The Cubot KingKong 9 is a durable, midrange smartphone designed for the adventurous soul. Whether you're a hiker, a construction worker, or simply someone who is not too careful about one's phone, this device promises durability without compromising on performance.
With an impressive array of features, including a powerful camera setup and a massive battery, the KingKong 9 aims to be the ultimate companion for those who need a phone that can keep up with their active lifestyle. However, if you're looking for a sleek, lightweight device for casual use, you might want to explore other options.
Body
The Cubot KingKong 9 is built like a tank. With dimensions of 172×81.6×17.7 mm and weighing in at a hefty 390 grams, this phone is undeniably robust. It's encased in a durable shell designed to withstand harsh conditions, making it perfect for outdoor activities and rugged environments. The black color gives it a sleek, no-nonsense look. Here are the relevant specs:
| Specification | Cubot KingKong 9 |
|---|---|
| General |
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| Dimensions | H: 172 mm (6.77″), W: 81.6 mm (3.21″), D: 17.7 mm (0.7″) |
| Mass | 390 g (13.76 oz) |
| Colors | Black |
The Cubot KingKong 9's robust construction is evident from the first glance, designed to endure harsh conditions and rigorous use, making it an ideal companion for those who need a phone that can handle the rough and tumble of outdoor activities or demanding work environments. While its solid build ensures durability, its dimensions and weight might be a double-edged sword when it comes to comfort and portability.
The phone's substantial weight of 390 grams makes it quite heavy compared to typical smartphones, which usually weigh around 200 grams or less. Holding the KingKong 9 for extended periods can lead to hand fatigue, particularly during activities like gaming, reading, or prolonged phone calls.
Its size and weight also impact its portability. The KingKong 9 might feel bulky in a pocket, especially in tighter clothing. Carrying it in a bag is more feasible, but its heft might still be noticeable compared to lighter devices.
The phone's large dimensions (172×81.6 mm) make one-handed use challenging. Reaching across the screen with one hand can be difficult, and its weight doesn't help in maintaining a secure grip. Users with smaller hands might find it particularly cumbersome to operate the device single-handedly.
Despite these potential drawbacks, the KingKong 9 is designed for users who prioritize durability and functionality over sleekness and lightweight design. The black color adds a sleek, professional look to its robust frame, appealing to those who need a phone that can withstand tough conditions rather than blend seamlessly into a stylish ensemble.
In summary, while the Cubot KingKong 9 excels in ruggedness and durability, its dimensions and weight may not be the most comfortable for prolonged holding, pocket carry, or one-handed use. It's best suited for users who need a tough, reliable device and are willing to compromise on portability and ease of handling for the sake of resilience and performance.
If we compare the KingKong 9 with the predecessor KingKong 8, it's a bit larger and heavier, though slimmer. The KingKong 8 was 169.9×80.2×20 mm and 382 g.
IP Rating
(Related: IP ratings explained.)
The Cubot KingKong 9 boasts an IP68/IP69K rating, meaning it is dust-tight and can withstand water immersion up to 1.5 meters for 30 minutes. This makes it an excellent choice for those who work in challenging environments or enjoy extreme sports.
The IP68 and IP69K ratings of the KingKong 9 are a testament to its durability. In the world of electronics, IP stands for Ingress Protection, and it's followed by two digits. The first digit (6 in this case) refers to the device's protection against solid objects like dust. An IP rating of 6 means the KingKong 9 is dust-tight, ensuring no harmful particles can infiltrate its internals.
The second digit (8 in IP68) signifies its resistance to water. An IP68 rating indicates that the phone is capable of withstanding immersion in water up to 1.5 meters deep for 30 minutes. So, whether it accidentally takes a plunge into a puddle or gets caught in a rainstorm, your Cubot KingKong 9 will emerge unscathed, ready for action.
