Comparison CUBOT X70 256 GB / 12 GB vs CUBOT King Kong 9 256 GB / 12 GB

The ratio of the screen area to the total front panel area of the phone. Simply put, this spec describes how much of the front panel is occupied by the screen; the rest is the bezels.

This indicator is given exclusively for smartphones with touch screens — it is for them that it is most relevant. The larger the percentage of the body is occupied by the screen, the thinner are the bezels, the neater the smartphone looks and the more convenient it is to work with it with one hand. As for specific numbers, the average values are 80 – 85 %, the higher values allow us to talk about a thin bezel, and more than 90 % — about a “bezel less” design.

Separately, we note that this parameter has nothing to do with the aspect ratio of the screen. The aspect ratio describes only the display itself — its proportions, the ratio between the larger and smaller side of the rectangle.

Second display, in addition to the main one. Features of such a display depend on a number of specs of the device itself. For example, in clamshell phones, an additional screen allows you to receive notifications about received messages, incoming calls, etc., without opening the phone once again and without wearing out the rotary mechanism. And in modern smartphones, the second display can be "electronic paper"; it is used for simple tasks like reading books or mail, though it can significantly save battery power. At the same time, clamshell phones are practically out of use today, and installing a second screen in a smartphone significantly complicates the design and increases its cost. Therefore, this feature is not very popular.

The type of RAM installed in the smartphone.

All modern devices use LPDDR format RAM ( LPDDR4, LPDDR4x, LPDDR5, LPDDR5x, LPDDR5T). In addition to its miniature size, it differs from conventional computer RAM in supporting special data transfer formats (16- and 32-bit memory buses). But versions of such memory can be different:

- LPDDR3. The earliest current generation of LPDDR was introduced in 2012 and has been implemented in devices since 2013. Standardly operates at speeds up to 1600 MT/s (megatransactions per second) and frequencies up to 933 MHz; The “improved” version supports speeds up to 2133 MT/s. Nowadays, this standard is rarely found, mainly among outdated mobile devices.

- LPDDR4. The successor to LPDDR3, officially introduced in August 2014 (although the first hardware developments were released at the end of 2013). The operating speed, compared to its predecessor, has doubled - up to 3200 MT/s; frequency increased to 1600 MHz; and energy consumption was reduced by 40%. In addition, the data transfer format has changed - in particular, instead of one 32-bit bus, two 16-bit buses are used, and some security improvements have been introduced into the standard. This memory can be found in some medium-range smartphones. - LPDDR4x. An improved version of LPDDR4 wit...h reduced power consumption - the standard uses a voltage of 0.6 V instead of 1.1 V. In addition, some improvements were implemented in this type of RAM aimed at increasing speed (it reaches 4266 MT/s) and general optimization of operation - for example, a single-channel mode for undemanding applications. Thanks to such characteristics, this version of memory has become noticeably more widespread than the original LPDDR4. You can find it in mid- and high-end devices.

- LPDDR5. Further development of “mobile” RAM, officially announced at the beginning of 2019. The operating speed in this version is increased to 6400 MT/s, a differential signal format was introduced to improve resistance to interference and errors, and dynamic frequency and voltage control was introduced to reduce power consumption. The use of such memory modules is typical mainly for high-end smartphones.

- LPDDR5x. A more energy efficient and faster version of LPDDR5 RAM. The data transfer speed in it was increased to 8533 MT/s, and the peak throughput indicator was increased to 8.5 Gbit/s. The number of memory banks per channel in LPDDR5x is always 16. RAM of this standard is typical for advanced smartphones of the highest grade.

- LPDDR5T. T is for turbo. The operating speed of the LPDDR5T standard RAM has been increased to 9600 MT/s, and devices with such memory modules are about 13% faster compared to LPDDR5X. The memory operates in the low voltage range from 1.01 to 1.12 V. The corresponding modules are aimed at use in high-end mobile devices.

The test results are specified either by a younger model in a line or a particular model, made for a better understanding performance of phone models if you compare phones against these parameters. For example, the 128 GB model has test results, and the 256 GB model has no information on the network, and in both models you will see the same value that will give an understanding of the overall performance of the device. But if the editorial office has information for each model individually, then each model will have its test results filled out, and the model with bigger RAM will have bigger values.

