Cube i7 stylus first impression

[Anonymous]

@Chris: Unless you need advanced stylus function, I would not mess with the driver. For signing forms, using the pen button, and erasing, the current driver works well. If you decide to install a different driver that doesn’t work, you can simply roll back to the previous driver version. Apps that support stylus include but are not limited to Onenote (AKA the best kept secret of the office suit), Word, Powerpoint, Paint. For drawing, there are some good apps on the store but nothing as heavy as PS. In Windows 10, the new browser will support pen input and will allow you to take notes right on the webpage, which can be very useful.

[Ian]

@chris: I have just recieved mine. Just to confirm the port does power a 2.5 ext hd.
Not had chance to check the speed yet.

[Ian]

I got mine from Geekbuyer and it has come with Windows 8.1 pro activated. But it also has KMSpico installed. Is this the same for everyone else?

[Chris G]

@overide Thank you. But not to worry mine just arrived 10 minutes ago, going to unbox it now and then test it out. I will have a look if it’s Windows Pro, but KMSpico?! Isn’t that a hack to activate Windows? If so, I would have some serious words with Geekbuying.com they must have done that themselves, I find it hard to believe that Cube would do this. It must have come with Chinese only and GB installed Win Pro and then activated using this KMSpico.

Again, I’ll check and confirm my unit soon.

Chris | Admin
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[Anonymous]

@Ian: I purchased from geekbuying and KMSPICO was installed. I removed it and hope this won’t be an issue with the windows 10 upgrade, otherwise would have to give geekbuying a piece of my mind. Also, it seems like my windows 8.1 pro was configured from chinese to english since some of the menus that don’t change upon selection of language through the control panel remained in chinese.

[Chris G]

Mines from Cube Store and I got it with the stylus, my keyboard is coming later. But my i7 keyboard works for now as I thought it would looking at the pics. I have Windows 8.1 Bing on mine, and looks like I have to activate it via phone as it fails to activate due to an error 🙁

So far I can report:

USB 3 works perfectly, no power issues, no speed issues full USB 3.0 speeds, yay!
Non-laminated screen.
Stylus works great, touch sensitivity is very good and the system feels nice and quick. No issues near the edge of the screen even with the screen protector on.
Build quality is good, solid feeling, no movement or creaks etc when holding it.

I’m uploading the unboxing video now for those interested.

Chris | Admin
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Next up for review:
Ordered and waiting for my: BMAX S15 & Teclast F6 Plus
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[Federico Maggiore]

It seems like a russian roulette 🙁

[Chris G]

Federico Maggiore wrote:

It seems like a russian roulette

Chinese tablet lottery I call it, never know what you’ll get! I will update this thread when and if I can activate it, if not I will ask my seller for a working Bing key. So far the tablet itself is great. SSD is fast for a 64GB unit.

Chris | Admin
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Ordered and waiting for my: BMAX S15 & Teclast F6 Plus
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[dantez]

Thanks Chris, I look forward to your review of this unit. Been tracking various websites forums in chinese and English because it seems like a unique device at a price point that might warrant a try at chinese tablets.

Common complaints have been lack of Wacom pressure support and heat from top left corner and bubble in center of the screen between layer of glass or two digitizer on board digitizer layers.

Jd.com has over 500 positive reviews because cube offered free keyboard or stylus if users posted positive reviews.

Cube forum in chinese has confirmed user reports of m2 ssd swaps. A lot of users unhappy with the lack of Wacom software support despite heavily advertising the Wacom digitizer.

As for activation keys, it seems chinese and English languages are supported but other language packs if installed by merchant would probably be cracked as it is common practice overseas on customer request.

The lack of dual boot has been rumored to be a core m issue. None of the core m have android dual boot.

I have been eyeing the i7 stylus and also the onda 9.7 v919 core m. The other core m offerings are a bit large.

At this pricepoint the dell v11 pro on sale is also tempting.

[dantez]

I would appreciate some real word test of usb 3 ports, the keyboard port speeds and the resolution of the hdmi out. Also Palm rejection and stylus accuracy vs paralyx on edges that so many Wacom devices suffer from.

The chinese reviewers can at times be a bit optimistic due to free review units or brand affiliations.

Any online international seller who is willing to do a bit of quality control to check that the delivered tablet is performing trouble free with working screen and ports would most likely have a lot of customers. Unfortunately as it stands, most are just competing in price alone which is a sad reflection of the Chinese market.