The digit 9 and the letter K in IP69K hold special significance. The combination 9K means the device has undergone high-pressure, high-temperature water spray tests. In the case of the KingKong 9, it can withstand powerful, high-temperature water jets (up to 80 °C) aimed at it from different angles. This rating ensures that even in the most intense conditions, where water jets resembling a strong, focused steam of water are present, the phone remains resilient and functional.
For comparison, the predecessor KingKong 8 featured the same IP68/IP69K rating with dust and water resistance up to 1.5 m for 30 minutes. Additionally, it boasted drop-to-concrete resistance from up to 1.5 meters.
Display
(Related: Know more about the various kinds of displays and screen specs.)
The KingKong 9 features a 6.58-inch IPS LCD with a 120 Hz refresh rate, ensuring smooth visuals and responsive touch. The display's 1080×2408 pixel resolution offers sharp and vibrant images, perfect for viewing photos, videos, and outdoor navigation. Additionally, the device includes a secondary display on the back, which can be handy for date and time, music player, and other functions.
Here are the relevant specs:
| Specification | Cubot KingKong 9 |
|---|---|
| Size |
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| Type |
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| Resolution (px) |
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IPS (In-Plane Switching) LCDs are known for their excellent color reproduction and wide viewing angles. This technology ensures that colors remain consistent and vibrant, even when viewed from different angles.
IPS panels provide more accurate and stable color reproduction compared to TN (Twisted Nematic) panels, making them ideal for viewing photos, videos, and other media where color fidelity is important. With IPS technology, the display maintains consistent colors and brightness levels up to a large angle horizontally and vertically. This means you can view the screen from almost any angle without noticeable color distortion or loss of quality. IPS LCDs generally perform better under direct sunlight compared to other LCD technologies, though they may still be outshone by AMOLED displays in this regard.
The 6.58-inch display offers a generous screen size, providing ample space for immersive viewing experiences, whether you're watching videos, playing games, or browsing the web. The screen-to-body ratio of approximately 74.3% means that while the bezels are not the thinnest, they are reasonable for a sturdy phone, ensuring the display is well-protected by the surrounding frame.
One of the standout features of the KingKong 9's display is its 120 Hz refresh rate. This higher refresh rate means the screen refreshes 120 times per second, twice as fast as the standard 60 Hz displays. This results in smoother animations and scrolling, making interactions feel more responsive and fluid. Gamers will particularly appreciate the reduced motion blur and enhanced gaming experience, while everyday users will notice the improved smoothness in general use.
The KingKong 9's display boasts a resolution of 1080×2408 pixels, resulting in a pixel density of about 401 PPI (pixels per inch). This high resolution ensures that images and text are sharp and clear, enhancing the overall visual experience. The 20:9 ratio provides a taller display, which is great for multitasking and viewing more content vertically.
The inclusion of a secondary display on the back of the phone adds a unique touch. This smaller screen can be used for quick date and time, music player, compass, etc, adding to the phone's versatility.
In conclusion, the Cubot KingKong 9's display combines the best of IPS LCD technology with modern features like a high refresh rate and a tall aspect ratio, making it a strong contender in the durable smartphone market. Its design caters to users who need both durability and a high-quality visual experience.
For comparison, the predecessor KingKong 8 featured a 6.53-inch, 720×1612 px IPS LCD display, with 60 Hz refresh rate.
Networks
(Related: Cellular networks explained.)
Navigating through the tech landscape, the Cubot KingKong 9 supports the GSM, CDMA, HSPA, and LTE technologies.
GSM, the reliable workhorse, lays the foundation for 2G connectivity, ensuring seamless voice calls and text messages. CDMA is a parallel powerhouse, offering a different approach to network communication with distinct coding techniques. Then, HSPA steps up to the plate, championing 3G connectivity, providing faster data transfer rates and improved multimedia capabilities.
LTE, the bedrock of 4G networks, elevates the user experience with swift internet speeds and enhanced call quality.
SIM
The hybrid dual Nano-SIM (dual stand-by) support offers flexibility for users who need to balance work and personal life on a single device.
