Cubot KingKong ES 3 specifications and in-depth review

Cubot KingKong ES 3

Manufacturer: Cubot

The Cubot KingKong ES 3 is a rugged Android smartphone built around durability and endurance. With an IP68 waterproof rating and a certified rugged build, it is designed to handle demanding environments while still offering a large 6.75-inch IPS LCD touchscreen with a 90Hz refresh rate and damage-resistant glass. Running Android 15, it comes with a respectable 256GB of internal storage and 6GB of RAM, and supports expandable memory via an external card slot.

Under the hood, the device runs on the Unisoc T615 chipset built on a 12nm process, paired with a Mali G57 GPU and an octa-core CPU configuration of 2 x 1.8 GHz and 6 x 1.6 GHz cores. The standout feature is its 10200 mAh battery with 33W fast charging support and an included charger. On the imaging side, it carries a dual rear camera setup headlined by a 48MP main sensor alongside a 2MP secondary lens, and a 16MP front-facing camera. Connectivity options include Bluetooth 5.0, NFC, GPS with Galileo support, Wi-Fi 5, dual SIM slots, and a USB Type-C port, though 5G is not supported.

Pros
  • IP68 waterproof rating with a 1.5-meter depth rating and a rugged build make it well-suited for use in harsh or wet conditions
  • The 10200 mAh battery with 33W fast charging and an included charger provides substantial endurance for extended use
  • 256GB of internal storage paired with an external memory slot offers considerable space with room to expand
  • NFC, dual SIM support, GPS with Galileo, and Bluetooth 5.0 cover a solid range of everyday connectivity needs
  • The rear camera system includes phase-detection autofocus, HDR mode, burst shooting, panoramas, and a range of manual controls including ISO, exposure, focus, and white balance
  • Runs Android 15 with a broad set of software features including split-screen, Picture-in-Picture, offline voice recognition, customizable notifications, and on-device machine learning
Cons
  • No 3.5mm headphone jack and no stereo speakers significantly limit wired and spatial audio options
  • The 720 x 1600 px resolution at 260 ppi on a 6.75-inch screen results in a relatively low pixel density for a display of that size
  • No optical image stabilization on the rear camera and no slow-motion video recording reduce versatility for video capture
  • 5G is not supported, restricting the device to LTE connectivity
  • No wireless charging or reverse wireless charging despite the large battery capacity
  • The device does not receive direct OS updates from the vendor, which may affect long-term software support
Who is this for?

This device is a strong fit for users who need a phone that can handle physically demanding environments, thanks to its IP68 waterproof rating, 1.5-meter depth resistance, and rugged build. Outdoor workers, hikers, or anyone regularly exposed to dust, moisture, or rough handling will find the reinforced construction practical. The 10200 mAh battery with 33W fast charging makes it well-suited for those who spend extended periods away from a power source and cannot afford frequent recharging. Users who value generous local storage and flexibility will also appreciate the 256GB internal capacity combined with an external memory slot, making it a reasonable daily driver for media storage, dual SIM usage, and general productivity tasks.

Who is this NOT for?

Users who prioritize display quality will likely find the 720 x 1600 px resolution at 260 ppi on a 6.75-inch panel insufficient for sharp image rendering, making it a poor choice for those who consume high-resolution content or rely on precise on-screen detail. The absence of a 3.5mm headphone jack, stereo speakers, and advanced Bluetooth codecs such as LDAC or aptX means the device is not well-suited for audiophiles or users who depend on high-quality audio output. Additionally, those who require fast mobile data connectivity will be limited by the lack of 5G support, and users expecting smooth long-term software support may be deterred by the absence of direct OS updates from the vendor.

Design:

water resistance Waterproof
weight 352 g
thickness 15.3 mm
width 83.7 mm
height 177.4 mm
volume 227.180214 cm³
Ingress Protection (IP) rating IP68
waterproof depth rating 1.5 m
has a rugged build
can be folded

The Cubot KingKong ES 3 is built with a rugged construction and carries an IP68 ingress protection rating, allowing it to withstand submersion in water up to 1.5 meters deep. It is not a folding device, and its physical dimensions come in at 177.4 mm tall, 83.7 mm wide, and 15.3 mm thick, with a total volume of approximately 227.18 cm³. The phone weighs 352 g, which reflects its hardened, durable build.

