Once again we had the opportunity to test another device from Bluboo thoroughly. This time it was the turn of the Bluboo S3, a model that a priori and attending to its technical specifications could become important in the mid-range. We know from experience that a powerful smartphone in all aspects does not always offer the expected results. We have seen on other occasions how it is not enough to have “first-class” specifications for a Smartphone to succeed.
Bluboo S3 review: Specification
- Brand: Bluboo
- Model: S3
- Screen size: 6 inch Sharp IPS LCD 1080 x 2160 (FHD +)
- OS: Android 7
- Processor: MediaTek MT6750T Octa-Core – 4 x 1.5GHz ARM-A53 Cortex – 4 x 1.0 GHz
- GPU: ARM Mali-T860 MP2
- RAM: 4GB
- ROM: Storage memory 64 GB
- Rear camera: Samsung Dual 21 + 5 Mpx with CMOS sensor f / 2.0
- Selfie camera: Samsung 13 Mpx
- Battery: 8,500 mAh
- Dimensions: 75.5 x 157.8 x 11.6
- Weight: 280 g
We have been lucky enough to be able to try the new Bluboo S3 for a few weeks. In Bluboo S3 review, the user experience has not been bad. But we have to say that it is not a device that has driven us crazy either. There are many smartphones that we have tried, and this one, in particular, has not managed to fall in love.
We could define the Bluboo S3 as a somewhat unbalanced Smartphone. And it is for not having achieved its manufacturers that the performance of each of its functionalities is even similar. They emphasize some things for good, and others for bad. And we do not find the necessary balance so that the average of its benefits is up to par.
The physical appearance that shows the new Bluboo S3 does not stand out for being daring. We see that the design section has not run unnecessary risks. The lines of its construction are of the most classic, although we find in the front a panel of 6 inches in 18: 9 format of the most current. A clear example of the imbalance we are talking about.
Design and materials
On the front of the device, we find a large 6-inch screen manufactured by Sharp that offers Full HD + resolution. We see how the front is busy with almost eighty percent on its screen. And we have an aspect ratio of 18: 9 very comfortable.
We always like to find LED notification lights. At the top, next to the speaker. For calls and other notifications, we see the light that we can configure and change color to our liking. As we always say, you will only miss the LEDs on a phone when you have used them. If you have already used it, you will know what facilitates things a simple light with color.
The frame in which the screen is integrated and constructed with a high resistance black metallic alloy. To the touch, it seems robust, although it would be necessary to see how it resists the blows and the passage of time. There are many smartphones with a small fall are peeling at the edges, and their physical appearance loses many integers.
On the left side, there are two buttons. One elongated for volume control, and another smaller, which serves for locking and unlocking. The upper part is free of buttons. On the right side, we find the slot for SIM cards, and for the memory card.
And in the lower part, we find, in the center, and escorted by the holes where the speaker and microphone are located, the USB Type C connector. Another symbol of evolution has a more modern connector. Although unfortunately, this involves the elimination of the mini Jack audio port.
In the back, we find one of the great disappointments of this Bluboo S3. The material chosen for the termination of the device did not like anything. We found a rough plastic that according to the technical specifications of the phone is very outdated. We have even noticed some flexing movement of the back if we press through the center.
They do not marry well a plastic backside of similar quality with a dual camera. But that’s how they decided for this Bluboo S3. We have a photo camera with dual lens in the upper central part that is located vertically. On your left we see a double Led flash with very good brightness power.
Just below the camera, and even part of a single metal part inserted in the back is the fingerprint reader. The location so close to the camera causes a large number of times we put the fingerprint on the lens.
Inside the box
Once the box is opened, as always, we tell you everything we can find inside. In addition to the device, which feels very heavy when picked up, we found some interesting things. We do not always find much more than what is strictly necessary, so when some manufacturer has some detail, we tell you.
As usual, we have the charging cable and data connection, in this case with USB Type C termination. And also the transformer with the connection to the electric current, which comes with European format. As we have told you, the Bluboo S3 has a back with plastic endings that we did not like a hair. But if you still do not want it to wear or spoil, in its box, we find a black silicone sleeve as a gift.
We have to say that a silicone case is always appreciated. The case adapts perfectly to the device but makes it look very bad. Its touch is soft, and it has better grip than the device itself. But as we say, if the plastic back is ugly. With the silicone case put on the phone, we like even less.
We also found a basic screen protector, it is not tempered glass, but it is also appreciated. We count, as expected when a device chooses to suppress the audio port 3.5mm Jack, with an adapter to connect our headphones to the USB Type C port.
As a curiosity, inside the case of the Bluboo S3, we found a USB cable with three different outputs. With it, we can connect our device to the computer thanks to the USB Type C output. But it also has USB mini output and one more for iOS devices. Something that can be useful without a doubt and that is also appreciated.
