Honor 7X All Specs Prices Pros & Cons Unveiled

Overview of Honor 7X

The Honor 7X, released in December 2017, stands out as a mid-range smartphone offering from Huawei's Honor sub-brand. Known for its combination of performance and affordability, the 7X was designed to cater to users looking for a budget phone that doesn’t compromise on essential features. Offering a dual-camera setup, an HD+ display, and solid battery life, this device aims to provide both an appealing design and reliable functionality.

Design and Build

The Honor 7X showcases a sleek and modern design characterized by its aluminum frame and glass front. It weighs 165 grams and measures 156.5 x 75.3 x 7.6 mm, making it comfortable to hold and use with one hand. It comes in several vibrant colors including Black, Blue, Gold, Red, and Gray, catering to a wide range of aesthetic preferences. The device supports a hybrid dual SIM, allowing users to use two numbers simultaneously or expand storage via microSDXC cards.

Display

The phone features a 5.93-inch IPS LCD display, boasting a resolution of 1080 x 2160 pixels with an 18:9 aspect ratio. This screen-to-body ratio (~77.0%) provides a full-view display experience with high pixel density (~407 ppi), ensuring sharp and vibrant images. The display’s contrast ratio scores well both nominally and in sunlight, showing its capacity to offer clear visibility under various lighting conditions.

Performance and Hardware

Under the hood, the Honor 7X is powered by the Kirin 659 chipset, based on a 16nm process technology. It features an octa-core CPU, composed of four Cortex-A53 cores clocked at 2.36 GHz and an additional four Cortex-A53 cores at 1.7 GHz, which balances performance efficiency for daily tasks and moderate multitasking. The Mali-T830 MP2 GPU aids in handling graphic-intensive applications and games.

In terms of performance tests, the Honor 7X scores decently with results like AnTuTu: 67636 and GeekBench: 3535. Although it might not compare to high-end flagships, it provides sufficient power for budget-conscious users.

Memory and Storage

The Honor 7X offers versatility with multiple storage options: 32GB with 3GB RAM, and 32GB/64GB/128GB with 4GB RAM. The internal storage can be expanded using a microSDXC card, although it utilizes the second SIM slot, presenting a choice between extra SIM capabilities or more storage.

Camera

The dual rear camera setup includes a 16 MP primary sensor and a 2 MP depth sensor. The primary sensor, with an aperture of f/2.2, ensures quality wide-angle shots and features PDAF for quick focus. It supports LED flash, HDR, and panorama modes, offering flexibility in various shooting environments. Video capabilities include 1080p recording at 30fps. The selfie camera comes with an 8 MP sensor, f/2.0 aperture, and is capable of recording videos at 1080p@30fps, suiting video calls and self-portraits.

In testing, the camera quality is considered decent for the price, providing satisfactory photos and videos for casual use, though it may struggle in lower light settings compared to high-tier phones.

Battery Life

The device is equipped with a non-removable 3340 mAh Li-Ion battery. It offers a standby time of up to 647 hours on 3G and a talk time of 21 hours on 3G, adequately supporting a full day’s usage for average consumers. Its endurance rating stands at 77 hours in testing, ensuring sustained performance across various tasks without frequent recharging.

Software

The Honor 7X originally shipped with Android 7.0 Nougat but is upgradable to Android 8.0 Oreo. Paired with Huawei's EMUI 5.1, the software offers a customizable user experience, incorporating features like dual-app usage, streamlined notifications, and a range of personalized themes and settings.

Connectivity

The device supports a range of connectivity options including Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n with Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth 4.1 with A2DP, EDR, LE, GPS with GLONASS for location services, and a microUSB 2.0 port for charging and data transfer. It also features an FM radio, further adding to its utility.

However, the omission of NFC limits its contactless payment capabilities, which might be a drawback for users relying on this feature.

Multimedia and Additional Features

The Honor 7X offers a satisfactory multimedia experience with a loudspeaker and a 3.5mm audio jack for traditional wired headphone connections. Audio tests rate its sound quality highly for voice clarity, although background noise and cross-talk may impact audio purity to some extent.

Additional sensors included are a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner, accelerometer, proximity sensor, and compass, providing various functionalities that enhance the usability of the device.

Network and Communication

Supporting GSM, HSPA, and LTE network technologies, the Honor 7X is equipped to handle a range of mobile data requirements, with speed capacities reaching up to 42.2/5.76 Mbps on HSPA and 150/50 Mbps on LTE Cat4. It includes several bands for 2G, 3G, and 4G, ensuring compatibility across different regions and carriers.

Conclusion

The Honor 7X stands as a strong contender in the mid-range smartphone market, providing users a quality experience at an accessible price. For around 180 EUR, it delivers solid performance, decent camera capabilities, a vivid display, and robust battery life. While it may lack some advanced features found in higher-end models, such as NFC, its enduring appeal lies in offering essential features that cater well to everyday needs. It is an ideal choice for consumers seeking value without significant sacrifices in performance or user experience.