HONOR Philippines recently released the latest member of its growing X Series line-up. With upgrades in design, display, and camera abilities, it is touted to be a reliable all-around device with a DSLR-like camera that won’t break bank. We got to review the HONOR X8a and here’s what we think.
What’s in the box
- HONOR X8a
- 5W HONOR SuperCharge adapter
- Type-A to Type-C USB cable
- USB Type C to 3.5mm jack adapter
- Quick guide
- SIM ejector pin
- Jelly case
Specifications
- Android 12 with HONOR UI 6.1
- Mediatek Helio G88 (12nm)
- Octa-core (2×2.0 GHz Cortex-A75 & 6×1.8 GHz Cortex-A55)
- ARM Mali-G52 MC2
- 6.7 inches HONOR FullView Display
- IPS LCD, 90Hz
- 93.6% screen-to-body ratio
- 16.7 million colors
- Resolution: 1080 x 2388 pixels (~391ppi density)
- TÜV Rheinland Low Blue Light Certification
- Dimensions: 162.9 x 74.5 x 7.48 mm
- Weight: 179 g
- Glass front, plastic frame, plastic back
- Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by); no memory card slot
- 8GB + HONOR RAM Turbo
- 128GB Internal Storage
- AI Triple rear camera (100 MP, f/1.9, (wide) AF; 5 MP, f/2.2 (wide and depth); 2 MP, f/2.4 (macro)
- Front camera: 16 MP, f/2.45
- Aperture, Night, Portrait, Photo, Video settings
- Pro, Slow-Mo, Panorama, HDR, Time-Lapse, Stickers, Super Macro, Dual-View, High-Res, Story modes
- Supports 1080p@30fps and 720p@30fps video recording
- Supports 720p@120fps slow-motion video
- LTE FDD / WCDMA / HSPA+ / DC-HSDPA / EDGE / GPRS
- GSM / HSPA LTE
- Wi-Fi: 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, 2.4G/5G
- Bluetooth 5.1 (Supporting BLE, SBC, AAC)
- USB Type-C 2.0, USB On-The-Go
- Loudspeaker
- Face unlock with Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, compass, virtual proximity sensing
- Non-removable Li-Po 4500 mAh battery
- 22.5W Wired HONOR SuperCharge
- Colors: Cyan Lake, Titanium Silver, Midnight Black
Design
Measuring 7.48mm thin and weighing 179 grams, the HONOR X8a isn’t the thinnest, nor the lightest smartphone available in the market today. However, both factors, together with its flat edges with rounded corners give it a more organic shape, thus a better in-hand feel. It also features clean lines and thin bezels which result in a better overall experience.
The HONOR X8a features a center-aligned 16MP punch-hole front camera with the earpiece discretely embedded on the thin bezel. The device features the 6.7-inches HONOR FullView Display that utilizes almost the entire front panel (screen-to-body ratio of 93.6%) thanks to the thin bezels all around. The glass screen is not flush with the phone’s side panels, but its effect is consistent with the phone’s softened edges. The side and back panels are made of plastic, but its matte finish does a good job of elevating its appearance.
To the right of the screen are the volume rocker and the fingerprint sensor that doubles as the power button. To the left is the SIM drawer that houses slots for 2 nano-SIMs. The bottom houses the phone’s primary microphone, the USB-Type C port, and the speakers, while up on top is the phone’s secondary pinhole mic and what looks like an IR blaster. The HONOR X8a’s camera array is found on the upper left corner of the black panel, mounted on a square panel.
The unit we tested was in the Cyan Lake color and had a shiny and reflective surface that didn’t retain fingerprints that much if used sans the jelly case.
Hardware
Its 6.7 Edgeless Display and 100MP camera are the banner features of the HONOR X8a. The 6.7-inch display paired with HONOR Display Color Calibration technology that tunes color temperature frame by frame and produces true-to-life colors. The device also comes with TÜV Rheinland certification for its low blue light technology that reduces the harmful blue light emissions and that users, especially those who use their devices for extended periods of time, are exposed to. Other available features include Daylight and Night-time Screen Algorithms, Eye Comfort Mode, E-Book Mode, as well as Dark Mode.
The HONOR X8a’s triple AI camera system is the highest megapixel count available on the X Series: (100 MP main camera (wide); 5 MP (wide and depth); 2 MP (macro). It also has a 16MP front-facing camera that supports 2D Face Recognition. Paired with Super Resolution AI technology, the system enables users to easily take high-def photos – even tweaking the aperture – without having to go on full-PRO (manual) mode. It also has Dual-View Video mode, and templates for micro movies (Story) that are extremely easy to use.
Powering the HONOR X8a is a Mediatek Helio G88 chipset with 8GB (+ HONOR RAM Turbo) RAM and 128GB of non-expandable storage. Out of the box, it comes with Android 12 and HONOR UI 6.1, and it ships with a non-removable 4500mAh battery that can be charged up to 50% capacity in just half an hour.
User Experience
Thin and light but solid in the hand. It is sturdy and is neither too bulky or feel fragile in the pocket. Especially when used with a case (including the free jelly case that comes with the purchase), you can’t really tell that the device’s back panel is made of plastic.
The screen is decent – with bright colors and high contrast for an IPC screen. Its thin bezels, which are thicker on the chin, optimize the screen size and can provide hours of screen time for consuming content. By default, the refresh rate is set on Dynamic mode which balances smoothness and battery life automatically switching from 60- to 90Hz as needed. Under the sun, the text is readable but would be a lot easier to read if under a little shade.
While the sound quality of the loudspeakers is not exceptional, it definitely does the job, being a budget phone. For a more immersive experience, one can always opt to use wireless earphones, or connect a wired pair using the USB Type C to 3.5mm jack adapter that comes in the box and doubles as the radio antenna.
The camera is easy to use. There is a micro-second delay between shots when taken in succession, but at its price point, you won’t find any that will shoot much faster (that isn’t shooting in burst mode). The X8a shoots 25MP in standard camera mode and 100MP in HIGH-RES, which is honestly too high for ordinary purposes but will prove useful for work or when the images need to be printed in extra-large sizes. For the average user, the difference isn’t very obvious when viewed from the device and will only matter when magnified or viewed from a bigger monitor. As budget- to midrange camera phones go, the X8a takes its best photos in optimal light. At dusk or dawn, and depending on the effect you are going for, photos can variably come out great as well. However, in low light, photos more often than not come out soft, and using a stand when using NIGHT mode is recommended. Oh, and we like how the system allows you to adjust the photos and then save them as the original instead of creating a new file by default.
While it doesn’t have stabilization, video quality is decent, and comes with SLOW-MO, TIME-LAPSE, DUAL-VIEW, and STORY modes which have easy-to-follow templates for short videos to post on social media.
Value / Price / Availability
The HONOR X8a is now available for pre-order. Prices are pegged at Php 10,990 for the 8GB+256GB variant and will come with a free pair of HONOR Earbuds worth Php 1,590 if pre-ordered until March 24, 2024. Colors available in the Philippines are Cyan Lake, Titanium Silver, and Midnight Black.
Verdict
If having 5G capability is a big thing for you, then you might want to shell out a little bit more cash. However, if media consumption and documenting your life in high def while keeping within a budget is, then this phone could be your next daily driver.
What we like:
- Great in-hand feel
- Rounded edges make it easy to in the pants pocket
- Solid design
What we don’t like:
- Memory not expandable
- Not 5G capable but not a biggie