HONOR X7c full review: Your budget-friendly companion, rain or shine

I’ve tested a handful of entry-level smartphones from HONOR. If there was a unifying theme or message from this segment of the brand, it would be one of durability or reliability. This is something I’ve come to appreciate especially given that these devices are aimed at budget-conscious consumers.

The HONOR X7c doubles down on this unifying theme with its drop protection and water resistance. Its robustness provides for countless real-world applications for everyday Filipinos.

Design

Durability is a priority, yes. But one thing HONOR will never skimp on is aesthetics. The HONOR X7c comes in three clean and sleek colors – Midnight Black, Moonlight White and Forest Green, which is the unit I tested.

The back cover is topped off with a sort of faux leather finish that is smooth to the touch. Personally, I’m all for this darker shade of green as it comes off as both fashionable and sophisticated.

Build

In terms of the build, the HONOR X7c leans on the heftier side, which could be due to its sizable battery. This Forest Green color option weighs about 201g and is 8.24mm for its thickness.

The smartphone’s build quality is clearly one of its main draws. It has a 5-Star Drop Resistance rating and an SGS Premium Performance Certification for Drop and Crush Resistance. If you’re clumsy with your devices (like I am), you won’t have to worry about this smartphone falling apart on you.

The HONOR X7c also has an IP64 rating for protection against dust and water splashes. Speaking of water resistance, HONOR touts this smartphone as all-angle water resistant. It can be submerged up to 20 cm for up to 3 minutes long.

To test this, I took it for a dip in the pool and kept it submerged for around 15-20 seconds. The smartphone emerged unscathed.

I’m aware the test may be a bit unrealistic. Why would I go swimming with my smartphone, right? But the utility of this feature extends beyond this scenario. Here are just some of its real-world applications:

• Delivery riders out and about on a rainy day
• Commuters caught by an untimely downpour
• Those stranded due to intense flooding that need to contact emergency services

These are just some of the few ways a water-resistant smartphone can be of incredible value, which is why these types of features can never be overlooked.

Display and speakers

For multimedia consumption, the HONOR X7c is equipped with a 6.77-inch TFT LCD display with a resolution of 1610 x 720. It comes with a 120Hz refresh rate as well, which is always good to see on an entry-level smartphone. The peak brightness is 850 nits and can go as low as 2 nits in dark environments.

I had no problems whatsoever with the display. Overall, it was decent. I was still able to enjoy and appreciate the stunning visuals on MISAMO’s comeback MV. The TUV Rheinland Low Blue Light Certification also ensures reduced eye strain specially for extended usage.

Last but not the least, the HONOR X7c features the HONOR Magic Capsule. This is always a welcome feature for entry-level smartphones.

When it comes to audio, the smartphone features dual stereo speakers that can be cranked up all the way to 300%. I could definitely feel all 300% of the sound. However, it can get muffled and a lot of quality is sacrificed at High-Volume Mode.

Camera

For its main shooter, the HONOR X7c utilizes a dual camera setup which consists of a 108MP AI main camera and a 2MP depth camera.

In well-lit environments, the main camera produced good quality and adequately detailed shots. The colors were decent as well, although they lacked a bit of vibrancy for my liking for some of the shots.

I was surprised with how well the smartphone was able to capture photos in low light. The amount of detail isn’t anything crazy, but it was still more than satisfactory. That could possibly be attributed to the AI working its magic.

Both the main shooter and the front camera support up to 1080P@30FPS for capturing videos.

Speaking of the front camera, it is an 8MP shooter. I found the selfies I took on this smartphone to be nothing special. However, they are more than usable and can definitely get the job done.

All-in-all, you can’t go wrong with the HONOR X7c’s cameras. While they aren’t professional-level stuff, they do produce good quality images for either safekeeping memories or for sharing with friends on social media.

Performance

Under the hood, the HONOR X7c is equipped with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 685 that is paired with an Adreno 610 for a GPU. This smartphone can be relied on when it comes to everyday use.

It is also accompanied by 256GB of storage and 8GB of RAM, which can extend to 16GB. Booting up apps is quick. I also have no trouble keeping several apps running in the background.

In terms of gaming, I tested the smartphone on two titles – Call of Duty: Mobile and Genshin Impact. I didn’t encounter any hiccups while running the former at the highest graphical settings. The same cannot be said for Genshin Impact as I experienced stuttering on numerous occasions. The game is playable though if you crank the graphics to the lowest settings.

OS-wise, the HONOR X7c runs on MagicOS 8.0 which is based on Android 14. It’s also important to note that the smartphone does not support 5G network connection.

Battery and charging

The device is powered by an impressive 6000mAh battery. For this smartphone, long-lasting doesn’t only pertain to its build quality, but to its battery life as well. With regular usage, this phone can definitely last you more than a full day.

HONOR Ultra Power-Saving Mode is also a feature on this device. HONOR claims that at just 2%, you can still enjoy up to 55 minutes of continuous calls.

The long battery life, paired with a 35W HONOR SuperCharge, ensures the user that the phone will last for as long as it is needed.

Verdict

The device is not perfect. But when going through the struggles of everyday life, you don’t need perfection; you need reliability. This is a smartphone that is long-lasting – its battery life makes it always available, while its build quality makes it a solid long-term investment.

The HONOR X7c is priced at just Php 8,999. It’s available in all HONOR Experience and Partner Stores, as well as the brand’s online stores. For under 10k, this is a no-brainer especially for those who swim with their smartphones, much like myself.

Product photos by Mica de los Reyes

Photos taken with HONOR X7c by CJ Lavares