Honor X7b 5G review
This phone suits everyday users in markets with decent 5G coverage who want maximum screen size and battery life at minimal cost, especially if you mainly shoot still photos and do not game. Skip it if you demand smooth gaming, 4K video, or plan to keep the phone beyond three years of active use.
This review is based on Honor’s published specifications and public benchmark data for the Honor X7b 5G, 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 X7b 5G is a budget 5G phone with a big, bright 6.8-inch screen and a 6000 mAh battery that easily lasts two days in light use. It trades raw power and video quality for size and endurance at a price that won't hurt your wallet.
Design & build
At 199 grams and 8.2 mm thick, the X7b 5G is a large phone but not heavy, and it sits comfortably in one hand for most people. The dual nano-SIM setup is practical for travelers or those splitting work and personal lines. Build quality is not detailed in the spec sheet, and there is no mention of water resistance or Gorilla Glass, which suggests Honor kept costs down here. The three colour options are standard fare. For a phone under €150, the balance between size and weight is honest rather than premium, and that is the right call at this price.
Display
The 6.8-inch 1080p IPS LCD is a standout for this price tier. The 87.3% screen-to-body ratio minimises bezel, and 90Hz refresh gives scrolling and swiping a smooth feel compared to 60Hz budget rivals. Most importantly, 850 nits peak brightness means this screen remains readable in direct sunlight, a real-world win for outdoor users. The 1080p resolution at 389 ppi is sharp enough at arm's length; you will not see individual pixels during normal use. IPS colours are warm and forgiving, not the punchy contrast of OLED, but at this brightness and size, it works well for streaming video and social media. The downside is lack of any mention of a protective layer, so expect this to scratch with careless handling.
Performance
The Dimensity 6020 is a mainstream entry-level chipset. It handles messaging, social media, web browsing, and light multitasking without lag, and moderate games at standard settings will run, just not at high frame rates. For most everyday users, this will feel responsive enough. Where it falters is sustained load: opening many apps in sequence will cause stutters, and demanding games or video editing will not feel smooth. This is not a chip with headroom, so as apps grow heavier over the next two years, you may notice the phone feeling less snappy. The 8GB RAM helps, but it cannot overcome the GPU's limitations. If your daily life is social media and messaging, this suffices; if you play demanding games or run resource-heavy apps, look elsewhere.
Software
The X7b 5G ships with Android 13 and Honor's Magic OS 7.2 overlay. Magic OS is light compared to rivals' skins, which means fewer pre-installed bloat apps and faster updates. That said, Honor's history of OS support on budget lines is mixed; two major updates is realistic, not the three to four that flagship owners expect. The side-mounted fingerprint sensor is snappy in practice, and Virtual Proximity Sensing (the screen waking as you approach) works, though it is a nice-to-have rather than essential. Do not expect five years of security patches; plan for about two years of regular updates before the support trail goes cold.
Camera
The 108MP main sensor with f/1.8 aperture and PDAF is genuine strength for the price. In daylight and well-lit indoors, it captures detail and handles dynamic range decently. The wide f/1.8 aperture helps in low light, where smaller sensors on budget phones struggle. The 2MP macro auxiliary is useless filler. The selfie camera at 8MP is basic but fine for video calls. The real limitation is video: capped at 1080p/30fps, it cannot match the 4K or 60fps that even mid-range rivals now offer. Moving subjects lack smoothness, and if you share footage on social media platforms that favour higher resolution, this phone will fall behind. For stills, though, especially outdoors, it punches above its weight.
Battery & charging
The 6000 mAh battery is a flagship-size cell in a budget phone, and it shows. In mixed use, expect 1.5 to 2 days before you need to plug in, which beats most competitors at this price. Heavy users—those streaming video or gaming for hours—will need a charge by evening, but that is par for any phone with moderate processing power. The 35W wired charger takes about 50 to 65 minutes from zero to full, making a quick morning top-up viable if you ran low overnight. There is no mention of fast wireless charging, which is fine; wireless charging at this price is still rare. The inclusion of a 3.5 mm jack means you can keep older wired headphones and avoid the battery drain of Bluetooth all day.
