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I just have ordered a Tablet PC, but not pay it yet. because it is 7 Inch Capacitive Screen Android 4.0 and only $79.5 , free shipping
I do not know whether it's worth!
looking forward more ideas!
Can you say more about this tablet? What is CPU, GPU, RAM etc?
the review looks good
Model
ICOO D50 Deluxe Edition II
CPU
All Winner A13, 1.0GHz; GPU: Mali 400
Operation System
Android 4.0.3
RAM
512MB
Nand Flash
4GB
Shell Material
Plastic
Screen Size
7 Inch (16:9)
Type
Capacitive Screen
Resolution
800 x 480
Visible Angle
150°
3G
Not built in, support 3G/WCDMA dongle
Extend Card
Support TF card up to 16GB
Camera
0.3 Megapixels
Mali 400 is very good GPU in this GPU you can run most games!
And CPU A13 1GHz is too very good for this price! You can in this tablet watch fullHD movies and i think web browsing in for example Opera Mobile would be nice
I've got one of these similar devices. Trust me, they might sound good, but they fall apart if you plan to use it extensively. Mine randomly doesn't install apps for some reason, I have to install apps 3 - 5 times before they will install correctly. Pathetic.
The deal-breaker would be 512Mb RAM and 4GB Storage. If there's no expendable storage, you shouldn't buy.
by the way, check this one out
Code:
http://www.uplaytablet.com/ainol-novo-7-aurora-ultra-thin-android-4-0-tablet-pc-7-inch-ips-hd-screen-1gb-ram-camera-hdmi-white-8gb/
Hmmmmm..the other specs seems too good for the price..but..the resolution seems tooooo low for a tablet. 480x800 looks good on only smartphones. It will look ugly on a 7 inch tablet
Sent from my GT-i9100 equipped with Grenade Launcher and Remote Explosives
Tablet would be a good for development to test your apps. Not sure about daily usage though, might be a little janky......
That tablet sucks.
Cheapest tablet for the money is the Ainol Aurora. Anything cheaper will disappoint.
Sent from my U8150 using XDA
thanks, everyone!
this is one of the many models of the Chinese market. a 2-fold lower price it's a gimmick. Look on the characteristics of the tablet is mnogo.protsessor A13 is the cheapest right now.
There are a bunch of different models of the ICOO D50.
You have to read the specifications very carefully.
The one with 1024 x 600, HDMI out and 8 GB doesn't look bad.
Ainol Novo 7 Aurora II
Cortex A9 1.5 Ghz CPU, dual core Mali400 GPU, 7 inch LG IPS screen with 1024x600 resolution.
www dot ainol-novo dot com
I can't post links yet
it depends on how you use it,don't expect it can work like ipad.
however the price is not good for this chinese tablet, maybe you can add a little to get a refurb. nook
good luck
here is a video of the tablet.... looks pretty good to me. main thing i worry about is the battery life.... 2600 ma.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=In635nKlMfo&feature=related
an elaborated spec comparison between the two new tablets Acer Iconia B1-A71 and Lenovo IdeaTab A2107, to find out which one will be a good buying decision for you. Have a look at it below!
Dimensions & Weight: While Iconia B1-A72 carries a dimension of 197.4 x 128.5 x 11.3 mm and weighs in at 320 grams, IdeaTab A2107 measures a dimension of 192 x 122 x 11.5 mm and a weight of around 400 grams, which makes the latter quite heavy.
Display: Both the tablets fare equally on the display front with 7 inch capacitive multi-touch displays with a resolution of 1024 x 600 pixels.
Processor: In this segment, the Acer offering comes with a 1.2GHz dual core MediaTek processor. Whereas, the Lenovo offering is equipped with a comparatively lower 1GHz Cortex A9 processor.
Operating System: When it comes to OS, Iconia B1-A71 scores an upper arm with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean operating system out of the box as compared to IdeaTab A2107, which is flavored with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich platform.
Notably, Android 4.1 Jelly Bean is equipped with features including Project Butter, enhanced accessibility with new APIs, support for International users with bi-directional text support, other language support, expandable and contractible notifications, resizble app widgets, live wallpaper preview, high resolution contact photos, improved Android Beam and Wi-Fi network.
Camera: In terms of camera optics, IdeaTab A2107 fares well with a 2MP rear camera and a 0.3MP front camera for video calling. On the other hand, Iconia B1 lacks a main camera while houses a 0.3MP front camera.
Storage: In this segment, the Lenovo offering scores more as it comes in three variants - 4GB/8GB/16GB internal storage, 1GB RAM and a micro SD card slot.
In comparison, the Acer tablet comes with 8GB onboard storage, 512MB RAM and a micro SD card slot supporting up to 32GB expandable storage.
