Cubot KingKong Star Review – The New Star in Rugged Smartphones?

While many users have obsessed over thinner bezels and foldable screens, there’s a niche of consumers who require more than just a pretty device. The Cubot KingKong Star, true to its name, is a rugged smartphone that boasts not only brawn but also brains. This type of smartphone is engineered to withstand the harshest conditions, from extreme temperatures to dust-filled landscapes and even underwater escapades. While its robust exterior might catch your eye, it’s the surprises within that truly captivate. From colorful LED accents to a unique secondary display nestled within the rear camera bump, this device proves that innovation can thrive even in the harshest conditions.

In this in-depth review, we embark on a journey to explore the Cubot KingKong Star, delving into its design, performance, camera capabilities, and much more. By the time we conclude, you’ll have an in-depth understanding of whether this rugged contender truly shines in its segment, offering a blend of rugged resilience and modern smartphones. So, join us as we unbox the KingKong Star, examine its robust construction, put its display and camera to the test, assess its performance under demanding conditions, investigate its battery life that defies expectations, and ultimately weigh its price against the value it offers. By the end of our voyage, you’ll have an in-depth understanding of what this rugged star has to offer.

Cubot KingKong Star Features

Unboxing and First Impressions:

Our journey with the Cubot KingKong Star begins with the unboxing experience, and it’s clear that Cubot has paid attention to the details. The smartphone arrives in premium-quality packaging, setting the tone for what’s inside. The packaging even lists some of the phone’s key specifications, giving us a glimpse of what to expect.

Upon opening the box, we’re greeted by the star of the show: the KingKong Star itself. The device is thoughtfully placed on top, showcasing its robust build and design. Underneath the smartphone, we find a collection of essential accessories including a user manual providing essential guidance and warranty information. For hassle-free SIM card installation, Cubot includes a SIM ejector tool. Notably, the package includes not just one but two tempered glass screen protectors, with one already applied to the device. To keep you powered up, you’ll discover a 33W Type-C charger and a high-quality USB-C charging cable.

Design and Build Quality

The Cubot KingKong Star is a name that stands out in the market of rugged smartphones. But it’s not just about being tough; it’s also about making a statement with its design and build quality. At first glance, the KingKong Star may surprise you. Unlike many rugged phones that often prioritize function over form, this Cubot offering strikes a harmonious balance between ruggedness and elegance.

In front of the device, you have a full screen of 6.78 inches that takes 83% of the body, The bezels around the screen are neat, but with prominent edges. The notch for the front camera is a punch hole with a 32MP camera in the middle of the top for taking selfies and video chats, which we will talk more about soon.

Back Side

What’s noteworthy is the strategic use of materials. While rugged phones are generally encased in heavy-duty rubber or plastic, Cubot has opted for a small section of glass in the center of the back cover that resembles a circuit board, adding a futuristic charm to the device, but this design choice makes it more susceptible to breakage compared to other rugged phones and at the same time sets the Cubot KingKong Star apart from its rugged competitors. The design is peppered with details that catch the eye. Bold lines and accents run across the device, accentuating its appeal including some striking Black or red, adding a touch of personality to the device.

One of its standout design features is the rear display panel—a concept previously seen in the Cubot KingKong 9 and now making a return. Nestled within the camera bump, This 1.09-inch customizable IPS LCD screen adds an element of versatility to the phone’s design. Users can access notifications, control music playback, and even check the battery status without unlocking the phone. It’s a feature that not only adds utility but also uniqueness to the phone’s design. The rear camera module is thoughtfully integrated into the design, featuring a circular layout with a powerful 100MP main lens and 24MP Night Vision camera at the heart of it. A stylish LED flashlight and infra-red LEDs add functionality while maintaining the device’s elegant appearance.

Comforts

The first line of defense in the KingKong Star’s rugged design is its metal frame. Unlike the conventional plastic frames seen in most smartphones, Cubot opted for a metal frame that not only adds to the device’s durability but also enhances its aesthetics. Complementing this frame are reinforced corners that act as shock absorbers. This design choice helps protect the device from accidental drops and impacts, making it a reliable companion in the toughest of situations. While ruggedness is a fundamental aspect of the KingKong design, it doesn’t compromise on user comfort and convenience. At 395 grams, it’s not lightweight, but the design ensures that the weight is evenly distributed, making it comfortable to hold and use even for extended periods.

Buttons Placement and Ergonomics

The button placement and overall ergonomics have been carefully considered to ensure a seamless user experience. On the right side, you’ll find the power button doubles as a fingerprint sensor for secure and quick unlocking, and volume rockers. The left side of the device houses the triple-slot SIM tray, allowing the simultaneous use of dual nano SIM cards and a micro SD card for expandable storage. All buttons are made of durable metal, which gives them more solidity. In terms of ports, it’s equipped with a USB Type-C port and has dust plugs for its ports, which shows its dustproof capability.

