The Cubot KingKong ES Pro is a budget rugged phone that Cubot launched in mid-2026. It combines an IP68 and IP69K rated body with a 6.56-inch 90Hz screen and a 5100mAh battery. Cubot sells it in its official European store from €149.99 for the 6GB + 64GB version. There is no official US price. Cubot also lists a KingKong E1 with the same official specifications.
Design and display
The phone is 12.8 mm thick, which Cubot presents as slim for a rugged device. It measures 172.6 x 81.2 mm and comes in one color, black with orange accents. Cubot has not published the weight.
The body is rated IP68 and IP69K for dust and water. In practice, this means protection against submersion and high-pressure water jets. The front has a 6.56-inch LCD panel with HD+ resolution of 720 x 1612 pixels. It refreshes at up to 90Hz, and the selfie camera sits in a waterdrop notch.
Performance
Inside is the Unisoc T616, an entry-level 12nm chip. It has two Cortex-A75 cores at 2.0 GHz and six Cortex-A55 cores at 1.8 GHz. The chip is also sold under the newer name Unisoc T7255.
Both versions have 6GB of RAM. Cubot adds up to 10GB of virtual memory taken from storage. Storage is 64GB or 128GB, and a microSD card of up to 1TB can be added. However, the card uses the second SIM slot.
Cameras
The rear camera module has a 64MP main camera with phase-detection autofocus. A 2MP macro camera and an LED flash sit next to it. For selfies and video calls, there is a 16MP fixed-focus front camera.
Battery and charging
The KingKong ES Pro has a 5100mAh non-removable battery. Cubot includes a charger and a USB cable in the box. The official specs do not state the charging speed.
Software and updates
The phone ships with Android 16 and Google Play. Cubot has not announced how many Android upgrades or security updates it will receive.
For unlocking, there is a fingerprint reader in the side frame and face unlock. Wireless features include dual-band Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth 5.2 and 4G LTE. GPS, GLONASS, Galileo and BeiDou handle navigation. The official specs do not list NFC, so contactless payments are not supported.
Should you buy the KingKong ES Pro?
The KingKong ES Pro suits buyers who want a tough phone on a tight budget. It is also thinner than many rugged models. The IP68 and IP69K ratings, microSD support and side fingerprint reader are useful for outdoor work.
On the other hand, the screen is only HD+, and the chip is an older entry-level design. There is no NFC and no 5G. Buyers who need contactless payments or faster performance should look at other models.
