August 26, 2014 at 07:23CUBE Talk 9X - review of the 9.7-inch tablet with 3G / GPS
The fact that Chinese manufacturers are actively copying A-brand devices has long been no surprise to anyone. To the maximum of Apple, part of Samsung, but take this chip from ASUS and season it all with Google’s operating system. But while one part of the people is outraged by such actions, each time expressing their opinion in the comments, the other is exploiting with might and main the devices that are pleasant in terms of price / quality. Today we look at the tablet from the already established Chinese brand Cube.
A tablet is a very controversial thing and I still hold the idea that this is a more pleasant addition to my ecosystem of gadgets than an essential item. ONDA V972 - my previous device, which I also wrote about here, generally suited everyone (except for the lack of Bluetooth and the general leisurelyness of the system), but as a result of the review, it didn’t work for the local community, primarily the lack of 3G and GPS. The hero of our review today, Cube Talk 9X (U65GT), is equipped with a modification of the Mediatek MT6592 mobile chip, which in turn indicates the presence of all the necessary communication capabilities.
Screen: 9.7 ", 2048x1536 pixels, IGZO, IPS
Processor: MediaTek MT8392 (8 cores, 1.66 GHz) Video accelerator
: Mali-450 MP4 700 MHz
Operating system: Android 4.4.2
RAM: 2 GB
User memory: 16 GB or 32 GB + microSD
Camera: 8 MP rear and 2 MP front
Communication: micro SIM slot: 2G GSM (850MHz, 900MHz, 1800MHz, 1900MHz) + 3G W-CDMA (900MHz, 2100MHz)
Optional: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, A -GPS, OTG, Miracast, FM Radio, accelerometer, light and distance sensor
Battery: 9600 mAh (3.7 V)
Dimensions: 236 x 168 x 7.4 mm
Weight:569 grams
Price: 250 $ (~ 9000 rubles)
Cube U65GT Talk 9X comes in a box of thick unpainted cardboard, there is no information about the tablet itself, in addition to the model and the amount of user memory on the side face.
Despite the minimum configuration, everything you need is in the kit. In the main box there is only the tablet itself, a clip for removing the tray for the SIM card and a set of instruction cards (including the English version). In an additional white box, which was badly shaken during transportation, there are: a USB cable, a power supply (5 V, 2 A) and an adapter for it.
There are problems with the charger. Everything is fine with mine, it’s just that sometimes a low-power PSU with 0.5 A “at the output” comes in the kit - you’ll charge your tablet for 20 hours if the conditions are ideal and the battery capacity actually corresponds to the declared 10 Ah.
Taking into account the support of OTG technology, I would like to see the corresponding cable in the kit, since it costs a trifle, but manufacturers have already refused penny headphones for a long time, for which I thank them.
The Apple iPad is evolving, and Chinese manufacturers tirelessly continue to imitate one of the best devices in this market. Is it good or bad? - Decide for yourself, I’ll say that CUBE is at a very, very good level in terms of manufacturing quality. The 9.7-inch display is covered with glass, here, on the front panel, there is a camera and a light sensor (it works smoothly, without "brakes").
The back cover is made of black painted aluminum with a barely noticeable bluish tint. In the center there is a text in Chinese, which, frankly, does not decorate the tablet, and below is information about the device in English.
In the upper left corner there is a camera module with a backlight LED, to the right is a plastic insert covering the antenna. On the right side are the plastic power and volume buttons with a tangible tactile response.
There is also a tray for a Micro-SIM card, the right side is empty. The thickness of the tablet is only 7.4 millimeters, which is even less than the notorious “daddy”.
At the top there is a slot for a Micro-SD card (officially supports cards up to 32 GB) and a 3.5 mm audio jack. By the way, the chamfer on the case is not painted (anodized).
Bottom - Micro USB connector and stereo speakers. The quality of the latter is quite mediocre, but the volume margin is sufficient in most cases.
The aluminum case, well-fitted parts, high-quality assembly, this is not the first year that has been characteristic of Chinese manufacturers, and this, I must say, is definitely pleasing.
