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Blackview Tab 18 12″ Android Tablet Review

Dustin Abbott

March 29th, 2024

I’ve made it a habit to schedule tablet reviews around the time that I’m traveling, as it gives me a chance to leave my go-to tablet (an iPad Pro 11″) at home and see how the new device works as a replacement. I’ve recently done that with the Blackview Tab 18, a new 12″ Android 13 tablet. It probably bears more similarities to the Doogee T30 Pro that I reviewed in 2023 than to my Apple product, so I’ll draw some comparisons to the T30 Pro as a part of this review. Overall I came away impressed with some of the key details of this budget (under $300 USD) tablet that does most of the important things very well. Most importantly is the excellent performance of the screen and speakers, an area where the Blackview Tab 18 sets itself apart from some of the other budget tablets that I have reviewed. You can find out more in my thorough video review here.

Screen Performance

The Blackview Tab 18 sports an 12″ 2.4K (1200 x 2000 pixels) IPS panel that is nice and bright. Blackview touts an 86.6% screen-to-body ratio, meaning the bezel surrounding the screen is nice and thin.

The tablet measures 277mm (10.9″) x 173mm (right under 6.8″), making it larger than Doogee T30 Pro, which is 10” in height (254mm) x 6.5” in width (165mm). The T30 has an 85% screen-to-body size, so the Tab 18 also maximizes the screen size relative to the tablet a little better (86.6%). My iPad Pro 11” has a different screen ratio, with a height of 9.74” (247.6 mm) and width of 7.02” (178.5 mm). I like the dimensions of the Tab 18 better for media viewing, but prefer the iPad’s dimensions for general purpose use. 

The depth of the Tab 18 is 7.9mm, making it very slightly thicker than the T30 Pro (7.6mm), but more noticeably thicker than my iPad Pro, which is just 5.9mm. The Tab 18 is also the heaviest of three tablets at 632g (T30 is 543g | iPad Pro 473g), though, to be fair, it is slightly larger than them as well. When you account for that, the Doogee and Blackview tablets are near identical in their size to weight ratio, though the iPad is clearly the winner in that regard. The iPad Pro is noticeably thinner than the Tab 18.

Obviously the minute difference between the Doogee T30 Pro and the Tab 18 wouldn’t be noticeable.

I do like the wider ratio for one other thing, however, and that is when putting two programs side by side in split view or in the optional PC mode that the tablet offers (basically the ability to have “windows” that can be resized to whatever dimensions you like). I also liked the the fact that the operating system will use local dimming to make the active window (in this case, my Word text document) brighter than the inactive window, helping you to remember which you are actively working in.

I used this while on my trip to prepare for a leadership mentoring class I’m teaching at the church I pastor.

On paper, the Doogee T30 Pro has a higher resolution (1600 x 2560), but I actually preferred the display on the Tab 18. While both screens have a rated 350 nits of peak brightness, the screen on the Tab 18 had a better viewing angle with less tendency to look dark if you were slightly off angle, making the tablet much better for sharing the view between two people (like when watching media).

I typically spend time every morning reading the news and studying my Bible app, and I find that the bottom or top of the screen (depending on the tilt) looks darker than the other due to the viewing angle on the Doogee T30 Pro, but the Tab 18 was closer to my iPad Pro in performance here and I immediately noticed the difference when I used it in my morning routine or watched something with my wife on it in the evening.

There is plenty of brightness for any viewing situation, and I found that I always had brightness at the 50% threshold or less, though as is common with tablet screens, the very reflective surface means that if you have a bright light source behind you (like a window), you will get a lot of reflections on the screen. Glossy screens look great in optimal conditions, but I often wonder if a more matte finish wouldn’t be more versatile. It is also a magnet for fingerprints and smudges, but that’s true of every tablet screen I’ve ever used.

One interesting option is the ability to engage reading mode. This turns the screen black and white and makes for an excellent reading tablet. You can see that the text is impressively crisp and the long perspective of the tablet in vertical mode (it is a 5:3 aspect ratio) makes for a nicely book-like experience.

I’m still partial to a dedicated e-reader because of the less reflective screen and near-eternal battery life, but if you want one device to do it all, here’s another score for the Tab 18. It also has TÜV SÜD blue light certification, meaning that the screen will be easier on the eyes and less disruptive to sleep cycles, which is a welcome feature. 

On the more negative front, I have yet to find an Android tablet where the adaptive brightness works as well as on iPad.  There is a sensor for it on the front of the screen, but I do find that it tends to result in a too-low brightness level.  As with other Android tablets, I end up disabling it and just doing manual adjustments to brightness as need (which frankly doesn’t feel very often).

The Tab 18 really thrives as a media viewing device, as the screen is very crisp, has great color, and also has Widevine L1 Support. 

What does that mean?  Technically, Widevine L1 is the highest degree of DRM protection achievable in a media device, meaning that video decryption and processing take place entirely within the Trusted Execution Environment in the device. 

Who cares about that, right?  

But where that pays off for you is that Widevine L1-certified devices can play videos at the best resolution possible from streaming services, meaning that your movies and shows will look great.  I found good color balance when viewing the screen critically.

The wide aspect ratio makes for a very effective portable media screen, and it is here where the Tab 18 makes the most of its 12″ screen. Side by side, it can’t match the detail of my 3x more expensive iPad, but I think that most people will be pleased with how this screen looks and performs.

Audio Performance 

To this point, none of the Android tablets have come anywhere close to matching the excellent sound quality of my iPad Pro. It’s quad speakers are immersive, have a surprisingly full range of sound, and can achieve impressive volume without falling apart. The Blackview Tab 18 is the first inexpensive tablet that has come close to matching it. This is one area where the Doogee tablets have disappointed, with very tinny sound and an artificial amount of reverb designed to create presence where it is lacking.

None of that is true here. I wasn’t expecting much after my previous experiences, though I did have a minor bit of hope based on the fact that Harman had lent their name to the audio design here. They are a very serious audio company, and they have come through with an impressive performance here on both the hardware (quad speakers) and software (Harman AudioEFX 2.0) side. The Harman AudioEFX 2.0 comes with multiple sound enhancement modes and I did find that cycling through the audio options made a difference. Switching to Movie mode allowed for a little more volume and a slightly wider soundstage (Game mode was just a bit “wider”). Music mode feels a little less processed and doesn’t add unnecessary reverb. There is a Smart mode that will choose the appropriate audio mode, but I actually found that manually choosing the correct mode produced slightly better results.

The T30 Pro just sounds tinny next to the Blackview Tab 18, so I did more side by side comparisons with my iPad Pro. I listened to music and movie clips one after the other, and I was hard pressed to say which I preferred. At first I would have said “iPad”, but choosing the correct processing mode closed that gap. I think the iPad may have ever-so-slightly better bass, but it’s so close that I wasn’t 100% sure even side by side. The Tab 18 was very close to matching the presence and spatial separation of the iPad, which vastly exceeded my expectations.

I was equally impressed to find that the Tab 18 could match the peak volume level of the iPad for movies or music, which is impressive. Neither the Tab 18 or the iPad fell apart at peak volume, which shows that in both cases the manufacturers have done a good job of limiting the peak volume to what the hardware can handle. There’s enough sound here to fill most normal sized rooms

My only complaint is that Blackview has followed the current trend where they have eliminated the 3.5mm headphone jack, leaving you to rely on Bluetooth or a USB-C to 3.5mm adapter.

The audio performance is WAY better than any other budget tablet that I’ve reviewed or used.

Connectivity

Here we come to an area where Apple is, frankly, terrible, and where these Android based tablets shine.  It’s astonishing that after all this time Apple is getting away with charging massive amounts for additional storage.  An iPad Pro 11” like mine starts at $799 for a Wi-Fi only configuration and 128GB of internal storage.  Want more storage?  The price jumps to $899 to get to the 256GB internal media point, and $999 to get 512GB.  Want wireless mobility?  Add another $200 to those prices.  Want to add more storage after the fact?  Fuggedaboudit. 

The Tab 18 comes with 256GB of internal storage, but you can easily expand that to as much as 1TB via microSD.   It’s not hard to get a 1TB card for under $100, so there’s a very clear advantage for the Tab 18 over Apple products.  That’s not to mention that it also has dual SIM, though they are limited to 4G/LTE rather than the 5G available on iPad.  Note that the microSD for storage will occupy one of those slots, but you can otherwise run two different networks at the same time.  Still, an equivalent iPad will cost you about $800 more.  That’s probably the most compelling argument for the Tab 18 right there; it is a huge value.

