The HONOR X7c has some big shoes to fill. Its predecessor impressed a lot of consumers, and it became one of the segment’s best-sellers.
While it retains the same formula — big battery, rugged design, entry-level price — HONOR did some odd downgrades on this one.
We’re curious to know the reason behind the compromises. Were they forced to make the cuts to make way for more important upgrades? In our HONOR X7c review, we’ll see if it’s the smartphone for you.
HONOR X7c Specs
- Android 14, MagicOS 8
- Dual SIM, Dual standby
- 6.77-inch HD+ IPS display, 1610 x 720 pixel resolution, ~261ppi
- 120Hz refresh rate
- 2.8GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 685 octa-core processor
- Adreno 610 GPU
- 8GB RAM
- 256GB internal storage, expandable via microSD
- 8-megapixel front camera
- 108-megapixel (f/1.8, PDAF) + 2-megapixel (depth sensor) rear cameras, LED flash
- Side-mounted fingerprint scanner, Face unlock
- IP64 dust and water resistant
- Stereo speakers, Hi-Res audio
- HSPA+, 4G LTE
- WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band
- Bluetooth 5.0
- GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS
- NFC
- USB-C
- Dimensions: 166.9 x 76.8 x 8.1mm
- Weight: 194g
- Colors: Forest Green, Moonlight White, Midnight Black
- 6,000mAh non-removable battery, 35W charging
Design and Build Quality
Like their other releases, HONOR is highlighting once again the durability of the HONOR X7c. It received a “Swiss SGS Premium Performance Certification of Drop and Crush Resistance”, as stated directly on the website. It also has an IP64 rating for being dust and water-resistant. These durability features are a main upgrade over its predecessor.
I didn’t have the heart to test out how well it can actually survive drops. Still, having such durability certifications is impressive and rare for a smartphone at this price point. It should survive accidental drops on some surfaces but don’t deliberately drop this device just to show off.
I tested the water protection by dumping it into the water and washing it like the dishes. It survived like nothing happened and you can touch and interact with the screen even when it’s wet. Don’t try it at home, though, as it’s not covered by the warranty.
I also tried our standard light bend tests and found the frame solid enough. Despite its tall frame, it doesn’t feel fragile when you accidentally sit on it.
Depending on how careful you are, it should survive without a case. But for safety, I still suggest using the clear case HONOR included in the package. It provides ample protection on the display (screen protector pre-applied), but I wish the protrusion for the camera protection was a little higher.
The HONOR X7c is a tall device. The extra screen size is great for viewing content and multitasking, but it inevitably makes the device a little uncomfortable to hold. The flat frame didn’t help either, but I did appreciate the added grip when taking pictures or watching movies.
Being “thin and light” is not its goal, either. But HONOR makes up for it by putting a large 6,000mAh battery on this thing, which basically means impressive longevity (more on that later).
What I liked more than the build quality is the design. Our review unit is the Forest Green, the hero color. It has a military-green tone that looks sleek and subtle, the material is made of leather-like plastic, while the pattern looks like a picnic cloth that oddly works well with the overall look.
The camera island is quite large and has a bump with a complimenting gold-painted band surrounding it.
Taking a tour, we have the large 6.77-inch HD+ display on the front with a punch-hole for the 8-megapixel selfie camera. Bezels are not thin, but not a big problem for the price.
We have the SIM tray on the top left. Unfortunately, it’s a hybrid setup. HONOR could’ve easily had a dedicated slot for a microSD card slot, but instead chose to have you decide between memory expansion or a second nano SIM.
The left side has the volume controls and the lock/power/fingerprint scanner. The buttons have decent tactility, no complaints here.
An IR blaster is on top, along with a noise-isolating microphone.
At the bottom, we have the USB-C port, loudspeaker, primary microphone, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.
The camera layout on the back has a 2×2 layout. Although, only two are actually sensors. The other two are for the LED flash and a useless placeholder to make it look like a quad-camera setup.
Display and Audio
The HONOR X7c has a 6.77-inch HD+ IPS display, with only a 1610 x 720-pixel resolution, ~261 pixels-per-inch, and 120Hz refresh rate.
This is where things get a little tricky. Its predecessor managed to have a sharper FHD+ resolution, but only a 90Hz refresh rate. Considering how having a high refresh rate on a budget phone is barely noticeable, it would’ve been better if HONOR stayed with the previous configuration.
It also lacks Widevine L1 (only L3), so streaming on Netflix and other platforms is capped at Standard Definition (SD). On the upside, the tall screen size is great for reading articles and emails.
While we wish the audio had better clarity, the fact that it managed to have stereo speakers, instead of just one, is impressive enough. Stereo separation is audible thanks to the large display giving enough distance for the two drivers. The 300% volume boost mode is a nice addition, just don’t expect much from it.
Hardware and Performance
The HONOR X7c is equipped with a 2.8GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 685 octa-core processor — a 6nm chip with Adreno 610 graphics, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of expandable storage. Note that this is a 4G-only chipset, so no 5G connectivity here.
HONOR X7c Benchmark Scores
Day-to-day performance is adequate. There are a few times when opening an app may take a second or two (or three), but not a big deal for a device at this price. I managed to browse the web without a problem, take pictures, video calls, do quick photo edits, and more.
Now, most of you must be wondering, can it game? Let’s find out.
Genshin Impact surprisingly ran with playable frame rates and no overheating issues, but only in the lowest settings. PUBG Mobile may not have the smoothest frame rates, but I didn’t experience lags under Balanced/High, as well as Call of Duty: Mobile under High/Medium.
