The new Cubot KingKong ES 5 focuses on certified resistance, a 7000 mAh battery and Android 16, proposing itself as a reliable rugged smartphone for everyday use and outdoor activities, despite its rather basic hardware specifications.
The rugged smartphone market is enriched by a new offering from Cubot. After several months without any major news, the company has announced the new Cubot KingKong ES 5, a device designed for those looking for a durable smartphone capable of withstanding harsh environments and demanding usage conditions without sacrificing essential everyday features. The new model joins the popular KingKong family, which has been synonymous with robustness and protection for years.
At first glance, the device retains the typical rugged phone aesthetic, with a reinforced structure and materials designed to offer greater resistance than traditional smartphones. Despite its “armored” nature, it weighs only about 301 grams, a figure that makes it relatively manageable compared to other products in the same category.
One of the most interesting aspects concerns the certified protection. The Cubot KingKong ES 5 has IP68 and IP69K certifications, which guarantee notable resistance against water and dust. In addition, it meets the military standard MIL-STD-810H, which is increasingly popular among devices intended for users who work outdoors or practice sports in particularly demanding environments. On the hardware front, however, the new smartphone does not aim for high performance.
The heart of the device is the Unisoc T620 chipset, an entry-level solution capable of offering a good experience for everyday tasks like web browsing, messaging, social networking, and video streaming, but it’s not designed to compete with the most powerful models on the market. As for memory, Cubot offers two different configurations. The first combines GB of RAM and 128 GB of internal storage, while the second boasts 12 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage. Both variants support expansion via microSD cards up to 1 TB, offering ample space for storing photos, videos, and documents.
The display is a 6.88-inch IPS panel with a refresh rate of up to 120 Hz. The high frequency contributes to greater fluidity in animations and scrolling of content. However, the resolution stops at 720 x 1640 pixels, a value that is lower than the current standards of the mid-range but which allows for reduced energy consumption and production costs. The battery is one of the device’s strong points. With a capacity of 7,000 mAh, the KingKong ES 5 promises above-average battery life and could satisfy users who spend many hours away from a power outlet. Curiously, Cubot has not provided details on the charging speed, an absence that suggests the use of a technology that is not particularly fast.
The camera department consists of a 64-megapixel main camera flanked by a 2-megapixel macro sensor and an additional 0.3-megapixel auxiliary sensor. On the front, there is a 16-megapixel selfie camera. The specifications suggest a setup geared more towards practicality than advanced photography. However, it does lack some features appreciated by users. We find NFC support for contactless payments, a side fingerprint reader, a gyroscope, GPS compatible with various satellite systems and a powerful side LED flashlight integrated into the body, particularly useful during outdoor activities or in emergency situations.
The Cubot KingKong ES 5 also comes with Android 16 pre-installed, an interesting feature considering that many rugged smartphones often launch with older versions of the operating system. As for the price, the device has already appeared on major online sales channels with prices hovering around $309 for the 6GB RAM and 128GB storage version and around $391 for the 12GB/256GB configuration.