The same can be said of displays. The first Chinese tablets with Retina-like (2048x1536 resolution and 4: 3 aspect ratio) displays appeared 2 years ago and since then have not left niches for devices of this form factor. The screen is juicy, bright, to say nothing - most people at least once, but over the past 2 years they were holding an iPad or another tablet with such a display.
The film pasted at the factory, in addition to being tactilely unpleasant, also spoils the picture causing the crystallization effect, and therefore was immediately removed. Of the shortcomings, it is worth noting the overestimated level of minimum brightness - when reading or watching a video in pitch darkness, I would like to lower the backlight level by another 10 percent.
Sun behavior despite lack of OGStolerant, because even in bright sunlight I was able to parse the information on the maps or reply to the message. Unfortunately, neither anti-reflective nor oleophobic coating here “smells”.
The resolution of the main camera module is 8 MP, and the front 2 MP. While talking about the design, I forgot to mention that the camera module protrudes slightly outside the case. Often, such a solution leads to a defect in the protective glass of the camera, but here the developers cheated and drowned the glass with the camera into the protruding module. In simple words, when the tablet touches a flat surface, the contact will occur with an aluminum edging, and not with glass protecting the camera.
Examples of pictures can be found below. As for the tablet, the quality of the camera is at a good level, autofocus is working properly. The speed, of course, could be higher, but I doubt that you are going to shoot sports events using this unit.
An example of macro photography.
Video is recorded in HD resolution and 3gp format (H.264 codec). Despite such modest characteristics, the videos turn out to be of very tolerable quality (like for a tablet) and take up little space in the device’s memory. In the bright sun, misses are possible when measuring exposure.
In general, there are no complaints about the camera, often in such devices they are put up for a tick, right there you can get a good shot, with proper straightness of hands. I almost forgot - the front camera will be enough for video calls, no more.
Getting old ... No, really. Previously, it was somehow interesting to delve into the firmware of devices, install and learn new applications on Android launchers, and now even drag and drop icons from the menu to the desktop. I want to buy it here and to work. In the case of the tablet, it’s just surfing, watching videos, social networks, forums and this tablet copes with this, but with a big stretch and with an eye on the price. In the role of the operating system Android 4.4.2 KitKat.
The tablet is very gentle on RAM, after downloading about 1.3 GB of the two available. And you can successfully call yourself from this device (have you already imagined yourself with a 10-inch shovel in your face and in the middle of the street?) - when connected to a contact, the speakerphone is turned on. Audibility in both directions is at a good level.
Regarding the optimization and overall performance of Android, everything has become better. Especially compared to some copies of a year ago, which passed through my hands, but still far from ideal. Pre-installed Chinese software has become less, this time only MX Video Player is useful, and everything else is subject to demolition. I repeat that I did not change the firmware and use the device as it came from the factory. Here problems arise, for example, Google Chrome does not work. Although, to be honest, it does not work on more recent firmware, it starts, but it crashes right there. For me, the problem has not become, I use Dolphin Browser for my needs, but for someone it will be a critical drawback. It also lags the Play Market, especially wildly, it "sausages" when downloading and installing applications.
The heart of the CUBE Talk 9X is the MediaTek MT8392 system-on-chip. This is a modification of the SoC MT6592, which we know from numerous Chinese smartphones. Compared with the “telephone” version, the manufacturer announced an increase in the processor clock frequency to 2 GHz (the tablet has a bar set at 1.7 GHz) and ... everything, no other differences were noticed. Otherwise, we have the same 8-core processor and the Mali-450 MP4 graphics core with a clock frequency of 700 MHz. Also, the tablet is equipped with 2 GB of RAM and 16/32 GB of user memory.
In fact, I am far from a supporter of synthetic tests, no matter what numbers these programs show, they still will not be able to talk about the real behavior of the device in everyday use. On the other hand, what remains for people sitting on the other side of the monitor? Take a word for the author? - As an option, but I’m sure that there are those whom this will not suit, and that’s why I publish the results of testing devices in various benchmarks. Well, I already told about my personal impressions in the chapter above.
AnTuTu Benchmark, 3DMark and Vellamo Mobile Benchmark test results (a full-size version of the screenshot will open on a click):
Omitting the impossibility of installing the Google Chrome browser, we can say that the tablet copes well with surfing the World Wide Web. The page loading time is 3-4 seconds, the scrolling is smooth, it’s nice to surf.