The result shown by the device when passing the AnTuTu Benchmark performance test.

AnTuTu Benchmark is a comprehensive test designed specifically for mobile devices, primarily smartphones and tablets. It checks the efficiency of the processor, memory, graphics and I/O systems, thus providing a fairly visual impression of the capabilities of the system. The better the result, the more points are given at the end. And high-performance by AnTuTu rating are smartphones that score over 750K points

Like any benchmark, this test does not give absolute accuracy: the same device can show different results, usually with deviations within 5 – 7%. These deviations depend on many factors that are not directly related to the system — from the load of the device with third-party programs to the air temperature during testing. So, it is possible to speak about a significant difference between the two models only if the difference in their indicators goes beyond those 5 – 7%.

The number of individual lenses provided in the module of the main (rear) camera of the device. Specified only if there are several lenses. At the same time, each «eye» has its own sensor and, in fact, is a separate camera; however, they can be used in conjunction, forming one image from data from several lenses, or mutually complementing each other's capabilities. As an illustration of the second case, the following example can be given: when using the zoom, the smartphone can automatically switch from the main optics to the telephoto lens when the magnification selected by the user exceeds a certain threshold.

The simplest version of the main module with several lenses is a dual camera, however, devices with 3 or more rear cameras are becoming more common (in some models, the number of lenses can reach six). Anyway, these cameras usually differ in specifications and perform different functions. So, an ordinary colour camera can be supplemented with a lens for black-and-white shooting, which improves contrast; in some models, lenses with different focal lengths allow you to choose the optimal viewing angle for certain conditions; information from an auxiliary lens (see below) is usually used to adjust the depth of focus on an already finished shot, etc. These details should be clarified separately, but anyway, several lenses mean more shooting options.

Specs of the additional lens installed in the device.

An additional lens is the one that is not covered by any of the three categories described above (main, tele-, ultra-wide), but is used directly for taking photos and videos (that is, it is not an auxiliary one — see below). In this case, the specific purpose of such a lens may be different. In some models, modules for a specific purpose are installed — for example, "portrait" optics with a longer focal length than the main module (however, less than that of a telephoto lens). In other devices, you can find additional modules of standard specialization — for example, the second telephoto lens, which differs in specs from the main one; data on such modules is also given here.

The meaning of particular specifications is described in detail above, in the paragraphs regarding the main lens, telephoto lens and ultra-wide optics. Here we note some nuances that directly relate to additional modules or are worth re-mentioning:

• Resolution (in megapixels, MP). In itself, high resolution only increases the detail and does not necessarily improve the quality of the picture. However, numerous MPs is often a sign of an advanced camera, where various additional solutions are used to improve quality.
• Aperture. Written as a fraction, such as f/1.9; the larger the number in the designation, the lower the aperture ratio and the worse the light transmission of the lens. These optics are more expensive, but...offer better image quality and more overall performance.
• Focal length. Specified in millimetres. Directly affects the viewing angle and specialization of the lens: short focal lengths are typical for "wide-angle" and lenses for general use, significant — for "portrait" and telephoto lenses.
• Sensor size. Specified in fractions of an inch, such as 1/2.8". A larger sensor is more expensive and takes up more space, but provides better image quality.
• OIS. An abbreviation for "optical image stabilization". See below for more details on such systems, but here we note that they are typical mainly for advanced cameras: optical stabilization is more complicated and expensive than digital, but more effective.

The presence of an auxiliary lens in the module of the main (rear) camera of the smartphone. Common to all auxiliary lenses is that they themselves do not shoot, but only supply the main camera with some useful additional data. But the types of this data and, accordingly, the methods of using auxiliary cameras can be different.

So, in some smartphones, an additional lens of a very small resolution is installed, which is used to obtain special information about the depth of field in some shooting modes (primarily in portrait mode). This format of work gives a number of interesting features — in particular, it allows you to change the depth of focus on an already finished image, moving the focus to a particular subject. Another interesting option is the so-called ToF (time of flight) cameras, which work on the principle of rangefinders and are capable of creating 3D models of various objects (including reading facial expressions from the user's face). There are other options, such as a black-and-white secondary camera for greater dynamic range and a fast aperture for better low-light performance.