Further connectivity comes via 4 different satellite positioning options, including GPS, GALILEO, BeiDo, and GLONASS.  Wireless specs include 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, and hotspot, which is fast and stable, though I did find that it didn’t clock as fast of speeds as my iPad.  Still fast enough to not really notice the difference.

Charging and communication comes via a USB-C port.  You can attach other accessories like a mouse via the USB-C port or create a direct connection to a PC. 

There’s one area where I prefer the Doogee T30 Pro, and that’s in the connection to the optional keyboard. The T30 has electronic contacts on the side (like my iPad), which allow for a direct connection that can transfer both power and data directly.  With this kind of the connection the keyboard (like iPad) will run off the battery of the T30 Pro, meaning that the keyboard does not require a separate power source.  It doesn’t have to be independently charged, so you will never go to use it and find that the keyboard battery is dead. This also eliminates any possibility of Bluetooth lag.

The keyboard for the Tab 18 connects via Bluetooth and has an independent battery (charges via USB-C). Keyboards like this use very little power, so thus far I have not had to recharge it. Bluetooth lag is fortunately very minimal, so that hasn’t been a serious issue. I do like the keyboard case, as it magneically locks into a good viewing and won’t fall over (an area where the included case is weak). You can even lift up the tablet and the keyboard will stay locked in the right place.

The keyboard can be had for just $39.99, so it represents a huge value compared to my $280 USD Magic Keyboard for my iPad. I’m actually thankful that this keyboard (unlike the Doogee) foregoes the touchpad, as I actually found that as my palms brushed it (while typing) it would move the curser around and mess me up. I actually covered it after a while because it could not be disabled. The Blackview keyboard does have variety of controls (volume, brightness, audio controls, etc…), and directional controls.  It is not backlit like the Magic Keyboard, but it does have excellent typing action, reminding me a lot of the ribbon action of the Magic Keyboard.  The keys are nicely responsive, the spacing is good, and it is comfortable to type on. 

The kickstand integration on the Doogee keyboard was terrible, so the magnetic integration here is a breath of fresh air.

Blackview also sells an active, touch capacitive “pen”/stylus for about $46 (again, a fraction of the price of the Apple counterpart).  It works in a similar fashion to the Apple “pencil” that I’ve used in the past, allowing you to draw, write, or interact with the screen in various apps.  It is simple to charge via the USB-C port hidden on the side. It does magnetically dock to the side of the tablet, which is an improvement over the Doogee equivalent.

The Blackview Tab 18 allows you to build the full ecosystem of modern tablet use (keyboard, active pen) for less than $100 of additional money. The total for all three (including the tablet) was juts $365 USD…only slightly more than just the Magic Keyboard alone for my iPad!!

Processor Performance

The hardware side of things is pretty typical for an Android tablet of this class. It seems that most of them have pretty much the same specs. It comes bundled with Blackview’s own version Android 13 (called DokeOS_P 4.0), and it is overall snappy performer.  It is running a MT8781 (Helio G99) OctaCore processor (2 Cortex-A76 and 6 Cortex-A55 processors) with the cores running at 2.2GHz and 2GHz respectively.  It is a 6nm processor, pointing to solid efficiency and performance. Where the Tab 18 exceeds previous Android tablets I’ve tested is that there is the option for up to 24GB RAM (as in the Tab 18 I’m testing), with 12GB DDR4X natively + Up to 12GB Extended (virtual) RAM that can be set up in the dashboard.  I obviously accustomed to working on and using what is one of the most powerful tablets currently available in my iPad, and I found that I didn’t notice any real slowdown that stood out to me. Apps open quickly, and using my normal apps feels virtually identical to my iPad Pro, though I do find some apps a little more glitchy on Android.

I’m not a big tablet gamer, but I did test a number of games, including Call of Duty, Oceanhorn, and Angry Birds 2.  Call of Duty allowed me to run things at high resolution and without any lag issues.  Colors were nice and bright on other games, and the screen touch was responsive for gaming input.

More importantly for me, I was able to run office and productivity apps without issue.  Video streaming programs ran excellent.  There seems to be plenty of power under the hood to do whatever I wanted to do here. 

My one complaint here is that booting the Tab 18 up from fully powered down takes longer than what I would like.

Battery Life

One of the very best features here is the huge 8800mAh Battery (slightly bigger than on the T30).  Battery life is great, and I found that in a few select instances where I was doing something I regularly do on my iPad, there was a bit more power remaining than I typically see afterward. Both the included cover and the keyboard covers are “smart”, so you can just close the cover to power down the screen. 

Charging comes at a maximum of 33W (the T30 Pro maxes out at 18W), allowing you to fairly quickly replenish the battery (though, as is often the case, I was sent the wrong spec AC adapter for North America). Fortunately I have a lot of charging options already available, and I found that charging was fairly pain-free.

I was able to do everything I wanted in any particular day with power to spare.

Cameras and Videoconferencing

It’s a little ironic to me, but I found two things to be true about the Blackview approach to cameras. Doogee is very big on the marketing of their cameras both in the brand and the resolution. By contrast, Blackview makes less of a big deal about the cameras but actually delivers better results. The main (back) camera is a 16MP model supported by a small LED flash. 

There is also an 8MP front camera.  I found that the main camera did a fairly good job and didn’t have the oversharpened look so common to Android tablets.

As a professional photographer who owns a number of high end cameras, I’m certainly not going to be relying on the camera in a tablet for my photo needs, so I didn’t use it much. I can quickly see the limitations in this type of camera performance, but relative to other tablets, it was pretty decent.

I’m more concerned with the front camera and its performance for Zoom or other videoconference apps. Videoconferencing, fortunately, works very well.  Unlike iPad, the front facing camera is located mid-screen, which works better for being able to make eye contact with whomever you are talking to.  I’ve used Zoom, Google Meets, etc… and even some proprietary conferences with corporations, and all has worked well.  I could hear and see them well, and vice versa, even when just using the standard mic and speakers built into the Tab 18.

Build and Design

The Tab 18 sports a very nice aluminum chassis with three color choices:  Gray, Mint Green, and Ice Blue.  I’ve got the tamest color choice (Grey), that has a nice, clean, modern design. 

There’s a nice feeling bevel to the back design with a very light texture, though I still wouldn’t want to try to hang onto this without a case very much.

It comes with a glass screen protector installed (excellent!) along with a spare (also excellent!) It is one of the rare recent tablets/phones that I’ve reviewed that came with a bundled set of wired headphones (with a USB-C plug instead of a 3.5mm). The AC adapter along with a USB-C to C cord was also included. Rounding out the package is the smart cover (which keeps everything nice and slim and giving you easy “awake” features). 

As alluded to earlier, I was less than impressed by the smart case’s ability stay upright. There is a single groove that you can tuck into in either direction (laptop style or folding it into a support at the back), but the slightest bump knocks it out of the groove and the tablet with collapse. I would have loved to see a magnetic implementation similar to the keyboard case instead. The accessory market for a tablet like this isn’t as robust as for Apple products, but fortunately it does come bundled with a lot of things one might want. There are a few alternate cases available already on Amazon, so I may try one of those out in the future.

Also included is the little tool to allow you to access the Nano-SIM slots or to install a micro-SD card.  I didn’t test the mobile capacity of the tablet, as Canada is (unfortunately) quite primitive when it comes to reasonable mobile plans whether talking phones or tablets).

Security features include a fingerprint reader (which doubles as the power button) and face recognition. Both work quite well for this level of tablet, making getting into your device nice and quick.

Conclusion

I’ve reviewed a number of tablets at this point, and owned many others, and I can safely say that the Blackview Tab 18 is my favorite budget tablet to date. It really delivers in some key areas, including screen and sound performance, battery life, and a great size. And the price, of course, is fantastic. You get more screen area and more RAM than equivalent priced tablets, and it was the 12″ screen that made me say “yes” to doing this review when I’ve said “no” to many others. This is my first experience with Blackview, but I’m impressed enough that I hope it won’t be the last.

Purchase the Blackview Tab 18 from Blackview Store or from AliExpress: (use code E4KH6X for a $5 discount from March 28th – April 7th, 2024).

