HONOR X7d
We all know that the budget smartphone market is a battlefield. Every brand is fighting for your attention, often with flashy features and viral reels that don’t always translate to a good daily experience. This is where the HONOR X7d comes in. For its asking price of Php 9,999 for the 512GB variant, it’s a surprisingly good phone. It’s not perfect, but it delivers where it counts, focusing on the features that most people actually need.
Here’s our full review.
Build and Design
At first glance, the HONOR X7d has a simple and clean design. It doesn’t scream for attention with crazy patterns or colors, and that’s a good thing. It feels basic but commendable. The model I tested comes in a subtle Desert Gold, but it’s also available in Ocean Cyan and Velvet Black. It weighs around 208 grams, which gives it a substantial, solid feel in the hand, partly due to the massive battery inside.
I also have to note that there’s an extra button here, which HONOR markets as an AI button. In reality, it’s literally an button that acts as a shortcut button to supporting documents. It has potential, and I hope HONOR would harp on this and add extra functions and customizability.
But the real story here isn’t the look; it’s the durability. HONOR has equipped the X7d with an SGS 5-star overall drop resistance certification and an IP65 rating for water and dust resistance. What does this mean for you? Peace of mind. While you should always be careful with your devices, this phone is built to withstand the occasional bump, drop, and splash. You don’t have to baby it the way you would a fragile glass sandwich. This makes it a “tough-ordable” choice—a tough phone that’s also affordable. The level of caution you need is just less than with other devices because HONOR has the empirical results to back up its claims. The challenge is more on providing better customer service and warranty.
Display
The HONOR X7d features a large 6.77-inch FullView display. The size is great for watching videos and browsing social media. It also has a 120Hz refresh rate, which makes scrolling through menus and web pages feel incredibly smooth—a feature that’s great to see at this price point. The screen can also get up to 700 nits of brightness, making it usable even under direct sunlight.
However, this is also where one of the phone’s biggest compromises lies. The screen has a resolution of 1610 x 720, which is just HD+. The current staple is having a 1080p display. The lower resolution is noticeable if you look closely. Text and images aren’t as crisp as they could be. For most people, it will be perfectly fine for daily use, but if you’re coming from a phone with a Full HD screen, you might notice the difference. On the plus side, the display shares the phone’s tough nature, featuring an anti-drop display to protect against accidents.
Hardware and Performance
Under the hood, the HONOR X7d is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 685 chipset. This is a capable processor for day-to-day tasks like browsing, social media, and messaging. Paired with a generous 8GB of RAM, multitasking is handled without much of a struggle. One of the standout features for this price is the massive 512GB of internal storage, which is more than enough for all your apps, photos, and videos.
It’s worth noting that this is the same chipset found in the HONOR X7c. The X7d is about Php 1,000 more expensive, so if your budget is tight, you might consider the X7c or even the POCO M7, though they may lack some of the X7d’s features.
Now, let’s talk about gaming. This device is definitely not made for hardcore gamers. You can play popular titles like Mobile Legends: Bang Bang or Honor of Kings, but you’ll need to manage the graphics settings to get a smooth frame rate. These games, however, play out fine at 60fps even at max settings. If you plan to max out games like Black Desert, Diablo Immortal, or even Genshin impact, you’re out of luck. If you’re buying this phone specifically for gaming, you will likely be disappointed. However, for casual gaming sessions, it gets the job done.
Benchmark
For those who are interested in numbers, here are some benchmark scores to give you an idea of the HONOR X7d’s performance. Keep in mind that these scores are just for reference, and real-world performance is what truly matters.
| Benchmark | Placeholder Score |
|---|---|
| AnTuTu v10 | 510,401 |
| Geekbench 6 (Single-Core) | 472 |
| Geekbench 6 (Multi-Core) | 1,492 |
| PCMark Work 3.0 | 9,343 |
| Wild Life | 639 |
| Wild Life Extreme | 140 |
These scores are respectable for a budget device and reflect its capability in handling everyday tasks efficiently.
Software
The HONOR X7d runs on MagicOS 9.0, which is based on Android 15. MagicOS has evolved over the years into a clean and user-friendly interface. It’s relatively free of bloatware and comes with a few useful features that enhance the user experience without being overwhelming. The software is well-optimized for the hardware, and combined with the 120Hz display, it makes for a smooth and responsive experience in daily navigation.
There are AI features too, which give more value to the phone. You get access to Google AI specific softwares as well, which enhances the overall experience that you would experience on more expensive devices. Most AI features run via the cloud because Snapdragon 685 does not have the necessary chip to process AI operations on device.
Camera
The camera system on the HONOR X7d is what I would describe as “okay, but not the best.” It features a dual-camera setup on the back, headlined by a main sensor that HONOR markets as 108MP. In reality, it’s a 50MP sensor that uses a “High-Res” mode to produce 108MP images through software processing. In good daylight, the camera can capture decent photos with good detail and color.
Where it struggles, in my experience, is in low-light conditions. Photos taken at night or in dimly lit rooms tend to be noisy and lack sharpness. This is a common trade-off in budget smartphones.
The second lens is a 2MP depth camera, which is used for portrait mode. The phone actually does a pretty good job of separating the subject from the background, creating a pleasant blur effect for portrait shots. The front-facing 8MP camera is serviceable for video calls and the occasional selfie, but it won’t be winning any awards. Overall, the cameras are adequate for casual snaps, but photography enthusiasts might want to look elsewhere.
We will add more sample photos after the local event.
Audio
For audio, the HONOR X7d likely features a single, bottom-firing speaker. It’s loud enough to watch YouTube videos or listen to a podcast in a quiet room, but it lacks the depth and immersion of a stereo speaker setup.
For the best audio experience, you’ll want to use headphones. The phone supports Bluetooth 5.0 with LDAC, which is great for high-quality wireless audio if you have compatible headphones. For wired connections, it uses a USB Type-C port.
Battery
The battery is, without a doubt, the star of the show. The HONOR X7d is packed with a massive 6500mAh dual-cell battery. This is a huge capacity that will easily get you through two full days of moderate use, and maybe even longer if you’re a light user. You simply don’t have to worry about your phone dying in the middle of the day. My experience is 16 hours and 12 minutes before dropping to 20% at moderate usage.
When you do finally need to charge, the phone supports 35W HONOR SuperCharge. Even better, HONOR includes the 35W charger in the box, a welcome addition when many other companies have stopped providing them. This means you can top up the huge battery relatively quickly without any extra cost.
Verdict
The HONOR X7d is a fantastic package for its price. It proves that a good smartphone experience doesn’t have to cost a fortune. Its biggest strengths are its incredible battery life, fast charging, generous 512GB of storage, and its exceptionally durable “tough-ardable” build.
The main trade-offs are the HD+ display and the average camera performance, particularly in low light. It’s not a phone for serious gamers or photographers, but it wasn’t designed to be. Instead, it’s a practical, reliable, and resilient daily driver for anyone who values longevity and durability over flashy, high-end specs. If you’re looking for an affordable phone that you can count on, you won’t go wrong with this one.
The HONOR X7d is now available for pre-order until October 24, 2025, for only Php 9,999 with a FREE HONOR Camping Light Speaker worth Php 4,999!
Giancarlo Viterbo is a Filipino Technology Journalist, blogger and Editor of gadgetpilipinas.net, He is also a Geek, Dad and a Husband. He knows a lot about washing the dishes, doing some errands and following instructions from his boss on his day job. Follow him on twitter: @gianviterbo and @gadgetpilipinas.