The "hybrid" part means one of the SIM card slots serves a dual purpose. It can either hold a SIM card or a memory card for expandable storage - but not both simultaneously. This means you have to make a choice between expanding your device's storage capacity with a memory card and using two SIM cards.
Chipset - Performance
Under the hood, the Cubot KingKong 9 runs on the Mediatek Helio G99 chipset, built on a 6-nm process. This octa-core processor, combined with the Mali-G57 MC2 GPU, ensures smooth multitasking and gaming experiences. Here are the relevant specs:
| Specification | Cubot KingKong 9 |
|---|---|
| Chipset | Mediatek Helio G99 (6 nm) |
| CPU | Octa-core (2×2.2 GHz Cortex-A76 + 6×2.0 GHz Cortex-A55) |
| GPU | Mali-G57 MC2 |
The Cubot KingKong 9 is powered by the Mediatek Helio G99 chipset, which is designed to offer a good balance between performance and power efficiency, making it suitable for a variety of tasks. It is a midrange chipset from Mediatek's G series, tailored for gaming and general performance. Its architecture and features provide a solid foundation for the KingKong 9, ensuring smooth and responsive performance for most tasks.
The Helio G99 chipset features an octa-core CPU with the following configuration:
- High-Performance Cores (Cortex-A76): The Cortex-A76 cores are designed for demanding tasks that require substantial processing power. They are activated when the phone needs to handle intensive applications, such as gaming, video editing, and running multiple applications simultaneously. With a clock speed of 2.2 GHz, these cores ensure that high-demand tasks are executed smoothly without lag or stuttering.
- Efficiency Cores (Cortex-A55): The Cortex-A55 cores are optimized for power efficiency. They handle everyday tasks that don't require as much processing power, such as browsing the web, checking emails, and using social media apps. Operating at 2.0 GHz, these cores consume less power, helping to extend battery life while still providing adequate performance for routine activities.
The Mali-G57 MC2 GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) is responsible for rendering graphics and handling visual tasks. It accelerates graphics-intensive operations, such as gaming, video playback, and graphical user interfaces. It ensures smooth frame rates and reduces lag in visually demanding applications. The Mali-G57 MC2 is capable of handling most midrange gaming titles at decent settings, providing a good balance between performance and power consumption.
With these component working under the hood, the KingKong 9's processing prowess is adequate for a wide range of tasks, including:
- Gaming: The combination of the Helio G99 chipset and Mali-G57 MC2 GPU makes the KingKong 9 capable of running popular mobile games at medium to high settings. The 120 Hz display further enhances the gaming experience by providing smooth visuals.
- Multitasking: With 12 GB of RAM, the KingKong 9 excels at multitasking, allowing you to switch between apps seamlessly without significant slowdowns.
- Media Consumption: The high-resolution display and capable GPU make the phone well-suited for streaming videos, browsing photos, and using media-rich applications.
- Everyday Tasks: For routine tasks like web browsing, social media, and communication apps, the phone performs efficiently and smoothly, thanks to the balanced CPU architecture.
However, certain tasks might benefit from a more powerful configuration, such as:
- High-End Gaming: While the KingKong 9 handles midrange gaming well, more graphically demanding games might require a chipset with a more powerful GPU for the highest settings and frame rates.
- Professional Video Editing: Although the phone can handle basic video editing, professionals who require fast rendering times and smooth performance with 4K video editing might find the Helio G99 limiting compared to higher-end chipsets.
- Heavy Multitasking with Resource-Intensive Apps: Users who run multiple resource-intensive applications simultaneously (e.g., large spreadsheets, advanced photo editing, and virtual machines) might benefit from a more powerful processor with higher core counts and faster clock speeds.
In summary, the Mediatek Helio G99 chipset, with its octa-core CPU configuration and Mali-G57 MC2 GPU, provides the Cubot KingKong 9 with a solid performance foundation. It is well-suited for gaming, multitasking, and media consumption, making it a capable device for most users. However, those who require extreme processing power for high-end gaming or professional-grade tasks might need to look towards flagship devices with more powerful chipsets.