Connectivity: Both the tablets come with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and micro USB support. Further, IdeaTab A2107 comes with dual SIM support, hence will offer 3G connectivity, which is missing in the Aser offering.
Battery: Iconia B1-A71 is loaded with a 2,710 mAh, the Lenovo offering is powered by 3,550 mAh battery. While, the later battery is technically found to be more powerful than the former, however both the companies claim that the devices will provide up to 8 hours of battery backup. Well, that can be checked only when we receive the tablet for review.
Price: In the pricing segment, Acer has priced the tablet attractively at Rs 7,999 and Lenovo has priced its offering at Rs 13,495.
Verdict
Being budget tablets from leading manufacturers, both Acer Iconia B1 and Lenovo IdeaTab A2107 have decent specifications, thereby making it tough for the consumers to choose. However, each of the two tablets offer some important specs that are lacking in the opponent.
If the concern is on a low priced tablet without any voice calling facility, the Acer tablet with a faster dual core processor and Android 4.1 Jelly Bean experience could be a better option.
However, if the concern is on SIM support, better backup, a rear camera and increased storage options, the dual SIM IdeaTab A2107 should be the right choice.
bought the B1-A71 today, and i am quite satisfied with it's performance for a dual core tablet in 8k budget, and the battery life is pretty good on the first run, doesn't get hot on hours of usage, and the expandable storage does support 32GB cards.
parthpatels007 said:
bought the B1-A71 today, and i am quite satisfied with it's performance for a dual core tablet in 8k budget, and the battery life is pretty good on the first run, doesn't get hot on hours of usage, and the expandable storage does support 32GB cards.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
could you please give us information, how long is the battery life on normal usage (with wifi on) doing browsing, gaming, etc?
Go Acer FTW.
Sent from my Nexus 10 using Tapatalk HD
Bought it - arrives tomorrow
Acer B1-A71 - The main use for this tablet is as an extended e-reader and in-car computer AIO. I've been expecting for a long time something like this - it has all the connectivity that I'm interested of, it's pretty light and is cheap - meaning that I can turn it inside out without being afraid of losing too much money.
Would be interesting to see on XDA a section for this tablet or for the "cheap" tablets.
I'll post my review here, if someone is interested.
LE after unboxing and first use of the tablet:
About the package: nice and well packed. Inside you'll find a quick guide flyer, warranty manual in all european languages, an international warranty passport, the USB charger (in the EU version it comes with the most common stardard plug), the USB cable and, ofcourse, the tablet.
First look impression: nice tablet, but just way to big black border around the screen (in all is like a 9 inches tablet with a 7 inches screen, just to give you an idea) and all this black border is like a finger prints magnet. It's thick enough to give you a well build device impression and has enough weight to be difficult to hold it by a corner, but with both hands it feels lighter. It has indeed a "crunching" sound if you apply pressure or twist it by the angles and it has a default of design - near the volume rocker it has a bump under the blue line. On my blog you'll see some photos.
The display it's a wow factor for me! Yes, it's a little washed but it's clear, it's like my phone's display (and LG O3D has a 220 dpi display) ad for now I have not noticed any irregularities. The touch screen it's responsive, quick and responsive even if sometimes you'll have to kick twice the same onscreen button.
How it moves? Smooth - till now, with no apps installed, even if the available amount of RAM, with no app running, is only of 160 Mb. Maybe with some rooting and fast reboot we'll have some 100 MB extra. The default browser application (because is installed Chrome browser also) is loading fast pages -those few that I've tried. Youtube is loading also fast the videos and I've noticed that loads the videos with the highest resolution available - it might be my impression.
One thing that I don't like it is that the screen rotation is lagging about a second - but I'm sure that with some root and build.prop editing it can be fixed.
Available space with no app installed is 5.12 Gb.
Camera - it's a bit NO! Even if it is used for video chatting, at 0.3 Mpx is scandalous how grainy it is - too much noise in the image.
The battery - can't say much on it. It came with 29% and in about 25 minutes of powering on and configuring the tablet (with WiFi connected), some demo with browser and youtube, it lost only 1%. And in charging - in 10 minutes or so it got from 28% to 42%.
Overall - I am pleased with this tablet. For my needs it's more than OK. It remains to try out the GPS and bluetooth. I'll keep you informed.
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After the Ainol NOVO8 dream turned out to be a horrible nightmare, I am desperately in need of a decent tablet to test, and PIPO M9 arrived just right on time!