Display:

Display type LCD, IPS
screen size 6.75"
pixel density 260 ppi
resolution 720 x 1600 px
refresh rate 90Hz
has branded damage-resistant glass
supports HDR10
supports HDR10+
Always-On Display
supports Dolby Vision
Has a secondary screen
has a touch screen

The Cubot KingKong ES 3 features a 6.75-inch IPS LCD touchscreen with a resolution of 720 x 1600 px and a pixel density of 260 ppi, offering a reasonably sized viewing area for everyday use. The display runs at a 90Hz refresh rate and is protected by branded damage-resistant glass. It does not support HDR10, HDR10+, or Dolby Vision, and there is no Always-On Display mode or secondary screen present.

Performance:

internal storage 256GB
RAM 6GB
Chipset (SoC) name Unisoc T615
GPU name Mali G57
CPU speed 2 x 1.8 & 6 x 1.6 GHz
Geekbench 6 result (multi) 1461
Geekbench 6 result (single) 437
Geekbench 5 result (multi) 1350
Geekbench 5 result (single) 357
GPU clock speed 850 MHz
Has integrated LTE
RAM speed 1866 MHz
semiconductor size 12 nm
Supports 64-bit
Has integrated graphics
OpenGL version 3.2
OpenGL ES version 3.2
Uses big.LITTLE technology
CPU threads 8 threads
Has TrustZone
OpenCL version 2
eMMC version 5.1
maximum memory amount 12GB
uses multithreading
GPU execution units 2
Thermal Design Power (TDP) 10W
DDR memory version 4
shading units 64
L3 cache 1 MB

The Cubot KingKong ES 3 is powered by the Unisoc T615 chipset, built on a 12nm process with an octa-core CPU configuration running at 2 x 1.8 GHz and 6 x 1.6 GHz across 8 threads, utilizing big.LITTLE technology and multithreading support. It comes with 6GB of DDR4 RAM running at 1866 MHz and 256GB of eMMC 5.1 internal storage, with a maximum supported memory of 12GB. Graphics are handled by the Mali G57 GPU clocked at 850 MHz with 2 execution units and 64 shading units, supporting OpenGL 3.2, OpenGL ES 3.2, and OpenCL 2, alongside integrated graphics. The chipset supports 64-bit processing, integrated LTE, and ARM TrustZone security, and carries a thermal design power of 10W. Geekbench 6 scores stand at 437 single-core and 1461 multi-core, while Geekbench 5 results are 357 single-core and 1350 multi-core, with an L3 cache of 1 MB.

Cameras:

megapixels (main camera) 48 & 2 MP
Has a dual-lens (or multi-lens) main camera
megapixels (front camera) 16MP
has built-in optical image stabilization
Has a dual-tone LED flash
number of flash LEDs 1
has a BSI sensor
has a CMOS sensor
has continuous autofocus when recording movies
Has phase-detection autofocus for photos
supports slow-motion video recording
has a built-in HDR mode
has manual exposure
has a flash
optical zoom 0x
has manual ISO
has a serial shot mode
has manual focus
has a front camera
Has laser autofocus
Shoots 360° panorama
has manual white balance
shoots raw
has touch autofocus
has manual shutter speed
can create panoramas in-camera
Has timelapse function
Has a front-facing LED flash
has a dual-lens (or multi-lens) front camera
supports HDR10 recording
supports Dolby Vision recording
has a front-facing camera under the display
Has a RGB LED flash
has 3D photo/video recording capabilities

The Cubot KingKong ES 3 features a dual-lens rear camera system with a 48MP main sensor and a 2MP secondary lens, both using a CMOS sensor without back-side illumination. Autofocus options include phase-detection autofocus for photos and continuous autofocus during video recording, while touch autofocus is also supported; laser autofocus is not present. Manual controls cover exposure, ISO, focus, and white balance, though manual shutter speed is not available. The rear camera supports HDR mode, burst shooting, and in-camera panoramas, but does not offer optical zoom, slow-motion video, timelapse, RAW capture, HDR10 recording, Dolby Vision recording, or 3D photo and video capabilities. A single LED flash is included on the rear, with no dual-tone or RGB flash. On the front, there is a 16MP single-lens camera without a dedicated flash, and it is not positioned under the display.

