HONOR X8b is now officially in the Philippines. With its sleek design, impressive cameras, and ample storage, it’s certainly turning heads. But is it all just surface-level appeal, or does it offer substance for its price tag?
Let’s delve deeper into the phone’s strengths and weaknesses to see if it lives up to the hype. Hit play to watch the HONOR X8b review video from TechKuya, or read on for more.
HONOR X8b build quality and design
The HONOR X8b’s design is undeniably eye-catching. Its ultra-sleek profile gives the phone a premium feel. It comes in three colors: Glamorous Green, Titanium Silver, and Midnight black.
As the hero color, the green variant is indeex glamorous thanks to vegan leather finish with patterned grooves. Like a fruit in the wild, it has a very natural and organic texture.
Its AMOLED display supports high refresh rate of 90Hz. However, what caught our eye is its pill-shaped cutout and nonexistent chin. Thin, proportional bezels bring a truly immersive viewing experience, and it has long been associated with premium flagships. Now that we’re in 2024, we are more than ready for the chin to go away.
HONOR X8b performance
While the design impresses, the performance may leave power users wanting more. Snapdragon 680 4G chipset might not be the most powerful chipset to choose in 2024. There are definitely better performers as far as 4G chipsets go.
8 GB of memory is plenty, and 512 GB of storage is quite generous. While it uses LPDDR RAM modules and UFS storage modules, it might not be enough more demanding users such as content creators.
However, we must acknowledge the clean user interface offered by MagicOS 7.2, and the Magic Capsule is cute despite its limited implementation at the moment. This, coupled with the generous 8GB RAM and 512GB storage options, delivers a conssistent, buttery-smooth experience.
HONOR X8b gaming, entertainment
The phone’s vivid, immsersive display makes content consumption quite satisfying. It helps that it’s bright at 1200 nits in high brighness mode peaking at 2000 nits.
We would like to add that it has 3240Hz PWM dimming rate which supposedly reduces eye strain when using it for long periods of time.
Benchmark-wise, we pulled a total of 291k points in AnTuTu, and our gaming tests reveal that the device struggles with more graphically demanding titles. Honkai: Star Rail and Carx street require tweaking to get smooth gameplay at the lowest graphics settings.
WATCH: HONOR X8b gaming review
It handles optimized titles such as PUBG and Mobile Legends like a champ. Check out the HONOR X8b gaming review published on TechKuya to watch recordings of actual gameplay sessions.
HONOR X8b camera
Content creators will surely be interested in the HONOR X8b’s camera system, which includes a 50MP selfie camera with front-facing LED flash.
It will surely help the sensors take sharper photos in low-light situations, and videos should come out brighter.
WATCH: HONOR X8b camera test (selfie)
The rear camera system packs a 108MP main sensor, 5MP ultrawide sensor, and 2MP macro camera.
We had a lot of fun shooting with the HONOR X8b, which proves itself more than capable despite not having any kind of hardware (OIS) or software image stabilization (EIS).
WATCH: HONOR X8b camera test (main)
Zooming in a fair bit, our photos took a photojournalistic vibe, and the vibrant colors are quite satisfying.
We are hoping electronic image stabilization (EIS) could be implemented through software updates at a later date. This feature will certainly expand our creative options, so if you’re reading this, HONOR: you know what to do.
Click on the photos to view a much larger version.
HONOR X8b battery life
We achieved 12.5 hours of battery life running on Wi-Fi, which is decent for a mid-range phone. The combination of a 4800mAh battery and the relatively power-efficient Snapdragon 680 chip ensures you’ll likely have enough juice to last through the day.
Plus, the 35W fast charging capability promises quick top-ups when needed.
Verdict
HONOR X8b prioritizes aesthetics, camera capabilities, and storage space over raw performance. If you’re a fashion-conscious individual who enjoys photography and a bit of content creation, this phone might be a good fit.
Carrying a retail price tag of ₱12,999, the HONOR X8b surely has the potential to stand out, but is it enough to capture the ultra-competitive mid-range market?
Only time will tell.
WATCH: HONOR X8b review video
HONOR X8b specs
- Display: 6.7 inches; AMOLED, 1080 x 2412 pixels, 90Hz refresh rate.
- SIM: Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by).
- OS: Android 13, MagicOS 7.2.
- Chipset (SoC): Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 4G.
- CPU: Octa-core (4×2.4 GHz Kryo 265 Gold & 4×1.9 GHz Kryo 265 Silver).
- GPU: Adreno 610.
- Memory (RAM) + storage: 8 GB RAM + 128/256/512 GB internal storage.
- Main camera (rear): Triple 108 MP (wide), 5 MP (ultrawide), 2 MP (macro).
- Selfie camera (front): 50 MP (wide).
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, USB Type-C.
- Battery: 4500 mAh Li-Po with 35W wired charging.
- Colors: Glamorous Green, Titanium Silver, Midnight Black.
- Price (Philippines): TBD, ₱12,999