For comparison, the predecessor KingKong 8 featured the Mediatek MT8788V/WA (12 nm) chipset, housing an octa-core CPU (4×2.0 GHz Cortex-A73 + 4×2.0 GHz Cortex-A53).
Memory and Storage
Here are the relevant specs:
| Specification | Cubot KingKong 9 |
|---|---|
| RAM | 12 GB |
| Internal Storage | 256 GB |
| Memory Card Slot | microSDXC (shares with SIM) |
The KingKong 9 offers 12 GB of RAM and 256 GB of internal storage, providing ample space for apps, media, and documents. If you need more storage, the hybrid dual SIM slot supports microSDXC cards, though it will occupy one of the SIM slots.
For comparison, the predecessor KingKong 8 came with the same memory and storage configuration.
Cameras
The triple-camera setup on the back includes a 100 MP wide-angle lens with PDAF, a 24 MP night vision camera with two infrared emitters, and a 5 MP macro lens. This versatile camera array is designed to capture stunning photos in various conditions, from low light to close-ups. The LED flash ensures well-lit shots in the dark.
For selfies and video calls, the KingKong 9 sports a 32 MP front camera. Both the main and selfie cameras are capable of recording video.
Rear Camera
The Cubot KingKong 9 is equipped with a versatile triple-camera setup designed to handle a wide range of photographic scenarios. Let's have a detailed look at the lenses and the camera features. Here are the relevant specs:
| Specification | Cubot KingKong 9 |
|---|---|
| Number of Cameras | 3 (Triple) |
| Resolution (Megapixels) | 100 MP (wide), 24 MP (night vision, with 2 infrared emitters), 5 MP (macro) |
| Autofocus | PDAF, N/A, N/A |
| Video Recording | Yes |
| Other Features | LED flash |
The primary lens in the KingKong 9's camera setup is a 100 MP wide-angle camera. This high-resolution lens is designed to capture detailed and sharp images in a variety of lighting conditions.
The second lens is a 24 MP camera specifically designed for night vision. This camera excels in low-light and complete darkness, capturing images that would be difficult or impossible with standard lenses.
The night vision camera is supported by two infrared emitters. These emitters, also known as infrared night vision lights, illuminate the scene with infrared light, which is invisible to the human eye but can be detected by the camera sensor. This allows the camera to capture clear images in the dark, making it ideal for night-time photography or surveillance.
The third lens is a 5 MP macro camera, designed for close-up photography. This lens allows you to capture fine details of small subjects, such as insects, flowers, and intricate textures. Macro lenses are optimized to focus at very short distances, enabling you to take sharp, detailed images of objects that are only a few centimeters away.
The primary camera is equipped with PDAF (Phase Detection Autofocus), which allows for faster and more accurate focusing by detecting phase differences in light. This results in quicker focus times and sharper images, especially useful for capturing moving subjects or in low-light conditions.
The camera setup includes an LED flash, which provides additional light when shooting in low-light conditions. The flash helps illuminate the subject, reducing shadows and enhancing image clarity. This is particularly useful for night-time or indoor photography where natural light is insufficient.
In conclusion, the Cubot KingKong 9's main camera setup is designed to offer a comprehensive and flexible photographic experience. The 100 MP wide camera delivers high-resolution images; the 24 MP night vision camera excels in low-light and dark conditions; and the 5 MP macro camera adds another dimension, allowing for close-up photography of small subjects with fine detail. Combined with features like PDAF and LED flash, this camera setup is well-equipped to meet the diverse needs of adventurous and demanding users.
For comparison, the older KingKong 8 featured a triple camera setup, consisting of a 48 MP wide lens supporting PDAF; a 2 MP macro lens; and a 0.3 MP auxiliary lens. It could also record videos, and its feature set included LED flash.