Key Features:
◇10.1 inch 16M-color super IPS display at WXGA resolution (1280X800 pixels)
◇Rockchip RK3188 SoC., quad core 1.8Cortex-A9 processor, Mali-400MP4 GPU, 2GB memory
◇Stock Android 4.1 Jelly Bean (Already upgraded to Android 4.2)
◇16GB of built-in-storage
◇2MP front facing camera; 5.0MP rear-facing AF camera with LED flash
◇Stereo speakers
◇HDMI TV-out
◇USB host
◇MicroSD card slot
◇Standard 3.5mm audio jack
◇1080p video playback
◇7800mAh Li-Po rechargeable battery
Retail Package
PIPO has never been mingy with the bundled fittings, you will find these things in the retail package:
Design
The front is dominated by the 10-inch touch screen and black glossy bezel, rimmed in gray plastic. You will find a 2MP front-facing camera in the middle above the display (vertical mode). The bezel of the M9 is relatively small compared to other 10.1 inchers such as the Cube U30GT2 and the Ployer MOMO20.
When it comes to ports and slots, PIPO has never been, and doesn’t plan to be the pioneers of minimalism, you will find a micro SD card slot, a 3.5mm headphone jack, a 2.5mm charging port, a mini HDMI port, and not one, but two Micro USB ports (one as slave and one as host) along the top edge of the device, which also plays host to a power/standby button as well as a home button. I personally would have preferred to find the physical volume controls instead of the home button, but somehow PIPO has decided we should use the status bar on bottom of the screen to control the volume.
Again, where feel is concerned, The PIPO M9 is just right on the ball. The back sports a brushed aluminum finish, which gives the device a feel of expensiveness. And the two sides are plastic, offering the slate a nice and solid grip. A 5MP AF camera is located in the top middle of the aluminum back, along with an LED flash.
Unlike the M8, The M9’s speakers are on the back of the tablet and are in danger of being covered by our thumbs. I didn’t like this arrangement at first, as I am clearly more of a fan of the front-facing speakers of the M8. But when I found out that the sound the M9 produced was absolutely the best among all Chinese tablets, I finally found peace with it.
The tablet is fairly light and comfortable to hold and while most part of it does feel like plastic, it doesn't feel unpleasantly plasticky or cheap. Its 10mm thickness doesn’t help it win a beauty contest, but actually gives it a feel of sturdiness.
Display
As the primary point for interaction, having a good screen on a tablet is critical. The 10.1-inch IPS+ display on the M9 is plenty bright and offers decent visibility outdoors. The full brightness of can reach 500 nits, which outshines the fourth-generation iPad (400 nits), as well as the tablet category average (287 nits).
Unfortunately, the 1280 x 800-pixel panel on this slate has a lower resolution than similarly priced tablets. The CUBE U30GT2 has a resolution of 1920 x 1200, not to mention the Onda V973’s Retina resolution of 2048 x 1536 pixels. But I am not that big on pixel density, as none of the Chinese tablets with retina display gives satisfactory performance at the moment, I’d rather wait a little longer. The tablet's viewing angles were fair, but reflections got in the way when viewing the panel off axis.
Color saturation and contrast ratios of the 10.1 inch Hann Star display are decent, but not as eye-watering as the 9.4 inch LG display sported by the PIPO M8.
Audio
I greatly appreciate that the M9's stereo speakers. Although it does not create the effects in which the sound is coming directly at me in watching movies or listening to music (which the M8 is able to do), I still like its excellent volume, which is even higher than the two HP notebook PCs of mine!
OS & Interface
Like most of the RK3188 tablets, The M9 comes loaded with Android 4.1.1 out of the box, but it has already been upgraded to Android 4.2 within the period I was testing it.
Unlike most of the other tablets with stock Android, PIPO has actually managed to leave its own mark. Two sets of exquisite user interfaces are provided for the customers, one is the updated version of the launcher we have already seen on the PIPO M8, and the other is developed recently for the M8 pro, now also adorning the M9.
I really fell in love with this brand new Metro-like launcher which offers five screens. The middle is the Home screen, and the other four are respectively marked as App, Office, Media and Web. You can easily add shortcuts of your favorite apps on these screens.
Unlike the other launcher, this Win8-like interface does have a portrait mode.
Performance
The 1.6-GHz quad core RK3188 processor and 2GB of RAM in the PIPO M9 put up some impressive numbers on my benchmark tests. On the Quadrant benchmark, the M9 scored 5456, nearly twice the average (3,074) and much higher than the Beneve Miracle One, which uses Sammy's quad-core Exynos 4412 processor.
On the graphics-focused Nenamark2 test, the M9 scored 56.3 FPS, higher than the category average. But the Allwinner A31 powered ICOO ICOU7GT scored a much more impressive 59.1FPS.
The M9’s real-world performance was impressive. With several apps running simultaneously, I was still able to navigate the Note's home screens and apps menus with ease. Graphically intense games like "NFS 17" and “Predators vs Aliens” also ran smoothly.
HD video playback on the PIPO M9 is even more of a breeze, with the tablet easily coping with 1080p footage of all formats.