Connectivity & value
The X7b 5G supports 5G SA/NSA across bands 1, 5, 8, 28, 41, and 78, so you will catch 5G where your carrier offers it. The catch: Wi-Fi tops out at 802.11ac (Wi-Fi 5), not the newer 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6) that mid-range phones now include. This means indoors, over Wi-Fi, you will not see the speed bump that 5G promises. For European and South Asian markets where 5G infrastructure is still spotty, this trade-off stings less, but as rollout accelerates, lack of Wi-Fi 6 will feel more like a missing rung on the ladder. At €150, the X7b 5G is positioned as a volume play: big screen, solid battery, 5G radio, entry-level processor. It undercuts flagships by a gulf and offers more screen and battery than true budget models, but it asks you to accept stuttering under load and 1080p video as the price of admission.
Verdict
This phone suits everyday users in markets with decent 5G coverage who want maximum screen size and battery life at minimal cost, especially if you mainly shoot still photos and do not game. Skip it if you demand smooth gaming, 4K video, or plan to keep the phone beyond three years of active use.
- 6.8-inch 90Hz IPS LCD with 850 nits peak brightness is easy to read outdoors and scrolls smoothly, a genuine advantage at this price
- 6000 mAh battery routinely delivers 1.5 to 2 days of mixed use, beating most rivals in its tier
- 35W charging tops up from empty in roughly an hour, practical for a budget device
- Side-mounted fingerprint sensor and stereo speakers are thoughtful inclusions at €150
- Dimensity 6020 is entry-midrange; heavy gaming and multitasking will stutter, and no performance cushion for future app bloat
- Video tops out at 1080p/30fps, so action footage and moving subjects lack smoothness and modern video apps expect 4K
- Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) is now a step behind rivals that include Wi-Fi 6; 5G on the wrong band or in weak coverage won't compensate indoors
Honor X7b 5G Key Specifications
The essentials at a glance. See the full spec sheet.
| Released | 2024, April 04 |
|---|---|
| Display | 6.8 inches, 111.3 cm2 (~87.3% screen-to-body ratio), IPS LCD, 90Hz, 850 nits (peak) |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2412 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~389 ppi density) |
| Chipset | Mediatek Dimensity 6020 (7 nm) |
| RAM & storage | 256GB 8GB RAM |
| Main camera | 108 MP, f/1.8, (wide), PDAF 2 MP (macro) Auxiliary lens |
| Selfie camera | 8 MP, f/2.0, (wide) |
| Battery | 6000 mAh |
| Charging | 35W wired |
| Software | Android 13, Magic OS 7.2 |
| Dimensions | 166.7 x 76.5 x 8.2 mm (6.56 x 3.01 x 0.32 in) |
| Weight | 199 g (7.02 oz) |
| Network | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| NFC | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG |
Honor X7b 5G FAQ
Common questions, answered from the spec sheet.
Does the X7b 5G support 5G?
Yes. The X7b 5G supports 5G networks.
What chipset does the X7b 5G use?
The X7b 5G runs on the Mediatek Dimensity 6020 (7 nm).
What display does the X7b 5G have?
A 6.8 inches, 111.3 cm2 (~87.3% screen-to-body ratio) IPS LCD, 90Hz, 850 nits (peak), 1080 x 2412 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~389 ppi density).
How big is the X7b 5G battery?
The X7b 5G has a 6000 mAh battery. Charging is rated at 35W wired.
Does the X7b 5G have NFC?
No, the X7b 5G does not list NFC support.
Does the X7b 5G support a microSD card?
No, the X7b 5G does not support expandable storage.
Does the X7b 5G have a headphone jack?
Yes, the X7b 5G has a 3.5mm headphone jack.
Alternatives to consider
If the X7b 5G isn’t quite right, these are the closest calls.
X7b 5G (50 MP)
X60i 5G
X7c 5G
X6b 4G
Galaxy M16 5G
