To review: The CUBE Talk9X has a Retina-class 9.7 inch IGZO screen, an octa-core MediaTek 8392 CPU with peak frequency of 2GHz (allegedly), 2GBs of RAM, 16GBs of internal storage, a 2MP front and 8MP back camera, Bluetooth, WiFi, GPS, a 10,000mAh battery, and 3G (WCDMA + TD-SCDMA dual 3G, compatible with GSM — at least in China and probably Europe too). It runs Android 4.4 — without any modifications, from the looks of it.
The CUBE Talk9X is controversial. It uses the octa-core MediaTek 8392. This is the tablet version of the MediaTek 6592. So how is it that the 6592 scores in the 27,000-range of AnTuTu while the 8392 gets 40,000-range again and again?
Reviews are finally appearing for this machine.
There’s one at IMP3Net [Google Translate] and one at China Review [Google Translate].
Let’s cut to the chase here:
The machine broke forty thousand [AnTuTu] scoring mark, which was also used as a selling point to do focused, horizontal ladder diagram ranked first really strong. Test switch to the three versions, including 4.4, 4.4.3, and 315 anti-cheating version, scores were forty thousand or more.
IMP3Net tried three different versions of AnTuTu on it — including X — and it scored in the 40,000-range with all three!
I’ve been to forums in different countries and people without any interest in making money from their posts are reporting AnTuTu scores from 34,000 to 40,000-range.
I’m going to stand with my original position: There is AnTuTu cheating happening.
Why am I going to be so damn stubborn on this point?
Because today I hit the last straw with this. It happened at CUBE’s own forum where a user posted these two photos of their Talk9X AnTuTu score [Google Translate]:
That makes it clear to me that there’s a script to detect and cheat at AnTuTu baked into the Talk9X. And when AnTuTu was run for that score, the script somehow went awry and posted a score that is outright impossible for the MediaTek 8392 to achieve.
The forum poster is basically laughing at that score — telling people to ignore it — and posts a score from Master Lu, another benchmark that hasn’t yet been gamed because it’s not as popular:
What does that score mean?
Master Lu ran points, and almost MTK MT6592 mobile version
Boldfaced emphasis added by me.
An owner of it who’s technically proficient enough to root it reported this [Google Translate]:
For Those interested in Antutu benchmarks it at rates in excess of 38k. While the u65gt is fast and fluid I struggle to believe this figure as my t11 completes the test scores quicker but only 27k.
Boldfaced emphasis added by me.
Further, when I cried fraud over an AnTuTu score posted at YouTube, this was the Comment exchange:
It’s obvious. CUBE is lying. The Talk9X does not have a legitimate AnTuTu score in the 40,000-range. The MediaTek 8392 has power equivalent to the MediaTek 6592.
The CUBE Talk9X is basically an iFive Mini 3GS with a larger screen, better back camera, and case styling.
Anyone who buys this on the basis of getting a tablet as powerful as Rockchip 3288 is being fooled. It’s not.
This doesn’t make it a bad tablet. Owners generally report being pleased with it. But would they have bought it if they’d been told it had an AnTuTu score around 27,000?
And that’s the point. Not that users will be unhappy with the tablet — but that they were lied to in order to get them to buy.
One point that’s not a lie is the back camera. Here are a variety of sample photos (click to enlarge).
IMP3Net:
China Review:
Androidiani:
In a forum thread that’s locked, a rooting method [Google Translate]. And another forum thread discussing rooting [Google Translate]. It took quite some time for the iFive Mini 3GS to gain root. So that it’s happened so soon with the CUBE Talk9X leads me to believe it’s a very popular tablet.
Finally, if CUBE’s big lie hasn’t dissuaded you from wanting the tablet, they’ve announced it in white too [Google Translate]:
I hope this will be my final post about this tablet. I’ve devoted way too many hours reading about it around the world to get to the truth of that AnTuTu score.
Additional:
CUBE Talk9X at Tabletorium [Google Translate]
Previously here:
CUBE Talk9x: First User Report
CUBE Talk9x: Looks Good, Scores Fraud
CUBE Claims 41,000-Range AnTuTu
Mike Cane’s xBlog 
ofc they cheat. i told it this on May
wow it really looks like you did your homework on this tab mike!! haha thanks for this detailed and well connected post!!
Mike can you please explain this bit for me, or just leave your thoughts:
“After a round of tests is fully charged, from 10:30 to start using the tests conducted above period, 16:20 to automatically shut down, the state has to keep the screen open during lasted nearly six hours.”
– that bit is from the imp3.net review about the battery life. i didnt really get it! how did they conduct this battery test? 10:30 to 16:20 is nearly 8 hours but later they mention “lasted nearly 6 hours”!
are they saying that its screen on time was nearly 6 hours or what?
They’re saying that they began the reviews tests with a full charge and everything they did in the review should be counted for the battery lasting nearly six hours.
By the way, the battery plummets during large games and the back gets hot. So maybe four hours of straight intense gameplay?
No one has complained about the battery life in any of the forums.
The specs mentioned that the battery will last up to 8 hours normal use. But the one I have went dead after 4 hours. The most shocking was that the battery meter showed 62% before it went dead. I though it was occasional, but it happened daily.
Mike,
On Antutu X and not Antutu the Cube talk 9X has almost double the scores of the Pipo T9 MTK6592. The GPU figures are similar. So fraud or not this cube tablet is fast and faster than the T9 with MTK 6592 from what I can see as I have both tablets.
I meant on Antutu X and not Antutu the Cube talk 9X CPU has almost double the scores of the Pipo T9 MTK6592. This is the main difference.
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Hi Mike, what do you think about the Allwinner A80T and its 48k AnTuTu score? That also sounds too good to be true.
