HONOR X8b Review – A Mid-Range Marvel with AMOLED Display, Enhanced Cameras, and Affordability
After establishing the essential foundation to deliver a compelling, high-quality, and budget-friendly experience on their devices, HONOR presents the latest addition to their series – the HONOR X8b, boasting a noteworthy balance between price and performance. In this comprehensive review, we will examine whether it can showcase its optimal capabilities and prove to be a worthy choice for consumers.
Table of Contents
What’s in the Box?
The HONOR X8b comes in a simple white box with a minimalistic appearance, featuring the brand’s logo on the front and sides. Upon opening the box, the HONOR X8b device is the first item you’ll encounter. The package includes documentation, a handy SIM ejector pin for easy use, a charging adapter, a USB Type-A to Type-C cable, and a transparent silicone case. This comprehensive set of accessories ensures that users have everything they need for a seamless experience with the device.
Its Appearance
The Honor X8b showcases an appealing, trendy and straightforward ultra-slim design, with its rear panel adorned by eye-catching diamond-like patterns crafted from Vegan Leather material. This choice of material effectively prevents the surface from easily collecting fingerprints or marks during use. Noteworthy features include a prominent square camera bump housing four symmetrical circles, as well as two buttons on the right side of the smartphone for volume control and power functions. The left side accommodates the SIM card slot, while the bottom features a down-firing speaker, charging port, and microphone hole.
The reviewed unit is presented in the chic Glamorous Green color variant, and users also have the option to choose from alternative colors like Midnight Black and Titanium Silver. The build quality of the device is praiseworthy, displaying tight and consistent gaps. Even when subjected to significant pressure on the display, minimal distortion is observed, underscoring the robust construction of the device.
Its Display and Features
The Honor X8b boasts a stunning 6.7-inch AMOLED panel, delivering a crisp Full HD+ resolution of 2412 x 1080 pixels. With a smooth 90Hz refresh rate, 3240Hz PWM dimming, and an impressive peak brightness of up to 2,000 nits, the display ensures a visually immersive experience and the convenience of eye protection technology in addition with less lags on screen..
Running on Android 14 and Magic OS 7.2 UI, it introduces the convenience of Magic Capsule notifications.
A standout feature of this device is its SGS Five-star Certification from SGS Switzerland, attesting to its exceptional durability and toughness across the smartphone range. This certification adds a layer of assurance, emphasizing the device’s resilience and reliability, making it a compelling choice for users seeking a robust and enduring smartphone experience.
Also, it’s important to note that the Honor X8b doesn’t come with an official IP rating for water resistance. While there is a rubber band placed around the SIM tray that may provide some level of splash resistance, it’s advisable to avoid intentionally soaking the phone in water. Taking precautions to prevent exposure to water will help maintain the integrity of the device and prevent potential damage.
Its Performance
With the Snapdragon 680 chipset at its core, the Honor X8b guarantees a seamlessly powerful performance. Users can choose from various configurations, such as 8 GB RAM + 128 GB storage, 8 GB RAM + 256 GB storage, and 8 GB RAM + 512 GB storage, providing flexibility to meet diverse storage needs while maintaining optimal speed and efficiency.offers the convenience of a dedicated microSD slot for expandable storage for a larger file capacity and ensures a worry-free experience, allowing you to store all your beloved music, photos, and files with ease.
In terms of connectivity, the smartphone offers dual SIM functionality, 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS, and a USB-C port. The added convenience of a side-facing fingerprint sensor enhances security and accessibility. The Honor X8b is designed to meet the demands of a modern, tech-savvy lifestyle with its impressive features and versatile configurations.
The seamless integration of software and hardware in the Honor X8b ensures a fluid transition between apps. This powerful combination guarantees a smooth user experience, simplifying daily tasks, app navigation, and content consumption, all within the device’s budget-friendly price range.
The HONOR X8b stands out as an adept gaming device, catering to a variety of games, from casual titles to more demanding ones like Genshin Impact. While occasional stuttering may occur in high-demanding games played at higher settings, switching to lower settings enhances the overall gameplay experience. For less demanding games such as Mobile Legends, the device consistently delivers smooth performance, even at optimal graphic settings.
Below are some benchmark results showcasing the performance of the HONOR X8a.
The Cameras
At the forefront, the device stands out with a unique pill-shaped cutout that accommodates a 50-megapixel selfie camera and a soft-LED flash. Turning to the rear, the camera setup comprises a robust 108-megapixel main camera, a versatile 5-megapixel ultra-wide lens, and a precise 2-megapixel macro camera. This sophisticated camera array empowers users to capture life’s moments with exceptional detail, regardless of whether it’s day or night.
During our actual camera test, the 108MP rear camera of the Honor X8b captured stunning images, delivering vivid and impressive shots. The 5MP Ultrawide Camera and the 2MP Camera also contributed to the high-quality images that can be easily shared with friends and family. The 50MP Selfie Camera joins the lineup, producing natural-looking selfie shots.
When it comes to image quality, the camera of the Honor X8b excels in producing vibrant and natural colors while maintaining excellent sharpness and dynamic range. Its performance in low-light situations is noteworthy, thanks to its low-light sensitivity and effective noise reduction capabilities. This allows users to capture clear and well-lit photos even in dark environments, ensuring a satisfying photography experience.
The camera of the Honor X8b comes equipped with a versatile set of features aimed at elevating photography experiences. Users can explore portrait mode to achieve professional-looking portraits with a pleasing background blur, while HDR ensures well-balanced exposure in high-contrast scenarios. Additionally, panorama mode allows for the capture of expansive wide-angle shots.
Moreover, the device offers video recording options, including 1080p at 30fps, video stabilization for smooth footage, slow-motion video for capturing dynamic moments, and time-lapse for creative visual storytelling. This range of options empowers users to create high-quality videos in various formats, establishing the Honor X8b’s camera as a valuable tool for preserving cherished moments and producing visually striking content.
Here are the sample pictures:
The Battery
The HONOR X8b is fueled with 4,500mAh battery supported with its 35W HONOR SuperCharge that has a rapid charging at speeds of up to 22.5W. On our actual charging test, the HONOR X8b was fully charged from 0% to 100% in more that an hour. During our actual usage of this device, its battery capacity provided us with a long-lasting 2-day battery life. This means you can go about your day without the constant need to recharge your device, even during busy periods when you’re occupied with work or errands.
While on standby, the Honor X8b impressively retains 60% battery even after 24 hours, with an additional estimated 25 hours available in power-saving mode. Even when switched to performance mode, there is a slight decrease in battery sustainability, but the device still manages to provide a full day’s use based on your assessment. This showcases the device’s commendable battery efficiency across different usage scenarios.
Final Thoughts about the HONOR X8a
To sum up, the Honor X8b stands out as a noteworthy mid-range smartphone, introducing significant enhancements compared to its predecessor. Notable upgrades include an AMOLED display, improved cameras, and various other features. Combining a sleek design, a powerful processor, and an impressive camera setup, the Honor X8b emerges as an excellent option for individuals seeking a high-quality smartphone without a hefty price tag.
The HONOR X8b is priced at Php 12,999 and it is available to buy on Lazada, Shopee and HONOR Experience or Partner stores.