Let me remind you that CUBE Talk 9X is one of the few 9.7-inch tablets with a built-in cellular module. In addition to the Chinese standard TD-SCDMA, GSM and W-CDMA accepted by us are also supported. The tablet accepted the SIM card of the Ukrainian 3G-connection operator 3mob without question, speed indicators in one of the districts of Kiev:
With A-GPS turned on (requires an Internet connection), the tablet literally in a matter of seconds finds the first satellites and determines the location, a full start to idle takes up to 2 minutes. Further connection - 3-4 seconds.
Wi-Fi, Bluetooth do not cause any complaints, the signal reception is confident even through several walls. To summarize regarding performance: there is good hardware, but there is no optimization of the software part. Of course, the tablet is already suitable for everyday use, but when you know what is better, it is difficult to put up with it, even with an eye on the price.
Regarding the 10 A * h declared in the specifications, the manufacturer is definitely disingenuous, and without hiding it. Just look at the paper instructions and there on the last page in the column “Battery Capacity” the capacity of 9600 mAh, 3.7 Volts is indicated. In fact, I'm sure - even less, since the tablet from the complete memory with the maximum possible current of 2 A is charging in the region of 4 and a half hours. Even taking into account the ideal and yet unattainable 100% efficiency, the battery capacity is not more than 9 A * h.
And also it is worth recalling the Apple iPad Air which is equipped with a battery capacity of 8827 mAh. Well, okay, even if there is 8 Ah * - that’s good, but in practice the results are quite adequate, like for a 10-inch tablet with a constantly active communication module. For example, this summer I had a period when I was left without a smartphone (I sold the old one, but the new one has not arrived yet) and used the tablet as the main and single device. In this mode, CUBE lives a day and a half: several episodes of your favorite sitcom, social. network, mail, and several conversations via Skype or cellular communications (a separate push-button telephone acted as a “dialer”).
In a calmer, "bedside" mode of use (several hours a day), you can achieve 5 days of battery life.
As a result, the Chinese manufacturer again turned out to be a good tablet, but not very good (by my standards). When buying, the metal case and good assembly, excellent display quality, the availability of a workable communication module are pleasing, but the software part disappoints with subsequent operation: the inflated minimum backlight level, the inability to use some programs, periodic crashes and freezes of applications. As for the “user cases” (usage scenarios), due to the presence of 3G and GPS, the tablet can be used as a navigator with a comfortable display for work, and nobody canceled the usual bedside / everyday use - tablet performance is sufficient for all modern toys, and browsing and watching movies and even more so. The price is still pleasing.
Low price.
Quality of materials and assembly.
Display.
Availability of GPS and 3G modules.
Nice appearance.
Latest OS version.
Optimization, optimization and optimization of firmware again.
Excessive minimum screen brightness.
Mediocre sound of built-in acoustics
You can purchase the device in the online store TinyDeal.com . Currently, only the black version of the tablet with 32 GB of user memory and the 16-gigabyte white version are available for $ 264 and 220 , respectively. As the representative of the store explained, such a difference in price is solely due to problems with the supply of the black version, and the 16-gigabyte one, which cost $ 250, was completely sold out in a matter of days.
There is a discount for readers of our blog, the validity of which ends on August 31. For the black 32 GB version, a 16% discount for the b9x16off code and for the white 16 GB version, a 20% discount for the w9x20off code .
Discussion on w3bsit3-dns.com
Cube U65GT on the manufacturer’s website
Overview from the Chine Review portal I
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on the company page (subscribe button), or in your favorite social network: 
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On twitter
A tablet is a very controversial thing and I still hold the idea that this is a more pleasant addition to my ecosystem of gadgets than an essential item. ONDA V972 - my previous device, which I also wrote about here, generally suited everyone (except for the lack of Bluetooth and the general leisurelyness of the system), but as a result of the review, it didn’t work for the local community, primarily the lack of 3G and GPS. The hero of our review today, Cube Talk 9X (U65GT), is equipped with a modification of the Mediatek MT6592 mobile chip, which in turn indicates the presence of all the necessary communication capabilities.
