Cubot Cheetah 2 Review - Elegant and Feature-packed
Cubot's new flagship Cheetah 2 has managed to claw it's way to me, and is very elegant, just like the name suggests.
Design and Hardware
The Cheetah 2 packs an Octa-Core Processor, 32GBs of Storage, a USB-C and a Front Fingerprint scanner for just ~150$. Inside the box, you'll find a standard charger, USB-C cable and a very nice shockproof case for your new phone, as well as a fitter screen protector.
This gorgeous device is one of the best-looking devices you can get at this price.
Built quality is very solid, and it also packs a front fingerprint scanner, that works great.
The real deal, however, is the back, as it reflects light in a metallic way, that's just so cool!
Hardware Specs
Display – Screen size 5.5 inches FHD Display (1080×1920 Pixels)
CPU – 64-bit Octa-Core 1.3 GHz ARM Cortex-A53
SoC – MediaTek MT6753
GPU – ARM Mali-T720 MP3
Camera -16 MP Samsung with Dual-LED and AF Rear Camera
13 MP Sony Front camera with LED Flash
Memory – RAM- 3GB | ROM 32GB External Memory Supports Up to 128GB (Uses SIM 2 Slot)
Battery – Non-Removable 3,000 mAh Lithium-Polymer
SIM – Hybrid Dual SIM (Micro + Nano/microSD)
Sensors -Accelerometer,Ambient Light Sensor,Geomagnetic Sensor,Gravity Sensor,Gyroscope,Proximity Sensor, Fingerprint Sensor
User Interface
The phone runs a very stock Android experience. Unlike MIUI and EUI where customization is a big part of the experience, Cubot have opted for a more User-Friendly interface that even has an app-drawer. This is a very Nexus-like experience and very similar to what Motorola offer.
1This is a more simple and clean way to do things in Android, as some people don't care for themes and widgets and want to keep their Home Screen free of apps. You get MIRAVISION available to fully customize and calibrate your display which is always a nice option to have.
The phone runs Android 6.0.1 out of the box.
Benchmarks and Performance
The Cheetah 2 won't be breaking any Antutu records, but this Octa-Core will get you through all your daily tasks without breaking a sweat.
Multi-tasking and RAM management are also quite good, as I was able to load all my social apps and run two-three heavy 3D games simultaneously without reloading.
Speaking of gaming, Cubot have optimized the device to run games pretty well, although you will be missing some of the more advanced effects found in high-end chips like Snapdragon 650 and Helio X20. So, games won't look like that but will run well.
If you want to crank the settings all the way you will experience lag in the heavy 3D gaming.
Cameras
The Camera interface is very familiar, like most MediaTek phones.
The Cheetah 2 packs a 16MP Samsung sensor with dual-tone flashlight on the back, and a Sony IMX219 13MP front camera. The main camera tends to overexpose some images, but HDR works well.
In good lighting conditions AF is fast and there is plenty of detail, just don't expect great low-light performance.
The front cam is definitely one of the best I've seen at this price. With HDR enabled photos look almost as good as with the main camera.
One thing that disappoints is the Video Quality(especially the front cam) if the conditions are not great, you won't like the results. The main cam video is OK for FHD, but won't win any awards.
BATTERY
These days a 3000mAh is considered enough, but the big 5.5-inch FHD screen takes it's toll as you'll get barely a day's worth of heavy usage out of it. The battery is not removable. The provided charger takes around 3 hrs. to fully charge the device from 0% - 100%. I have a Quick Charge 3.0 one at home and it was able to do it in just 2, so the device can benefit from a better charger.
CONCLUSION:
The Cheetah 2's looks, user interface, cameras, front fingerprint scanner and USB-C make a worthy buy, however, if you are a passionate gamer, or like to shoot lots of videos from your phone, I would not recommend it.
PROS:
+Great Design, Display and Built Quality
+Best Front Facing camera at this price
+Clean UI, no Bloatware
+Good performance, USB-C, Gyro and Magnetic Sensors
CONS:
-Battery life is not great(can still get a day with heavy usage)
-Video Quality is below par
-Heavy 3D games will lag on high settings
CLICK HERE TO BUY CUBOT CHEETAH 2
Thank you for your time, and remember
Thank you for your time, and remember
STAY TECHPHLIE, STAY COOL!
CLICK ON THE IMAGE FOR THE CHRISTMAS DEALS, AND A FREE PHONE!
CLICK ON THE IMAGE FOR THE CHRISTMAS DEALS, AND A FREE PHONE!
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