While some smartphone brands tend to consider durability only as an added quality rather than a priority, HONOR continues to take the road less traveled with back-to-back releases of devices that can withstand being run over by a full-sized SUV or being smashed into a big watermelon without suffering a single scratch.
This time, with the new HONOR X7c, HONOR has another durable wonder which eliminates the ancient worries of getting a smartphone damaged from being submerged in water. Being water-resistant is just one of the many features that make the HONOR X7c a long-lasting device that will give your every penny's worth. Here's a closer look at this new HONOR offering.
See Also: The HONOR X7c arrives in PH with its all-angle water resistant form for P8,999
DESIGN and BUILD:
Remember when durable smartphones looked the part? These specific kinds of devices used to scream rugged in all angles with a chunky build. Thanks to modern technology, this is becoming a thing of the past.
 |
| HONOR X7c display |
HONOR's lineup of durable devices is designed just how a normal smartphone would look. The HONOR X7c, in particular, is polished and sophisticated despite its budget price tag. Its hero Forest Green variant comes dressed in a faux leather matte finish on top of a polycarbonate rear. There's a textured design detail that adds another layer of aesthetics. Another design highlight on the HONOR X7c is its protruded square camera module with a surrounding gold accent.
 |
| HONOR X7c camera module |
On paper, the HONORX7c measures 166.9 mm (height), 76.8 mm (width), and approximately 199 grams (weight). In actuality, it's a tall and light device that provides a nice grip. One-hand use is not taxing unless you have small hands.
 |
| The HONOR X7c Forest Green has a faux leather rear finish. |
The volume buttons and the power button which doubles as a fingerprint scanner are located on the right side of the HONOR X7c. On the opposite is a lone hybrid SIM card tray which can carry either a nano SIM card and a microSD card or two nano SIM cards at the same time. At the top part of the device is a secondary microphone while at the bottom are a 3.5mm jack, USB-C port, and a single speaker grill.
 |
| HONOR X7c volume and power buttons |
 |
| The bottom part of the HONOR X7c. |
These ports and buttons support HONOR's claim on the HONOR X7c as an all-angle water resistant device. Even if water enters these open ports, the HONOR X7c won't get damaged as long as it's submerged for no longer than three minutes. That's the smartphone's IP64 dust-resistant and water resistance rating at work.
 |
| The HONOR X7c is safe to be submerged in water for three minutes. |
Accidental drops are also not a problem with the HONOR X7c. The device has a Premium Performance Certification for Drop&Crush Resistance from SGS, a global company with accreditations recognized for its global standards.
Read More: HONOR X8b Review; Flagship-Like for Less the Price?
Overall, the HONOR X7c is a device that combines beauty and brawn. Its budget price tag also didn't hinder HONOR to add a few features that are commonly found on more expensive devices including a side-mounted fingerprint sensor, facial recognition, and a USB-C port.
DISPLAY and AUDIO:
Budget smartphones are expected to have a fair share of hits and misses. With the HONOR X7c, the display department is one thing that could use a bit of improvements. Compared to the HONOR X7b, the HONOR X7c's 6.77-inch screen in HD+ resolution with more prominent bezels is obviously a downgrade. However, if you don't mind a less vibrant screen as long as a smooth scrolling experience is promised, the HONOR X7b would definitely deliver with its 120Hz refresh rate, a notch better than refresh rates found on smartphones with the same price point.
 |
| HONOR X7c |
Viewing angles and brightness levels are decent on the HONOR X7b, enough to cover outdoor usage on a sunny day.
 |
| The HONOR X7c can reach up to 300% volume. |
Videos can be viewed on the HONOR X7b at a 300% maximum volume with loud yet undistorted audio.
PERFORMANCE:
The HONOR X7b joins the growing lineup of smartphones with dynamic RAM. Its native 8GB RAM can be compounded by another 8GB, providing the HONOR X7b more room to accommodate multiple apps running in the background at once. True enough, multitasking is a strong suit for the HONOR X7b and we didn't experience any productivity-related lags when we used the device as our main driver, switching from one demanding app to another. In terms of storage, the HONOR X7b has an ample 256GB.
Take note that the HONOR X7b is far from a gaming-centric device. Common titles like Mobile Legends: Bang Bang and Call of Duty Mobile work seamlessly as long as you keep the gaming settings at moderate levels.
If you're a bloatware hater, the HONOR X7b is your friend. Out of the box, the device comes with only a few pre-installed applications, allowing users to maximize the phone's storage without the hassle of uninstalling unwanted apps.
 |
| Magic Capsule on the HONOR X7c |
With MagicOS 8.0 based on Android 14, convenience features also come standard on the HONOR X7b. An example is the Magic Capsule, HONOR's version of Apple's Dynamic Island, which serves both as a notification bar and a status bar for some apps including music, calls, and timer.
Have a quick look at the benchmark results of the HONOR X7c below:
 |
| HONOR X7c benchmark results |
 |
| HONOR X7c benchmark results |
CAMERAS:
The rear cameras on the HONOX X7b include a large 108-megapixel main sensor and a 2-megapixel depth lens. For a budget smartphone, the HONOR X7c offers an acceptable camera performance. As expected, the smartphone takes better photos in well-lit environments compared to indoor areas and at night where there's dullness on the images.
 |
| The rear cameras of the HONOR X7c. |
Video shooting is limited to only 1080p and the lack of a built-in OIS requires steady hands when filming.
Here are our camera samples from the HONOR X7c.
BATTERY:
Power users would appreciate the HONOR X7c and its massive 6,000mAh battery. On the PCMark battery benchmark test, the device lasted 23 hours and 16 minutes of continuous, uninterrupted battery test.
 |
| HONOR X7c battery benchmark test result |
In actual usage, the HONOR X7c can keep up to two days' worth of multitasking, gaming, and streaming before it requires recharging.
 |
| The HONOR X7c is supported by a 35W Honor SuperCharge. |
With a 35W Honor SuperCharge support, the HONOR X7c took an hour and 45 minutes to go from 15% to 100%. Here's its charging time breakdown:
5 minutes — 15% to 22%
15 minutes — 33%
30 minutes — 41%
45 minutes — 54%
1 hour — 67%
1 hour 15 minutes — 78%
1 hour 30 minutes — 91%
1 hour 40 minutes — 100%
CONCLUSION:
Longevity is the name of the game for the HONOR X7c – may it be in terms of physical durability or battery life. If these two main highlights cover what you're looking for in a smartphone, then the HONOR X7c is worth spending P8,999 on.
