The end of the year is the time we feel is best to buy a new smartphone. Many manufacturers will offer huge discounts. There are also new devices with good specifications offered at more competitive prices. The Honor X7b falls into the second category because its selling price is only RM799 after going on sale last week. Is it worth it or should you just buy the three phones under RM1000 that we will recommend later? Here's a quick review for the Honor X7b.
SPECIFICATIONS
Honor X7b
Screen 6.8″ TFT LCD, FHD, 90HZ
Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 processor (6nm)
4 X 2.4 GHz Cortex-A73 chips
4 X 1.9 GHz Cortex-A55
Adreno 610 Graphics Chip
8GB LPDDR4X RAM
8GB Virtual
Internal Storage 256GB UFS 2.2
Micro SD 1TB
Primary Camera 108MP, f/1.8 (Wide Angle)
5MP, f/2.2 (Ultra Wide Angle)
2MP, f/2.4 (Depth)
8MP f/2.0 Selfie Camera
6000 mAh battery
35W wired charging
SIM/Nano Telephony/4G
NFC Yes
Audio Jack Yes
Waterproof None
Side Fingerprint Scan System
face
Sale Price RM 799 (8/256 GB)
SCREEN
The 6.8″ screen is of the TFT LCD type, FHD+ resolution and 90Hz refresh rate. The refresh rate is dynamic between 60Hz or 90Hz depending on the situation. It's not a screen that we can say is good because it's from the TFT family that gives a not so amazing viewing angle experience, only average colors and not very clear under bright sun. In this category of affordable devices is the type of screen used to reduce costs.
There is no HDR support and when playing the Netflix app there is also no HD streaming support. Touch is detected well and the 90Hz refresh rate is adequate for the majority of situations. Sometimes it just feels like it's stuttering especially when heavy apps are running in the background.
The bezel is only large at the bottom which we feel is not very prominent. The screen isn't going to win any "best" awards in any category but it's not so bad that it ruins the video viewing experience either.
BIOMETRIC
The fingerprint scanner is placed on the power button on the right side of the bezel. The large, flat surface of the power button makes it easy to locate the finger quickly. During the review period of more than a week we did not experience the issue of the finger failing to be detected. A face scan system is also included and like fingerprint unlocks quickly. In dark conditions the screen will light up to allow the face to be scanned. Sometimes there is failure.
DESIGN
The body design is quite generic as it is the same as some Oppo, Realme and OnePlus devices reviewed this year. Probably due to using the same OEM. The flat screen is matched with a metal frame with flat sides and a plastic panel on the back. We don't feel that it makes the device feel cheap, just lacks uniqueness compared to other devices on the market.
On the right side there is also an audio adjustment button while on the left side there is a dual SIM nano tray which also houses a slot for a microSD card up to 1TB. Only one SIM can be used if a microSD card is used. At the bottom is a USB-C charging port, a 3.5mm audio jack and one of the stereo speaker grilles. Another lattice is placed on the ear handle at the top.
Two moderately large and not very high humps house the 108+5+2 MP tricamera system. The plastic panel on the back has a marble-like pattern that gets dirty easily. At a certain angle it can be seen as a hologram effect with beautiful rainbow colors. Honor provides a polycarbonate frame that protects the back panel from dirt and damage.
Although the body of the device is flat, the X7b is still comfortable in the hand due to its relatively thin body. Surprisingly the body of the device is thin and it is also not very heavy even though it is equipped with a battery of 6000 mAh.
USAGE AND SOFTWARE
MagicOS 7.2 operating system based on Android 13 is used so it is not much different from the operating system we used on Magic Vs (just no features for foldable screen devices only). MagicOS 7.2 operates smoothly even though the Snapdragon 680 chip used is almost two years old.
The Honor RAM Turbo system allows up to another 8GB of RAM to be added virtually giving the potential for up to 16GB of RAM to be used by the owner. It's strange that the amount of Turbo RAM that can be used cannot be changed. We didn't find a setting to turn it off either.
There are standard Multi Windows features, using the device with one hand, gestures, driving mode and e-book mode. As an entry-level device, the additional features offered by Honor on this device are not very luxurious.
Additional features provided by MagicOS 7.2 are.
Multi Window – Launch two applications simultaneously through side tabs.
Floating Window – Applications float in small windows.
Gesture – Take a screenshot by tapping the screen or scrolling down with 3 fingers simultaneously.
System Manager – A local stop to view device health.
Ride Mode – A riding mode that disables some features to reduce distractions.
Yoyo Suggestion – Folder suggests applications that might be used.