Durability – Cubot KingKong Star

Rugged smartphones, one of the first things that comes to mind is durability. These robust devices are built to withstand the harshest conditions and unexpected mishaps. The Cubot KingKong Star is not just tough on the outside but also fortified against the elements. With an IP68 and IP69K rating, it offers an impressive level of water and dust resistance. This means the device can survive submersion in water up to a certain depth without any adverse effects. It can operate seamlessly in temperatures ranging from -35°C to 75°C. Such resilience makes it an ideal companion for adventurers and professionals.

To protect against accidental drops and impacts, the STAR 5G is equipped with reinforced corners that absorb shocks and provide additional protection to the device. This engineering design ensures that the smartphone can withstand accidental falls and rough handling. It also, boasts MIL-STD-810G certification, a military-grade standard that assesses the device’s ability to withstand various environmental stressors, including vibrations, shocks, humidity, and high altitude. This certification guarantees that the smartphone can endure the rigors of daily life.

Display Experience

The Cubot KingKong Star features a 6.78-inch Full HD+ display with a resolution of 1080 x 2460 pixels and has noticeable bezels with a punch-hole camera on the front. While this is an IPS LCD panel, it offers more than meets the eye with vibrant color reproduction and excellent viewing angles with minimal glare. The colors on this display appear vivid and true to life, even the black levels are remarkable, considering it’s not an AMOLED display. clear text, vivid colors, and excellent viewing angles with minimal glare. Moreover, the display boasts a high peak brightness, making it easily readable even in bright sunlight. This feature is particularly important for outdoor enthusiasts and those who use their smartphones in various lighting conditions.

The inclusion of a 90Hz refresh rate is a welcome addition with auto-select feature switches between 90Hz and 60Hz, and you can set it to 90Hz if you want smoother but more battery-intensive performance. While some rugged smartphones might stick with the standard 60Hz refresh rate, the KingKong Star takes a step ahead. This higher refresh rate translates to smoother scrolling and animations, enhancing the overall user experience. This screen is exceptional, not only in terms of refresh rate but also in terms of touch response, It’s very precise, agile, and offers a high response rate, which is excellent.

This type of screen is the best you can get on a budget phone and provides good color reproduction with no picture distortion. I find it perfectly adequate for web browsing and content consumption, you will get the best value for what you pay, a large and high-quality screen suitable for media consumption, whether you are watching video, playing games, or browsing social media.

Secondary Rear Display

What truly sets the KingKong Star apart is its secondary rear display. This innovative feature, located within the rear camera bump, adds both functionality and style. It’s a 1.09-inch IPS LCD panel with a resolution of 240 x 240 pixels and with integrating functions similar to a smartwatch. This secondary display can be customized to show various information, You can customize watch faces to check the time, and with some swipes in various directions, you can access features like the compass, check the smartphone’s battery life, control the music player, or view notifications without unlocking the phone. Users can select different themes for the display face, adjust screen timeout, brightness, and more.

Playing Content

Playing the content on YouTube, was very smooth. You can play videos at a maximum of 1080p at 60 FPS without any problems or lag, And this is the highest quality you can get. My major issue however is the lack of Widevine L1 certification which restricts the video resolution on most streaming services to a mere 480p. While this does not become an immediate deal breaker, if you like watching your content on your smartphone, this might be an issue. This level may be difficult to find in many Chinese smartphones without exaggeration.

Audio Quality

The Cubot KingKong Star takes an unconventional approach to speaker placement. Instead of the usual top or bottom placement, the speaker cutout resides at the bottom of the rear camera block. This unique design choice immediately catches the eye and piques one’s curiosity. But does this unique placement impact audio quality?

When it comes to loudness, this smartphone excels. Even at full volume, audio remains clear and doesn’t suffer from distortion, making it ideal for situations where you need to amplify sound. But volume isn’t the only factor that matters in audio quality; clarity and precision are equally crucial. The KingKong Star impresses with crisp and clear sound quality. Whether you’re listening to music, watching videos, or engaged in a call, the audio remains sharp and distinct.

Camera Capabilities

Camera Capabilities The KingKong Star 5G packs a triple-camera setup on its rear, with a 100MP primary sensor, a 24MP night vision camera with infrared support, and a 5MP macro lens. On the front, there’s a 24MP selfie camera. While the camera system on this rugged phone doesn’t compete with flagship models, it offers decent photo quality and versatility.