Additional features and capabilities of the device.

In modern mobile phones (especially smartphones) a very extensive amount of additional features can be provided. These can be both already familiar features, many of which are directly related to the original purpose of the device, as well as fairly new and/or unusual ones. The first category includes an emergency call button(often found on phones for the elderly), noise cancellation, FM receiver, notification light, a simple flashlight and a light sensor. The second category includes a face and fingerprint scanner (the latter can be located on the back cover, side panel, front and even right under the screen), gyroscope, advanced full-fledged flashlight, stereo sound, 3D surround sound, Hi-Res Audio, augmented reality support and even such exotics as a barometer.... Here is a more detailed description of each of these options:

— Face scanner (FaceID). A special technology for recognizing the user's face — not just by photographing, but by building a three-dimensional model of the face based on data from a special module on the front panel. This technology is constantly being improved, nowadays it is able to take into account the change of hairstyles and facial hair, the presence of glasses, makeup, etc. At the same time, the recognition of twins and children's faces still remains weak points (they have fewer individual features than adults ). The main use of a face scanner is authentication when unlocking a smartphone, entering applications, making payments, etc. At the same time, other, more original use cases are possible. For example, in some applications, the face scanner reads the user's facial expressions, and then this facial expression is repeated by an emoji on the phone screen.

— Fingerprint scanner. Fingerprint reader. It is mainly used for user authorization - for example, when unlocking the device, entering certain applications or accounts, confirming payments, etc. As for placement options, fingerprint scanners are increasingly moving from the back cover of the device to the surface of the side power / unlock button - to You can touch the sensor on the side with your thumb without releasing the smartphone from your hands and practically without changing your grip. Some time ago, sensors on the front of the case were quite popular - in particular, thanks to Apple, which was the first to tightly implement fingerprint recognition in its gadgets. However, such placement inevitably increases the size of the bottom frame, so the front fingerprint scanner is rare in modern smartphones. A good alternative to it is scanners right on the screen (more precisely, under the display matrix), which do not take up extra space on the front panel.

— Google AR Core. Smartphone support for Google AR Core augmented reality (AR) technology. This technology is used to work with AR in Android smartphones. Read more about augmented reality and special technologies below.

— Apple AR Kit. Smartphone support for augmented reality (AR) technology Apple AR Kit. This technology is used to work with AR in Apple smartphones running on iOS. Read more about augmented reality and special technologies below.

— Support for special augmented reality technologies. The general idea of augmented reality (AR) is to add certain additional elements to the image of the real world that is visible on the screen of the device, "embedded" in the real world and looking like a part of it. One of the most famous examples of AR is the game Pokemon Go, where the player had to use the camera to look for virtual Pokemon in a real area. Other applications are navigation (displaying a "guide line" directly on the smartphone screen over the image from the camera), interior design (the ability to virtually fit one or another object into an existing environment), car repair (highlighting key details, "X-ray vision") etc. However, in this case, we are talking not just about the ability to work with AR applications, but about support for special augmented reality technologies — usually Google AR Core or Apple AR Kit. The peculiarity of these technologies is that they expand the possibilities available to both users and software developers. So, users get a more extensive set of AR applications, with more advanced abilities; and the developers of such applications can be not only large companies, but almost everyone, including individual specialists.

— Stereo sound. The ability to play full stereo sound through your phone's own speakers, without external audio devices. There must be at least two speakers for this task. This complicates the design and increases its cost, but it has a positive effect on the sound quality: the sound is more expressive and detailed than when using a single speaker, it has a volume effect, as well as a higher volume.

– 3D surround sound. The mechanics of spatial surround sound with localization of sound sources in three-dimensional space allows you to deeply immerse yourself in the atmosphere of films, enjoy listening to audio tracks, or completely immerse yourself in mobile gameplay. Algorithms for implementing 3D sound in smartphones differ in terms of software and hardware support, but they are all aimed at achieving the effect of realistic sound stage. Note that support for 3D surround sound can mean both commonly used technologies such as Dolby Atmos or DTS:X Ultra, as well as proprietary solutions from individual audio brands that have a hand in the sound subsystem of a mobile device (AKG, JBL, Harman, Huawei / Honor Histen, etc.).