▌ TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS
Screen: 9.7 ", 2048x1536 pixels, IGZO, IPS Processor: MediaTek MT8392 (8 cores, 1.66 GHz) Video accelerator : Mali-450 MP4 700 MHz Operating system: Android 4.4.2 RAM: 2 GB User memory: 16 GB or 32 GB + microSD Camera: 8 MP rear and 2 MP front Communication: micro SIM slot: 2G GSM (850MHz, 900MHz, 1800MHz, 1900MHz) + 3G W-CDMA (900MHz, 2100MHz) Optional: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, A -GPS, OTG, Miracast, FM Radio, accelerometer, light and distance sensor Battery: 9600 mAh (3.7 V) Dimensions: 236 x 168 x 7.4 mm Weight:569 grams Price: 250 $ (~ 9000 rubles)▌PACKING AND PACKAGING
Cube U65GT Talk 9X comes in a box of thick unpainted cardboard, there is no information about the tablet itself, in addition to the model and the amount of user memory on the side face.
Despite the minimum configuration, everything you need is in the kit. In the main box there is only the tablet itself, a clip for removing the tray for the SIM card and a set of instruction cards (including the English version). In an additional white box, which was badly shaken during transportation, there are: a USB cable, a power supply (5 V, 2 A) and an adapter for it.
There are problems with the charger. Everything is fine with mine, it’s just that sometimes a low-power PSU with 0.5 A “at the output” comes in the kit - you’ll charge your tablet for 20 hours if the conditions are ideal and the battery capacity actually corresponds to the declared 10 Ah.
Taking into account the support of OTG technology, I would like to see the corresponding cable in the kit, since it costs a trifle, but manufacturers have already refused penny headphones for a long time, for which I thank them.
▌ DESIGN, DIMENSIONS, CONTROL ELEMENTS
The Apple iPad is evolving, and Chinese manufacturers tirelessly continue to imitate one of the best devices in this market. Is it good or bad? - Decide for yourself, I’ll say that CUBE is at a very, very good level in terms of manufacturing quality. The 9.7-inch display is covered with glass, here, on the front panel, there is a camera and a light sensor (it works smoothly, without "brakes").
The back cover is made of black painted aluminum with a barely noticeable bluish tint. In the center there is a text in Chinese, which, frankly, does not decorate the tablet, and below is information about the device in English.
In the upper left corner there is a camera module with a backlight LED, to the right is a plastic insert covering the antenna. On the right side are the plastic power and volume buttons with a tangible tactile response.
There is also a tray for a Micro-SIM card, the right side is empty. The thickness of the tablet is only 7.4 millimeters, which is even less than the notorious “daddy”.
At the top there is a slot for a Micro-SD card (officially supports cards up to 32 GB) and a 3.5 mm audio jack. By the way, the chamfer on the case is not painted (anodized).
Bottom - Micro USB connector and stereo speakers. The quality of the latter is quite mediocre, but the volume margin is sufficient in most cases.
The aluminum case, well-fitted parts, high-quality assembly, this is not the first year that has been characteristic of Chinese manufacturers, and this, I must say, is definitely pleasing.
▌ DISPLAY
The same can be said of displays. The first Chinese tablets with Retina-like (2048x1536 resolution and 4: 3 aspect ratio) displays appeared 2 years ago and since then have not left niches for devices of this form factor. The screen is juicy, bright, to say nothing - most people at least once, but over the past 2 years they were holding an iPad or another tablet with such a display.
The film pasted at the factory, in addition to being tactilely unpleasant, also spoils the picture causing the crystallization effect, and therefore was immediately removed. Of the shortcomings, it is worth noting the overestimated level of minimum brightness - when reading or watching a video in pitch darkness, I would like to lower the backlight level by another 10 percent.
Sun behavior despite lack of OGStolerant, because even in bright sunlight I was able to parse the information on the maps or reply to the message. Unfortunately, neither anti-reflective nor oleophobic coating here “smells”.
