HONOR Pad X8b Full Review - Strong build, smart for students

More than a month ago, HONOR Philippines launched the Pad X8b, a tablet promising an extra-durable body for students.

HONOR Pad X8b

To recall, the tablet boasts 5 Star drop and crush resistance from SGS and is rated with 30 percent increased water resistance over traditional tablets.

It comes with an 11-inch LCD (IPS) screen with 1920 x 1200 resolution, a 6nm Snapdragon 680 chip with Adreno GPU, 4GB/128GB memory, a 10,100mAh battery, and its own Kids Mode.

After a few weeks of use, here's what we think about it. Read below to see if it is for you.

For review part 1, you may check HONOR Pad X8b Unboxing and First Impressions - Durable tablet for clumsy kids?

Multimedia Experience

Wide display

As mentioned above, the tablet features an 11-inch LCD screen with FHD 1920 x 1200 resolution at a 90Hz refresh rate.

Reliable, capable display

Personally, we think the tablet provides a clear and sharp display quality. Colors are on the decent side at 16.7M, while the viewing angles are great thanks to the IPS panel.

It's also passable to view under direct sunlight, peaking at 500 nits. Though we're talking about morning sunlight here, not the harsh afternoon one. 

Suitable for streaming videos

One important feature to note is its support for Widevine L1, which made us enjoy watching our favorite shows on Netflix and streaming music videos on YouTube at 1080p quality.

Another important aspect is the comfort it brings to our eyes using Dynamic Dimming. It is certified with TÜV Rheinland Low Blue Light and Flicker-free, which makes it less fatiguing to view the display even for extended usage.   This is a viable feature for students or professional that need to stay on their meetings.

On the other hand, the eBook mode enabled us to read morning news articles or digital books at Black and White quality for a more comfortable or paper-like experience.

The Eye-Comfort mode gives users a yellowish display for warmer tones and reduced eye strain.

The quad-speaker setup does its job well, throwing a convincing stereo spread that makes movie sound feel like it's coming from around you rather than just one spot. Soundstage is noticeably wider than you'd expect from a tablet, pulling out details that are more layered and generally sonically better.

HONOR Pad X8b's speakers can also go very loud. As expected, there will be some sharp yet tolerable peaks at max volume. I suggest toning the sound down to 80% for better quality.

Camera

The cameras

The tablet uses a 5MP sensor on both the front and back.

Rear camera sample

The two sensors are obviously meant for basic photography. The rear produces a passable quality, which should let you capture notes. If you're in a classroom seated at the back, you may need to adjust your position to get proper quality.

Selfie camera

Meanwhile, the front camera produces acceptable quality. If you have enough lighting, it should be usable for video calls or online learning.

Both the front and rear cameras support video recording at up to 1080p, delivering usable quality in well‑lit conditions.

The front shooter, in particular, is more than adequate for everyday video calls, whether for online classes, meetings, or casual chats, providing clear visuals that get the job done.

Performance

Performance-wise, the tablet is equipped with a 2.8GHz 6nm Snapdragon 680 octa-core processor with Adreno 610 GPU. It is paired with 4GB RAM and 128GB storage, and a 10,100mAh battery.

The benchmark results

Benchmark results:

• AnTuTu - 373,557 points
• Geekbench - 403 single core, 1,355 multi-core score
• 3D Mark Wild Life - 588 overall score, 3.52 average fps
• CPDT - 186.55 MB/s sequential write speed, 224.65 sequential read speeds

Its benchmark numbers are pretty much average enough to run daily tasks with ease. Though you might want to manage your expectations with the transition of apps, even with the additional 4GB virtual RAM turned on by default. It's decent but not the fastest experience. For us, it is understandable for entry-level devices.

For gaming, it can do the typical popular titles like Mobile Legends: Bang Bang at 60 fps, high-quality settings. 

The game settings

It goes the same with running Asphalt 9 Legends. We did enjoy playing a racing game here, too, because of the larger display.

Fortunately, there aren't many stutters on these two games, and the thermal's are actually great since technically the tablet has obviously a wider dissipation area compared to smartphones.

Still, we don't recommend playing more demanding titles on this device due to chip and GPU limitations.

