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HONOR X7b Review—Smooth as Butter

Today, consumers have several smartphone options to choose from. Budget-minded buyers might look first at the most affordable alternatives, but these might not be enough in appearance or performance. Giving consumers additional choices, HONOR Philippines has brought in the HONOR X7b. This review finds out if this offering is a commendable candidate.

The HONOR X7b is an Android smartphone with a 6.8-inch touchscreen display, featuring a 2412 x 1080p resolution and 90Hz refresh rate. The X7b uses a TFT LCD panel that delivers decent brightness and brilliance for content viewing, gaming, and mobile photography. The size and responsiveness of the display allow users to have a pleasing view of content and convenient control when using mobile apps.

Clad in a smooth back cover, the Emerald Green variant (the review unit) of the HONOR X7b gently glimmers when touched by ambient light. The smooth, frosted finish of the X7b does not attract fingerprints or smudges easily. The X7b also feels good in the hand because of its curved edges. For increased protection against bumps and scratches, use the jelly case bundled with the smartphone. 

On the back, the HONOR X7b has a pair of circular glasses that look like the number 8, just like the HONOR 90 5G. The glasses carry the X7b's triple camera system, which consists of a 108MP camera (f/1.75), a 5MP wide-angle camera (F2.2), and a 2MP depth camera (F2.4). The X7b also comes with a rear flashlight. Meanwhile, the front camera comes with an 8MP image sensor (f/2.0 aperture) and supports dual-view video recording. Both the front and rear cameras support up to 1080p video recording. 

Images captured using the HONOR X7b are generally clear and vibrant with quite soft colors. Ensure your subject gets adequate lighting, especially when shooting at night. The X7b main camera user interface has onscreen zoom buttons (0.6x, 1.0x, and 2.0x) that allow you to change focus or zoom in on details quickly and seamlessly. The main camera also has a super macro mode, which delivers decent macro shots. 

Inside the sleek body, the HONOR X7b runs a Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 octa-core CPU with Adreno 610 GPU, 8GB RAM, 256GB onboard storage, and MagicOS 7.2 based on Android 13. With this combination of optimized hardware components and software, the X7b can handle various applications and usage scenarios smoothly, and without any noticeable problems. Users can insert an SD card into the X7b to expand onboard storage. The X7b scored 320319 in AnTuTu Benchmark.

The HONOR X7b supports up to 4G cellular network standard with its two SIM slots on the left side of the smartphone. Other connectivity options include Wi-Fi (up to IEEE 802.11ac) and Bluetooth 5.0. Also, files like photos and videos can be seamlessly transferred to other compatible mobile devices through Nearby Share or HONOR Share. 

Another key feature of the HONOR X7b, this smartphone carries a 6000mAh non-removable lithium polymer battery. The integrated battery module can be recharged through the USB-C port, which is located beside the 3.5mm audio jack. With ample battery capacity, the X7b can last up to three days on average. The 6000mAh battery capacity can also support 69.2 hours of music playback, 56.9 hours of calls, 24.9 hours of social media browsing, and 18.5 hours of online streaming, according to HONOR. To achieve optimized battery charging, use the 35W HONOR SuperCharge Charger that comes with the X7b.

Available in three color variants (Emerald Green, Flowing Silver, and Midnight Black), the HONOR X7b sells for the price of ₱8,999. Currently, the X7b is one of the most affordable models in HONOR's growing roster of smartphones. Interested parties can also get the X7b through convenient installment plans using a credit card or Home Credit. If you are looking for a smartphone that looks good, has a bright, responsive screen, delivers smooth performance and good images, and has a long battery life without breaking the bank, the HONOR X7b is worth considering.