Operating system:

Android version Android 15
has clipboard warnings
has location privacy options
has camera/microphone privacy options
has Mail Privacy Protection
has theme customization
can block app tracking
blocks cross-site tracking
has on-device machine learning
has notification permissions
has media picker
Can play games while they download
has dark mode
has Wi-Fi password sharing
has battery health check
has an extra dim mode
has focus modes
has dynamic theming
can offload apps
Has customizable notifications
has Live Text
has full-page screenshots
supports split screen
gets direct OS updates
has PiP
Can be used as a PC
Has sharing intents
has a child lock
Supports widgets
Is free and open source
Has offline voice recognition
has voice commands
Tracks the current position of a mobile device
is a multi-user system
has Quick Start

The Cubot KingKong ES 3 runs Android 15, an open-source platform that supports multi-user access, on-device machine learning, offline voice recognition, and voice commands. On the privacy front, it includes clipboard warnings, location privacy options, camera and microphone access controls, and the ability to block app tracking, though Mail Privacy Protection and cross-site tracking blocking are not available. The interface supports dark mode, dynamic theming, theme customization, widgets, and an extra dim mode, while focus modes and Wi-Fi password sharing are absent. Productivity features include split-screen multitasking, Picture-in-Picture, full-page screenshots, a media picker, sharing intents, customizable notifications, app offloading, Live Text, and the ability to play games while they are still downloading. Additional utilities such as a child lock, battery health check, and phone position tracking are also present. Direct OS updates from the vendor are not supported, and the device cannot be used as a PC nor does it offer Quick Start functionality.

Battery:

battery power 10200 mAh
has wireless charging
Supports fast charging
charging speed 33W
has reverse wireless charging
comes with a charger
has a removable battery
has a battery level indicator
has a rechargeable battery

The Cubot KingKong ES 3 is equipped with a 10200 mAh rechargeable battery that supports 33W fast charging, and a charger is included in the box. A battery level indicator is present for monitoring charge status. The battery is not removable, and neither wireless charging nor reverse wireless charging is supported.

Audio:

has a socket for a 3.5 mm audio jack
has stereo speakers
has aptX
has LDAC
has aptX HD
has aptX Adaptive
has aptX Lossless
Has a radio

The Cubot KingKong ES 3 has a notably limited audio feature set. It does not include a 3.5mm headphone jack or stereo speakers, and there is no built-in radio. On the wireless audio side, none of the advanced Bluetooth codec standards are supported, meaning aptX, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive, aptX Lossless, and LDAC are all absent.

Connectivity & Features:

has 5G support
Wi-Fi version Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n), Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac)
SIM cards 2 SIM
Bluetooth version 5
has an external memory slot
Has USB Type-C
has NFC
download speed 300 MBits/s
upload speed 150 MBits/s
Has a fingerprint scanner
has emergency SOS via satellite
has crash detection
is DLNA-certified
has a gyroscope
supports ANT+
Has a heart rate monitor
has GPS
has a compass
supports Wi-Fi
Has an infrared sensor
has an accelerometer
has a cellular module
Has a barometer
has an HDMI output
Uses 3D facial recognition
Has an iris scanner
Stylus included
supports Galileo
Has motion tracking
Has optical tracking
Has a built-in projector

The Cubot KingKong ES 3 supports dual SIM cards and includes a cellular module with download speeds of up to 300 MBits/s and upload speeds of up to 150 MBits/s, though 5G is not supported. Wireless connectivity covers Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n) and Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) as well as Bluetooth 5.0 and NFC, while DLNA certification and ANT+ are absent. The device features a USB Type-C port and an external memory slot for storage expansion, but there is no HDMI output. For navigation, GPS, Galileo, a compass, and an accelerometer are all present, while a gyroscope, barometer, infrared sensor, and heart rate monitor are not included. Security is handled by a fingerprint scanner, with no 3D facial recognition or iris scanner on board. Motion tracking, optical tracking, crash detection, emergency SOS via satellite, and a built-in projector are likewise not featured, and no stylus is included.

Miscellaneous:

has a video light
Has sapphire glass display
Has a curved display
Has an e-paper display

The Cubot KingKong ES 3 includes a video light for use during video recording. The display is flat rather than curved, and it does not feature sapphire glass or an e-paper panel.

Final Verdict

The Cubot KingKong ES 3 is a rugged smartphone that makes a clear case for users whose priority is durability and endurance over display refinement or cutting-edge connectivity. Its IP68 certification, hardened build, and 10200 mAh battery with 33W fast charging form a dependable core for demanding everyday use, and the combination of 256GB storage, expandable memory, NFC, and Android 15 rounds out a functional feature set. That said, the HD-only display, limited audio output options, absence of 5G, and lack of vendor-direct OS updates mean it is not positioned for users who expect a well-rounded multimedia or future-proof experience. For those who need a phone that can withstand harsh conditions and last through long days without a charger, the KingKong ES 3 delivers on its core promise — but users with broader expectations from a modern smartphone will find meaningful gaps.

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