– Hi-Res Audio. Mobile device support for high-resolution audio Hi-Res Audio - a digital signal with parameters from 96 kHz / 24 bits. Audio tracks in this format sound as close as possible to the original ideas of the authors of the compositions. The result is a sound that is as close as possible to what was recorded in the studio.

— FM receiver. Built-in module for receiving radio stations broadcasting in the FM band. Some devices also support other bands, but FM is the most popular nowadays (due to the ability to transmit stereo sound), it is in it that music radio stations usually broadcast. Note that some devices for reliable reception may require the connection of wired headphones — their cable plays the role of an external antenna.

— Notification indicator. Physically separate light beacon, pulsating or being constantly lighted up in response to incoming notifications of missed calls and received messages (including the ones from instant messengers and social network clients). Also, the indicator light usually signals a low remaining battery level and lights up during the battery recharging. The implementation of the notification indicator can be different: for some phones it is single-colour, for others it has colour coding of signals, flexibly adjustable for certain events through the settings menu. The light beacon allows you to visually comprehend the presence of incoming notifications without having to turn on the smartphone screen.

— Emergency call button. A separate button designed for use in critical situations. The specific features of such a button may be different, depending on the model: sending “alarming” SMS to selected numbers, automatically receiving calls from these numbers or calling them in turn, turning on the siren, etc. Anyway, the “emergency” button is usually clearly visible, and its presence is especially useful if the phone is used by an elderly person (in fact, in specialized devices designed for elderly, this button is almost mandatory).

— Noise suppression. An electronic filter that cleans the user's voice from extraneous noise (sounds of the street, the rumble of the wind in the microphone grille, etc.). Thus, the person at the other end of the line hears only the voice, with virtually no extra sounds. Of course, no noise reduction system is perfect; however, in most cases, this feature significantly improves the quality of the speech transmitted by the phone to the other person.

— Gyroscope. A device that tracks the rotation of a mobile phone in space. Modern gyroscopes, usually, work on all three axes and are able to recognize both the angle and the rate of turn; in addition, this feature almost necessarily means the presence of an accelerometer, which allows (among other things) to detect tremors and sharp movements of the device. This provides advanced control options — in particular, gyroscopes are indispensable when working with augmented reality (see above) or when using VR glasses into which a smartphone is installed.

— Flashlight. The ability to use the phone as a flashlight. We emphasize that in this case we are usually talking about the simplest version of a flashlight — when this feature is performed by the flash of the main camera, which is turned on through the software settings. More advanced lamps are indicated in the specs as a "full-fledged flashlight" (see below).

— Full-fledged flashlight. The presence of an advanced flashlight in the phone — more powerful than the usual one (see above). The specific design and capabilities of such a flashlight may be different. So, in some devices, a separate LED (or a set of LEDs) is provided on the upper end, and this light source is used only as a flashlight. In others (mainly smartphones), we are talking about a special design of the flash: it consists of several LEDs, and only a part of them is usually used to illuminate when shooting, and all at once to work in flashlight mode. And the additional features of such a light source may include a laser pointer, beam focus, brightness control, etc. Anyway, most models with this feature are rugged devices with increased resistance to dust, moisture and shock (however, there are exceptions).

— Light sensor. A sensor that monitors the level of ambient light. It is mainly used to automatically adjust the brightness of the screen: in bright ambient light, it increases so that the image remains visible, and in twilight and darkness it decreases, which saves battery power and reduces eye fatigue.

— Barometer. Sensor for measuring atmospheric pressure. By itself, the barometer only determines this pressure at the current time, but the methods of using such data may be different, depending on the software installed on the phone. For example, some navigation applications can determine the elevation difference between individual points on the ground by the difference in atmospheric pressure at these points; and in weather programs, barometer data can improve the accuracy of weather forecasts. Also, this feature will be useful for weather-sensitive people: it signals a change in the weather, allowing you to more accurately determine the cause of ailments and take measures to eliminate them.