Cubot, a well-known player in the rugged smartphone industry, has announced the latest addition to the KingKong line, the Power 3. This device combines exceptional design, top-notch performance, and cutting-edge features to satisfy outdoor enthusiasts and casual workers who are looking for more from their rugged smartphone. The Cubot KingKong Power 3 redefines the rugged smartphone experience with some notable specifications that will not go unnoticed and may be of real interest to some. Let us tell you more about it.
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Cubot KingKong Power 3 Android 14 Smartphone, 123dB Loudspeaker, Helio G99, 6,72" 120Hz Display, Up to 24GB RAM, 256GB ROM, 10200mAh Battery, 100MP Camera, NFC
156,20€ available
Design and Materials
The Cubot KingKong Power 3 offers an interesting fusion of design between a traditional rugged that we have been used to for years, and a modern product; in addition to resisting extreme conditions, counting on the IP68 / IP69K and Mil-STD-810H certification, it has two attractive aspects that are located right on the rear back cover. I am referring to the generous rear speaker with a 34mm driver and 3W and 123 dB power to listen to your music at its best, even on the beach or in the middle of nature, so music, notifications and alarms will always be audible even in crowded places.
The other intriguing aspect concerns a rear RGB LED light system; the Atmosphere Light lights work in sync with the music, to create the perfect atmosphere on every occasion, but also with notifications and calls, offering 14 different effects for a unique customization in this genre. However, it is not the only distinctive feature of the back cover of this new Cubot, which stands out for its brushed metal finishes reinforcing the side profiles that make it aesthetically appealing and pleasant to use. Also on the back we find the microphone used to suppress background noise during calls and a triple optic that is accompanied by an LED flash.
Of course, weight and size as always do not go unnoticed: we are talking, once again, of dimensions equal to 175.3 x 82.7 x 20 mm and 425 grams of weight, perhaps among the largest and heaviest ever, a real boulder to carry. Leaving this aspect aside, on the right there are the volume rocker and the power button in which the biometric sensor for unlocking via fingerprint is also integrated, which works well in all contexts. On the left, once again, there is the programmable function key as well as the well-insulated door in which the slot for the MicroSD and the SIM card is hidden, hybrid (2 sim or 1 sim + microSD). At the top the smartphone is completely clean, while at the bottom along the rubber protected frame you can find the USB-C input for charging the battery, also well protected by a door. OTG support is present but no video output and there is also no 3.5mm jack for headphones which in this category often remains a guarantee. Surprisingly, however, we find two microphones in addition to the one already mentioned, therefore on the Cubot KingKong Power 3 we find a triple microphone for crystal-clear calls and audio recordings and background noise reduction.
Display
The 6,72-inch IPS front display with Full HD+ resolution, 399 ppi and a refresh rate of up to 120Hz, an uncommon feature in the rugged sector and above all extremely rare for this price range, does not disgrace the rest of the smartphone. I cannot give you a value relating to the maximum certified brightness of this model but I can concretely say that visibility under direct sunlight is guaranteed.
Unfortunately, the low cost of this device brings some shortcomings regarding the multimedia of the display, in fact there is no support for HDR content as well as having DRM Widevine L3, so streaming on platforms like Netflix will only be in SD. Also missing is the double tap to wake up the display, which instead happens by lifting the phone. That said, the display of Cubot KingKong Power 3 shows good colors and a good calibration, although in some ways it could seem a little cold; in addition, the glass is protected by Gorilla Glass, and this makes us feel a little more relaxed in terms of resistance to impacts and scratches.
In everyday use, moreover, the 120Hz of this screen really makes the difference, making everything smoother and more pleasant. I also point out the presence of a physical proximity sensor, thus excluding the typical problems of some devices, namely the tendency to keep the screen active when we bring it close to the face. The illumination sensor, on the other hand, turned out to be a bit too conservative, forcing me to manually level the display illumination at night.
Hardware and Performance
The 120Hz display also comes to the aid of the hardware of this Power 3 by Cubot, which in fact opted for a 6nm Octa-Core CPU by Mediatek with a maximum clock of 2.2 Ghz, specifically the Helio G99 (MT8781), a solution that needs no introduction, especially if combined with 12GB of LPDDR4X physical RAM that can become 24 if we consider the 12GB virtual that can be added. The internal storage is 256GB of the UFS 2.2 type, and can be extended up to 1TB with microSD, while the GPU is entrusted to the Mali G57. This combination of hardware seems designed to guarantee efficiency and speed, ensuring that everything works without problems, from games to streaming.