Cameras
I don't get too hung-up about cameras on tablets because they're unlikely to be set to any great task. But PIPO has produced a camera that is actually pretty decent, giving us an F/2.8 aperture lens and flash to get you out of trouble when it's dark. Photos contained plenty of detail, good color balance, and I would happily share them with others.
Photos shot by M9
Even details are quite authentic
2MP front-facing cameras can get the video-chatting done perfectly!
Screenshot of the video captured by the M9
On the video front, the M9 offers 720p capture, but I wasn’t that happy with the quality, even with perfect lighting, the video can turn out grainy and noisy.
Connectivity
The M9‘s Wi-Fi module is made by MTK, giving the slate wonderful Wi-Fi reception. Even 10 meters away from the Wi-Fi router, I can still use the M9 to stream HD video online. The addition of Bluetooth2.1 also makes the tablet easier to use in daily life.
Battery Life
The PIPO M9 has featured a 7,800mAh LI-PO battery. The capacity itself isn’t really that impressive, since lots of tablets are already equipped with 8,000mAh + batteries. However, thanks to the 28nm process the RK3188 Chipset uses, the actual battery life of the M9 is AMAZING. It can single-loop a 720P video (Sammy Adams - Only One) for nearly 12 hours and stream an HD Korean TV show online for over 9 hours!
Power loss during standby is also very little, whether the Wi-Fi is on or off!
Verdict
The PIPO M9 is a machine that looks likely to stand the test of time. Its performance is top-notch, its design is stylish. It's also well-specified and well-equipped with ports and connections, offering greater flexibility than you'll find on some rivals.
The good:
Extremely powerful RK3188 quad core chipset
10.1 inch Super IPS display, nice visibility outdoors
Exquisite Metro-like user interface
5MP rear facing AF camera with LED flash
Outstanding stereo speakers
Great Wi-Fi reception
Excellent battery life
The not so good:
The display is not as wonderful as the one on the PIPO M8
The design is not as edgy as the M8
The resolution of the display stays WXGA standard
Although, as a tester, I should not be biased, yet I still have to say that PIPO is absolutely my favorite Chinese tablet brand at the moment. I strongly believe their differential competitive strategy is going to be beneficiary to both their brand image and market share. Also, PIPO will soon release the all new M7 pro, a tablet with RK3188 SoC. and an 8.9 inch PLS display from Sammy. I am really looking forward to its arrival!
I was looking at this tablet as an alternative to buying nexus 7 or spending too much for other 10" tablets. I was wandering if I buy it from Amazon would everything be in English and does it have all the Google Apps?
i want buy some cheap tablet for gaming , browsing n for ebook whether these tablets perfect for me ??? but most importantly to play games
sorry bad englis
cute bee said:
i want buy some cheap tablet for gaming , browsing n for ebook whether these tablets perfect for me ??? but most importantly to play games
sorry bad englis
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This could have been a really nice choice indeed.
Sent from my XT910 using xda premium
Great Review.
Stellar review. Very comprehensive and informative. Thanks.
Can you point me to a similarly comprehensive review of a Pipo 4.1+ tablet with GPS? Pipo M7 Pro.
Great review.
I have an M9 for a couple of months and I'm extremely happy. My money couldn't have been better spent.
I agree on everything you said but I must also mention:
- The camera isn't good at all with low light conditions.
- connection to pc via usb and transferring files it's extremely extremely extremely slow. Backing up the nand can be a pain.
- A screen this size screens for better resolution, more dpi's or something.
Good review!
Looking at buying an Android 4.2 tablet and came across one of these. After this good review, I think I have seen more positives than the few negatives so I will purchase it. Hope its OK. Hate buying things from distance selling. :fingers-crossed:
Only tablets in the local shops are Samsungs, Asus and Apple iPads.
Great review. I think wxga resolution is just right for 3188 because of kinda old Mali gpu. Though powerful enough to handle gaming, I find it can't provide smooth interface animations on retina-like display.
Got one of these myself ( aka Sumvision Cyclone Voyager 2 ) and I'm really happy with it. I was a bit miffed that it didn't support exfat ( unlike my year old cheap Chinese tablet ) but it does support NTFS, so now I can put large files, like HD films, on my 32gb memory card without having the maximum file size warning
On memory card perhaps, I haven't tried, but into the internal memory (nand flash) you can't.
Yep, sorry, I meant just the memory card.
But good to know that at least works on external sd:thumbup:
Question?
padlad said:
Got one of these myself ( aka Sumvision Cyclone Voyager 2 ) and I'm really happy with it. I was a bit miffed that it didn't support exfat ( unlike my year old cheap Chinese tablet ) but it does support NTFS, so now I can put large files, like HD films, on my 32gb memory card without having the maximum file size warning
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
@padlad Are the Sumvision Cyclone Voyagers simply Pipo tablet with a different badge? Looking for a replacement touchscreen for Cyclone Voyager 1 but no luck so far. Thanks
kyaq said:
@padlad Are the Sumvision Cyclone Voyagers simply Pipo tablet with a different badge? Looking for a replacement touchscreen for Cyclone Voyager 1 but no luck so far. Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No idea mate, sorry.