100MP Main Camera

The star of the show is undoubtedly the 100MP primary camera. Yes, you read that right; Cubot has equipped this rugged beast with a high-resolution sensor. With 100MP at your disposal, you can capture intricate details, vibrant colors, and sharp images. This sensor performs admirably in well-lit conditions, producing photos that pop with clarity and vibrancy. The colors are accurate, and there’s minimal noise, making your shots look professional and true to life. It’s evident that Cubot has put significant effort into optimizing this camera for impressive daylight photography.

24MP Night Vision Camera

Cubot KingKong Star doesn’t shy away from low-light situations either. With a 24MP night vision camera and two infrared LEDs. This camera’s low-light capabilities are commendable, it manages to keep noise levels in check and retains a surprising amount of detail in challenging lighting conditions. This is a valuable addition for capturing shots that would be challenging for other smartphones without this kind of sensor, But, it might not match the prowess of dedicated night mode features found in flagship smartphones, it’s more than sufficient for most users.

5MP Autofocus Camera

In addition to the high-resolution and night vision cameras, the KingKong Star offers a 5MP autofocus camera. This lens enhances your photography experience by providing versatile shooting options. The autofocus capabilities ensure that your subjects remain sharp and clear, even in challenging conditions. It’s a valuable addition that adds depth and variety to your photography.

32MP Front Camera

Don’t forget about the selfies! The Star features a 32MP front camera that’s perfect for snapping self-portraits and video calls. This camera performs admirably in various lighting conditions, ensuring that your selfies look great whether you’re under the sun or in a dimly lit room.

Camera App Features

To complement its capable camera hardware, Cubot includes a user-friendly camera app with a range of features. From panorama mode for capturing wide vistas to HDR for balancing exposure in challenging scenes, the app provides the tools you need to get creative with your photography. Moreover, Cubot KingKong Star’s camera app offers different shooting modes and filters, allowing you to experiment and add artistic flair to your shots.

Video Recording

The Cubot KingKong Star proves that you don’t need a dedicated camera to produce high-quality videos; all you need is this rugged, reliable device in your pocket. With its ability to record videos in high-definition quality and a maximum recording resolution of up to 2K at 30 frames per second (fps), this smartphone allows you to capture videos with exceptional detail and clarity. One common challenge in smartphone videography is the potential for shaky footage, especially when recording on the move. The phone addresses this issue with its image stabilization technology.

The Star isn’t just about standard video recording; it also offers creative video modes. Slow-motion and time-lapse features allow you to add a unique touch to your videos. For those who prefer a more hands-on approach to videography, the phone offers manual controls. You can adjust settings like exposure, white balance, ISO, and focus, giving you greater control over your video’s look and feel.

Performance and Gaming

The heart of any smartphone’s performance lies in its processor, and the Cubot KingKong Star doesn’t disappoint. At its core is the MediaTek Dimensity 700, it’s a powerful 7nm octa-core SoC that boasts two high-performance ARM Cortex-A76 cores clocked at 2.2GHz, working in tandem with six power-efficient ARM Cortex-A55 cores running at 2.0GHz, Which supports 5G. This is similar in processing power to the Helio G99, known for its good gaming performance. Both the Helio G99 and Dimensity 700 use the same GPU, the Mali-G57 MC2. As you can see, this phone has a robust hardware setup and the processor is no slouch, providing a solid foundation for both everyday tasks and resource-intensive applications.

KingKong Star has 12GB of RAM, which ensures smooth multitasking and fast app switching. Also, offers an interesting feature known as “Virtual RAM Expansion” This feature allows the smartphone to allocate a portion of its storage space up to 12GB to act as additional virtual RAM, essentially increasing the available RAM for running apps and processes. This can lead to improved multitasking and smoother performance, especially when dealing with resource-intensive applications.

When it comes to storage, this phone offers flexibility to suit your needs with 256 GB. This ample internal storage capacity allows you to store a vast amount of apps, photos, videos, documents, and more without worrying about running out of space. Moreover, if you find yourself needing even more storage, with its microSD card support. You can expand the storage by up to 1 TB.

Gaming Performance

A key aspect of gaming performance is how well a smartphone handles prolonged gaming sessions. During our extensive tests, the Cubot KingKong Star showed no signs of lag or thermal throttling, even under demanding conditions. This device’s performance remained consistently smooth, enhancing the overall gaming experience.
It handles popular titles like PUBG Mobile, Call of Duty Mobile, and Genshin Impact with surprising grace. Even in medium settings, these games run smoothly, providing an excellent gaming experience. But, If you want to play high graphics-intensive games, then okay, you need to go for a gaming smartphone. But among the rugged smartphones or even among many budget mid-range mainstream smartphones, this Cubot King Kong Star would stand tall because this one actually offers very good performance.

