Cubot H2 test

First impression of the Cubot H2

If you already own a Cubot smartphone of the "X" or "H" series, the typical Cubot cardboard box is also expected for this smartphone. This included an extensive accessory package in addition to the Cubot H2. The additional package includes a glass screen protector with cleaning wipes, a silicone protective cover, a quick charger with 2A output current, a USB charging cable, a SIM pin and even a USB OTG adapter.

Externally, the Cubot H2 hardly differs from the successor H1, but there are some subtleties that make a difference. After the first hands-on, I immediately noticed the higher weight. Where the Cubot H1 still weighed 200g, the Cubot H2 outweighs proud 230g. The arrangement of the front camera and the proximity sensor has also been changed. Unfortunately, the capacitive buttons integrated below the 5.5 Zoll HD display are no longer illuminated.

The biggest optical difference is on the back. The back of the smartphone cannot be removed, which means that the 5.000mAh battery cannot be changed. The SIM slot is on the right edge of the housing. The housing frame is made of aluminum and is very well made. The volume rocker integrated on the right edge of the case and the power button also have a good pressure point and sit in the frame without play. There is a 3.5mm audio output at the top and the micro USB socket at the bottom.

My first, external impression is positive. The smartphone is neatly processed, fits well in the hand and the scope of delivery has surprised me.

Display

The Cubot H2 has a 5.5 inch HD display with 2.5D curved glass. The resolution of the display is 1280x720 pixels, the point density is 267 PPI. The end of the display frame is rounded off by the curved glass, which contributes above all to the better appearance.

The touch screen of the display has properly recognized all inputs during the test. The accuracy is also good, which is why targeted inputs pose no problem. Multitouch is supported with up to 5 fingers.

Despite the comparatively low PPI value, individual pixels are barely recognizable in this smartphone. The color representation of the display is natural. Colors are also displayed strongly, as well as the IPS display provides a rich black level. On MiraVision, for personalized display, was omitted in the Cubot H2.

The maximum display brightness is average. In strong sunlight, the display can still read. The viewing angle stability is also good except for a slight deterioration of the color representation. Only with really strong inclination I could notice a difference in the viewpoint. However, the font remains legible.

user interface

The operating system used is Android 5.1 with an adapted custom theme. Except for a flashlight app and the well-known “Cleaner Master” app, no third-party apps were pre-installed. Various functions have also been added through the customized user interface. Among other things, the appearance of the quick start bar has been adjusted, and it also offers additional setting options in direct comparison with Stock Android.

There are also extensions within the settings. An additional gesture control makes it possible to wake up the device with the display switched off. For example, if you tap the display twice, it is activated. If you draw an "e" on the display, the web browser is started automatically. Other, smart functions work via the proximity sensor. With a swipe over this, among other things, the pages of the app drawer can be changed, and recordings can be triggered within the camera app by swiping movements.

The Cubot H2 also has a notification LED. This can be configured to a limited extent in the settings. Unfortunately, the luminous color cannot be specified, and you cannot program an individual app on the LED. The smartphone receives updates from OTA (Over The Air). A release of Android 6 should not be expected!

Performance

Like its predecessor, the Cubot H2 also has a MediaTek MT6735 processor. However, this quad-core clocks in the H2 with 1.3GHz and thus with 300MHz more than in the H1. The GPU used is a Mali-T720 renderer. The RAM is 3GB and the internal memory is 16GB.

The Cubot H2 can be operated largely smoothly in everyday life. There were no unexpected crashes during the test. Apps can be opened quickly and multitasking is also not a problem because of the abundant RAM. Games with weak arithmetic can be played smoothly on the smartphone. However, the smartphone is overwhelmed with more recent titles that require above-average computing power.

Camera

The main camera of the Cubot H2 has a native resolution of 8 megapixels (13 megapixels interpolated). The f-number is f / 2.2. The rear camera is supported by a dual LED flash. Recordings with the main camera are average in good lighting conditions. The color representation is natural and the image noise is still in the frame. The autofocus works reliably, but could be a bit faster. The release time, on the other hand, is quite short.

The camera becomes a bit sluggish in poor lighting conditions. The image noise also increases. With the flash activated, however, the images can be used. The smartphone's front camera has a native resolution of 5 megapixels (8 megapixels interpolated). The image quality is good, which makes the camera suitable for selfies or video telephony.

Telephony, WLAN, Bluetooth

All common cellular standards are supported by the Cubot H2. LTE can also be fully used. LTE band 20 is available. During the phone call, the Cubot H2 was able to convince with its good reception quality. My conversation partner could understand me clearly and distinctly, and I could understand him without restrictions. The hands-free function also works well. The loudspeaker is not tinny even at maximum volume.

It should be noted that the Cubot H2 uses a "hybrid slot" which can either use the dual-SIM function or provide a SIM slot for memory expansion.

The transmission over Bluetooth and also over the WLAN is on average good. A connection with my Bluetooth receiver came about easily and also the connection quality was convincing. Unfortunately, Dual Band WiFi is not supported by the Cubot H2.

GPS and sensors

The GPS module of the smartphone works accurately. The GPS fix was found within seconds and the positioning is very accurate. Surprisingly, even within buildings, a GPS fix has already been found. However, the device does not have an e-compass.

The installed sensors amount to a brightness sensor, a proximity sensor and an acceleration sensor.

Battery

With 5.000mAh battery capacity, the Cubot H2 has built a powerful battery that allows multi-day use. In normal everyday use, the battery has lasted well 3 days. Compared to the Cubot H1, the capacity was indeed reduced by 200mAh, but the mileage remained the same. The only downside of the built in Cubot H2 battery is that it can not be changed. The back of the smartphone is not removable.

It is also interesting that the manufacturer has included a fast charger, which allows the smartphone to fully charge in 3 hours.