Yeah exact same models
Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 4
madweegie said:
Yeah exact same models
Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 4
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Cheers... Do you know if the screen is different for the Bluetooth version?
madweegie said:
Yeah exact same models
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
@madweegie which Pipo tablet is equivalent to the Cyclone Voyager 1?
Pipo s1 I believe
Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 4
Hey,
I came across this thread in a google search. Thank you for such an in-depth review. I am about to buy a tablet for my father for his birthday. I have narrowed down the list to 2 candidates and I would really appreciate your opinions!
It is either Pipo M9 PRO or the Ployer Momo12 10.1 Inch
Which is the best, in your decision, and why? I have read amazing things about the two of these.
Any info would be great! Here is a link to the review for the Ployer that I came across:
http://vondroid.com/threads/ployer-momo-12-the-best-10-1-200-review-roundup.4823/
Thanks!
Didn't know that there is such a good tablet for this price.
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The CUBE U30GT2 has actually been on sale for quite a while now. The ten inch tablet runs on Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean), with 1.8GHz quad-core processor, the display’s resolution is WUXGA (1920 x 1200). It has a 5-megapixel rear-facing camera with LED flash and a 2-megapixel front-facing camera. It is 9.6 mm thick, comes in black & white.
For:
1. The High-resolution screen rivals the iPad4's display in sharpness and clarity.
2. Extremely powerful, Apps launch quickly, 3D games run smoothly.
3. Excellent battery life, probably the best among all Chinese slates with FHD or Retina displays.
Against:
1. A littile bit heavy and porky.
2. Outdoor visibility is still unsatisfactory.
3. The rear-facing camera is really not much more than just decoration.
Key Features
◇10.1 inch 16M-color super IPS display at WUXGA resolution (1920X1200 pixels), 224PPI
◇Rockchip RK3188 SoC., 28nm quad core 1.8GHZ Cortex-A9 processor, Mali-400MP4 GPU, 2GB DDR3 RAM
◇Stock Android 4.1 Jelly Bean
◇32GB of built-in-storage
◇2MP front facing camera, 5.0MP rear-facing AF camera
◇Stereo speakers
◇HDMI TV-out
◇Bluetooth 2.1
◇Anti-rolling frame
◇USB host
◇MicroSD card slot
◇1080p video playback
◇7200mAh Li-Po rechargeable battery
First Impressions
The CUBE U30GT2 feels like a solid tablet. I really fancy its white plastic chassis, which makes me forget how much a fan I am of the feel of black technology.
Contrary to my worries before receiving this slate, the RK3188 SoC. seems to support the FHD display very well, tasks from scrolling image-heavy webpages to running graphic-intense games were all handled with ease. And the tablet remains incredibly responsive while running several big applications at the same time!
Design and Build
The CUBE U30GT2 uses the kind of design which most large-screen tablets look like. It’s thinner than its predecessor, the dual core U30GT, at just 9.6 mm. It is also a little bit lighter at just 659 g, but still way too heavy for single-handed use. There’s sufficient amount of bezel on either side of the screen, so you can use it in any orientation comfortably.
A 2MP front-facing camera sits comfortably in the middle of the bezel above the display, which can be used for online video chatting. The intelligent light sensor, which helps the tablet to automatically adjust the display brightness, is located on the upper left corner of this flagship slate, covered by the sticker.
All the keys and connectors are hosted on the left edge. You will find a power button, a volume rocker, a mini HDMI port, a MicroSD card slot, a 3.5mm audio jack and a 2.5mm DC port there. The metal frame around the edges looks very cool.
The stereo speakers are hosted on the middle of the right edge, which is not reasonable at all, as they are easily covered by our palm while we are holding the tablet with both hands.
The back of the U30GT2 is ABS plastic, which is not only good-looking, but also very durable. The UV coating process also helps with avoiding the feel of plasticky or cheap. The 5MP AF rear side camera and a LED flash sits on the top-left corner, but don’t get excited too soon, the quality of the shots is nowhere near images coming from a 5.0MP cell phone camera.
Display and Sound
The LCD-backlit IPS display on the U30GT2 is a lot better as compared to the MVA screen on the U30GT. The full HD resolution (1920 x 1200) at that size offers a decent pixel count of 224 PPI. This is not too far off from Apple’s 264 PPI on the iPad4, which means you won’t notice a huge difference between them in everyday use. The display is bright and text is sharp and crisp; perfect for web browsing or catching up on your TV shows. The viewing angles are wide -- so wide, in fact, that you can easily watch a movie with the tablet placed face-up on a table in front of you (not that you'd need to do this ever). The display also has a screen guard protecting it, just like the other CUBE tablets, but I left it alone this time.