Large screen and great resolution
For the screen that mounts the S3, Bluboo has chosen to have a manufacturer with lineage. And he has opted for the firm Sharp. A 6-inch screen formatted for the aspect ratio of 18: 9. It has resolution 1080 x 2160 px, that is to say, Full HD +, with the density of 402 pixels per inch.
It has large screen that has a resolution more than enough to enjoy our favorite content to the fullest. Also to see the photos and videos that we can do with the camera. A good size, increasingly far from 5 inches, which is very comfortable to use.
Here, we are faithful defenders of big screens. And we praise the work done by the design teams of the most current smartphones. We see as in more or less “normal” sized phone chassis larger screens enter. So being able to have a Smartphone with a 6-inch screen without being larger is an advance to assess.
As for the resistance, the screen of the Bluboo S3 is protected with Corning Gorilla Glass 4. We have guaranteed the resistance to scratches and not very severe blows. The edges of the screen have a very attractive curvature thanks to the 2.5D rounded glass. And the insertion of the screen in its frame is well finished.
We also liked the rounded shapes of the corners of the screen. They give an attractive appearance to the sight. And we see how both in the upper and lower part the space that is free is the right one for the camera, speaker, microphone, etc.
Hardware and power of the Bluboo S3
The Bluboo S3 has a MediaTek processor. On this occasion, he opted for the MediaTek MT6750T. An Octa-Core processor, 4 x 1.5GHz ARM-A53 Cortex – 4 x 1.0 GHz . That has already been used with good results in a large number of devices. A MediaTek MY6750T in which they have trusted brands such as Asus, Oppo, ZTE or Alcatel.
The Bluboo has a 4 GB RAM that is exceedingly reliable for the device to flow smoothly. To complement the RAM, we found a storage capacity of 64 GB. Without a doubt a good tandem so that there is no lack of speed and space to store what we want.
For graphics, the Bluboo S3 has a well-known GPU, the ARM Mali T860 MP2. Its RAM, storage capacity and CPU make it a phone capable of performing any task. And we will not notice cuts or crashes with any application or game.
Yes, we could notice, when we play a movie or videos for a long time, it is an excessive overheating of the terminal. It’s been a long time since we found a phone that would give off so much heat when we “gave it a shot” for a while. Although surely with the silicone case this is not noticeable so much, the back part gets hot.
Outdated software
Once again we have to talk about a new Smartphone that arrives on the market with an outdated version of Android. The Bluboo S3 has the Android version 7.0, and we still do not have news of upcoming updates. Another phone “born” in 2.018 and working with a much older version of Android.
It is much more serious to verify that the Bluboo S3 works with Android 7.0 when we see that in the box itself, in the section of specifications, we read that it has Android 8.0. Something that we hope Bluboo will solve as soon as possible, or at least clarify. Because at the moment, at least the device we have had access to does not have the latest version.
In his favor, we must say that it has a layer of personalization that makes it look like we work with Android Oreo. But unfortunately, it is only a physical appearance. Not for this, the Bluboo S3 moves slowly, nor is it outdated. Although again we think that Google should be more rigorous in this regard.
As for the customization layer, point out that it is not “invasive” at all. We can access any adjustment or configuration. And as we have said, it is pleasing to the eye, so much so that sometimes we forget that we are using Android 7.
Cameras and photography of Bluboo S3
The section of the photograph is increasingly one of the most important in a mobile phone. Together with the screen, and the battery can decant that we choose one or the other device. As with other smartphones we have been able to test, on paper the Bluboo S3 has a good camera. But this is not always enough for this section to get a good score.
The Bluboo S3 has a dual rear camera in which the lenses are placed vertically one above the other. Bluboo has entrusted the section of the S3 camera to Samsung. In this case, we have a camera with a resolution of 21 Mpx plus 5 Mpx. And it has a CMOS type sensor with focal aperture 2.0, enough?
In photographs taken with good natural light, the results are acceptable. The colors are somewhat saturated, and viewed on the phone screen look somewhat brighter than they are in reality. But attending resolution and clarity, we get good results. In a photo full of shades of the same color the sensor shows us well the different tones.
In photographs of landscapes, we notice some loss of sharpness, above all and as is logical with the objects that are furthest away. Even so, we can not consider the results obtained as bad. The range of colors shown is wide, and the main forms are clear.
The problem comes with the zoom. As is natural, the quality of a photograph with digital zoom to the maximum loses many integers. In the photos taken with the Bluboo S3, we see how that brightness of the colors of which we speak also diffuses somewhat in the forms. Perhaps to soften the lack of resolution we see how the forms lose more clarity even than expected.