Want to support this channel? Use these affiliate links to shop at: B&H Photo | Amazon | Adorama | Camera Canada | Amazon Canada | Amazon UK | Ebay | Make a donation via Paypal

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Keywords:  Blackview, Tab 18, Blackview Tab 18, Blackview Tab 18 Review, Tab 18 review, Blackview Review, 12″, Doogee T30 Pro Review, Tablet, Dustin Abbott, Hands On, Productive, Media, Battery Live, Android, Android 13, iPad, iPad Pro, 11″, Let the Light In, Widevine L1, 33W, #letthelightin, #dustinabbott, #DA, #reviews, #Technology

DISCLAIMER: This article and description contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a small commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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Yaber K2S 4K Smart Projector with 7000+Apps Review

Dustin Abbott

September 28th, 2023

I’m a pastor, a teacher, a photographer, a musician, and businessman.  That means that I’ve had a lifetime full of presentations in churches, boardrooms, rented venues, and even arenas…and most of the time there is a projector involved.  I’ve used dozens of them along the way, and I’m always interested in the concept of a projector for photographers in being able to showcase their work to clients on the spot to drive more sales.  The Yaber K2S Pro does work fine for that (I used it in a wedding reception as a part of my review), but, after spending a month with it, I feel like the primary application is more as a very flexible media machine.  This is a smart projector with Android TV built right into it, and it works exceptionally as a streaming device that just happens to being to project up to a 200″ screen size.

Here’s a quick rundown of the standout features:

  • Dolby Audio800 ANSI Lumens
  • 10W*2 JBL Speaker
  • Lower Noise＜28db
  • Auto Focus & Auto Keystone Correction
  • Android TV Netfix/Prime Video 7000+app
  • HDMI CEC,HDMI ARC
  • NFC Screencast
  • Bluetooth & WiFi 6 Support 5G+2.4G
  • Alexa Voice control

Purchase at Amazon https://amzn.to/3rtxygH (use code USDUSTIN for 5% off + $200 coupon) or Amazon Canada https://amzn.to/48JU0mP (use code CADUSTIN for 5% off + $120 coupon)

For my full findings, check out the video review here:

 

 

Purchase at Amazon https://amzn.to/3rtxygH (use code USDUSTIN for 5% off + $200 coupon) or Amazon Canada https://amzn.to/48JU0mP (use code CADUSTIN for 5% off + $120 coupon)

 

Want to support this channel? Use these affiliate links to shop at: B&H Photo | Amazon | Adorama | Camera Canada | Amazon Canada | Amazon UK | Ebay | Make a donation via Paypal

Buy DA Merchandise https://bit.ly/TWIMerch

 

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Keywords: Yaber, K2S, K2, K2S Pro, Projector, Yaber K2S Review, Yaber K2 Review, Smart Projector, Android, Alexa, NFC, Bluetooth, Review, Demonstration, Outdoor Movie, Apps, Google Play, Airplay, letthelightin, DA, #letthelightin, #action, Coupon, Discount

DISCLAIMER: This article and description contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a small commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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Doogee R10 Rugged Tablet Review

Dustin Abbott

September 25th, 2023

A few months ago I reviewed a different kind of tablet from Doogee – the T30 Pro.  I came away generally impressed from my time with the T30 Pro, finding it an amazing value relative to the performance of the tablet.  But when I unboxed the newest tablet from Doogee – the R10 – I immediately thought that this was a perfect product for Doogee.  Their reputation has been built on designing and producing rugged phones that can be dropped, immersed, and generally abused while still continuing to function, and Doogee has brought that same philosophy to the tablet space with the Doogee R10 rugged tablet.

It’s a high powered Android 13 tablet that also manages to have military grade ratings for toughness, being immersed, or being used in extreme environments…all for under $300 (even less if you use this link and coupon code bNK6SM2YA for 7% off).  For my full findings, check out the video review here:

 

Here’s a breakdown of my notes after using it for an extended period:

Build and Handling

  • IP69K (Ingress Protection) – 6 dust – highest ratio | 9K water resistance – can be immersed for long periods at higher pressures and temperatures
  • Corning Gorilla Glass 5 – survives up to 1.2-meter, waist-high drops onto hard, rough surfaces.
  • Tradeoff – thicker and heavier than most tablets. 5mm (6mm wider than T30) and weighs 826g (about 280g heavier)
  • Good tablet to let kids play on?

Screen Performance

  • 4” 2K display (2000×1200)
  • 84% screen to body ratio
  • 340 nit brightness (231PPI) – slightly lower specs than T30 Pro
  • 16.7m colors
  • Same issue with viewing angle – screen looks great viewed straight on, but dims when viewed at angles – like when laid flat.
  • Adaptive backlighting doesn’t work great.
  • TUV SUD Blue light certification
  • Widevine L1 Support – screen looks very good for watching movies
  • Quad Hi-Res speakers – good, but not iPad Pro good
  • Can be touched when wet or wearing gloves…but water droplets can cause inadvertent touches, so you need to clean it.

Connectivity

  • WiFi 6 (finally close to iPad performance)
  • 5 Different GPS Systems – important for use out of doors.
  • Dual 4G LTE – run two SIMs
  • Bluetooth
  • Headphone jack

Other Specs

  • Helio G99 OctaCore Processor (2x 2.2Ghz Cortex A76 and 6x 2Ghz A55)
  • 6nm Processor
  • 8 + 7GB RAM
  • 128GB Storage + Expandable to 2TB via microSD
  • 10800mAh Battery – amazing battery life. – 3000mAh more than my iPad 
  • 18W fast charging + OTG reverse charging
  • Cameras 20MP Sony + Samsung 16MP – cameras only okay but the front facing camera in the proper position.

 

Purchase the Doogee T30 Pro @ Doogee Mall (get $30 off)  | Amazon  (use code bNK6SM2YA for 7% off) | Amazon Canada  | Amazon UK 

 

Want to support this channel? Use these affiliate links to shop at: B&H Photo | Amazon | Adorama | Camera Canada | Amazon Canada | Amazon UK | Ebay | Make a donation via Paypal

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Keywords: Doogee, Doogee R10, Doogee R10 Review, Doogee Review, Review, Rugged, R10, R10 Pro Review, Tablet, Dustin Abbott, Hands On, Productive, Media, Battery Live, Android, Android 13, Waterproof, Dropproof, Let the Light In, #letthelightin, #dustinabbott, #DA, #reviews, #Photography, Coupon, Discount

DISCLAIMER: This article and description contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a small commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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Doogee T30 Pro 11″ Tablet Review

Dustin Abbott

July 31st, 2023

I’m currently traveling out of country and have only brought the T30 along its keyboard and “pencil” (to use Apple language) for my media and work use.  So yes, that means that this whole review will be written from the Doogee T30.  For context, my typical tablet is the most recent iPad Pro 11” and the matching Magic Keyboard.  Before that I used another iPad 9.7” and high end matching Brydge keyboard.  This is my personal tablet experience for the past 7 years, and I recognize that this isn’t necessarily a fair comparison, as the Magic Keyboard for my iPad Pro costs $30 less than the whole Doogee T30 Pro…and at the moment Doogee is giving you the keyboard I’m typing on in a bundle with the tablet for free…at only $299 USD!

So yes, the comparison is not fair, and while the T30 Pro doesn’t measure up in every way, the thing that amazes me is how well the T30 holds up after using it pretty much identically like my iPad over the past six weeks.  I’ll hit more of the details below, but my surprising conclusion is that I could live with the T30 as my tablet…and that’s a huge win for such an inexpensive device.

 

Screen Performance

The Doogee T30 Pro sports an 11″ 2.5K display that is nice and bright.  The tablet dimensions are a little different than my iPad.  I measure the T30 Pro as being 10” in height (254mm) x 6.5” in width (165mm) with roughly 9.25 x 5.75” being screen (85%, making the bezel fairly small but not quite iPad Pro small), whereas my iPad Pro 11” has a height of 9.74” (247.6 mm), width of 7.02” (178.5 mm).  The depth of the T30 Pro is 7.6mm and it weighs 543 grams, making it slightly thicker and heavier than my iPad Pro (5.9 mm and 473 kg).  This is something that Apple does exceptionally well, obviously, though I will say that the T30 still felt thin and light.

