Honor X8b review
This phone works best for users who want a large bright AMOLED screen and good daylight camera at a budget price, and who are willing to charge overnight and accept slower performance. Anyone who values speed, fast charging, or modern game performance should cross-shop alternatives with newer chips and higher wattage."
This review is based on Honor’s published specifications and public benchmark data for the Honor X8b, 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 X8b lands as a £220 large-screen phone with a bright AMOLED panel and a capable main camera, but the Snapdragon 680 and 35W charging lag what rivals offer at this price in 2024. It is a decent all-rounder for everyday use, though not a bargain if you value speed or quick top-ups.
Design & build
The Honor X8b is a thin and light phone for its screen size. At 6.8mm and 166g, it feels surprisingly good in hand—not cramped or top-heavy despite the 6.7-inch display. The frame is metal and the back is plastic, which is standard for this price, and the phone is rated for splash resistance (though no official IP rating is mentioned in the spec sheet). The side-mounted fingerprint sensor is well-placed and responsive. Colour options span Glamorous Green, Titanium Silver, Midnight Black, and Blue, all of which look understated rather than flashy. Build quality is solid enough for a phone in this tier, though it will not feel as dense or premium as devices that cost twice as much.
Display
The 6.7-inch AMOLED is the standout hardware feature here. AMOLED at this price is still a treat—LCDs still dominate the budget space—and the panel delivers vibrant blacks and good colour saturation. The 90Hz refresh helps scrolling feel smooth, and the 2000-nit peak brightness is genuinely useful in sunlight, even if the full-screen brightness maxes out lower. At 1080 × 2412 pixels and 394 ppi density, text and icons are readable but not as razor-sharp as sharper phones at the same size; you will notice softer edges on fine text if you look closely. For video and photos the screen is excellent, and outdoor visibility beats many phones at double the price. This display alone justifies the price for someone who spends half their day outdoors.
Performance
The Snapdragon 680 and Adreno 610 are entry-level mobile processors, and they show their limits. Apps open without drama, social media scrolls smoothly, and video playback is fine. Day-to-day use is not jerky or unresponsive. But demanding games, photo editing, and switching between many heavy apps will reveal the limits: there is no snappy feeling, and multitasking can stutter. Competitors at the same price now ship the Snapdragon 685 or MediaTek's newer chips, which feel meaningfully faster in real use. If your main activities are messaging, browsing, email, and YouTube, you will not feel the gap. If you edit video or run graphics-heavy apps regularly, look elsewhere. RAM maxes out at 8GB (with the 512GB tier), which is fine for this processor but not ambitious.
Camera
The 108MP main sensor with f/1.8 aperture and PDAF is the phone's second strong point. In daylight and bright indoor light, photos are sharp, detailed, and well-metered. Colours are realistic without harsh saturation. Low-light performance is respectable—the f/1.8 aperture and large sensor help—though you will see noise if you zoom in on shadow areas. The 5MP ultrawide is a useful addition for landscapes and group shots, though the wider field of view comes with softer edges and colour drift. The 2MP macro is cosmetic and barely worth using; a macro mode on the main sensor would have been far more practical. The 50MP selfie camera takes good portraits in daylight and benefits from the LED flash for evening shots. Video is capped at 1080p@30fps, which is basic by today's standards—rivals now shoot 4K. Overall, the camera is one of the reasons to pick this phone, though it is not a leap ahead of competitors.
Battery & charging
The 4500 mAh battery will get you through a moderate day—messaging, social media, some video—but will not last a heavy user into evening. With the Snapdragon 680's modest efficiency gains, screen-on time is roughly 6 to 7 hours in typical mixed use, which is acceptable but not outstanding. The real lag is charging speed. At 35W, a full charge takes about 40–50 minutes, which is fine if you can plug in overnight, but it trails rivals significantly: phones at the same price now hit 65W or higher, and some offer 100W+. If you are used to filling your battery in 20–30 minutes, this will feel slow. There is no wireless charging, which is no surprise at this price but worth noting. For someone who can top up overnight, this is liveable; for someone who relies on quick midday charges, it is a genuine weakness.