Front Camera
The selfie camera sits inside a centered, waterdrop notch on the top of the display. Here are the relevant specs:
| Specification | Cubot KingKong 9 |
|---|---|
| Resolution | 32 MP |
| Video Recording | Yes |
For comparison, the predecessor KingKong 8 featured a 16 MP selfie shooter, also capable of recording videos. It was housed inside a punch-hole cut-out.
Battery and Charging
(Related: Battery specs and charging types explained.)
Here are the relevant specs:
| Specification | Cubot KingKong 9 |
|---|---|
| Battery Type | Non-removable |
| Capacity | 10600 mAh |
| Wired Charging | 33 W |
One of the standout features of the KingKong 9 is its enormous 10600 mAh battery. This capacity ensures the phone can last through long days of use, making it ideal for outdoor adventures or extended periods without access to a charger. The 33 W wired charging support helps quickly replenish the battery when needed.
For comparison, the older KingKong 8 featured a 10600 mAh battery, with wired and reverse wired charging support.
Sound
(Related: Know more about the sound specs and features.)
Here are the relevant specs:
| Specification | Cubot KingKong 9 |
|---|---|
| Loudspeaker | Yes |
| Headphone (3.5 mm) Jack | Unspecified |
For comparison, the predecessor Cubot KingKong 8 also had a single loudspeaker.
Connectivity
With support for dual-band Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, the Cubot KingKong 9 ensures you can connect to common Wi-Fi networks.
The KingKong 9 boasts Bluetooth 5.2, ensuring a seamless connection, whether you're connecting to headphones, speakers, or other devices. With features like A2DP (Advanced Audio Distribution Profile) for high-quality audio streaming and LE (Low Energy) for power efficiency, your Bluetooth experience reaches new heights.
With GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, and BDS support, you can navigate with confidence, whether exploring new cities or embarking on outdoor adventures.
The Cubot KingKong 9 features NFC, the digital magician! This technology allows you to make contactless payments, share files, and connect with other NFC-enabled devices with just a tap. It's like having a digital handshake, simplifying tasks and making your device interactions effortless.
Last but not least, the trusty USB-C - the universal connector. Whether you're charging your device, transferring files, or connecting to external devices, USB Type-C ensures a reliable connection. It's the jack-of-all-trades, allowing you to expand your device's capabilities and stay connected to the wider world of technology. And the support for OTG (USB On-The-Go) enables your device to act as host and connect to other USB devices, such as flash drives, keyboards, cameras, and more, without needing a computer as an intermediary.
Sensors
The Cubot KingKong 9 comes equipped with the following sensors:
- Proximity Sensor: Detects the presence or movement of an object (say, with infrared, sound, light, or electromagnetic fields) without physically contacting it. It is used, for example, to turn off the screen when you position your device close to your ear while making a call.
- Fingerprint Sensor: Used for quick and secure unlocking. It is side-facing in the KingKong 9.
- Gyro: The gyroscope can detect when your device is being twisted or turned in any direction. It enhances the accuracy of apps and games that rely on precise motion, like augmented reality (AR) apps and racing games.
- Accelerometer: The accelerometer detects changes in the device's orientation and acceleration. If you tilt, shake, or move your device, the accelerometer knows.
- Compass: The compass determines your device's orientation. It is essential for navigation apps, map orientation, and augmented reality experiences.
In conclusion, the Cubot KingKong 9 offers a compelling package for those who need a durable smartphone with powerful features. Its robust build, impressive camera system, massive battery, and decent performance make it a great choice for outdoor enthusiasts and professionals in demanding environments.
However, its substantial weight and size might be a drawback for users looking for a more compact and lightweight device. Overall, the KingKong 9 justifies its price with its durability and feature set, making it a worthy investment for its target audience.
Feature (top) image credit: Cubot.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is Cubot KingKong 9 release date?
The Cubot KingKong 9 was announced and released in 2023.
What is Cubot KingKong 9 price?
The Cubot KingKong 9 is priced at USD 204.26.