Both of them achieve an 11” screen, but have slightly different ways of going about it.  Typical 2.5K resolution is 2560 x 1440, but the T30 is a little higher at 2560 x 1600.  The iPad Pro 11 has a resolution of 2388 x 1668, meaning that the T30 Pro is slightly exceeding its resolution level.  

Other core screen statistics are also good, with 350nits of peak brightness, 374ppi, and 16 million colors in the spectrum.  Bottom line, the screen looks great….when you are at a good viewing angle.

Further helping the screen for media viewing is that the T30 Pro has Widevine L1 Support. 

What does that mean?  Technically, Widevine L1 is the highest degree of DRM protection achievable in a media device, meaning that video decryption and processing take place entirely within the Trusted Execution Environment in the device. 

Who cares about that, right?  

But where that pays off for you is that Widevine L1-certified devices can play videos at the best resolution possible from streaming services, meaning that your movies and shows will look great.  I found good color balance when viewing the screen critically.

I do have three minor critiques on the screen performance, however.  The first is that the viewing angle is far more limited than my iPad.  I typically spend time every morning reading the news and studying my Bible app, and I find that the bottom or top of the screen (depending on the tilt) looks darker than the other due to the viewing angle issue.

I also have found that the adaptive brightness doesn’t work as well as on iPad.  There is a sensor for it on the front of the screen, but I do find that it tends to result in a too-low brightness level.  I’ve done more manual screen brightness adjustment during my time with the S30 Pro.

The final critique is more of a general one.  The materials on this screen, like many others, are far too reflective.  That makes using the T30 Pro outside often difficult, or if I’m in a room with a window behind me.

One final positive on the screen performance.  The T30 Pro has TÜV SÜD blue light certification, meaning that the screen will be easier on the eyes and less disruptive to sleep cycles, which is a welcome feature. 

The screen is one of the most important aspects of any tablet, and by and large Doogee is delivering a premium product at a discount price.  I think that most people will be pleased with how this screen looks and performs.

Audio Performance 

According to Doogee, the T30 Pro conforms to High-Resolution Audio standards defined by the Japan Audio Association.  It sports quad speakers, two per side, but this is one area where it doesn’t really compete with the iPad Pro.  It really lacks low end performance by comparison, and I also didn’t feel like the spatial separation was as good.  The current iPad Pro models are surprisingly good at providing a wide sound stage for either music or video content.  The T30 Pro sounds tinny by comparison, and the spatial separation isn’t nearly as wide.  Both the Doogee T30 Pro and S100 that I’m currently reviewing sound like they are pumping additional reverb to create the impression of presence.

You’ll be better served by connecting speakers or headphones via either Bluetooth or the 3.5mm headphone jack on the bottom of the tablet.

Connectivity

Here we come to an area where Apple is, frankly, terrible, and where the Doogee T30 Pro shines.  It’s astonishing that after all this time Apple is getting away with charging massive amounts for additional storage.  An iPad Pro 11” like mine starts at $799 for a Wi-Fi only configuration and 128GB of internal storage.  Want more storage?  The price jumps to $899 to get to the 256GB internal media point, and $999 to get 512GB.  Want wireless mobility?  Add another $200 to those prices.  Want to add more storage after the fact?  Fuggedaboudit. 

The T30 Pro comes with 256GB of internal storage, but you can easily expand that to as much as 2TB via microSD.   It’s not hard to get a 1TB card for under $100, so there’s a very clear advantage for the T30 Pro here.  That’s not to mention that it also has dual SIM, though they are limited to 4G/LTE rather than the 5G available on iPad.  Note that the microSD for storage will occupy one of those slots, but you can otherwise run two different networks at the same time.  Still, an equivalent iPad will cost you about $800 more.  That’s probably the most compelling argument for the T30 Pro right there; it is a huge value.

Further connectivity comes via 4 different satellite positioning options, including GPS, GALILEO, BeiDo, and GLONASS.  Wireless specs include 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, and hotspot, which is fast and stable, though I did find that it didn’t clock as fast of speeds as my iPad.  Still fast enough to not really notice the difference.

Charging and communication comes via a USB-C port.  You can attach other accessories like a mouse via the USB-C port or create a direct connection to a PC.  In another big win for the T30 Pro, it also has electronic contacts where the tablet can easily dock into the keyboard case and transfer both power and data directly.  With this kind of the connection the keyboard (like iPad) will run off the battery of the T30 Pro, meaning that the keyboard does not require a separate power source.  It doesn’t have to be independently charged, so you will never go to use it and find that the keyboard battery is dead. 

Since the keyboard can be bundled in for free right now, let’s talk about it for a moment.  It is very similar in function to my very expensive Magic Keyboard in some ways, but not others.  It has a touchpad, a wide variety of controls (volume, brightness, audio controls, etc…), and directional controls.  It is not backlit like the Magic Keyboard.  The best thing about the keyboard?  The typing action is excellent, reminding me a lot of the ribbon action of the Magic Keyboard.  The keys are nicely responsive, the spacing is good, and it is comfortable to type on.  My least favorite aspect of the Brydge keyboard I had for my previous iPad was that there was some Bluetooth lag between the keystrikes and the on-screen response, but there is no such issue here.  This is a very nice keyboard to type on. 

The worst thing about it?  The kickstand integration isn’t great at all, so unless you lean something against it, expect it to fall on you a number of times during an extended work session.  It’s even worse if you are resting it on a slick surface, as it will slowly slide out from the vibrations of keystrikes until it collapses.  You are better with a rougher surface underneath.  My last few keyboards have had a hinge, and I really miss that here.  If you can steady the screen in a good position, however, the keyboard works great…particularly when you consider you can bundle it for free.  The normal price on the keyboard is just $55 USD – a great bargain already!

Doogee also sells an active, touch capacitive “pen”/stylus for about $40 (again, a fraction of the price of the Apple counterpart).  It works in a similar fashion to the Apple “pencil” that I’ve used in the past, allowing you to draw, write, or interact with the screen in various apps.  It is simple to charge via the USB-C port hidden by the “eraser” on the end of it that does work in that capacity while drawing. 

I didn’t use the stylus a lot, but in my limited use it seemed to work fine.  My only real complaint is that there hasn’t been any real thought given to storing it.  It doesn’t magnetically dock like the current iPad design, but neither the keyboard case or standard bundled cover for the T30 include a slot for storing it either.  That’s one area of recommendation from me:  think about where people are going to put the stylus when they aren’t using it!

Processor Performance

The Doogee T30 Pro comes bundled with Android 13, and it is overall snappy performer.  It is running a MT8781 (Helio G99) OctaCore processor (2 Cortex-A75 and 6 Cortex-A55 processors) with the cores running at 2.2GHz.  It is a 6nm processor, pointing to solid efficiency and performance.  We’ve also got the potential for up to 15GB RAM ( 8GB DDR4X natively + Up to 7GB Extended (virtual) RAM that can be set up in the dashboard.  I obviously accustomed to working on and using what is one of the most powerful tablets currently available, and I didn’t really notice a difference when using the Doogee.  Apps open quickly, and using my normal apps feels virtually identical to my iPad Pro.

I’m not a big tablet gamer, but I did test a number of games, including Call of Duty, Oceanhorn, and Angry Birds 2.  Call of Duty allowed me to run things at high resolution and without any lag issues.  Colors were nice and bright on other games, and the screen touch was responsive for gaming input.

More importantly for me, I was able to run office and productivity apps without issue.  Video streaming programs ran excellent.  There seems to be plenty of power under the hood to do whatever I wanted to do here. 

Battery Life

One of the very best features here is the huge 8580mAh Battery.  Battery life is great.  After 5 days of my typical, moderate use (morning browsing, some media) I showed 32% battery life left. That was without powering the tablet down at all, but just leaving it on standby in between.  Both the included cover and the keyboard covers are “smart”, so you can just close the cover to power down the screen. 

Today was a very long travel day (13+ hours), and the tablet has had heavy use, including browsing, games, productivity, and working on this article.  At the moment it still shows 48% battery life.  The battery life is really great, and if your needs include productivity or office type work, this makes sense as a notebook replacement, and you would never see this kind of battery life on a notebook.

Cameras and Videoconferencing

The main camera is a Sony® 20MP lens supported by a small camera for depth along with a small LED flash.  There is also an 8MP front camera.  The camera is nothing special, delivering decent detail and color.  I did find that the HDR mode delivered slightly better results, including better corner results for some reason:

There’s also a macro mode that does allow you to get nice and close, but this is flawed by the fact that the resolution drops to just 2MP, so it isn’t all that useful.