▌CAMERA
The resolution of the main camera module is 8 MP, and the front 2 MP. While talking about the design, I forgot to mention that the camera module protrudes slightly outside the case. Often, such a solution leads to a defect in the protective glass of the camera, but here the developers cheated and drowned the glass with the camera into the protruding module. In simple words, when the tablet touches a flat surface, the contact will occur with an aluminum edging, and not with glass protecting the camera.
Examples of pictures can be found below. As for the tablet, the quality of the camera is at a good level, autofocus is working properly. The speed, of course, could be higher, but I doubt that you are going to shoot sports events using this unit.
An example of macro photography.
Video is recorded in HD resolution and 3gp format (H.264 codec). Despite such modest characteristics, the videos turn out to be of very tolerable quality (like for a tablet) and take up little space in the device’s memory. In the bright sun, misses are possible when measuring exposure.
In general, there are no complaints about the camera, often in such devices they are put up for a tick, right there you can get a good shot, with proper straightness of hands. I almost forgot - the front camera will be enough for video calls, no more.
▌ OPERATING SYSTEM AND SOFTWARE
Getting old ... No, really. Previously, it was somehow interesting to delve into the firmware of devices, install and learn new applications on Android launchers, and now even drag and drop icons from the menu to the desktop. I want to buy it here and to work. In the case of the tablet, it’s just surfing, watching videos, social networks, forums and this tablet copes with this, but with a big stretch and with an eye on the price. In the role of the operating system Android 4.4.2 KitKat.
The tablet is very gentle on RAM, after downloading about 1.3 GB of the two available. And you can successfully call yourself from this device (have you already imagined yourself with a 10-inch shovel in your face and in the middle of the street?) - when connected to a contact, the speakerphone is turned on. Audibility in both directions is at a good level.
Regarding the optimization and overall performance of Android, everything has become better. Especially compared to some copies of a year ago, which passed through my hands, but still far from ideal. Pre-installed Chinese software has become less, this time only MX Video Player is useful, and everything else is subject to demolition. I repeat that I did not change the firmware and use the device as it came from the factory. Here problems arise, for example, Google Chrome does not work. Although, to be honest, it does not work on more recent firmware, it starts, but it crashes right there. For me, the problem has not become, I use Dolphin Browser for my needs, but for someone it will be a critical drawback. It also lags the Play Market, especially wildly, it "sausages" when downloading and installing applications.
▌ HARDWARE PLATFORM, PRODUCTIVITY
The heart of the CUBE Talk 9X is the MediaTek MT8392 system-on-chip. This is a modification of the SoC MT6592, which we know from numerous Chinese smartphones. Compared with the “telephone” version, the manufacturer announced an increase in the processor clock frequency to 2 GHz (the tablet has a bar set at 1.7 GHz) and ... everything, no other differences were noticed. Otherwise, we have the same 8-core processor and the Mali-450 MP4 graphics core with a clock frequency of 700 MHz. Also, the tablet is equipped with 2 GB of RAM and 16/32 GB of user memory.
In fact, I am far from a supporter of synthetic tests, no matter what numbers these programs show, they still will not be able to talk about the real behavior of the device in everyday use. On the other hand, what remains for people sitting on the other side of the monitor? Take a word for the author? - As an option, but I’m sure that there are those whom this will not suit, and that’s why I publish the results of testing devices in various benchmarks. Well, I already told about my personal impressions in the chapter above.
AnTuTu Benchmark, 3DMark and Vellamo Mobile Benchmark test results (a full-size version of the screenshot will open on a click):
Charts + NenaMark2 test:
The results are quite good, I would even say good, as for the device for such a price. There are no problems with toys either: GTA: San Andreas, NFS: MW and simpler toys go without problems, albeit not at the maximum graphics settings. In demanding applications, the tablet heats up to 50-55 degrees. It does not cause much discomfort, but on a hot summer day it was not pleasant.More screenshots:
Leo`s Forunte - despite the high cost, a rather pleasant and interesting platformer. Omitting the impossibility of installing the Google Chrome browser, we can say that the tablet copes well with surfing the World Wide Web. The page loading time is 3-4 seconds, the scrolling is smooth, it’s nice to surf.
