The P11 also really struggles to with 3G internet connectivity, I’m forced to use 2G most of the time and it’s 2016. I’m not sure though if all P11s are like this or my device has a problem. What I do know is I hate it and I can’t wait to go back to Tecno. I’m eyeing the new Canon C7. You should review it.
Don’t buy Cubot. I have had no less than three that don’t work, electric shock of of adapter, memory problems, defective phantom screen, and I’m still waiting for Cubot to replace my X15 that was broken out the box, 7 months and counting since it was returned. Cubot don’t answer emails and from the director down to the poor services they are all crooked. Don’t trust em folks!
Comment: The is no other website that I make visits than this one. All the information therein has really helped me a lot. Currently i am on the look out for a phone with a good battery life, a better display and a good camera but on a budget. I almost settled on this cubot note s.
I had compared the Note S to the slightly cheaper Hot 3 and the Hot 3 was the better option.
Thanks for this enlightening info.
Otii I love your website. You always write what I enjoy reading and am always like, ‘tell us more!’
Thank you very much!!