HONOR X8c Unboxing, First Impressions, and Camera Samples - Durability and more?
HONOR is set to unveil the X8c on March 11. But before that, take a peek at what the device offers.
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| The HONOR X8c |
The new smartphone, unveiled globally in early 2025, features several enhancements in its design, screen, build quality, chip, and battery.
Let's explore it.
Unboxing/Accessories
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| The box |
The HONOR X8c arrived in a white box bearing the phone's image and the brand's logo on all sides. Below, you can spot the memory configuration indicating we have the 8GB/512GB version.
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| Inside the box |
Upon opening the box, you will find the smartphone, a USB-C cable, a 35W fast charger, a transparent TPU case, a SIM ejector tool, warranty documentation, and a quick start guide.
Build Quality/Design
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| The back design |
Once you get a hold of the phone, it still reminds us of the predecessor with iPhone 14-like design due to its centered pill-shaped notch and ultra-thin bezels with semi-rounded corners on four sides. The camera placement remains the same, although the square island now has micro fluted bezels taking a subtle nod from its ultra-tough sibling HONOR X9c 5G.
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| The front view |
Speaking of toughness, HONOR has reinforced the corners of the device, making it able to survive drops of up to 1.8 meters in height. Moreover, it has 360-degree protection with the screen's strength increased by threefold.
We tried dropping it a few times on the recommended height, and the screen did not break, and no visible grazes on the frames. That should give users a breath of relief just in case a sudden fall happens. Of course don't intentionally throw your phone just to brag, remember it's your hard-earned money after all.
Sleek looks, but tougher
Another addition made here is the IP64 rating for dust and water resistance, like its siblings X7c or X9c, the phone can also survive water splashes, minimal dips, some dust or sand.
By the way, we got the Marrs Green colorway, but it is also available in Black, White, or Purple.
It still has the faux leather material at the back though HONOR slightly altered it with the checkered design.
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| The display |
At the front, it is still using a 6.7-inch AMOLED panel with Full HD+ 2412 x 1080 resolution at 394 ppi, but the refresh rate is improved to 120Hz and the peak brightness was increased to 2,800 from 2,000. Meanwhile, the typical brightness is rated at 1200 nits.
Brighter and buttery smooth
HONOR also upgraded the PWM dimming with 3840Hz coming from 3240Hz. That's similarly found on upper mid-range offerings from the same brand.
This also means it provides flicker-free and is less fatiguing for users who tend to look at their phones for extended periods, such as endless scrolling on reels or TikToks.
Similarly, the display produces balanced and precise colors, providing us with what exactly the picture looks like on the screen.
Before we forget, HONOR also ditched the side-fingerprint scanner and now uses an In-Display fingerprint reader for easier access. It performs just right and responds quickly whenever you tap on it.
The X8c still retained the software feature Magic Capsule displaying further notifications like screen recording, charging the device, media playback or clock.
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| Top and bottom |
The top part shows a microphone hole while the bottom part covers a USB-C port, speaker grill, and another microphone.
The left side shows the SIM card slot, turning it to the right side will reveal the volume rockers and the power button.
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| The cameras |
For cameras, the HONOR X8c retained the 108MP shooter but gains an OIS, an important feature which should improve your photography particularly in dark scenarios. Furthermore, it still has the 5MP ultra-wide snapper but the brand took away the 2MP macro camera.
Naturally, we’ll need to put those claims to the test so you can evaluate the phone’s camera capabilities.
Let’s take a closer look, shall we?
First Camera Samples
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| Daylight 1x (24mm) |
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| Indoor 1x (24mm) |
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| Indoor food shot 1x |
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| Indoor food shoot 2x |
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| Night shot ultra-wide |
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| Night shot 2x |
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| The daylight selfie |
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| Low light selfie |
Based on the sample shots we've taken, the HONOR X8c's 108MP main camera performs decently in well-lit conditions, capturing photos with acceptable detail and clarity. The dynamic range, contrasts, and color reproduction are fairly average, delivering results that are good enough for everyday use but not particularly standout.
In terms of ultra-wide, it becomes a little bit softer, and the colors appear lighter, though it still looks pleasant and has the right details. It even captured a good enough reflection of the sky on the building. The ultra-wide retained some sharpness and quality, but you will notice a little bit darker color versus the 24mm focal length.
For indoor photography, the HONOR X8c produced results that were on par with its outdoor performance, offering decent color accuracy and clear details. The camera handled indoor lighting adequately too, and the food shots turned out alright as they still looked appetizing, and managed to get nice textures.
The camera struggled during low light conditions in all focal lengths. Evidently, you would notice a lot of noise, grainy output and poor dynamic range. The phone's AI automatically selects the Night mode preset to make the images slightly brighter.
For selfies, the front camera performs well in well-lit environments, capturing decent details and natural skin tones. There aren't many devices to have a 50MP sensor in its price bracket, so it's a nice addition. Furthermore, there's even an ultra-wide view you can use for group pictures.
HONOR X8c Specs
Display: 6.7-inch AMOLED screen w/ 120Hz refresh rate, FHD+ 2412 x 1080 resolution at 394 ppi
CPU: 2.4GHz 6nm Snapdragon 685 octa-core processor
GPU: Adreno 610
RAM: 8GB
ROM: 512GB
Back Camera: 108MP f/1.75 main camera w/ OIS + 5MP f/2.2 ultra-wide + LED flash
Selfie Camera: 50MP f/2.51
Battery: 5,000mAh w/ 35W SuperCharge
OS: Android 15 w/ MagicOS 9.0
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, IP64 dust and water resistance, USB-C, Colors: Marrs Green, Midnight Black, Moonlight White, Cloud Purple
Dimensions: 161.1 x 74.6 x 7.1 mm
Weight: 174 g
Price: PHP 13,999
As of the moment
So far, the HONOR X8c offers valuable incremental upgrades, including a more robust build, dust and water resistance, a brighter and smoother display, a less tiring screen, and a larger 512GB internal storage.
Although there is just a slight upgrade in the chipset department, we appreciate the overall refinement of MagicOS 9.0, which feels lighter and more efficient than its predecessor, improving the overall user experience.
Our final thoughts will largely depend on its pricing, which HONOR is set to announce on March 11.
That’s all for now—we'll circle back once the full review is ready.
What are your thoughts?
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