Stable, average performance

Meanwhile, storage is on the decent side; you can store many documents, photos, and videos. Although downloading significantly larger games might take a chunk of your memory, be careful with that.

Battery life is also outstanding. We were able to stream videos at 50 percent brightness and 65 percent volume on a weekend from 10 AM to 6 PM, which means this can be suitable for binge watching.

Long battery life, but charging is slow

Charging the device to full can be a bit challenging with its 15W adaptor. For us, it took around 3.5 hours before hitting 100 percent. 

That's long, and we wished HONOR could've opted for at least 25W or their usual 35W seen on under PHP 10K devices. Or at least add support for faster charging so that users may opt to buy a better adaptor than the free stock ones. 

Connectivity-wise, the tablet features WiFi (5GHz/2.4GHz) and Bluetooth 5.0 with BLE, SBC, AAC, and LDAC support.

So far, we have never experienced connection drops while streaming videos online. Neither slow downs when downloading our games. For Bluetooth, the experience is similar since version 5.0 is fast enough for our wireless speaker.

The MagicOS 10 UI

On the software side, the tablet runs on Android 16 with MagicOS 10 skin on top.

It comes with Google Assistant, which can be accessed via voice control. Users only have to say Hey Google or Ok Google for quick searches.

In terms of the UI, the experience is surprisingly light as long as you don't stack up your apps.

It also features split-screen mode, so users have the opportunity for multitasking.  To activate this feature, simply drag the app's icons from the multi-window dock.

You can do your write-ups or presentation on one side, then have another space for research on the other side.

It also offers some customization, like changing the background, adding widgets, editing transitions, changing the font, and adjusting the layout. Though for us, we prefer the stock experience.

The HONOR Pad X8b also comes with a dedicated Kids Mode that allows parents to manage profiles, monitor activities with clear charts, and create a safe, distraction‑free learning space.

Time Management allows parents to set usage schedules and duration limits to encourage healthier device habits, while App Management helps children stay focused on learning by restricting unnecessary apps.

Meanwhile, content Management further ensures a clean digital environment by blocking inappropriate or malicious sites.

Moreover, to protect young eyes, the tablet also includes multiple vision safeguards such as a blue light filter, distance alerts, posture alerts, brightness alerts, bumpy road alerts, and an eBook mode optimized for reading.

I don't have a kid yet, but parents with kids needing a tablet may appreciate and maximize this set of features.

Pros - Durable and long-lasting build, good display for streaming, eye comfort, long battery life, quad speakers

Cons - Slow charging, limited RAM

HONOR Pad X8b Specs

Display: 11-inch TFT LCD (IPS) screen w/ 90Hz refresh rate, FHD+ 1920 x 1200 resolution at 206 ppi

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

GPU: Adreno 610

RAM: 4GB

ROM: 128GB expandable via microSD card slot up to 2TB

Back Camera: 5MP f/2.0

Selfie Camera: 5MP f/2.0

Battery: 10,100mAh w/ USB-C 15W fast charging

OS: Android 16 w/ MagicOS 10.0

Connectivity: WiFi (2.4GHz/5GHz), Bluetooth 5.0 BLE (SBC, AAC, LDAC)

Others: 4x speakers, 1x microphone, Colors: Space Gray

Dimensions: 256.91 x 168.46 x 7.25 mm

Weight: 499 g

Price: PHP 10,999

Verdict

The HONOR Pad X8b at PHP 10,999 is a well-rounded budget tablet built for media consumption, students, and families—not power users.

Its strongest selling points are its durability, all-day battery life, surprisingly good speakers, and eye-care features, all of which directly serve its target audience.

The Snapdragon 680 is nothing exciting, but it's honest about what it is. It's an entry-level chip that handles everyday tasks and popular lightweight mobile games without complaint. The slow 15W charging is the most frustrating oversight, especially at this price, and HONOR has no real excuse for it, given their own lineup.

Who should consider it? - Students, parents buying a tablet for their kids, or anyone who wants a durable, media-friendly tablet for light daily use without breaking the bank.

Who should skip it? - Anyone needing performance for heavy multitasking or demanding games. (They would need to shell out more cash, though)

Build/Design - 4.25

Multimedia Experience - 4.25

Performance - 3.75

Average - 4.08/5