I’ve done deep dives into the photo performance of Doogee phones and video in the past, and as per usual there is a bit of oversharpening in the both photos and video to make everything look crisp, but it is heavy-handed for my tastes.   This is not a big priority for me, as I don’t use the cameras on my tablets for anything but video conferencing.

Videoconferencing, fortunately, works very well.  Unlike iPad, the front facing camera is located mid-screen, which works better for being able to make eye contact with whomever you are talking to.  I’ve used Zoom, Google Meets, etc… and even some proprietary conferences with corporations, and all has worked well.  I could hear and see them well, and vice versa, even when just using the standard mic and speakers built into the T30 Pro.

Build and Design

The T30 Pro sports a very nice aluminum chassis with three color choices:  Space Gray, Mint Green, and Ice Blue.  I’ve got the tamest color choice (Space Grey), that has a nice, clean, modern design.  I particularly like the texture variation along the back on the right side that gives you more grip while holding the bare tablet.  It did come with a screen protector bundled with it for more protection (the first thing I always add to my phones or tablets!)  Also bundled is the smart cover (which keeps everything nice and slim and giving you easy “awake” features).  There’s also a scaled down stylus included in the package.

The included charging brick will allow for 18W of fast charging, though unfortunately I received a European spec rather than North American charger, so I wasn’t able to use the bundled charger.  I have a lot of ways to charge it, fortunately, and a full charge can be done in about two hours.  I like the on-screen representation when charging starts and the tablet is sucking electrons. 

Also included is the little tool to allow you to access the Nano-SIM slots or to install a micro-SD card.  I didn’t test the mobile capacity of the tablet, as Canada is (unfortunately) quite primitive when it comes to reasonable mobile plans whether talking phones or tablets).

The accessory market for a tablet like this isn’t as robust as for Apple products, but fortunately it does come bundled with a lot of things one might want.

Conclusion

As stated in the beginning, my most revealing takeaway after my time with the Doogee T30 Pro tablet is that I could absolutely live with it as my tablet.  If cost were no object, I would still choose my current iPad 11” Pro, but the reality is that one could have roughly 4 T30 Pro tablets for the price of my one iPad configuration, which makes the T30 Pro an amazing value.  This isn’t a cheap tablet; it is an inexpensive premium tablet with the performance and battery life to back it up.

There are hints here and there that this isn’t quite at iPad level, but its how few and far between those moments come that are the revelation here.  If you are on a tight budget and are looking for a very productive tablet, then look no further than the Doogee T30 Pro.  It becomes an effective notebook replacement when bundled with the keyboard, and for about $300 USD, this is a lot of tablet!

 

Purchase the Doogee T30 Pro @ Doogee Mall (get free keyboard!) | Amazon (use code DGT30PRO for 10% off) | Amazon Canada | or Amazon UK

 

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Keywords:  Doogee, Doogee T30, Doogee T30 Pro Review, Doogee Review, Review, Pro, T30, T30 Pro Review, Tablet, Dustin Abbott, Hands On, Productive, Media, Battery Live, Android, Android 13, iPad, iPad Pro, 11″, Let the Light In, Burst, Action, #letthelightin, #dustinabbott, #DA, #reviews, #Photography

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August WS150 and WS300 WiFi Multiroom Speakers Review

Dustin Abbott

November 19th, 2016

More than Just Bluetooth

I got my introduction to Bluetooth speakers a few years back with a Bose SoundLink. I followed that with a Sony SRS- X5, and after I got a reputation as a reviewer I’ve reviewed and used a number of Bluetooth speakers from a variety of brands. As many of you know, however, my main focus as a reviewing is on photography related equipment, so I’m not necessarily always on the cutting edge of what is happening in the sound technology field. I’ve reviewed several August products before, and I’ve been impressed by their ability to deliver good build and sound at a much lower price point than their mainstream brand competitors. When August contacted me about their most recent product line, I was initially nonplussed about the concept because I couldn’t see the logic of employing Wi-Fi as the connectivity instead of Bluetooth. I noted that the list price for the August WS150 and WS300 speakers were considerably more expensive than previous August products that I have reviewed. Hmmm…

I did some quick research before agreeing and saw that, indeed, multi-room wireless systems were the new thing. I also discovered that such systems are not inexpensive: the typical speakers ranged from $250 to north of $600. What was it about these systems that make them worth such a higher price point?

I didn’t take me long to figure out what made these type of speakers special. I’ve been using Bluetooth speakers for years, so I evaluated them first in the ways familiar to me. They can be connected through Bluetooth, NFC, Apple Airplay, and they have an AUX jack for those non-wireless audio sources (which I’m always happy to see). Beyond this the WS300 adds a nice perk of being able to have a USB flash drive plugged into the back for a local source of music and the WS150 does something similar in an appropriately compact fashion by allowing a Micro SD card to be slotted into the back. A lot of music options even before you get to the new tech!

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Sound Quality

The first thing I did was quickly sync up first the WS300 and then the WS150 via Bluetooth to several devices. This was instructive in that I was able to evaluate the sound quality of each speaker in the traditional fashion. Speaking of which, let’s pause a moment and take a look (or a listen).

WS300

I look at the WS300 as a direct competitor to the Sony X5 that I own or the Bose SoundLink that I’ve used. The August is the largest of the trio, however. Here are the raw specs on it:

Output Power: 15W
Frequency Response: 60Hz ~ 20kHz
SNR: ≥85dB
Battery Play Time: 14 Hours

Product Dimensions: 25.6 x 8 x 13.5 cm and the weight is about 1.28kg/2.8 pounds. It is essentially rectangular in shape, embracing a classic look that eschews curves for a retro stylistic rectangular shape. The sides of the speakers are essentially speaker grill mesh, with a very nice soft touch material for the top and bottom. Both speakers have almost imperceptible rubber “feet” underneath (six of them) that shield the speaker from bumps, provides grip, but most importantly do a great job of isolating the speaker from vibrations and from them creating sympathetic vibrations in whatever surface they are placed on. The top section is flat but has large marked sections that can be depressed – these are the “buttons”. They are easy to find and respond well. The look works in person.  Controls are very easy to use on either model.  They are etched into the soft touch material all along the top and respond crisply to presses.  I’ve found this to be a nice feature when using them near the sink while shaving.  I don’t feel bad about reaching over with a wet hand to advance the track or control the volume whereas I might with more traditional buttons.

The WS300 is a speaker designed more for putting on a shelf (mine has found a spot on the mantle) and filling a room with sound than one designed for portability. If you want portability, then the WS150 is your better choice, but more on that in a moment. The WS300 embraces being pushed right up to its limit, and doesn’t flinch with the volume from my iPhone or iPad set to maximum. It comes alive in the latter third of my volume range, filling the room with a surprisingly amount of sonically rich sound.

I would have sworn that the Sony I’ve been using as a benchmark was slightly louder and had a bit more bass (it is a 20W unit with a subwoofer along with dual passive radiators that is rated down to 50hz). On paper it should have more volume and a stronger low end), but when I put them head to head I discovered that size does matter. That slightly larger, deeper cabinet for the WS300 pays dividends in the sound quality department.

The Sony SRS-X5 has a different profile. It is a bit taller, not quite as wide, and definitely less deep. The specs are 5.1 x 22.4 x 12.2 cm and 1.2 Kg. Think of it as being more tall and thin and less rectangular. I’ve always been impressed by the quantity and quality of sound that it could put out…

Until now.

I was so surprised by the difference in sound head to head that I had to bring several others into the room to verify what I was hearing. The August WS300 not only put out louder sound but also delivered clearly superior sound. More nuanced, brighter, and richer. It brought out more details in the music and handled its dynamics with more pizzaz.

Since the WS300 is using less power (which helps it to achieve a much longer battery life of 14 hours to the Sony’s 8), I can only conclude that the superior sound is due to the quality of the speakers and the design of the cabinet. Whatever makes the magic, consider me impressed. I give the WS300 high marks for sound quality.