Leaving aside the purely technical data, I can tell you that this Cubot KingKong Power 3 does not perform badly in various operations. It manages to always offer and ensure good performance balanced with energy consumption consistent with what it is able to offer. This is hardware that ensures stability in everyday work tasks such as using email, internet browsing and similar, all made even more fluid by the presence of the 120Hz display. I have never noticed slowdowns in the interface or micro lag and even the gaming experience was satisfying as long as you do not demand maximum graphic details.
On the connectivity front, the smartphone supports 4G networks and Dual Band Wi-Fi, as well as NFC for contactless payments. We also find Bluetooth 5.2 and GPS with Galileo satellite hookup. The phone never hooked up to the 4G+ signal, probably due to a lack of support for band aggregation, but the speed in navigation was significantly enjoyable. No problems with Android Auto and pairing gadgets, such as headphones or smartwatches.
Software
The KingKong Power 3 software follows a rather conventional line, in line with the typical offerings of the brand. The device hosts Android in version 14 with security patches updated until August 2024. As for the graphic interface, the ROM maintains the same visual identity as the other proposals of Cubot smartphones, with few customizations: we do not even find a suite of work tools typical of rugged phones. However, we have, as already anticipated, the possibility of customizing the effects of the RGB LEDs in addition to the possibility of associating the single and double tap or prolonged press, relative to the orange button located on the left frame, some functions such as calling up a certain app or a certain action such as activating the torch, taking a screenshot, starting the SOS mode and more.
This approach, which favors the purity of the Android experience, is a strong point, and the fluidity of the system benefits positively considering the hardware present, but you must take into account that you probably will not receive anything on the updates front, neither in terms of major updates nor in terms of security patches. I also point out the absence of any form of bloatware but strangely with other devices of the brand I have not been able to benefit from call recording via Google's stock dialer.
Autonomy
The Cubot KingKong Power 3, in terms of battery life, follows the standards now imposed by the entire category of rugged smartphones: 10200 mAh available to the user who can easily reach a battery life of about 3 days. Regardless of the type of use we make of it, the Cubot smartphone on this front is truly unassailable, there is nothing to say. Even in terms of charging it is in a higher range than its competitors: 33W available to be able to charge the smartphone from 0 to 100 in less than two hours. Also available is reverse charging via the USB-C port supplied with the smartphone, to share energy with whoever you want and charge other devices such as TWS headphones but also smartphones.
Camera and video
The main heart of the photographic configuration of Cubot KingKong Power 3 is found in the main AI camera from 1000MP, although I anticipate that it is not the number of megapixels that determines the quality. We then find two additional optics in support of which one at 5 MP for shots in macro mode and the other of 0,3 MP to help the collection of depth data, while the selfie camera relies on a sensor with a resolution of 32 MP. Overall the main camera guarantees an optimal absorption of light, but the side is shown in challenging light situations. The focus is good, it works quite quickly as well as the LED flash that guarantees well-lit shots even in the evening.
It is certainly not a camera phone and the overall performance always tends to be “cold” but it does its job. The software is very basic as already seen on other Cubot terminals, but unlike other devices I was amazed by the video performance, with which you can go up to 2K with electronic stabilization, but only at 30 fps. The videos are well detailed and above all the stabilization works very well. All this is then seasoned with the excellent audio captured by the three microphones provided by the Power 3.
Cubot KingKong Power 3 Android 14 Smartphone, 123dB Loudspeaker, Helio G99, 6,72" 120Hz Display, Up to 24GB RAM, 256GB ROM, 10200mAh Battery, 100MP Camera, NFC
156,20€ available
Price and Considerations
Cubot has established itself as a leader in the rugged smartphone sector, and the Power 3 from the KingKong series is proof of this. Its extremely refined design (although not suitable for everyone), balanced performance and choices dedicated to autonomy and extreme audio power, position the device as a true revolutionary in the rugged smartphone market. The official price of this device, at the time of writing, is around 300 euros, a non-competitive figure but fortunately at the moment there is an advantageous offer that brings the price down to around 160 euros (enter the code CUBOTBF20 to get a €20 discount on the final price), definitely in line with the hardware and what this smartphone is capable of offering. At the moment it is among the best in the category that can be purchased at this price, without any doubt.