The brightness of the display is decent, but not amazing as the one on PIPO M9, which can boast 600nit brightness. While I am using the U30GT2 outdoors, the screen glare sometimes overpowers whatever's on screen.
Like many other CUBE tablets, the U30GT2 comes endowed with ACC speakers, which make for some loud, though not exceptionally rich sound. Just keep in mind that the speaker is located on the right edge, which means if you are holding the tablet with both hands, any songs and movie dialogue will sound muffled.
Performance
The CUBE U30GT2 packs an 1.8GHz quad-core Rockchip chip (RK3188), which is built on Cortex-A9 frame and 28nm process, paired up with 533MHZ quad core Mali-400MP GPU and 2GB of DDR3 RAM. Although this is not the first tablet I've tested this setup, it is truly the first one with FHD display, and it didn't disappoint—the U30GT2 scorched the benchmarks, recording some of the highest scores I've seen across the board. The 16,413 overall Antutu benchmark score handily beat the 10,401 notched by the Onda V973 and approached the 18,000-20,000 marked by the Sony Xperia Tablet Z and Asus Padfone Infinity, both of which use Qualcomm's Snapdragon S4 APQ8064 quad core chipset.
High CF-Bench and Vellamo HTML5 scores confirmed anecdotally speedy Web browsing performance during day-to-day use, while Nenamark2 frame rates were among the best I’ve seen. From rapidly switching between multiple running apps to playing graphically intensive games like NFS17, the U30GT2 handled everything I threw at it easily. Sliding between widget-loaded home screens and scrolling down media-heavy websites was smooth, with very rare choppiness.
The U30GT2’s benchmark score compared with other tablets with quad core processor.
The tablet has 32GB of internal memory with the option of adding up to a 32GB microSD card, which will suffice the need of majority of users. If that’s not enough, you can always connect an USB disk or mobile hard drive to the slate via OTG.
Software
The U30GT2 isn’t skinned with CUBE’s much loved yet also much hated Win8-like interface, instead it uses the original launcher of the stock Android 4.1.1. There are indeed some very cool and useful preinstalled applications, but none of them actually developed by CUBE, and you can find them in Google play or any third-party app market.
Multi-media
Media playback is solid with the U30GT2 and it breezed through anything I threw at it, including MPEG-4, RMVB, and MKV files at resolutions up to 1080p. The sound the speakers produce is of relatively high volume and nice quality.
Also, the U30GT2 has HDMI support, you can output the display to much bigger monitor and TV screens in Full HD resolution via an HDMI cable, enjoying movies and funny videos with friends and family.
Communication
New tablets should have an easy time in the connectivity test. However, many voices spoke out about the poor WLAN performance of many of CUBE’s slates. This was not really the case for the U30GT2, as I am pleasantly surprised with its Wi-Fi reception.
The U30GT2 uses 802.11b/g/n WLAN and Bluetooth 2.1. A version with a 3G module has not yet been announced by CUBE. In my standard Wi-Fi reception test, the U30GT2 beats most Chinese tablets in test results:
Cameras
There are two cameras on board here, a 5-megapixel F2.8 rear-facing camera and a 2-megapixel front-facing camera. The rear camera disappointed in my tests, with noticeably grainy images in both indoor and outdoor settings. Images are moderately sharp, but the U30GT2 struggles with dynamic range, blowing out highlighted areas and losing detail in shadows. You can record video at 480p resolution, but I'd use it as a last resort—video is shaky and riddled with image noise. The front-facing camera is serviceable for Skype calls, but not much more. This, however, is pretty typical of most tablet cameras.
Battery
The U30GT2 packs a 7200mAh battery. In my battery rundown test, which loops a video with screen brightness set to 30% and Wi-Fi turned off, the U30GT2 lasted 10 hours, 38 minutes. That's pretty impressive compared to the Onda V973's 8 hours, 5 minutes and the Nexus10's 8 hours, 47 minutes on the same test.
During testing, I also noticed the U30GT2 seemed to charge faster than competing models, a full charge only took about 4 hours with its bundled 12V-2A charger. But, contrary to most other Chinese tablet products with RK3188 chipset, the U30GT2 cannot be charged under a shutdown state. And I believe this is gonna annoy quite a number of people.
The competition
With a 1920 x 1200 screen and a $204 starting price to match, there's little question that the CUBE U30GT2 was intended as a cost-efficient device. By now, most Chinese tablet makers have lowered the price of their goods, leaving the U30GT2 with only a handful of competitors in the 2-hundred-dollar range. Starting with the obvious, there's the ifive X2, which sports an 8.9-inch, 1920*1200 PLS screen, along with a RK3188 processor and 2GB of RAM. All told, these are similar specs, except ifive's model costs $40 less and runs a slightly more skinned version of Android. As it happens, I am in the process of testing one now, but not quite ready to post my impressions and benchmarks results. In the meantime, then, it's at least safe to say that the X2 sits in the same class as the Infinity U30GT2 and is definitely worth your consideration, although it is beaten by the U30GT2 in internal storage (16GB: 32GB).