 

WS150

The WS150 is a much smaller, more portable speaker. It clearly has a very different purpose, and is designed appropriately. Here’s a look at it’s specs:

Output Power: 10W
Frequency Response: 60Hz ~ 20kHz 
SNR: ≥75dB 
Battery Play Time: 22 Hours

Product Dimensions: 18 x 5.6 x 6.9 cm and weighs only 430 grams (right under a pound). It has a similar shape and profile to the WS300, save in a miniaturized version. It’s about 7 inches long, and is definitely very portable. It has an even more impressive battery life and is able to go up to 22 hours before needing a charge. I’ve been using both of these speakers for weeks for a half hour or so each morning during my morning devotions and didn’t need to charge them until I forgot to turn them off and came back to them being drained. Word to the wise – these have a great standby time in Bluetooth mode, but leaving them on in WiFi mode will drain the battery.

The sound quality from the smaller speaker is obviously not quite at the level of its big brother, but was a surprisingly strong competitor to my Sony. The Sony had a stronger low end, but the WS150 had arguably a brighter, more balanced sound. At its limits the WS150 is a bit less confident than the WS300, which feels like it still has plenty in the tank when at max volume. Still, the WS150 pushes out a rather excellent amount of sound for its compact size.

Both speakers are easy to operate, with a lot of appropriate feedback noises that helps you identify pairing and other operation modes. This includes voice feedback for when you are connecting/setting up Wi-Fi modes. I have only one complaint about the switches on the speakers, and that is that the On/OFF switches on the backs of them both could be both easier to find by touch and a little more precise in operation. I feel like I need to pick up the speaker and look at the switch and almost use a fingernail to catch the switch. The switch is a bit better on the WS150 than the WS300.

The Next Dimension of Connectivity

But it was when I ventured beyond the familiar that I discovered the best part of the new August Multiroom speakers. There are a couple of ways to set up the Wi-Fi on the WS speakers. Both require grabbing the free August ALink app from either the Apple App Store or Google Play. Once on your device, you can put the speaker into WPS mode, where it will activate Wi-Fi and start to look for a signal. You have two options here: 1) to access the infrastructure Wi-Fi network that your phone or tablet is connected to or 2) to create an ad-hoc (direct) connection to the speaker’s Wi-Fi. It can take a couple of minutes for everything to sync up, but once you have it setup, picking everything back up is pretty simple. I had a few hiccups getting everything set up the first time, but after that point everything has worked as it should. Open the app, turn on the speaker (no particular order), and the two will be talking within a few seconds and a voice will say, “Wi-Fi Connected”.

This is where the multi-room concept comes into play, as it allows you to not be directly tethered to the speaker in the way that Bluetooth/NFC requires. You can be in another room and continue to control the speaker. Beyond that, through the app you can access the memory stick in the WS300 and have full control over what music you want playing (without the app connection the speaker will just pickup playback on the memory device from the last track played – which seems to be the way the Micro-SD card playback on the WS150 works). The cool thing is that once you start playing your music you can pretty much forget about it. Even if the phone is no longer connected your local music on the speaker will keep playing. You can either reconnect the phone and app to turn it off or just physically turn the speaker off.

Because of the Wi-Fi connection you can also get your music from the cloud. The August ALink app supports a number of popular streaming services and you can stream playlists and stations from Tidal, Spotify, TuneIn and iHeart Radio directly through Wi-Fi. There are five other streaming music services you can access, including TTPOD, Douban FM, XIMALAYA, QINGTING FM, and QQMusic. I’m not familiar with some of these, but I’m sure that many of you are. You can also stream music from your musical library on your device (but this music must be local [on your device], so something like Apple Music won’t work…at least for now). You can also stream music from your PC and/or Media Hub. Suffice it to say you have a LOT of options for sharing music. This is the upside of the Wi-Fi connectivity on the music front. Even better news: once you get the app or media hub playing, you don’t have to keep your phone connected. You can just let it play.

The multi-room concept is furthered by the fact that you can connect up to 4 WS speakers at the same time. You can set them up in different rooms throughout the house, and each speaker can be independently controlled through the app, including the individual volume levels. But it gets better: you also have the option to put the speakers in sync and then assign whether they play L+R, Right, or Left channels. Even if you are streaming the music off a memory stick or SD Card in one of them the speakers will sync up and something really special happens then.

As good as one of these speakers sounds independently, they sound infinitely better paired in stereo. Play around with the placement of two or more speakers in a room, put them in the appropriate Left/Ride modes, and you will be blown away by how immersive the sound becomes. It sounds fantastic, and the software does an incredible job of perfectly syncing the sound. There can be a split second when things are out of sync as a new track begins, but the synchronization is always right on afte that. When spacing the speaker appropriately it is like listening to a really fantastic set of stereo headphones. Your music comes alive, and the portability of the speakers makes it easy to create a really special listening space. As always, if you place the speakers near a surface that the sound can bounce off of you can enhance the low end and the volume.

I personally found the app fairly well designed and intuitive for coming from a smaller independent company. I was able to find pretty much everything that I wanted there, though I will offer up a couple of suggestions for improvement. 1) It would be nice to incorporate a highly visible battery life indicator into the app. When you are connected via Wi-Fi you lose the little battery life indicator at the top of the IOS screen that you get when you have a Bluetooth connection. 2) I would like to see a better sorting system for local music via USB/SD. If you have a fair bit of music there is a lot of scrolling involved. Finally, I don’t know if it is possible for August to access the lock screen of an iDevice, but it would be very nice to be able to pause/play without opening the phone/tablet and accessing the app directly.

There’s not much in the box other than the speaker and a charge cable. The charge cable has a standard USB end and a micro USB end for where it slots into the back of the speaker to charge. No AC adapter is provided, but fortunately it seems like most everything is coming with USB charge ports on it. You can always borrow your phone or tablet AC adapter, or, if you have none of these options, you can find an AC adapter for USB devices at the dollar store. When completely dead charge time is listed at 8 hours, though I’ve never seen that long a charge period myself

How Much?

Bottom line is that while the August WS150 and WS300 are cheaper than most of the major brands, these still aren’t cheap. The WS150 runs about $120 here in Canada, with the WS300 surprisingly only a few dollars more. There are frequently deals on Amazon when buying more than one (right now you can get 20% off). On Amazon.com the WS150 runs $99.95 and the WS300 runs $119.95. Look for deals there, too.

In Canada:  WS150 | WS300

USA:  WS150 | WS300

Check out the August International website for more info and linkage to purchase in other countries.

 

In Summation

These are pretty cool speakers. I’m most impressed with the bigger WS300, but that’s because I have a number of Bluetooth speakers that are portable already, and I really like the room filling sound from the big brother. It suits what I need more. While the speakers are good independently, they become really special when used in stereo mode. Even the slightly mismatched WS300 and WS150 sound fabulous together in this mode. There is a tremendous amount of options for how to get your music to the speakers, enough so that I think just about any user should be satisfied. While the price is a little higher than the budget minded might want to pay, there is a lot more value here in the versatility of the speaker over the typical Bluetooth only speaker, and this makes sense if you want sound in more than one room, in stereo, or if you don’t want to be tethered to it like your typical Bluetooth speaker. Any time you involve Wi-Fi you also involve a few potential tech issues (and I note that some user reviews focus on this), but I found the initial minor issues I had quickly solvable and everything has been working as it should since. But I also get tech, so what is easily solvable for me might be a little less so for those that are less “techy”. Those that are intimidated by technology might want to look for a more conventional solution instead.

If you are looking for great, multi-room sound, I think you will be very satisfied with what you get from the WS150 and WS300 wireless speakers from August. They work well from both an audio and technology perspective. The fact that you can save a fair bit of money compared to the bigger brands is just icing on the cake.

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DISCLAIMER: This article and description contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a small commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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August EP636 Bluetooth NFC Headphones Review

Dustin Abbott

April 13th, 2016

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Style and Sound on a Budget

Design:

The moment I pulled the EP636s out my whole family (from age 8 to 42) instantly wanted a pair. My nearly-teenage daughter announced that she was going to win the contest for the giveaway of the second pair (might be a conflict of interest there, Sweetheart!) They are very sleek and modern looking, and the satin metallic finish on my test pair (in a rich burgundy color) looks really great. The fit and finish (at least while new) is very attractive and belies the price point. Besides the red they also come in black, silver, and white.

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On the right side there is nice four way rocker/play button center that will be instantly familiar to anyone who has ever used a remote for a TV or media device…or an early generation iPod. In this case the center button is the play/pause/power/receive/end call multipurpose button while the rockers in the up/down positions control volume. Rockers to the left and right allow you to go back or forward in tracks as you would expect. There is a slight lag when depressing the pause/play button before the appropriate response registers on my iDevices. Volume changes didn’t seem to have the same lag.  I really like this interface because its familiarity means that you when you are reaching for it by touch alone (which is most of the time), it is easy to find what you’re looking for by tactile response.