Benchmark Performance

For those who like to gauge a device’s performance through benchmarks, the Cubot KingKong Star doesn’t disappoint. In a series of tests, this rugged smartphone scored an impressive 397,228 points on the AnTuTu Benchmark, surpassing expectations for a rugged device. These scores put it in the same league as mid-range smartphones, showcasing its processing power considering its price.

The Cubot KingKong Star proves that rugged smartphones can be more than just tough exteriors. Underneath the rugged armor lies a gaming beast powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 700. It handles games with grace, offering a lag-free gaming experience. So, if you’re in the market for a rugged smartphone that doesn’t compromise on performance or gaming capabilities, the Cubot King Kong Star might just be the answer to your quest for a truly rugged gaming beast.

Software and User Interface Experience

The Cubot KingKong Star boasts Android 13 as its operating system. This is a significant point of distinction, as many devices are still launched with older Android versions. Running on the latest Android release means users can access the full spectrum of new features, performance improvements, and security enhancements that Google has rolled out.

Cubot offers users a familiar and intuitive interface, which I noticed mainly revolves around menus related to the rear secondary screen or the “Freezer” app, which allows you to freeze selected apps to prevent them from consuming resources. The absence of heavy customizations and bloatware ensures a clean and uncluttered user experience but offers some unique tools like a sound meter, protractor, magnifying glass, and a Kids Mode for child-friendly content restrictions.

Tasks such as web browsing, multitasking between applications, and running social media apps are handled smoothly, with no major slowdowns or disruptions. However, it’s crucial to acknowledge that no software is entirely free from quirks. The KingKong Star does encounter occasional app crashes and minor interface lag during intensive multitasking. These issues, while not deal-breakers, indicate that there’s room for further software refinement to ensure a consistently smooth user experience.

Battery Life & Usage

The most astonishing aspect of the Cubot KingKong Star is undoubtedly its battery capacity. At a staggering 10,600mAh, it’s not just a battery; it’s a powerhouse. This device offers a battery life that is nothing short of extraordinary. When put to the test, it’s capable of achieving up to 3 days of battery life under moderate usage, and with heavy usage, it easily lasts throughout the day. But what about when it’s finally time to recharge? The Cubot KingKong Star doesn’t leave you waiting, equipped with a 33W charger, this device replenishes its massive battery in no time which takes about two hours for a full charge via a USB Type-C port.

Connectivity of 5G

The Cubot KingKong Star doesn’t disappoint when it comes to connectivity. It embraces modern technologies while maintaining the ruggedness that users expect from a device built to withstand extreme conditions.
A standout feature of the KingKong Star is its support for 5G networks that ensures fast and reliable network connectivity with quicker downloads, even in remote or challenging terrains. Equipped with a SIM slot that accommodates two 5G nano-sim cards that support all bandwidth offerings of 5G and 4G and so on, which provides a super speedy user experience. And the most talked-about 5G network will supposedly be 10 times faster than the 4G network carrier with 2.3GBp/s download and 1.2GBp/s upload which allows us to say goodbye to said buffering when playing 4K videos and gaming lag. So it’s expected that you will get wide coverage and good signal quality for making phone calls and accessing the Internet easily.

Wi-Fi and Bluetooth & Navigation

Also, supports Dual-band Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac allowing it to connect to both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz networks to provide low latency and faster transmission speed, resulting in greater efficiency, reliability, and security, although Wi-Fi 6E compatibility is unfortunately absent. NFC support is another welcome addition that allows for contactless payments and seamless pairing with compatible devices. Also, The smartphone features Bluetooth 5.1, which provides improved connectivity and efficiency when connecting to other Bluetooth devices.

For navigation and location services, the STAR 5G comes equipped with GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, and BEIDOU support. This satellite navigation system ensures accurate positioning and reliable navigation, making it an indispensable tool for outdoor adventurers and travelers exploring unfamiliar territories.

Final verdict and value

The Cubot KingKong Star is more than just a rugged smartphone; it’s a well-rounded performer with a focus on 5G connectivity with its impressive display, robust performance, versatile camera system, outstanding battery life, and extensive customization options, it’s a compelling choice for those seeking a rugged smartphone for both work and outdoor adventures. With an affordable price point, it represents excellent value for money. It earns its place as a formidable contender in the market.

The Cubot KingKong Star is a rugged smartphone that enters the market with a promise of affordability without compromising on performance. The official price of the KingKong Star falls below $230 on AliExpress. Of course, actual market prices may fluctuate due to various factors, but it’s clear that Cubot is positioning this device as an affordable yet powerful option in the rugged smartphone market. It’s important to note that while affordability is a significant factor, Cubot hasn’t compromised on essential aspects like performance, battery life, and features. This makes the KingKong Star a compelling option for budget-conscious consumers who refuse to settle for less.