Within the same price range there’re also the Yuandao N90HD, the Aoson M33 and the PIPO M9 Pro, all of which pack a Retina display and the same RK3188 set-up, posting serious threat to the U30GT2’s market share.
It's also worth noting that the U30GT2 could face competition from within the CUBE line: the U30GT1 has already been on sale for a couple of weeks, at only $169 it is very likely to draw lots of users’ attentions away from the U30GT2.
Conclusion
The U30GT2 is a truly impressive tablet. It's exquisitely designed, exceedingly fast, and has a sharp full-HD display. Throw in extras like anti-rolling frame, built-in Bluetooth, expandable memory, and dual cameras and you have a seriously loaded Android tablet.
If you want arguably the fastest Android tablet with a full HD display for under $250, the U30GT2 is the way to go, since it is much more pleasant to use than those Allwinner A31 powered tablets with Retina displays. But my suggestion remains with the PIPO M9, as a standard resolution still has much better compatibility with most applications.
Price Incorrect - Or Changed?
Hi.
Nice review. I like that I can compare it to your Pipo review.
Question: you state that the cube can be found for around $200.00 or so. Where was that? I realizes prices can change, but your review is just a few weeks ago, and the typical price is around $250.00. The U30GT (version 1) goes for around $200.
Thanks!
-Pie
Hardware is good, but the rom is poor. it is always the problem of china tablet.
EatingPie said:
Hi.
Nice review. I like that I can compare it to your Pipo review.
Question: you state that the cube can be found for around $200.00 or so. Where was that? I realizes prices can change, but your review is just a few weeks ago, and the typical price is around $250.00. The U30GT (version 1) goes for around $200.
Thanks!
-Pie
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The price that I presented here is turned from the retial price in China (RMB) to USD according to the exchange rate, the actual price in your country or some online stores might differ.
jupiter2012 said:
The price that I presented here is turned from the retial price in China (RMB) to USD according to the exchange rate, the actual price in your country or some online stores might differ.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ah, so they cost less when in China. Makes sense. But a road trip across the Pacific to save $50.00 is probably out of the question for me at this point.
BTW, can U30GT2 do chroot and run Linux distros like Ubuntu under Android? I use LinuxonAndroid and it made the process really easy on my Nook HD+... and it left me wanting for speed, which is why I'm interested in the UG30GT2.
Thanks.
-Pie
The best review i've ever read. Thank you mate!!
antooonn said:
The best review i've ever read. Thank you mate!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank u for your support!
Sent from my XT910 using xda premium
Screen on/off power button no workee
I just got the Cube U30GT2 in the mail earlier this week. You're right, it's got a bit more heft to it, but not so bad, just a tad heavier than my Galaxy tab 10.1. However, unlike that tablet, the U30GT has lots of options for connecting things, micro USB, micro SDHC, micro HDMI. My tab 10.1 couldn't do any of those.
On the bummer side, the momentary power button, screen on/off doesn't seem to be working. The tablet is new with all the wrappings on, but that button is slightly busted. It will reboot the tablet, but won't turn the screen on or off. I worked around it for now with a screen always on app, and screen off app. I also discovered plugging or unplugging the power cord from the tablet also turns the screen back on. But aggravating. I have yet to succeed at getting the attention of the seller (androidtablet.com).
The price was middle of the road: $250 or so. But that's terrific compared to a Galaxy Tab or other recent tablet.
---------- Post added at 08:40 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:34 PM ----------
I forgot to mention, I read lots of reviews online for the Cube U30GT2 before popping for it. Most rated it as one of the currently best Chinese tablets, and not withstanding the power button issue, I tend to agree. However, all of the Chinese Android tablets seem to suffer from weak wi-fi signals, and in my table at least, this is true.
I tested my Galaxy tab laying right next to the Cube tablet. The Galaxy was able to knock out 10mbs on my wi-fi router from my family which is 15 feet or so away. The cube tablet only hit 2 to 5 mbs. Mind you, I couldn't tell much of a difference when hitting youtube, but it is a distinct disadvantage. I'm going overseas next month and the weaker reception could mean I won't get reliable wi-fi reception in the hotel.
Looks good.
I have the previous one and it's great .
Recommended.
Looks OK. Just wished they opted to put a slightly better GPU in it. The Mali 400 is good for phones but for a tablet that had a 1080p + display needs a bit more power. However, this is a good bargain considering it's original nexus 7 price tag.
Sent from my YP-G1 using xda app-developers app
Thanks for the nice review.
