Honor X5b review
The X5b suits someone in a tight-budget market who needs a phone for calls, messaging, and basic browsing and can live with slow charging and modest performance. Skip it if you game, create content, or expect responsive performance—or if you have the budget for last year's mid-range, which offers dramatically more for little extra cost.
This review is based on Honor’s published specifications and public benchmark data for the Honor X5b, and the rating is spec-based. GoSolo does not physically test devices; where we estimate real-world behaviour such as battery life or charge time, we say so. How we rate phones.
Overview
The Honor X5b is a straightforward budget phone built for basics—calling, messaging, light browsing—with a roomy 6.56-inch display and all-day battery life in light use, though its entry-level Helio G36 chipset and 10W charging mean no speed and a lot of waiting. It's honest value at €80 for markets where 4G is still the standard and budget phones simply need to survive a workday.
Design & Build
At 194g and 8.7mm thick, the X5b feels light in hand—almost frameless compared to phones that weigh over 200g. The dimensions are generous but manageable on the wrist. Honor has chosen a straightforward design with no obvious frills, which suits the price and likely meets its target: people who need a phone that works for a year or two without drama. There is no water resistance rating, so splash care is needed. The 3.5mm jack and side-mounted fingerprint are nice little practical touches that cost Honor little to include.
Display
The 6.56-inch TFT LCD is genuinely large for an €80 phone, and the 90Hz refresh helps scrolling feel responsive enough for casual messaging and social media. The 530-nit peak brightness is respectable—sun legibility is a non-issue. But the 720p resolution at this screen size means text is noticeably soft and images show visible pixels if you look close, especially compared to even mid-range rivals from last year. For video watching or photos, it is serviceable; for reading small type or detailed maps, it falls short. The 83.2% screen-to-body ratio is decent frame design for the era.
Performance
The Mediatek Helio G36 is entry-level even by budget 2024 standards. It handles social apps, messaging, and light browsing without strain, and simple games like Subway Surfers will run fine at low settings. Anything more demanding—3D gaming, heavy multitasking, video editing—will stutter or choke. The 4GB RAM is the real limitation; even basic apps can trigger slowdowns if you have five or six open. For the intended use case (not gaming, not creation), it is sufficient. Don't expect any snappiness beyond that.
Software
Magic OS 8 sits on top of Android 14 with a clean, inoffensive skin. No surprise bloat or aggressive ads, which is good for a phone at this price point. The side-mounted fingerprint sensor responds quickly and is a faster unlock method than face recognition on a low-end chipset. Software updates are always a question with sub-€100 phones; Honor's track record here is mixed globally, so local support expectations should be checked before buying. For a device meant to last one or two years, the OS is adequate and not the weak link.
Camera
The 13MP main camera has an f/1.8 aperture, which helps indoors, but the sensor is small and there is no digital zoom or ultra-wide option. Photos in bright outdoor light are acceptable, if flat and lacking detail. Dim indoor shots quickly become grainy. There is no portrait mode or advanced night mode, so don't expect moodiness or subject separation. The 5MP selfie is serviceable for video calls but produces washed-out skin tones. Video is 1080p@30fps only, which is entry-level for 2024; expect no stabilization. For a person who takes the occasional snapshot, it does the job. Anyone who cares about photo quality should budget higher.
Battery & Charging
The 5200mAh battery will comfortably last a full day with light to moderate use—messaging, calls, some social media, no streaming. Heavy browsing or video will cut that to 10-12 hours. The real pain point is charging: 10W is slow by any modern standard, and it takes roughly 90-120 minutes to go from flat to full. In markets where overnight charging is normal, this is fine. In places where people top up mid-day, the wait is frustrating. The full battery capacity at least means fewer charging cycles over the phone's life, which is a small durability win.
Value & Verdict Context
At €80, the Honor X5b undercuts most rivals in its footprint and does one thing well: offer a working phone with a big screen and respectable battery for people whose needs are calls, texts, and light apps. It does not pretend to be fast, does not offer a second camera, and makes no claim to durability beyond 'should survive a year.' The 90Hz screen and 3.5mm jack are small pleasures at this price. The weaknesses—slow performance, slow charging, low-res screen, basic camera—are predictable sacrifices at this cost. No surprises or hidden gotchas, which is exactly what a budget phone should deliver.
Verdict
The X5b suits someone in a tight-budget market who needs a phone for calls, messaging, and basic browsing and can live with slow charging and modest performance. Skip it if you game, create content, or expect responsive performance—or if you have the budget for last year's mid-range, which offers dramatically more for little extra cost.
- Genuinely large 6.56-inch display with 90Hz refresh and 530 nits brightness for the price
- 5200mAh battery lasts a full light day, and the capacity means fewer charge cycles over time
- Light design at 194g is comfortable for extended use, with 3.5mm jack and side fingerprint included
- Dual SIM, microSD expansion, and Wi-Fi 5 keep it flexible for budget-conscious users in multiple regions
- Helio G36 chipset handles only light apps and simple games; anything more demanding will struggle
- 10W charging takes 90-120 minutes from flat to full, painfully slow by 2024 standards
- 720p resolution at 6.56 inches leaves text soft and visible pixels in close viewing
Honor X5b Key Specifications
The essentials at a glance. See the full spec sheet.
| Released | 2024, October 22 |
|---|---|
| Display | 6.56 inches, 103.4 cm2 (~83.2% screen-to-body ratio), TFT LCD, 90Hz, 530 nits (HBM) |
| Resolution | 720 x 1612 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~269 ppi density) |
| Chipset | Mediatek Helio G36 (12 nm) |
| RAM & storage | 64GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 4GB RAM |
| Main camera | 13 MP, f/1.8, (wide) Auxiliary lens |
| Selfie camera | 5 MP, f/2.2, (wide) |
| Battery | 5200 mAh |
| Charging | 10W wired |
| Software | Android 14, Magic OS 8 |
| Dimensions | 163.9 x 75.8 x 8.7 mm (6.45 x 2.98 x 0.34 in) |
| Weight | 194 g (6.84 oz) |
| Network | GSM / HSPA / LTE |
| NFC | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG |
Honor X5b FAQ
Common questions, answered from the spec sheet.
Does the X5b support 5G?
No. The X5b tops out at GSM / HSPA / LTE, without 5G.
What chipset does the X5b use?
The X5b runs on the Mediatek Helio G36 (12 nm).
What display does the X5b have?
A 6.56 inches, 103.4 cm2 (~83.2% screen-to-body ratio) TFT LCD, 90Hz, 530 nits (HBM), 720 x 1612 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~269 ppi density).
How big is the X5b battery?
The X5b has a 5200 mAh battery. Charging is rated at 10W wired.
Does the X5b have NFC?
No, the X5b does not list NFC support.
Does the X5b support a microSD card?
Yes, the X5b supports expandable storage (microSDXC).
Does the X5b have a headphone jack?
Yes, the X5b has a 3.5mm headphone jack.
Alternatives to consider
If the X5b isn’t quite right, these are the closest calls.
X5b Plus
X7b 5G (50 MP)
X7b 5G
X6b 4G
Y50 5G
