The wait is finally over after an Aliexpress seller blunder that resulted in a 30+ day transit wait for my Cube i9. It’s the new Cube flagship, replacing the popular Cube i7 Stylus with a new Intel Core M3-6Y30 SoC and larger kickstand design. Here’s the unboxing video and hands-on.
This tablet will be in the spotlight for a while and get some extra attention from me as it interests me more than just another Atom X5 Z8300 tablet! My first impressions are so far very positive.
- Build quality is decent. It’s no Surface Pro 4 in terms of finish, but good for the price.
- Feels solid in hand, no flex, or creaks in the joints.
- A little heavier than expected at 991 grams.
- The screen is non-laminated, but the air gap is minimal )1mm to 1.5mm) and not a distraction like some cheap Atom tablets.
- 1920 x 1200 isn’t the sharpest at 12.2 inches, but it still looks fine to me personally and 16:10 is my second favorite ratio.
- All of my USB Type-C hubs work. My clone Apple style multi-port adaptor allows charge, an extra USB 3 port and HDMI display out. The port is a full USB 3.1 spec one as advertised. Great for a one port docking solution.
- The type-c ports looks to support 4k, my 2560 x 1440 monitor can be run at it’s native res at 60hz. I lack a 4k monitor to test full 4k support.
- Speakers seem to be okay, not wonderful but passable. Better than I expected and I was expecting the worst to be honest.
- The tablet feels fluid and very response as it should for a Core M3.
- 106GB free on the SSD, which is a FORSEE Brand. Same as the i7/i7 stylus.
- The kickstand design is good to see. The hinge design is no way near as good as Surface Pro 4 as expected, but not bad considering…
So far very positive, key findings for me at least are the USB 3.1 Type-C port will charge the i9 too and works as it should. But I’ll have to hunt for a 12v / 2.5A or more USB power adapter as my stand in 12 volt quick charger only outputs 1.6A and is struggling (It’s also powering the HDMI and USB 3 port)
I think the Teclast X3 Pro might be hard put to beat this, while it will have an extra 4GB of RAM, I’ve seen the keyboard, the build that it will have in the X2 Pro. For me, I’ll take the 16:10 screen, kickstand and one port stop docking of the type-c port over that 4GB extra. I’ll have more videos and info on this model soon, as well as a quick Type-C hub test.
Benchmarks, gaming & thermals will be tested in depth.