HONOR X8b Unboxing, First Impressions, Camera Samples

HONOR introduces the X8b today, the brand's latest entry-level device with feature pack specs to offer.

The HONOR X8b's rear view

To recap, this is HONOR's latest device featuring a stylish design, 90Hz 6.7-inch AMOLED flicker-free display, Snapdragon 680 SoC, 8GB RAM, MASSIVE 512GB storage, 4,500mAh battery with 35W fast charging, and 108MP main camera.

Are you ready to unbox it? Let's dig in!

Unboxing/Accessories

The box

The smartphone comes in a familiar box as its siblings with White colors, the device's image is found at the center, and then you can notice the brand name on the sides.

Inside the box

When you open the box, you'll see the smartphone unit, USB-C cable, 35W fast charger, TPU transparent case, SIM injector tool, documents for warranty, and quick guide.

Build Quality/Design

The phone's display

Upon holding the HONOR X8b, the first thing we noticed is how it is a fusion of an iPhone 15 and the HUAWEI nova 11 series. This is thanks to the front's centered pill-shape camera cut-out you can find on current-gen iPhones and slim bezels on all four sides.

iPhone-like feels, slim bezels on all 4 sides!

Then at the back, you can see faux leather material with dotted and stitched diamond patterns adding some grippy feel. Below you can also see the "HONOR" branding in engraved Silver Color.

The HONOR X8b's back design

By the way, the unit we have here is a Glamorous Green, but it is also available in Midnight Black and Titanium Silver

For us, the Green colorway is more striking, it delivers a clean and minimalist vibe making it a head-turner. We also noticed the faux leather used here is thin and not as thick as those premium mid-rangers and flagships offer. 

Vibrant AMOLED Flicker-free screen!

At the front screen, It is using a 6.7-inch AMOLED panel with Full HD+ 2412 x 1080 resolution at 394 ppi and 90Hz refresh rate.

One of the main highlights of this phone is its 3240Hz PWM dimming making it flicker-free and less fatiguing for users who like to use their phones for longer periods. This also reminds us of HONOR 90's flicker-free tech (3840Hz) but slightly lower.

The display produces balanced accurate colors and is pleasant to look at whenever we stream videos on YouTube or simply just by scrolling around. So if you are a heavy user in terms of typical social media activities, this can be worth looking at.

Another highlight would be its extremely high peak brightness that can be boosted further to 2,000 nits making it usable under direct sunlight, particularly on afternoons.

In fact, it helped us to see what was under the screen when we were taking photos on our afternoon walk.

The Magic Capsule

Furthermore, the phone features Magic Capsule, which mimics the Dynamic Island of Apple. This provides additional notification features such as when screen recording, charging the device, receiving calls or text messages, and other notifications.

The top part shows a microphone hole while the bottom part covers a USB-C port, speaker grill, and another microphone.

The side view

On the side, the left portion houses the SIM card slot while going to the right will give you the volume rockers and power button/fingerprint scanner.

The cameras

Moving to the cameras, HONOR boasts its 108MP primary shooter is capable of producing high-quality shots. That main camera is accompanied by a 5MP ultra-wide-angle with depth capability + 2MP macro helper + LED flash.

Of course, we will have to put those claims to the test and then you can judge the phone's camera prowess. Let's dig deeper.

First Camera Samples

Normal 1x outdoor

Normal shot daylight

Ultra-wide shot

Using zoom 2x

Indoor normal 1x

Using ultra-wide

Food shot indoor

Food shot indoor 2nd sample

Low light 1x

Low light ultra-wide

Using night mode

Normal selfie

The selfie camera w/ bokeh

Based on the shots we've taken, the 108MP main camera is capable of taking clear photos in places with good lighting. You can see a lot of good details, with fairly decent dynamic range, contrasts, and good color reproduction.

In terms of ultra-wide, the phone does an okayish job in well-lit places, but you will notice fewer details, sometimes a bit darker or softer.

For indoor scenarios, the HONOR X8b allowed us to get similar results on outdoor with good color accuracy, and clear details. We particularly liked our food shots which looked vibrant, appetizing, and with good textures.

In places with low light, the main shooter performs decent capturing as many details as it can. We noticed the sharp red colors on the lamps but the dynamic range isn't as good as with our daylight as seen on the leaves. While you can notice there are also visible noises and glares around.

Using the night mode would make the photo brighter, however, it doesn't look as natural as the normal point-and-shoot does. 

On the other hand, the ultra-wide struggles here in low light with noticeably lesser details, grain, and bland colors.

For selfies, the 50MP takes good details as long as there is sufficient lighting, it even has a nice bokeh when using the portrait mode. It can also perform ultra-wide shots ideal for Gen Z selfie scenarios.

HONOR X8b Specs

Display: 6.7-inch AMOLED screen w/ 90Hz refresh rate, FHD+ 2412 x 1080 resolution at 394 ppi,3240Hz PWM dimming, up to 2000 nits peak brightness

CPU: 2.4GHz 6nm Snapdragon 680 octa-core processor

GPU: Adreno 610

RAM: 8GB

ROM: 512GB

Back Camera: 108MP f/1.75 + 5MP f/2.2 ultra-wide + depth, 2MP f/2.4 macro + LED flash

Selfie Camera: 50MP f/2.51

Battery: 4,500mAh w/ 35W SuperCharge

OS: Android 13 w/ MagicOS 7.2

Connectivity: WiFi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (2.4GHz/5GHz), 4G LTE, Bluetooth 5.1, OTG, GPS, dual SIM (nano)

Sensors: Accelerometer, light, orientation, proximity, gyroscope, sound, magnetic

Others: Side-mounted fingerprint sensor, USB-C, Colors: Glamorous Green, Titanium Silver, Midnight Black

Dimensions: 161.1 x 74.6 x 6.8 mm

Weight: 166 g

Price: TBC

As of the moment

We think the HONOR X8b is trying to achieve an iPhone-like feel for an entry-level POV due to its Magic Capsule for added notification purposes, a pill-shaped centered notch, slim bezels, and a metal frame. The addition of faux leather on the back makes it more premium too.

The phone also offers a flicker-free AMOLED experience for eye health. While the processor is not its strong point, the phone offers 8GB RAM and a LARGE 512GB storage so users can store many apps, photos, and videos.

Finally, the cameras are on the decent side as long as there is proper lighting.

We find it interesting for now, but before we judge it let's all wait for the official launch date.

That's it for now, we will get back to you once the full review is up.

What do you guys think?