The EP636s do include a call function and microphone, which is always a welcome addition. I could hear people calling me very clearly, and heard no complaints from those to whom I was speaking. I read some user complaints about this function, so your mileage may vary.  The microphone is the tiny dot next to the charge port here.

One thing I noted in my review of the August MS515 stereo Bluetooth speakers is that I found the Bluetooth range very, very good. I had few cutouts of signal even at slightly further extremes than most of my other Bluetooth devices. I was very happy to find the same true of these EP636s. The sound didn’t start cutting out until long after the point I expected it to. This has a very important application to me that I will address in a moment. Another nice Bluetooth bonus is that the battery level does show up on either my iPhone or iPad next to the Bluetooth icon at the top of the screen. I’ve found this inclusion to be hit and miss with the various devices that I’ve reviewed or owned.

Power Indicator

Here are the raw specs from August:

Bluetooth Specification: Bluetooth v 4.0 + NFC

Operating Range: Up to 10m

Frequency Response: 80Hz – 20KHz

DSP: CVC6.0 Noise and Echo reduction

Speaker Output: 20mW

SNR: ≥90dB

Distortion: ≤1.0%

Battery: 195 mAh Built-in Li-ion Battery

Working Time: 14 hours

Charging Time: 2.5 hours

Standby Time: 480 hours

Charge port: Micro USB

Weight: 4.5oz

Dimensions: 165.7 x 161.5 x 50mm

There are few ingredients in the box: the phones themselves, a small User Manual, and the Micro USB charge cord. I’m very happy to see the Micro USB charging port as opposed to some proprietary port; it seems like everything not made by Apple has gone to that standard. You are more likely to have a Micro USB cord around should you happen to forget to bring a charge cord along. The 14 hour battery life and 480 hour standby time certainly helps with that!

I have a smallish head, so I have found the Augusts to be a nice fit. Tight enough to be secure but not uncomfortable. The padding isn’t as soft as the sheepskin covers on my Senal SMH-1200 studio monitors (they are awesome!), but I’ve worn them for hours at a time without my ears getting sore. If you have a larger head, however, that may not be the case. There is a fair amount of adjustment in length but the pressure might be more uncomfortable if you have a larger head. Bear that in mind if purchasing.

At 4.5oz/135g they are very lightweight and you certainly won’t find them a burden to wear even while exercising (see more on this in the Sport section below).

One final nice touch is that these headphones also support NFC, so if you have a device that supports NFC (an Android phone or tablet, for example), a tap while in pairing mode is all it takes to establish communication.

Sound Observations:

The EP636 definitely pack a punch. They pump out far more bass than I expected, thick, strong, and with a lot of kick. They also have a LOT of volume. Through my iPhone 6 turning the volume a third of the way up was as loud as I’d be interested in playing them when listening to music. The same was true when using an iPod Nano. The quality is very warm and surprisingly analog. For some musical styles they sounded fantastic, but I didn’t like the sound quality as much with other styles of music. The tone curve is a little strong in the 80-125Hz range (perhaps to make up for the lack of bass response below 80hz), which accounts for the warmth but also for a sound that can be a little “thick” with some musical styles. There is also a little less high clarity than what I might like, but that’s also part of what creates the nice, warm sound. To use a musical analogy, I sometimes felt like the sound lacked dynamics. To be fair, however, my typical studio monitor headphones (Senal SMH 1200) that I use primarily for my video edits and sometimes for music cost 5+ times as much. For the price these phones have a great sound and I was actually surprised to hear that the low end only went down to 80Hz as the bass response is so rich.

When moving to video I found a lot of similar truths. The excellent volume and bass response makes for a lot of kick. Comparing the EP636 to my benchmark Senals revealed that the Senals had more liveliness in the high end that resulted in a bit more clarity in the sound effects and thus a slightly more engaging soundstage. The August phones needed far less gain to achieve similar volume (a third less), had a bit more kick, and of course were more convenient because of having no cord to mess with.

Bluetooth headphones always have a bit of lag, and this can be a real issue when watching video content as the brain can only tolerate a certain amount of disconnect between the movement of the lips and the sound before it becomes distracting/annoying. I watched carefully for this lag issue, and, while it does exist, the lag is small enough that everything seemed natural to me when I wasn’t concentrating on it.

Sports Performance:

I’ve been on a bit of journey searching for a good pair of Bluetooth buds for running, cycling, and cross country skiing. I’ve gone through at least three pair in the past year and haven’t been really satisfied with any of them. The current pair I have are jLab Epics. There are things I like about the Epics, but I’m not at all happy with them for running or skiing. At first I found the connecting cord flopped around and the battery/control hub would get caught on a collar or even my hair. I devised a way to tighten them up a bit, but it wasn’t perfect. The bigger issue was that if I slipped either my iPhone or (preferably) my Nano into a pocket (pants or jacket) I have a huge issue with the sound cutting out when I’m moving fast. In an out, in and out. Annoying! To solve the problem, I’ve got to hold the device in my hand, and even then I sometimes have the issue. I don’t WANT to hold the device in my hand, though. As your hand begins to sweat (because you are holding something) you increase the chances of the expensive phone or media player slipping out of your hand.

I hadn’t considered a banded pair of headphones because I assumed they would be either bulky or prone to bouncing around. But when I saw how sleek the EP636 were and how tightly they fit I decided to give them a test run. If nothing else, I was convinced that they would receive the signal more consistently.

I was right. I think I may have found my new running headphones.

Over the course of my run I did not lose signal once despite having the Nano slipped down in the pocket of my jogging pants. Furthermore, the headphones did not slip or move at all over the course of my run, and when I saw some friends along the route it was refreshing to be able to just slip the headband off and around my neck while I said a quick hello and equally easy to pull them back up in place while in motion afterward. I’ve always had an issue with earbuds slowly jarring out a bit as I run whether the buds were wired or wireless. You begin to realize that the volume in one ear or another is slowly fading because the bud is no longer firmly seated in the ear canal. It was nice to have consistent sound throughout the whole run, and I found the firm bass response great for running music. I enjoyed my running playlist more than ever before. My one question for exercise will be how the ear covers hold up over the long haul dealing with sweat. I worked up a sweat today despite the 45 degree weather; I suspect that summer may bring a bit more, ahem, moisture into the equation. I wiped them down and all is well, but we’ll see how they hold up over long term (ab)use. Sweat can be a killer to headphones, and these aren’t specifically designed for sports use. Considering how good these are for sports, however, it might be in August’s interest to design a sports version.

Price and Conclusion:

I’ve saved perhaps the best for last: the August EP636 Bluetooth headphones are a true value. Here is Canada they retail for $39.95, while in the US the price tag is only only $29.95. That is a LOT of value for the money, and I really feel like these headphones are checking a lot of the right boxes for that kind of price point. They aren’t perfect, but they do pack a lot of punch in both their sound and options. The EP636 come with a one year warranty, which does give a bit of peace of mind. I’ve found them to be quite versatile and easy to use, and the fact that they function so well for sports means that I’ll be wearing this pair out. I’ve used a lot of headphones over the years, but I like these as well or more than any I’ve previously used.

And, in the meantime, I’ve got a pair to give away to a lucky winner. Check out how to enter the competition here:
August EP636 Bluetooth Headphones Giveaway

Pros:

  • Great price, great value
  • Stylish and functional look
  • Strong bass response
  • A lot of volume
  • Ticks a lot of technology boxes, from NFC to hands free calling
  • Good battery life
  • Strong Bluetooth signal
  • Micro USB charge port
  • Lag within acceptable tolerances
  • Secure fit for running or sports

Cons:

  • Soundstage lacks a bit of clarity
  • Users with larger heads may find them a little tight over long periods
  • Chief complaint from users is that their ears start to hurt after extended use (I didn’t notice this)
  • Some users report poor mic quality for phones (no one complained on my own calls)

DISCLAIMER: This article and description contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a small commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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Lume Cube 1500 Lumen Bluetooth Light Review

Dustin Abbott

March 14th, 2016

The Wonder Cube – Lume Cube

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Photography is about light.  We strive to capture light – the play of light and shadow and the color created through light.  And when the natural light doesn’t cooperate, we try to shape the light through reflectors, strobes, and man-made sources of light.  The latter gets complicated, though.  Many photographers are overwhelmed by the additional complexities of using strobes (speedlights, flash units, etc…), not to mention the expense of the strobes themselves, wireless triggers, and control units.  It can all add up very quickly.  A second challenge is space – sometimes the challenge is getting light into a spot where there isn’t much room for light stands or the lights themselves.  But what if you could have a LOT of light from a tiny, tiny source that could be put just about anywhere…even under water?  Welcome to the Lume Cube – the coolest light I’ve ever met!