I think according to the price its a good tablet. But I agree to obscuresword, that the GPU it too weak for the Resolution. My Galaxy S3 has the same GPU and many benchmarks show, that its not as good as many people think.
The HP Touchpad tought as, never trust the hardware, if the software isnt good. Because of that, i never bought a Tablet from China. Android is not efficient enough, to ignore new Android versions...
artoni said:
Thanks for the nice review.
I think according to the price its a good tablet. But I agree to obscuresword, that the GPU it too weak for the Resolution. My Galaxy S3 has the same GPU and many benchmarks show, that its not as good as many people think.
The HP Touchpad tought as, never trust the hardware, if the software isnt good. Because of that, i never bought a Tablet from China. Android is not efficient enough, to ignore new Android versions...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How come I don't understand your last sentence....
Android has its advantages and disadvantages, that all comes down to personal preference. As for myself, I could never get used to the iOS system. I used to own an ipad2, but got too sick of the system after using it for just 2 months and gave it away.
Very comprehensive review! Thanks a bunch!
The deal-breaker for me is the placement of the "stereo" speakers on the righthand side. You'd think they would have separated the two speakers, one on the left side of the tab and one on the right side, but they didn't.
1.8?
I just wanted to point out that the clock is running at 1.6Ghz and not 1.8Ghz as advised. It is still a good choice for the price thought.
vondroid CFW
http://vondroid.com/resources/cfw-vondroid-cube-u30gt2-1-x.374/
4GB Internal Storage
CWM Recovery (ClockWorkMod)
Rooted
Debloated Chinese Software
Add apps (Youtube, ES File Explorer)
Apps updated
Ads block
Partial Build.prop optimise
Solved Settings crash issue
Fully Build.prop optimise
Fully market support
Init.d support
Init.d tweaks
Update apps (GoogleSearch)
General system optimise (Launcher.apk, Framework-res.apk)
Vondroid Boot animation
Support extra .ko files (Tun.ko, cifs.ko, nls,...)
antooonn said:
The best review i've ever read. Thank you mate!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yaah men i agree
WHich one
I have been looking at the cube u30gt2 and still undecided which one to get.
i have looked at.
1. Cube u30gt2
2. Pipo Max m9 pro
3. Ramos W30HD
4. Ramos I9
each seem to have similar pros and cons,
I am just nervous I buy the wrong one and nervous I am buying from china?
Please help me decide
Quite a good review. Ordered mine from China together with the Onda. Yet to receive them. Will post impressions after I drive the two.
Root
I can´t find a rooting tutorial for this tablet. Can some one give a clue about that?
Thks
Pirex
jy_P said:
I just wanted to point out that the clock is running at 1.6Ghz and not 1.8Ghz as advised. It is still a good choice for the price thought.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I got one, and mine is runnig at 1.8Ghz
Cheers
I see no reason for this. I have yet to find an Android tablet that has equivalent or better specs than say a Galaxy Note 3, Galaxy S 4, LG G2, etc.
It seems all these tablets have just 1GB of RAM on average (some have 2) and a dual-core CPU at most and are usually less than 2 GHz.
What REALLY bothers me is that tablets don't have 1080p displays. I fail to see the logic in this. Even the brand new Galaxy Note 8 or Tab 3 have 1280x800 displays. It is more expensive to shove 1920x1080 into a 5-inch or smaller screen than a freaking 7" to 12" screen. Also, would it not make more sense to add MORE pixels to a bigger screen to have a sharper image? These smaller phones that have 1080p displays are overkill because there is nearly no visible difference. I went from an S 3 with a 720p display to an S 4 with a 1080p and I see no difference. It seems these companies are doing everything bass-ackwards.
And how is it that they can't put a quad-core Snapdragon 800 into a tablet? Derp???
It's cheaper to make things bigger when it comes to silicon dies and chipsets.
Can anyone help explain this? Thanks. Ha.
Sent from my SGH-M919 using xda app-developers app
I think it's better to look at this in terms of business.
There is more demand for smartphones than there is for tablets because everyone needs a smartphone but not everyone wants a tablet because phones such as Galaxy Note have replaced tablets and combined the experience of having a large display and multitasking. So I think that manufacturers look to doing more research and development on smartphones due to demand.
However, this doesn't go to say that tablets can't have better hardware. Tablets can be as fast as phones and not only in terms of RAM memory, if you rationally look at the products you'll find that there also needs to be upgraded CPU, GPU and screens which obviously require more power. Conclusively all I can really think of is that businesses look to maximise profits with least costs and it's cheaper to produce smartphones than it is to produce tablets and there is also more demand in the smartphone market than there is in the tablet market.
Hope that answers your question.
The business perspective with supply and demand makes sense. Best answer I've found so far. Thanks.
Sent from my SGH-M919 using xda app-developers app