Farlight84 also ran played well with adequate frame rates using the lowest graphics settings. Mobile Legends: Bang Bang was smooth under high. Asphalt Legends Unite also ran well on High settings, but only under 30fps.
Overall, gaming performance is fine for the price. You’re not getting high frame rates or graphics quality, but you can still play comfortably as long as you settle with low settings. If your main priority is gaming, this one’s probably not for you.
| Game | Graphics Settings |
| Call of Duty: Mobile | • Graphics Quality: High • Frame Rate: Medium |
| Farlight84 | • Graphics Quality: Minimal • Frame Rate: Low. |
| PUBG Mobile | • Graphics Quality: Balanced • Frame Rate: High |
| Genshin Impact | • Graphics Quality: Lowest (Default) |
| Mobile Legends: Bang Bang | • Graphics Quality: High • Frame Rate: High • HD Mode: On |
| Asphalt Legends Unite | • Visual Quality: High Quality • Frame Rate: 30 |
Software and User Interface
The HONOR X7c comes with MagicOS 8.0 with Android 14 on top. It is already confirmed to receive the Android 15-based MagicOS 9.0 update, but its release date is yet to be confirmed.
Design-wise, I still wish MagicOS’ interface looked more minimalistic and simpler. But I do appreciate how clean and easy to use it is. For one, there are home screen icons and widgets that let you easily access important features like a QR code scanner.
Magic Capsule is a nice feature. It works like Apple’s Dynamic Island for features like the timer, voice recording, and beauty.
Always-On Display (AOD) settings are also here. But due to the IPS screen, expect a faster drop in battery life when this is enabled. If you don’t really need it, I suggest turning it off on this one.
The side-mounted fingerprint scanner is a hit or miss. You’re better off with the face unlock, which worked without problems even in dark environments.
I like the built-in storage cleaner as it can scan for duplicate files — apart from the usual junk files and unused apps — so you can delete them easily and save storage. Its 256GB storage is massive, though. For most people, this can store thousands of files
While it has a virtual RAM expansion feature, there doesn’t seem to be a setting for it that lets you adjust the allocation. Not a problem, though, since such feature barely makes a difference anyway.
HONOR’s Game Manager feature looks lacking compared to gaming windows found on other brands. Still, it lets you switch to Game mode, which supposedly optimizes the system to improve gaming performance, albeit the difference is barely noticeable.
Cameras
The HONOR X7c sadly lacks an ultra-wide and a macro lens and HONOR thinks they can make up for it by putting a sharp 108-megapixel main camera with f/1.8 aperture. It does have a secondary lens, but it’s only a 2-megapixel depth sensor. An 8-megapixel selfie camera is on the front.
Daylight shots need a lot of work. Dynamic range could be better and the colors are off at times. The sharpness and details are nice, though.
Like the daylight shots, low-light photos have poor dynamic range. On the upside, the colors from the photos I’ve taken are surprisingly okay. Details are good, too.
The image quality from the selfie camera is unsurprising for an 8-megapixel sensor. It has enough sharpness in daylight, but noises and grains quickly show up in low light. Dynamic range could be better, too, but skin tones are acceptable.
Hopefully, the issues with the image quality are just problems in post-processing, which I’m hoping they will fix soon via a software update.
Battery and Charging
Possibly the only real highlight feature of the HONOR X7c is its 6,000mAh battery — 1,000mAh more than the usual capacities we see on other phones. Paired with its low-resolution screen and budget chipset, it’s no surprise it received great scores from our battery tests.
I ran PCMark’s synthetic battery test, which loops different workloads until the battery drops to 20%. The X7c lasted 18 hours and 47 minutes — one of the longest we’ve had on this test and much higher than the average score of 15 hours and 7 minutes on other phones below Php10,000.
I also ran our 1080p YouTube video loop test, with the screen brightness and volume at 50%. It lasted for 18 hours and 36 minutes until the battery dropped to 2% and the system automatically switched to power saving mode. That’s higher than the average 14 hours and 10 minutes we get on other phones.
Despite its large battery, charging speeds are actually similar than other phones in this segment, primarily thanks to the 35W SuperCharge adapter. Of course, it’s not as fast as those with 60W+ but decent enough. A full charge only takes around 1 hour and 35 minutes. Full charging test results are below:
- 15mins: 0-17%
- 30mins: 37%
- 45mins: 57%
- 1hr 15mins: 89%
- 1hr 30mins: 98%
- 1hr 35mins: FULL
Verdict
HONOR definitely made some odd decisions with the HONOR X7c. The downgrade to an HD+ screen just to have a higher 120Hz refresh rate only did more harm than good and removing the ultra-wide camera doesn’t make any sense.
Also, it would’ve been nice to have 5G connectivity and better image processing on this device. But, the excessive durability features are definitely an upgrade over the X7b.
The X7c also boasts one of the most impressive battery lives in the market and has been paired with a decent fast charging. Day-to-day performance was adequate, too, and it can also game if you have the right expectations.
So, if you’re a heavy user who spends hours on your phone, and you have a tight budget, the HONOR X7c should be one of your top considerations.
HONOR X7c pricing and availability in the Philippines
The HONOR X7c is now available in the Philippines with an SRP of Php8,999. You can get it at HONOR stores and retailers nationwide, and online through Lazada, Shopee, and TikTok Shop.
Pros
- Drop, dust, and water resistance durability
- Long battery life
- Stereo speakers
- Decent daily, gaming performance
- Eligible for Android 15
Cons
- Only HD+ display, no Widevine L1
- No 5G
- No ultra-wide or macro lens
- Image processing could be better