Honor begins the year in our country with a new bet: its Honor X8b smartphone model, a mid-range cell phone that, in addition to having remarkable technology, brings together in accessories what an average user would like to find in a device.
And today the qualitative leap in a smartphone is more than evident in manufacturers. It would be difficult to find faults in current cell phones: good camera, good processor, good screen, and we would begin to tell the difference in details.
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Therefore, for this review let’s first look at some technical characteristics of the X8b.
EspecificacionesDimensiones y peso161,05 x 74,55 x 6,78 mm
166 grams 6.7-inch glossy AMOLED display
high resolution of 2,412 x 1,080 ProcessorQualcomm Snapdragon 680
GPU Adreno 610 Memory (RAM + ROM) 8 GB, expandable up to 16 GB Storage 128/256/512 GB Operating system MagicOS 7.2, based on Android 13 Rear camera Triple camera system:
108MP main camera
5MP wide angle and depth camera
2MP macro cameraFront camera50MP selfie camera4,500 mAh battery
35W HONOR SuperCharge Technology4G Connectivity
Dual nano SIM
WiFi 6
Bluetooth 5.0
GPS/AGPS/GLONASS/BeiDou/Galileo
USB Type-C 2.0
Side fingerprint reader Suggested price S/1,099
The Chinese firm presents us with a device that can easily compete with high-end equipment, both for the processor, the cameras, the ultra-fast charging battery and the high-resolution screen. It is the most reasonable thing that could be expected from a smartphone today.
During the test, the first thing that caught our attention was obviously its design. Much less curved than other cell phones, the new Honor X8b smartphone is a commitment to elegance, with a device that stands out for being thin (6.78mm thick) and compact, easy to carry in a pocket, without attracting much attention.
The texture is not rough. On the contrary, it leaves a metallic sensation to the touch. What stands out on the back is the triple camera with the flash, grouped in the upper left corner of the phone, which is also reminiscent of an iPhone.
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According to Honor, this new device comes in the following color options: Aquamarine, Titanium Silver and Midnight Black. On this occasion we were able to try the Titanium Silver, which further highlights the elegant character of the design.
Unlike other Honor devices, the X8b model takes the cameras to a higher end.
/ Daniel Bedoya Ramos
The buttons are located on the sides, as well as access to the telephone chip. And the connection with the headphones? Is the use of the classic mini plug (jack) connector left behind? Well, it happens that the only way to connect the audio is through the USB type C port, or through Bluetooth.
Accessories that make a difference
In terms of technology, the differences between one brand and another are tighter. So what else can they offer users? Here Honor seems to have also thought about that detail since the equipment arrives with a series of accessories that can tip the balance.
The first thing is a basic, transparent case that protects the equipment without increasing its thickness too much. On the other hand, the delivery of the supercharger is also included, in addition to the USB cable. This is a no small detail, since in recent years manufacturers have chosen not to include this element or sell them separately.
The two sides of the Honor X8b.
/ Daniel Bedoya Ramos
Headphone that includes its adapter to connect to the Honor X8b.
/ Daniel Bedoya Ramos
But we had left a question in the air. Will the use of the classic headphone jack no longer be necessary?
The equipment arrives with wired headphones, the classic headphones with a microphone, to which is added the adapter to connect to the equipment… another accessory that today makes the difference in this competition to offer the best device.
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And why is it important to have these hearing aids? An interesting detail about this mid-range device is that it has a radio application, which is already installed. This type of app usually uses the hearing aid as an antenna, unlike other download applications, which need to be connected to the internet to tune into radio stations.
Photo and video
Let’s start with the video. This is what you can expect from a current mid-range device. It can record videos in high definition (1920×1080), at a speed of 29.62 frames per second. And the type of video that is recorded is in MP4 format.
Speaking of recording, the Honor special video.
Audio and video playback test on the new Honor X8b. Honor X8b street video recording test. (Dance group: Criminals Flava)
As for photography, there is a triple camera system, already indicated in the specifications, where the number of 108 megapixels sounds quite striking. They are enough to have a more than acceptable image and capture many more details. But you should not get carried away by the number: although the main factor in a good photograph is the photographer, other technological factors must also be considered.
Honor indicates that the 108MP main camera “is equipped with the ISOCELL HM6 mobile image sensor that supports 108 million pixels with a pixel size of 0.64um×0.64um, allowing users to capture every moment in exquisite detail and captivating colors. ”.
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We must also mention the lighting capacity. According to Honor, this is due to the Nonapixel Plus technology. With this, the sensor can improve image quality even in difficult lighting situations, such as night photography.
Like other smartphones, Honor But they also include a Professional option that allows you to modify the ISO, the speed, the type of focus, the color balance, as if it were a professional camera, but they forgot about the aperture. It is strange that this last function is not integrated with the others, and that it is maintained as a separate option.
Now, among the automatic features, something that stands out is the selection of Filters. The Honor X8b has seven filters that characterize moods such as Sentimental, Sad, Nostalgia, or also others called Valencia, Mono, Halo and Dawn. Here you can see the results of the cameras, without editing.
Photo in panoramic mode.
/ Daniel Bedoya Ramos
Photograph taken with the Sad filter (F: 1.75; V: 1/125; ISO: 143)
/ Daniel Bedoya Ramos
Photograph taken with the Sentimental filter. (F: 1.75; V: 1/125; ISO: 143)
/ Daniel Bedoya Ramos
Macro photography to test focus. (F:1.75; V:1/400; ISO 100)
/ Daniel Bedoya Ramos
Photography in professional mode. (F: 1.75; V: 1/15; ISO 160)
/ Daniel Bedoya Ramos
Photography with the Nostalgia filter. (F: 2.2; V: 1/125; ISO 140)
/ Daniel Bedoya Ramos
Night photography without flash. (F: 1.75; V: 1/25; ISO 3.255)
/ Daniel Bedoya Ramos
Photography in professional mode and without flash. (F: 1.75; V: 1/10; ISO 1,250)
/ Daniel Bedoya Ramos