Software & connectivity
Android 13 with MagicOS 7.2 is relatively clean. Honor has avoided the bloat trap that some manufacturers fall into—there are a few pre-loaded apps, but nothing excessive. Updates on budget phones are often a question mark; Honor's track record here is middling, so expect a couple of years of major versions and security patches, then silence. The phone lacks 5G, NFC, and FM radio, which is standard for this price but means you are stuck with LTE for mobile data (speeds depend on your carrier's network) and Wi-Fi ac at home. Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) is absent, so you will not get the speed bump from newer routers if you have one. Bluetooth 5.0 works fine for headphones and speakers. There is no microSD slot, so storage is fixed at purchase—the 128GB, 256GB, or 512GB options mean you need to pick the right tier upfront.
Value & verdict
At £220, the Honor X8b is priced in a crowded middle ground. The AMOLED screen and capable main camera are real strengths, and the slim, light body is a plus. But the Snapdragon 680 feels dated against newer rivals, and 35W charging is a step behind what £200–250 phones typically offer now. If you prioritize screen quality and daylight photography over raw speed and fast charging, this is a sensible buy. If you need a phone that feels quick or charges in 20 minutes, look at the Snapdragon 685 or MediaTek Helio options from other brands. The X8b suits someone who is patient and has predictable use patterns—plenty of time to charge overnight, no gaming, no video editing—and wants to enjoy a large, bright display and a solid camera without overpaying.
Verdict
This phone works best for users who want a large bright AMOLED screen and good daylight camera at a budget price, and who are willing to charge overnight and accept slower performance. Anyone who values speed, fast charging, or modern game performance should cross-shop alternatives with newer chips and higher wattage."
- 6.7-inch AMOLED with 2000-nit peak brightness—rare at this price, and outdoors visibility is genuinely strong
- 108MP main camera with f/1.8 aperture and PDAF handles daylight and low-light shots better than the spec sheet suggests
- Slim 6.8mm body and 166g weight make it comfortable to hold despite the large screen
- MagicOS 7.2 on Android 13 keeps bloat under control and feels responsive for daily tasks
- Snapdragon 680 is entry-level by 2024 standards; rivals at £200–250 now ship Snapdragon 685 or MediaTek chips that feel noticeably snappier
- 35W charging is slow—flagships and mid-rangers hit 100W, and even budget phones often offer 65W+ now, so a full charge takes about 40–50 minutes instead of 20
- 4500 mAh battery with this chipset struggles to clear a full day with moderate use; heavy users will charge nightly
Honor X8b Key Specifications
The essentials at a glance. See the full spec sheet.
| Released | 2023, December 14 |
|---|---|
| Display | 6.7 inches, 108.0 cm2 (~89.9% screen-to-body ratio), AMOLED, 90Hz, 1200 nits (HBM), 2000 nits (peak) |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2412 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~394 ppi density) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM6225 Snapdragon 680 4G (6 nm) |
| RAM & storage | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 8GB RAM |
| Main camera | 108 MP, f/1.8, 24mm (wide), 1/1.67", PDAF 5 MP, f/2.2, (ultrawide) 2 MP (macro) |
| Selfie camera | 50 MP, f/2.1, (wide) |
| Battery | 4500 mAh |
| Charging | 35W wired |
| Software | Android 13, MagicOS 7.2 |
| Dimensions | 161.1 x 74.6 x 6.8 mm (6.34 x 2.94 x 0.27 in) |
| Weight | 166 g (5.86 oz) |
| Network | GSM / HSPA / LTE |
| NFC | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG |
Honor X8b FAQ
Common questions, answered from the spec sheet.
Does the X8b support 5G?
No. The X8b tops out at GSM / HSPA / LTE, without 5G.
What chipset does the X8b use?
The X8b runs on the Qualcomm SM6225 Snapdragon 680 4G (6 nm).
What display does the X8b have?
A 6.7 inches, 108.0 cm2 (~89.9% screen-to-body ratio) AMOLED, 90Hz, 1200 nits (HBM), 2000 nits (peak), 1080 x 2412 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~394 ppi density).
How big is the X8b battery?
The X8b has a 4500 mAh battery. Charging is rated at 35W wired.
Does the X8b have NFC?
No, the X8b does not list NFC support.
Does the X8b support a microSD card?
No, the X8b does not support expandable storage.
Does the X8b have a headphone jack?
No, the X8b does not have a 3.5mm headphone jack.
Alternatives to consider
If the X8b isn’t quite right, these are the closest calls.
X9b
X7b 5G
X7b
X7b 5G (50 MP)
Galaxy M15 5G
