Introduction
Honor Malaysia launched the Honor 6X earlier this year in February. Even though we got our review unit the day after it launched, we think that it’s better to hold on our final review since the device was running on EMUI 4.1.1 out of the box. Yes, I used “was” instead of “is”! It’s because the device just got the EMUI 5.0 update treatment just recently. Apologize for the long wait, this is the full review of the Honor 6X, running on EMUI 5.0!
Disclaimer: Our review unit is the 3GB RAM + 32GB storage variant.
Metal, as Always
We all already know that metal is one of Honor’s favorite materials when building a smartphone. Hence, it’s not surprising to see that the Honor 6X still has the same metal body design. However, unlike the 5X, it actually feels similar to the Honor 7.
We won’t really talk much about its design since it’s actually pretty much the same as the rest of the Honor smartphones. Sadly, the Honor 6X still uses a MicroUSB port instead of USB Type-C port. However, given that the fact that most companies still offering MicroUSB port for the mid-range devices, we’ll pass this one.
We’ve been using the phone without any casing or cover for a long time, and the device actually holds up well. Scars or scratches are barely noticeable on the phone, kudos for that!
5.5″ Full HD Display
Similar to its predecessor, the Honor 6X sports a 5.5-inch Full HD display as well. Yes, you get a bigger screen than the Honor 8, yet has the same resolution. However, the display quality isn’t as good as the Honor 8, which is one of the compromises. Colors are pretty flat, which might not be a bad thing at all, but it’s not as eye-pleasing as the Honor 8.
Kirin 655 SoC
Unlike last year’s 5X, the 6X packs a homebaked Kirin 655 processor with either 3GB RAM + 32GB storage or 4GB RAM + 64GB storage combo. Performance isn’t a big problem as there were no hiccups or lags while playing Smash Hit on high graphics. However, there are still some slight delays when switching between apps. The rear-mounted fingerprint sensor is still pretty fast as usual.
Nougat-Based EMUI 5.0
Just recently, we updated the Honor 6X to EMUI 5.0, which is based on Android 7.0 Nougat. Like the rest of the Huawei/Honor smartphones running on EMUI 5.0, the 6X has a pretty similar experience. Read our EMUI 5.0 vs EMUI 4.1 article to find out more.
That’s been said, one of our favorite features is the return of app drawer. EMUI 5.0 now offers two types of home screen styles — Standard and Drawer. The Standard style shows all apps on the home screen, just like previous versions of EMUI. As for the Drawer style, it shows all apps on the drawer screen.
Unfortunately, not all EMUI 5.0 features will be available to the Honor 6X. Features like App Twin and Knuckle Gestures aren’t available to the Honor 6X. Additionally, it seems that there will be no machine learning algorithm as well since the changelog didn’t actually mention.
12MP + 2MP Dual Camera
Think you will only get the dual-camera setup on the flagship? Well, you’re wrong! The Honor 6X also has a dual-camera setup, but it’s not like the Honor 8. The dual-camera setup is more like the old school one, similar to the Honor 6 Plus. There’s a 12MP main shooter and 2MP depth shooter to retrieve depth information in a scene and provide the ability to set a focal point.
Image quality generally is pretty good for your social media usage. There’s the Wide Aperture mode which allows you to take the photo first, then adjust the focus point and aperture later. Another one interesting feature is Splash, which lets you isolate an individual color in monochrome images. In short, it’s actually a color pick feature.
3,340mAh Battery
Juicing up the Honor 6X is a 3,340mAh non-removable battery. Sadly, the device only supports the regular 5V/2A charging, which isn’t really that bad. As most people actually concerned about the battery life after updating to EMUI 5.0, we actually did test the battery life before and after update to EMUI 5.0. Battery life on EMUI 4.1.1 and EMUI 5.0 are actually about the same, the device can easily last through a day with just a single full charge. If you worry about the battery life after updating to EMUI 5.0, we can tell you there’s nothing to worry about.
Final Words
Pricing at RM1,199 (3GB RAM + 32GB storage) and RM1,399 (4GB RAM + 64GB storage), the Honor 6X is a pretty solid mid-range phone. However, the competition at this price range is actually quite high, some of the rivals even offer better specs or a lower price tag. It’s really hard for the Honor 6X to stand out among its rivals.
Yay
- Solid build
- Camera with nice features
Nay
- Average display
- Some EMUI 5.0 features are missing