We did not like too much the degrading effect, called “Blur” in this device. When we use it, we can choose more or less the size of the part of the photo that will stay focused. The fact is that this tool is not very accurate. Even placing the main image in the center, and touching the screen to try to focus on something concrete, the result is not what was expected.
In favor of the camera, we must say that with the close-up photos we obtain high-quality shots. We observe a great sharpness. Really good resolution. And above all, a set of colors and clarity in the forms very worthy.
As in other aspects of this Bluboo S3, the performance of the camera seems unbalanced. We find very good results in some aspects, and somewhat disappointing in others. The good is far from the bad that your camera offers us, and that makes the average go down considerably.
Add that the Bluboo S3 has a double LED flash capable of giving light to your darkest captures. It is important to have an extra light even in daytime photos against the light.
In the front camera, we also find a sensor signed by Samsung. Which has a pretty decent resolution? With a 13 Mpx camera, our selfies will have a minimum of quality. It is good to see that firms have the front camera as an important part in the photographic section.
The battery of the Bluboo S3 one of its forts
We have already commented at the beginning that the Bluboo is a Smartphone with a high weight. It’s something we notice just by taking it out of the box. And that is also noticed when we compare it with other devices. Or when we use it for a long time … it makes us heavy.
And it is not any personal perception. The Bluboo S3 reaches 280 grams of weight on the scale. For some a particularity that could be used to decide on another terminal automatically. But for many others, it does not have such transcendence knowing and above all valuing that such weight is due.
With a battery of 8,500 mAh, the Bluboo S3 has the rope for a while. Even knowing that we are facing a Smartphone with a huge battery, its duration has pleasantly surprised us. With relatively moderate use of the device, it has endured up to three full days of use.
To put a but, we return to refer to the overheating that we have experienced with the Bluboo S3. When you play music or videos for about 30 minutes, we notice that the device becomes overheated. Although this rise in temperature, but it does not affect at all the battery life of the device.
It is also a point in favor to have a battery that supports fast charging. Being able to use the device for three days in a row, and only needing one hour for a full charge is a real pleasure. The charger will no longer be an indispensable accessory to carry on a daily basis.
The sound also the protagonist
The Bluboo S3 has a single external speaker. Something that has already become a norm for virtually all manufacturers. Something that we consider an error seen the success obtained in the market external speakers. A device capable of offering stereo sound and great sound power could be a success in the market.
We have a phone that offers sound power. The volume it reaches is more than enough to play music and hear it well even outdoors. But just that. The sound comes out clearly, and we do not notice vibrations or distortion. But it could improve noticeably to have a pair of speakers instead of just one.
Indicate as positive that we find FM tuner. The radio never exceeds in a device that in a high percentage serves for entertainment. And being able to hear live radio without the need for a data connection is always good.
On the other hand, needing an adapter cable to listen to music still does not please us. The elimination of the connector Jack of the new mobile phones, almost always due to the change of connector by the USB Type C, does not finish to convince. Having to use an adapter if we do not have Bluetooth headset seems more a delay than an advance.
What we like more and what we like less about the Bluboo S3
We have to repeat ourselves, but the Bluboo S3, with a global vision, seems unbalanced. As you may have seen, we find aspects in which he defends himself well. Others in which he is more humble. Even in some points, as in photography, we find great differences in performance.
Therefore, interestingly, we can find the same aspects in pros and cons. A clear example is a physical aspect. The front with the size of your screen, even the location of the rear elements we liked. But the material is chosen for its back we consider it with a big mistake.
What we like the most
The duration of its battery is undoubtedly one of its strongest points. That a device is capable of holding our pace more than two full days is great. And if the charge of this battery is done quickly, well much better.
The size of the screen is a success. We liked to see a 6-inch screen on an affordable Smartphone. And that also has a good resolution so that the user experience is the most satisfactory.
We always consider a “pro” to have a phone with an FM radio. Music, news, programs, everything at our disposal without the consumption of data being a problem.
What we like less
The weight can be an obstacle. In a market in which the battery life and the design of ultra-thin phones compete, the Bluboo opts for the durable battery. And this makes it reach a weight of 280 g. Excessive for some, bearable for others, but a high weight of all forms.
The warming that the Bluboo S3 experiences when we use it for a long time worries us. Only by playing a movie on Netflix, or playing music from Spotify for half an hour does the phone warm up. In our opinion more than the account.
The fingerprint reader is always a good ally. It is very convenient to unlock our device quickly. And for the security of the phone, it is an important plus. The fact is that the fingerprint reader of the Bluboo S3 is not very “fine.” We need more readings than we would like to unlock the phone. It seems imprecise and slow.
