Chinese manufacturer Cubot's X6 advertises itself as the world's first octa-core Android phone priced under $200. It promises consumers high performance and low power consumption, with a powerful camera and support for a full HD video processor. But does the Cubot X6 really live up to its promises? Have an in-depth look. 

Premium Look and Feel 

The X6 looks and feels like a good, solid, premium phone in the hands of scrutinizing users. According to XDA, the design isn't necessarily unique - in fact, it resembles older versions of Sony Xperia phones back when it was still Sony Ericsson - but the curved bottom lip and back and the matte back give it the premium look sure to attract buyers. The camera is different, with an aluminium cooling ring around the lens, the LED flash directly below, and speaker grills at the bottom. 

The phone itself is very minimalist. The large, 5-inch IPS OGS screen boasts a 1280x760 pixel resolution. It's not necessarily powerful as other phones in the midrange category, but is still very sharp and bright, with the soft color balance that's pleasing to the eyes. The pixel density is a little low at 294 PPI, with the pixels visible once the user looks closely into the screen. 

Faster Speed, Thanks to Octa-Core Processor 

According to China Mobile Mag, the speed of the Cubot X6 does not disappoint, thanks to its 1.7 GHz Cortex A7 octa-core MT 6592 processor with a quad-core Mali 450 GPU. Users will not experience lags in gaming, viewing photos, or switching screens - the transition is smooth and fast. The fact that the X6's screen is a lower resolution helps: it does not compete with other features of the phone, making apps and animation run faster. 

The 16 GB memory (with 11 GB available to the user) is a good start for users. Those who find this insufficient may expand the memory via microSD. The 1 GB RAM is another factor that affects the speed of this device - it's not the biggest in the market, but paired with the octa-core processor and  quad-core GPU, it does the job pretty well. Its speed is impressive, even beating the Samsung Galaxy S4 with a benchmark of 27706. 

Camera Underperforms for Its Resolution 

Cubot's official website says that the X6 boasts a 13 MP primary camera with LED flash located at the back, and a 5 MP front-facing camera with facial recognition, which both sound good on paper. However, the camera underperforms, producing usable pictures under good lighting, and giving grainy pictures under low-light conditions. The front-facing camera will be a treat for users who love selfies. The 5 MP camera takes images without noise in well-lit conditions. 

Video is a different story - because of the camera's full HD codec support, the camera is able to take videos without lagging or having color problems. The microphone also takes clear audio with the video. Despite the disappointing performance for a 13 MP camera, it still does the job, especially for people without a camera at hand. 

Better Battery Life 

One of the Cubot X6's selling points is that it consumes less battery than other mobile phones in its category. Despite its octa-core processor and HD display, it does consume less power than its competitors, mainly because the HD display has lower resolution than other phones. Benchmark tests reveal that the phone can go 1-2 days without charging for moderate use. The 2200 mAh battery also charges fast - it only takes one hour to charge the X6 fully. 

Conclusion 

Although it has its disappointing features (lower HD screen, disappointing camera performance,) the rest of its features give other monster mid-range phones a run for their money. At around $171, it knocks the competition out of the ballpark, especially if the user is interested in gaming and not necessarily in photography. It's safe to say that the Cubot X6 is one of the best budget smartphones of this time.