HONOR X7b Review; The Best in Budget Segment?

HONOR X7b Review; The Best in Budget Segment?

INTRODUCTION:

Following the launch of tech blockbusters HONOR X8b and HONOR X9b, HONOR rolls out to the local market the HONOR X7b – the most economical option in the trio. What extra does the HONOR X7b bring to the table now that more brands are hopping on the bandwagon of devices that are light in the pocket but heavy on features? Read on and find out.

HONOR X7b Review; The Best in Budget Segment?

DESIGN and DISPLAY:

The HONOR X7b comes in a common-looking build mainly because of the two circular camera modules on its rear – similar to several newly launched entry-level and mid-range devices.

Flowing Silver

However, what makes the HONOR X7b a standout is how HONOR combines aesthetics and ergonomics. The HONOR X7b is built with a 63-degree quad-curved design which makes it easier to hold despite its tall body. This complements the smartphone's light and slim build.

FHD+ 90Hz Display

With a 6.8-inch display in FHD+ resolution, the HONOR X7b is a decent multimedia canvas. It exudes just the right vibrance in terms of color saturation and image details appear sharp. Although the prominent bezels that surround the screen of the HONOR X7b are a telltale sign that the smartphone is under the budget category. But this caveat leaves a mere dent, as bezels don't really affect the overall experience on a smartphone that much. Unless you're the kind of user who really likes an almost all-screen device. If that's the case, then look for options under a higher and pricier segment.

Another good thing about the HONOR X7b is that it's planted with HONOR's eye protection features including Dynamic Dimming, Circadian Night Display, and Eye Comfort Mode. Apart from lessening eye strain due to prolonged smartphone use, these features are intended to help users of the HONOR X7b get a good night's sleep after a whole day of screen time.

HONOR X9b 5G Review; Mid-Range Beast

It's undeniable that the HONOR X7b sits among the group of smartphones that are worthy to flaunt. The device's Flowing Silver variant is an eye candy with its soft hues of light pink and baby blue. Other available colorways are Emerald Green and Midnight Black.

While most of the back part of the HONOR X7b has a glossy finish, the sides of the smartphone come as matte making it an anti-fingerprint slate. The power button that doubles as a fingerprint scanner and the volume rockers are on the right cheek of the smartphone. At the bottom, there's a dual speaker system, a USB-C port, and a 3.5mm jack port.

Overall, the HONOR X7b is an attractive device both because of its design and display. Despite carrying an almost all-plastic build, the smartphone steers more on the premium-looking side of things.


PERFORMANCE:

Tucked underneath the HONOR X7b is a Snapdragon 680 chipset which is a much-needed improvement from the HONOR X7a's aging Helio G37 processor. This, combined with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of onboard storage makes the HONOR X7b more than capable of handling multitasking and app switching.

However, take note that the HONOR X7b is far from being a gaming-centric device. Popular game titles like Genshin Impact, Mobile Legends, and Call of Duty Mobile can be played on the HONOR X7b with a bit of stutters here and there. Make sure to keep the graphic settings at the basic level for a decent gameplay experience.

Out of the box, the HONOR X7b is an Android 13 device with HONOR's MagicOS 7.2 on top. Convenience features are present, including Split Screen and Multi-Window. As expected, there's a bunch of bloatware but these can always be easily uninstalled.


CAMERA:

Top-billed by a 108-megapixel main rear camera alongside an 8-megapixel Ultra Wide lens and a 2-megapixel macro shooter, the HONOR X7b provides acceptable photos. Images taken under well-lit environments are good enough in terms of color saturation, detail sharpness, and HDR.

108MP Triple Rear Cameras

To address night photography, HONOR inculcated into the HONOR X7b what it calls as the 9-in-1 pixel binning, allowing the device to capture bright and cloudless images even in darker and indoor scenarios. Admittedly, night shots on the HONOR X7b aren't the best but the work done by the 9-in-1 pixel binning function is somehow evident.

8MP Front Camera

The HONOR X7b supports images at up to 12000 x 9000 pixels and videos at up to 1920 x 1080 pixels. Photography modes include large aperture, portrait, filter, AI photography, professional, panorama, HDR, time-lapse, super macro, high pixel, smiley face capture, among others.

HONOR X8b Review; Flagship-Like for Less the Price?

Selfies look decent on the HONOR X7b. Its 8-megapixel front camera is also capable of Multi-Video Mode, which, together with the rear camera of the device, allows simultaneous video recording.

Check out HONOR X7b sample camera shots here.


BATTERY:

The battery department is where the HONOR X7b is extra. Despite being a budget device, the smartphone offers a generous 6,000mAh power which is more than enough to last a busy day of heavy use. In fact, the HONOR X7b lasted us around two days on a single charge – an impressive feat.

Plus, with 35W charging support, the HONOR X7b doesn't require long waiting hours for recharging. On average, it takes an hour and a half to refuel the HONOR X7b's battery back to 100% again.


CONCLUSION:

For a Php8,999 smartphone with a nice physique, huge battery life, and decent cameras, it's safe to say that the high points of the HONOR X7b outshine its lows. Its 6,000mAh battery alone makes it a dependent daily driver, making the device a level higher than other budget-friendly devices.

HONOR X7b Review

The HONOR X7b can be purchased through HONOR stores nationwide and online via Lazada and Shopee.

How much is the HONOR X7b price in the Philippines?

• The HONOR X7b price Philippines is Php8,999.
• HONOR X7b on Lazada Philippines
• HONOR X7b on Shopee PH.

When will the HONOR X7b be available in the Philippines?

• The HONOR X7b is now available in the Philippines.

HONOR X7b Specs Philippines:

• Dual SIM, dual standby, supports 4G/LTE connectivity
• 6.8-inch FHD+ (2412 x 1080 pixels) IPS LCD, 90Hz refresh rate, 850 nits brightness
• Dimensions: 166.7mm x 76.5mm x 8.2mm
• Weight: 199 grams
• Magic UI 7.2 based on Android 13
• Octa-core (4x2.4GHz Kryo 265 Gold + 4x1.9GHz Kryo 265 Silver) CPU, Adreno 610 GPU, Qualcomm SM6225 Snapdragon 680 4G 6nm chipset
• 8GB RAM physical + 8GB RAM virtual
• 256GB storage, expandable via MicroSD card
• 108MP f/1.8 PDAF main + 5MP f/2.2 ultrawide + 2MP macro triple rear cameras with LED flash, 1080p video recording at 30fps
• 8MP f/2.0 front camera with LED flash, 1080p video recording at 30fps
• WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band
• Bluetooth v5.0
• USB 2.0 Type-C with OTG function
• GPS with A-GPS, GLONASS, BDS, Galileo
• Multimedia Player
• 24-bit/192kHz Hi-Res audio
• 3.5mm audio jack
• Sensors: fingerprint (side-mounted), light, proximity, accelerometer, gyroscope
• Battery: 6,000mAh non-removable lithium-ion polymer; supports 35W fast charging
• Colors: Flowing Silver, Emerald Green, Midnight Black
• HONOR X7b Price Philippines: Php8,999