Bluboo S8 Review

Overview

At a first glance the Bluboo S8 does look like a Galaxy S8/S8+ copy-cat. When you have the device in your hands, it is clear that it is only the overall look that bears a resemblance. The device does not have a 3D curved glass on the front and back. It is thicker and heavier than the Galaxy S8 and the display has an HD+ resolution. However, if you ignore this, you will see a very affordable smartphone with generous screen estate that is pleasant to hold and looks good. In the following review, we will put our Bluboo S8 sample to the usual tests and see what it has to offer against its price of USD 150.

Specifications

Bluboo S8 is equipped with a 5.7-inch GFF laminated screen from Sharp. It employs an IPS panel with an HD+ resolution (720 x 1440 pixels) and 18:9 aspect ratio. According to the manufacturer, the display takes up 83% of the total front surface of the device. The model's performance relies on a 64-bit MediaTek MT6750T chipset built after the 28 nm. It includes four Cortex-A53 CPU cores clocked at 1.53GHz and another four of those but ticking at 1GHz. They are coupled with a dual-core 650MHz Mali-T860 MP2 GPU for handling the graphics. There are 3GB of single-channel LPDDR3 RAM on board, clocked at 833MHz. The 32GB of built-in memory can be expanded with up to 256GB. The dual camera module on the back combines a 13MP Sony IMX135 primary shooter with an f/2.0 lens, phase detection AF, and a dual-LED flash. The second rear snapper packs a 3MP sensor with fixed focus. The front-facing camera has a 5MP sensor, software interpolated to 8MP, an f/2.8 lens with fixed focus. The battery's capacity measures 3450 mAh and provides up to 36 hours of talk time. The model has a hybrid, dual Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM/microSD card tray and supports the following network bands: 2G GSM (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz), 3G WCDMA (850, 900, 2100 MHz), 4G FDD-LTE (800, 900, 1800, 2100, 2600 MHz). 4G speeds are Cat. 6 ones. The wireless connectivity options of Bluboo S8 include Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Wi-Fi Hotspot, Wi-Fi Direct, Cast display, and Bluetooth 4.0. The device works with GPS/A-GPS and is equipped with a USB Type-C 2.0 port with OTG support. Here's the full set of Bluboo S8 specifications.

What's in the box

Bluboo S8 is placed inside a black rectangular box with the brand and model name inscribed on the lid in gold-coloured letters. On the bottom of the box, there is information about the basic features and certifications of the device. The smartphone lies in the top level compartment packaged in a protective nylon. Under it, the following items are positioned:

• USB Type-C cable
• Charging adapter (EU plug)
• Type-C to 3.5 mm headphone adapter
• Transparent silicone case for the back
• Screen protector
• SIM tray pin
• Warranty card
• Quick guide in English