The HONOR X6 is currently the brand’s cheapest smartphone in the Philippines after its recent comeback to the country.
With its SRP of only Php7,490, does the X6 have what it takes to take on this saturated market or should you look somewhere else? We find out in our HONOR X6 full review.
Honor X6 Specs
- Android 12, Magic UI 6.1
- Dual SIM, Dual standby
- 6.5-inch HD+ IPS display, 1600 x 720 pixel resolution, 270ppi
- 2.0GHz MediaTek Helio G25 octa-core processor
- 4GB RAM
- PowerVR GE8320 GPU
- 64GB internal storage, expandable via microSD
- 5-megapixel front camera
- 50-megapixel (f/1.8, PDAF) + 2-megapixel (macro) + 2-megapixel (depth sensor) rear cameras, LED flash
- Side-mounted fingerprint scanner, Face unlock
- HSPA+, 4G LTE, 5G
- WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band
- Bluetooth 5.1
- GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS
- USB Type-C
- Dimensions: 163.66 x 75.13 x 8.68mm
- Weight: 194g
- Colors: Midnight Black, Titanium Silver, Ocean Blue
- 5,000mAh non-removable battery
Design and Build Quality
The designs of budget smartphones have really come a long way, which is why we’re not surprised that the HONOR X6 looks this premium. It boasts a shiny glass-like plastic material on the back, with gold touches surrounding the large camera glass.
What we have here is the Midnight Black color, but it is also available in Titanium Silver and Ocean Blue. This color that we have is really prone to fingerprint marks and smudges, so make sure you slap in the free clear case included on the box.
The X6 also adapts to the current trend of phones with flat edges. It does provide a more comfortable grip, although at 8.68mm, it does feel relatively thick. The overall build feels pretty solid, but it lacks any official water and dust protection.
Taking a tour, there’s the standard 6.5-inch HD+ IPS screen on the front, with a waterdrop notch for the selfie camera. There’s also a thin slit on top of the front camera for the earpiece.
Both top and side bezels look thin enough, but being an IPS panel, it has a relatively thick chin. HONOR didn’t mention the glass they used for the screen, but it does come with a screen protector pre-applied for extra peace of mind.
The SIM tray is on the left side. It’s hybrid, which means that you have to choose to use the second slot for a second SIM or a microSD card for storage expansion.
On the right side, we have the lock/power button that doubles as a fingerprint scanner with volume controls on top of it. The buttons feel plasticky and a bit flimsy, but it does the job fine.
The top only has a secondary microphone for noise isolation. While at the bottom, we have the loudspeaker, 3.5mm headphone jack, the primary mic, and, USB Type-C port.
Overall, we’re fine with the design and build of the X6. It looks premium and sturdy.
Display and Sound Quality
Both the display and sound quality are a standard affair, just like everything else on this device. It has a 6.5-inch HD+ IPS screen with a 1600 x 720 pixel resolution. There’s also a single bottom-firing speaker, no stereo.
The screen is okay for the price. Sharpness is definitely not the best and the colors are a tad bit washed out, but you’d barely notice it. Screen brightness is also ample, even when used outdoors.
While it only has a single loudspeaker, it is surprisingly loud with decent clarity. If you want better audio, you can plug in a pair of earphones or external speakers via the 3.5mm headphone jack.
Hardware and Performance
The HONOR X6 is powered by a MediaTek Helio G25 octa-core processor, with 4GB of RAM, PowerVR GE8329 graphics, and 64GB internal storage that’s expandable via a microSD card.
HONOR X6 benchmark scores
If you’re familiar with the aforementioned hardware, you know that they are quite underwhelming for the price, and in our tests, it clearly shows.
The X6 feels really laggy. Even the interface feels slow and choppy, which is quite disappointing since there are other competing devices, despite their similar low price tag, that provide a relatively smooth experience.
The gaming performance was unsurprisingly sluggish, either. Despite being on Medium graphics quality, Call of Duty Mobile has a lot of frame drops that would sometimes hurt our eyes.
Clearly, the HONOR X6 is quite a letdown in the performance department.
Software and User Interface
Probably one of the redeeming qualities of the HONOR X6. This one runs on the latest Android 12-based MIUI 6.1 interface.
The interface looks fairly clean with just the right elements to make things easily accessible.
Customization features are also here that let users personalize themes, wallpapers, app icons, and more. You can also opt to use the standard home screen style or have a dedicated drawer for your apps.
The device also has both a side-mounted fingerprint scanner and face unlock. Both worked well, albeit slowed down by the device’s overall sluggishness.
Emergency SOS is also here that would automatically call an assigned contact when you rapidly press the power button 5 times.
Like other HONOR phones, the X6 uses the Microsoft Swiftkey keyboard as a default. There’s a learning curve, but you’d get there. What’s good is that it gives you quick access to things like emojis, gifs, translators, and more.
Another feature you’d be using the most is the camera app, which is quite intuitive. No problems here.
The UI of the HONOR X6 doesn’t have too many flares, but that’s how it should be. Clean and straightforward with only the right amount of fuss.
Related
Cameras
The HONOR X6 has a sharp 50-megapixel main camera as one of its only highlight features. It is paired with a 2-megapixel macro lens, another 2-megapixel as a depth sensor, and a 5-megapixel front-facing camera.
Now, as for the camera samples. The main shooter with its sharp sensor takes nice images, but we’ve definitely seen other devices with a similar 50-megapixel shooter that took better images.
The images looked a little washed out and lack details, even in good lighting scenarios. The shutter can also be a bit slow, resulting in a blurry image. But surprisingly, low-light shots are passable.
Same goes with the selfie camera, especially with its much lower resolution. Still, it’s more than enough for video calls and participating in online classes.
Battery
One of the redeeming qualities of the HONOR X6 is the 5,000mAh battery. PCMark’s battery test gave it a screen-on-time score of 13 hours and 9 minutes. In real-world use, the device should last you for up to two days of light to moderate use like doing social media, messaging, and a few calls.
While the battery does last long, charging this device may also take some time as it only comes with a 10W adapter. A 0% to 100% may take around 3 hours.
Verdict
Don’t get us wrong, the HONOR X6 is a decent device if only it had the right price tag.
It has a large display, surprisingly loudspeakers, and long battery life. However, the handset is awfully slow, even for the price. The cameras could be better, too, and charging times with the included charger is painfully long.
If you’re planning on getting the HONOR X6, it might be best to wait a little more until it gets a price drop.
Honor X6 price and availability in the Philippines
The HONOR X6 has been available in the Philippines since October 29. It only comes in a single 4GB/64GB variant for a price of Php7,490. If it’s not your cup of tea, you can check all the other HONOR products available in the country.
Pros
- Premium-looking design
- Good loudspeaker
- Decent display
- Long battery life
Cons
- Slow performance for the price
- Camera quality could be better
- Slow charging