I encourage you to interactively experience the Lume Cube via my video review here:

One of my friends over at B&H Photo mentioned the Lume Cube to me in an email as something worth looking at.  When I saw the amount of light output from a wireless, rechargeable source (equivalent to my LED worklight that I use when doing renovations!) I was immediately intrigued.  I asked that one be sent to me for review.  Until the day that it arrived I fully expected to receive something roughly the size of my worklight (logical, right?).

Creativity Unlocked!

I was truly shocked when I opened the little box and discovered a 1.5″ inch (35mm) cube that easily fit in the palm of my hand.  That’s when I really started getting excited, because I realized that compact size (and incredibly portability) would open up a whole new world of possibilities…and it has.  Take, for example, this shot of a steaming cup of tea.

I wanted to use light to enhance the steam rising off the mug.  I also wanted the glass mug to be illuminated from the back and some spill light on the bubble wrap I was using to to create a bokeh backdrop.  This would have challenging use traditional lighting source, but not with the Lume Cube.  I simply dropped it behind the mug firing up.  The light caught the rising steam, illuminated the amber color of the tea, and bounced back to illuminate my backdrop.  The only light source here outside of the available light was one Lume Cube.  Very cool!

Or how about illuminating bubbles in a bathtub from underneath?  The Lume Cube is waterproof down to 100 feet, so not only is it a very cool light source to bring along with snorkeling or scuba diving, it also means that you can put a fixed light source where you want…even if that spot happens to be underwater!

The fact that you can control the amount of light output remotely via Bluetooth means that even if it is under water you still have complete creative control over the light output from the Lume Cube.  I’ve also found a lot of use for a powerful, controllable source of light for quick projects, like, for example, shooting macro shots of jewellery.  This would be a tremendous asset to a wedding photographer.  I shot the following shots using the Lume Cube as the sole source of light and either an iPhone or iPad’s screen as the reflective surface – very easy for the wedding photographer to have along!

One other way that I’ve found the Lume Cube useful is by placing it facing the camera when shooting product shots that I’m lighting from another source.  It could provide starring or a flare effect to replace that of the sun.  By the way, it is color balanced at a daylight temperature of 6000 Kelvin, which means that it is very easy to set your white balance in your camera and get consistently great color with it.  Or, as I’ve done here, you can play with the color temperature to get a cinematic look.

I’ve also used it as a light on the background to increase the bokeh or bring out the background.  The fact that it is so small makes it easy to hide!

By the way, it also works perfectly satisfactorily as a light source for portraits.  I threw one Lume Cube in a softbox and got the following portrait result:

I know that I haven’t even begun to scratch the surface of the creative ways that such a small, versatile light source can be used.  I look forward to exploring various projects using the light from the Lume Cube in the future.  I have ordered a couple of them for my own use.  I also plan to bring them along for fill light when I shoot outdoor video.  A couple of them would create enough light to lift the shadows on my subject a bit and create more separation from the background.  The small size combined with the fact that the Lume Cube has a standard tripod mount on the bottom means that it is very easy to use with something like a Joby Gorillapod to attach it to trees, railings, or something else handy to position the light where you want.

Build Quality

The build quality on the little Lume Cube is exceptional.  It has a rugged metal housing that is clearly designed to take a beating.  It feels dense and very well constructed.  There is a little port on the back that can be unscrewed with a coin or screwdriver that provides access to charging port.  The robust port cover is to assure the Lume Cube remains waterproof.  Be sure to firmly tighten it after charging.

Inside is a now highly standardized mini-USB port.  A charge cable (but not an AC adapter) is provided (with a standard sized USB plug on the other end).  The Lume Cube will completely recharge in about 90 minutes.  It should be noted that connecting to the Lume Cube via the app gives you an exact readout on the remaining battery life.

On that note, let’s talk about the app.  There is a free version for both IOS and Android that will allow you to remotely control two Lume Cubes simultaneously, and a Pro Version of the app ($3.99) that allows you to control up to 5 of them independently.  Pairing is quite simple, though you should be aware that you will need to have the serial number of each cube (found either on the back of the packaging or in the included quick start guide booklet).  After that the syncing process is very quick – just press the right button on the Lume Cube to enable Bluetooth and open the app.  If you do phone photography, the Lume Cubes will automatically sync with your phone’s camera to provide strobe flash for it.  You can also control the output of each Lume Cube for fixed lighting, too, and you can smoothly ramp the power up and down while getting feedback on what percentage the light is at.  The app itself is pretty limited in functionality, however, and this is the one area where users are mostly likely to be critical.  Here’s hoping there will be added functionality in the future.

Beyond this there are actually two buttons built into the Lume Cube to control output.

The left button is the video mode (fixed lighting) mode, and pressing it will cycle through ten brightness settings.  The right button (flash) will turn off the video mode, but also enables other tricks.  Pressing it once will turn on Bluetooth to enable syncing.  Holding it down for three seconds unlocks yet another trick; it enables an optical sensor and the Lume Cube becomes a slave flash that will sync with your camera for stills photography up to 1/8000th second (you will need to have a main flash [like the onboard flash] to trigger it).  The Lume Cube has a significant amount of light output, so this could come in hand to provide some off camera flash for more flattering results.  The Lume Cube has a lot of tricks up its tiny sleeves!

Downsides?

You can probably tell that I’m pretty excited by this little cube.  My criticisms are far less passionate than my praise, but here’s a few minor gripes.  At maximum power the battery life isn’t incredible.  Expect about 30 minutes of light output.  That figure jumps to 1 hour at 90% and 2 hours plus at 50% output, though, and even longer at lower levels.  The upside here is that the Lume Cube is already very bright at 50%.

The Lumecube is designed with heat sinks in its metal casing, so most of the time I didn’t notice heat issues.  When I put it in a soft box for a while at maximum output, however, I did notice that the metal housing was uncomfortably (not quite painfully) hot to the touch.  If you have it in a tight space at high output for a while you might want to handle with care.

The final potential objection some buyers might have is the price.  It is $79.99 at B&H Photo, though you save $10 if you buy a pair of them ($149.99).  They can also be bought as a four pack and there are already a variety of accessories for them (some designed for use with a GoPro) here.  These are a great companion to a GoPro because of their compact nature. Beside the black model I’ve reviewed they can also be had in gunmetal grey and silver finishes.  The small size of them might make them seem more expensive, but the reality is that there is a LOT of tech packed into that small package.  It is perhaps the portability of them that most makes them worth the money!

Conclusion

I have no problem giving the Lume Cube a ringing endorsement.  The value of such a small yet powerful source of light is obvious, and the robust, waterproof build only ups the ante more.  I’ve already had a blast using the Lume Cube, and know that I’ll have even more fun with two of them.  I feel like the creative uses of the light is limitless.  Some things are just cool, and the Lume Cube is one of them.  If you’ve got a photographer on your shopping list, buy them one of these and watch their face light up.  And if you are buying for yourself, prepare to have some fun capturing the light that the Lume Cube produces!

Gear Used:

Canon EOS 6D DSLR Camera (Body Only)
Tamron SP 45mm f/1.8 Di VC USD (in Canada) (Use code AMPLIS52016DA to get 5% off)
Tamron SP 45mm f/1.8 Di VC USD (USA and World)
In Canada: Tamron SP 90mm f/2.8 Di VC USD Macro Lens here. (use code AMPLIS52016DA to get 5% off)
In the USA and World: Tamron SP 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 VC USD (F017)
Adobe Lightroom CC Software for Mac and Windows (Boxed Version)
Adobe Photoshop Creative Cloud 1-Year Subscription
Alien Skin Exposure X (Use Code “dustinabbott” to get 10% anything and everything)

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Check me out on:

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DISCLAIMER: This article and description contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a small commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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