The latest claimed AnTuTu is over 60K.
I bought it for me in France and i tested with different versions of Antutu: with Antutu X, i obtained more or 42000, but with Antutu 4 and 5, the results were under 29000 !!
29,000 is about right, although 27,000 is more typical.
Even though they faked the stats, the tablet’s battery capacity is still greater than any tablet I have seen. If I was to look for a balance between performance and battery capacity I would still look forward to buying this tablet.
Which of the Teclast P98 3G and Cube Talk X9 (16G version) will u recommend? And what are the pros and cons. Thank you.
but if its about 27000 antutu score, i think its still amazing for a android tablet..
galaxy note 10.1 is about 15000.
Other tablets now score that and a bit higher. It’s not a special score for this new generation of CPUs. The Xiaomi MiPad scores around 40,000 with its Nvidia K1.
Hi Mike, very good work :) .. I want to ask you a question:
(I know that you suggest to not buy tablets, but:) what tablet do you suggest in this moment? I saw this cube, the onda v989, fnf, teclast, and others.. I want 9.7 inch and a quad or octa core. I don’t care about AnTutu scores or other shitty, I want it for daily use on the sofa, at home, so with WiFI only
Thanks :)
I will use all benchmarks on this very device. It’s on its way as a matter of fact and confirm what fraud you really mean. If you’re wrong it would be a great online disaster for you Mr. Mikecane. If you’re right it would be a great online plus for you. I will reach you in less than 48hrs. Take care!
It’s already been confirmed by others. I am correct. It is fraud.
MT6592[476] 1.7 GHz octa-core
MT8392[673] 2.0 GHz octa-core
Snapdragon 600 series 1.5 GHz – 1.9 GHz octa-core
Snapdragon 800 2.26 GHz – 2.7 GHz 4-core
MT8392 not the same as MT6592.
MT8392 much more productive than all Snapdragon chips because technically 2GHz and eight cores more productive then 1.5-1.9GHz.
You’re all just dudes trying to justify spending money on branded tablets that do not pull up to the level of modern China.
Go see the AnTuTu 5.1 score under that post in Comments. 29,000-range. Like the 7592.
Hi Mike, I just read your post and confirm that my U65GT is also around 28k under Antutu 5. I admit that I got screwed and that I wouldn’t have bought this tablet if it wasn’t for this fraudulent benchmark. I also admit that it isn’t a bad tablet and I don’t know what to do with it… Return it? Or keeping it?
Keep it. It’s about as powerful as most others, really. I never said the tablet was bad — just the fraud they pulled to market it.
hello.
cube talk 9x is better or Teclast p98 Air??
The quality of the camera and Screen quality is important for me
its my question too
which one is better
teclast x98 , teclast p98 ,cube talk 9x ?
Hello, I’ve bought the cube talk9, and in general terms is a good tablet, but I think that wifi is short range.
Somebody has experience with this matter?
Thanks
I bought a Cube talk 9x. It’s a good tablet, and i couldn’t give a toss about Antutu, or whatever benchmarks, since ALL the big-name companies game their devices to give good results in these benchmarks. In my opinion, there simply isn’t a tablet out there to compare – value-wise. It is well made: Quick and fluid, with a good screen. It is easily rooted and the latest firmware really makes the tablet perform as it should. It can be had for £130 including shipping from China.
Buy one. You won’t be disappointed.
Hi there, I was actually about to order one till i read this blog and was seriously having second thoughts… but having read your comment, you are so right about other companies and names and reviews…. so will either get this one or the 4g LTE one.
One question, if order one from china, how much would the custome cost in UK and how do i pay the money?? never ordered a thing from outside the EU
I got mine from Deal1949, and paid for it via PayPal. Be careful though…Use the free shipping method – (don’t use the DHL option. You will be charged customs duty) It does take longer to arrive but there is no customs duty to pay. If you use DHL, it does come within a week, as opposed to 3 weeks using normal mail services. Customs duty is around 15-20 GBP for something of this value. The choice is yours…fast and more expensive – or slower and cheaper! Me? I prefer slow and cheap, being a tight bugger! lol.
Could you provide a link or message me a link of a good inexpensive website I could purchase this from. Thank you.
Here you go. http://www.1949deal.com/cube-u65gt-talk-9x-cube-talk-9x-mtk8392-octa-core-android-4-4-tablet-pc-2gb-ram-16gb-rom-9-7-inch-retina-ips-screen-wifi-gps-silver.html
?
which 4G LTE one are you referring to?
Mine ended up having a huge insensitive spot (not completely dead) on the middle part of the touch screen. It literally takes 10+ attempts to draw pattern to unlock device sometimes and impossible to play any games on it. It came this way out of the box and problem has been getting worsw recently. Anyone having this problem?
Great review ..factual ,unbiased and informative ..I wish there were more reviewers like you …but sad to say I just bought one , just before I discovered this review ….that, ll teach me …should have stuck to the old addage that if it sounds too good to be true , it probably is
I was annoyed when I ran the benchmark on it back in July 2014 and found it was around 27,000. Also the CPUs were only clocked at 1.7ghz not 2ghz as marketed. But I got over that pretty quickly as it was still the best value tablet available. It has a lovely screen and great battery life. The only game I play on it is Clash of Clans which runs perfectly well. Here we are in October 2017 and I’m still using it everyday. It was a great purchase despite the lies.
I have been so disapointed with this product 3 years ago… I have bought it from Ainol Novo and have been underwhelmed ever since. The screen was clearly poped from the frame from day 1. The battery was not near what was promised and it was constantly overheating. The reason I use past tense is because it recently died. It litterally won’t turn on. Worst buy of my life. Worst part is there is nothing I can do. It’s just money thrown away…The company won’t even reply to me.
I tried to warn everyone.