BENCH MARK
After more than two years of launch, will the Snapdragon 680 still be suitable for use in devices at the end of 2023? To see its capabilities Geekbench 6, Antutu 3D and 3D Mark Wildlife Extreme benchmark tests were performed.
We compare Realme 11 5G with Tecno Pova5 4G (Helio G99), Realme 10 4G (Helio G99), Samsung Galaxy M14 5G (Exynos 1330), and Oppo A98 5G (Snapdragon 695). Some may say this is unfair but we need to show the performance of the 2021 chip with the 2022 chip.
Antutu 3D Benchmark
Honor X7b – 313,453
Realme 11 5G – 373,331
Tecno Pova5 4G – 406,217
Realme 10 4G – 398,203
Samsung Galaxy M14 5G – 454,662
Oppo A98 5G – 411,010
Geekbench6
Honor X7b – 412/1425
Realme 11 5G – 720/1884
Tecno Pova 5 4G – 737/2005
Realme 10 4G – 572/1743
Samsung Galaxy M14 5G – 924/2129
Oppo A98 5G – 885/2034
WildLife Extreme
Honor X7b – 120
Realme 11 5G – 327
Tecno Pova 5 4G – 1,263
Realme 10 4G – N/A
Samsung Galaxy M14 5G – 1388
Oppo A98 5G – 1212
In all tests the Snapdragon 680 loses to the G99, Exynos 1330 and Snapdragon 695. We feel that the Helio G99 is probably the most satisfying entry-level chip as it can still run titles like COD Mobile and Asphalt 9. The Snapdragon 680 can also run the same applications but at lower performance. In COD Mobile it can be felt that the frame rate is a little low and stuck when in a fierce battle situation. This chip is showing its age.
Social media, web browsing and banking apps have no issues playing on the X7b but we're sure the majority aren't just buying smartphones for mediocre apps. In the market now there are many devices with Helio G99 such as Tecno Pova 5 and Realme 10 4G which can offer more satisfactory gaming performance and the selling price is the same as X7b.
TELEPHONY and GPS
The device has no problem using 4G and WiFi networks up to 5GHz. This is what we call minimal performance. Voice calls are clear and have no issues as long as there is at least full cellular power. GPS is simple in that it takes a few seconds before the location can be locked in an application like Google Maps.
CAMERA
The main camera consists of a 108MP wide-angle lens, a 5MP ultra-wide-angle lens and a 2MP depth sensor. In front of the camera is only 8MP. The camera performance is not so good even with a 108MP sensor. No OIS makes the picture not very sharp especially at night. Color reproduction is also not outstanding.
Colors don't look alive. Since the X7b is an entry-level device, we're not too critical as this is common for devices under the RM900 price tag. Zoom is only satisfactory up to 2X. Above this level the image starts to look soft and have the effect of noise. Finally, photos taken using an ultra wide angle lens are not sharp enough because the sensor is small and there is no OIS.
BATTERY
Honor X76 is supplied with a 6,000mAh battery with a 35W fast charging system. Through it, we were able to get a battery life of up to 13 hours in heavy use with SOT reaching 8 hours. In different situations, the device can last up to 16 hours in moderate use with a SOT of around 11 hours. At the end of the day, usually before going to bed, there is still more than 20% battery left. Recharging takes around 110 minutes with the charger included in the box.
AUDIO
There are stereo speakers with Histen audio system. Audio is only standard but at least stereo while the majority of entry-level devices are equipped with mono speakers. Loud audio is just not clear at the highest settings. If the physical speakers are not satisfying to listen to, there is a 3.5mm audio jack on the bottom.
IN THE BOX
Here's what's included in the box.
1x Honor X7b
1x USB-A to USB-C charging cable.
1x Silicone frame.
1x 35W three-pin Charger
1x Manual.
1x SIM Pin.
CONCLUSION
The Honor X7b arrived late at the end of 2023 but with a 2021 chip. That's why from day one it was beaten by several other devices with more interesting specifications. Although the selling price is only an affordable RM799, there are other devices in the same price range but offering better performance such as Realme 10 4G and Tecno Pova 5.
The strength of this device lies in its beautiful back panel design, stereo speakers and long-lasting battery. Not much can be said about the Honor X7b except that it is an affordable mid-range device that can run various applications smoothly but is not suitable for 3D graphics.
Pro
Beautiful back panel design.
Smooth 90Hz screen.
Large long lasting battery.
Stereo speakers.
Cons
Just a simple camera.
The chip is quite old and less powerful.