[Chris G]

I’ll post some real USB 3 tests soon using my M.2 external HDD which is very fast, as fast as an internal sata3 ssd.
My unboxing and hands-on video is here:

I’ll have some more videos up testing the stylus around the edges of the screen and benchmarks etc.
I can also confirm:

HDMI port runs my 2560 x 1440p monitor no problem. The dock port is connected via a USB 2.0 hub, so 40MB/s max speeds. Like the Cube i7, it does get hot around the to left-hand side. I have videos of the i7 using my thermal probe, while it gets quite toasty, it’s not going to burn you or anything of the sort. I’ll do the same with the Stylus here as its smaller size means smaller heat skin and could run much hotter.

So Cube offered free keyboards and a stylus for positive reviews?…Wow, that’s not good at all. Never get away with that outside China. If I was given a tablet under the condition that I give a positive review I would tell them no way. An honest opinion and not a fake one is what counts here, which is the whole reason I started TT as I was sick of seeing those fake reviews that never comment on issues and are overly positive(An downright fake as hell).

Dell Venue 11 Pro 7140 Core M 5Y10 is my preferred Core M tablet, but only with the mobile docking keyboard. I recommend that tablet over any Chinese branded one and wish I had kept mine.

Chris | Admin
Please support us and help keep TechTablets online. Affiliate revenue is used to pay for the server, studio apartment (Techtablets HQ) and buy new tech to review. Without it, this site would be dead.
Next up for review:
Ordered and waiting for my: BMAX S15 & Teclast F6 Plus
Currently testing: LG G8X & Redmi K30

[Chris G]

@dantez You mention you saw users replaced the m.2 drive. Do you have any links for that I could look at or you can confirm its a 22x44mm sized M.2? Thanks.

Chris | Admin
Please support us and help keep TechTablets online. Affiliate revenue is used to pay for the server, studio apartment (Techtablets HQ) and buy new tech to review. Without it, this site would be dead.
Next up for review:
Ordered and waiting for my: BMAX S15 & Teclast F6 Plus
Currently testing: LG G8X & Redmi K30

[Anonymous]

@Chris The Dell Venue 11 Pro may be a better alternative for those who don’t care that much about a stylus. However, it uses a different stylus technology that is much worse than Wacom, even for basic functions such as writing on the screen. Also, it is way more expensive. I would stick to a Wacom-based on Surface tablet if pen functionality is important to you.

In your videos, can you please scroll down a long webpage, preferably with some pictures, so that I could compare scrolling?
My tablet arrived with the seals broken and the upper screen protector (the one with the cube logo) full of scratches, which I wasn’t crazy about, but I did ask them to test the tablet before shipping so could not complain.

[Chris G]

@shiny-nickler I’ve a video now uploading with those points covered as well as a closer look at the edges of the screen with the stylus and touch. I covered scrolling in websites, (one of my reviews here with images and videos) and its stutter free. YT video Link will be up soon.

As always, I hold my final opinion of the tablet once I’ve done my review and used it enough to find all the pros and cons.

And yes pressure levels on the pen work in OneNote and it acts just like my Note 4 S-pen did, same tech right?.

Edit: Yes the Venue 11 Pro for me is good as I don’t need a pen as other do, so people should consider that aspect. The Dell refurbs are around $330 for the Venue 11 Pro 7140 64GB models. Pen and keyboard are not included at that price. So Wacom tech is the best and most accurate for stylus’s? I remember all the issues the Venue 11 pro first release pen had, it was hopeless!

Chris | Admin
Please support us and help keep TechTablets online. Affiliate revenue is used to pay for the server, studio apartment (Techtablets HQ) and buy new tech to review. Without it, this site would be dead.
Next up for review:
Ordered and waiting for my: BMAX S15 & Teclast F6 Plus
Currently testing: LG G8X & Redmi K30

[mrobi]

Looks like the tablet for all my needs, since pen works with OneNote. Does this have Windows 8 activation key in bios like every other OEM Windows 8 device or is it limited to China etc somehow? At worst case I could use a key from MSDN subscription. Kind of biggest problem is that I can probably forget any warranty stuff, Finnish post has banned everything with lithium ion batteries and only way to get anything shipped out of country is DHL/UPS which chinese sellers apparently have troubles with. And which will probably cost more than device is worth of.

Dell Venue 11 Pro Core-M versions here cost whopping 1250eur (from only store I found selling them). Used items outside EU are also subject to tax/customs so they are not great options either.

[Author]

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