Let me remind you that CUBE Talk 9X is one of the few 9.7-inch tablets with a built-in cellular module. In addition to the Chinese standard TD-SCDMA, GSM and W-CDMA accepted by us are also supported. The tablet accepted the SIM card of the Ukrainian 3G-connection operator 3mob without question, speed indicators in one of the districts of Kiev:
With A-GPS turned on (requires an Internet connection), the tablet literally in a matter of seconds finds the first satellites and determines the location, a full start to idle takes up to 2 minutes. Further connection - 3-4 seconds.
Wi-Fi, Bluetooth do not cause any complaints, the signal reception is confident even through several walls. To summarize regarding performance: there is good hardware, but there is no optimization of the software part. Of course, the tablet is already suitable for everyday use, but when you know what is better, it is difficult to put up with it, even with an eye on the price.
▌BATTERY, CHARGING, OPERATION TIME
Regarding the 10 A * h declared in the specifications, the manufacturer is definitely disingenuous, and without hiding it. Just look at the paper instructions and there on the last page in the column “Battery Capacity” the capacity of 9600 mAh, 3.7 Volts is indicated. In fact, I'm sure - even less, since the tablet from the complete memory with the maximum possible current of 2 A is charging in the region of 4 and a half hours. Even taking into account the ideal and yet unattainable 100% efficiency, the battery capacity is not more than 9 A * h.
And also it is worth recalling the Apple iPad Air which is equipped with a battery capacity of 8827 mAh. Well, okay, even if there is 8 Ah * - that’s good, but in practice the results are quite adequate, like for a 10-inch tablet with a constantly active communication module. For example, this summer I had a period when I was left without a smartphone (I sold the old one, but the new one has not arrived yet) and used the tablet as the main and single device. In this mode, CUBE lives a day and a half: several episodes of your favorite sitcom, social. network, mail, and several conversations via Skype or cellular communications (a separate push-button telephone acted as a “dialer”).
| Mode | Time |
| 3D games (GTA Vice City, NFS Most Wanted) | 4 hours ~ 30 minutes |
| 720p video playback via MX Player (50% brightness, WiFI enabled) | 8 ocloc'k |
▌ RESULTS
As a result, the Chinese manufacturer again turned out to be a good tablet, but not very good (by my standards). When buying, the metal case and good assembly, excellent display quality, the availability of a workable communication module are pleasing, but the software part disappoints with subsequent operation: the inflated minimum backlight level, the inability to use some programs, periodic crashes and freezes of applications. As for the “user cases” (usage scenarios), due to the presence of 3G and GPS, the tablet can be used as a navigator with a comfortable display for work, and nobody canceled the usual bedside / everyday use - tablet performance is sufficient for all modern toys, and browsing and watching movies and even more so. The price is still pleasing.
▌ ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES
Low price. Quality of materials and assembly. Display. Availability of GPS and 3G modules. Nice appearance. Latest OS version. Optimization, optimization and optimization of firmware again. Excessive minimum screen brightness. Mediocre sound of built-in acoustics▌ PRICE AND PURCHASE
You can purchase the device in the online store TinyDeal.com . Currently, only the black version of the tablet with 32 GB of user memory and the 16-gigabyte white version are available for $ 264 and 220 , respectively. As the representative of the store explained, such a difference in price is solely due to problems with the supply of the black version, and the 16-gigabyte one, which cost $ 250, was completely sold out in a matter of days.
There is a discount for readers of our blog, the validity of which ends on August 31. For the black 32 GB version, a 16% discount for the b9x16off code and for the white 16 GB version, a 20% discount for the w9x20off code .
▌ USEFUL LINKS
Discussion on w3bsit3-dns.com
Cube U65GT on the manufacturer’s website
Overview from the Chine Review portal I
remind you that you can subscribe in order not to miss new reviews and articles
on the company page (subscribe button), or in your favorite social network: Vkontakte , Google + , On twitterOnly registered users can participate in the survey. Please come in.
Do you use a tablet?
- 15.4% Yes, for work and entertainment 78
- 1.1% Yes, my main work tool 6
- 31.7% Yes, for entertainment only 160
- 18.2% No, useless gizmo 92
- 21.8% No, but I plan to try 110
- 11.5% I am a UFO, here! 58