Quite recently, we tested the HONOR X8a middle-class model, and now a more affordable and affordable one has appeared: the HONOR X8a with a 100-megapixel main camera. Let's see what's interesting about it.
No matter how much we admire the powerful processors of smartphones and the capabilities of shooting in 4K, most users in the current situation are not at all interested in flagships. A much more popular request is a nice device that does not “slow down” in ordinary tasks, with a good camera and fast charging. And, of course, at an interesting cost. Strictly speaking, this is the HONOR X8a - it costs 18,000 rubles and offers everything you need.
Appearance
The gadget turned out to be light and thin: its thickness is less than 7.5 mm, and it weighs 179 grams.
While many manufacturers compete in the creative design of the rear panel and camera block, HONOR X8a looks quite strict.
Unlike the older model Honor X7a, where the screen is devoid of curves. Due to the straight side frame, the smartphone is comfortable to hold in your hand. The frames around the screen are very modest, even the lower ones. You can’t tell right away that this is an inexpensive device.
The buttons are located on the right side, the card slot is on the left, and at the bottom is USB-C for connecting charging and headphones. There is no 3.5 mm jack here, but this fact does not really sadden us: a decent wireless model can be bought for a couple of thousand rubles, so it's time to say goodbye to wires. Especially in the early days of sales, many retailers not only reduce prices but also give away HONOR wireless headphones.
Screen
Even in inexpensive smartphones, the screens no longer cause disappointment, and the HONOR X8a is an example of this. It uses an IPS matrix with a resolution of 2388x1080 pixels and an increased refresh rate of 90 Hz. The colors are natural, just a little more saturated (as is often the case). The brightness is quite enough so that the image and text are not "lost" on the street on a sunny day.
You can control the frequency manually, but it is better to entrust this to an automatic algorithm. Unless you first try manually the 60 and 90 Hz options to feel how much smoother the same interface works at a higher value.
Of course, HONOR also thought about protecting the eyesight of those who spend a lot of time with a smartphone in their hands. You can choose a dark theme, adjust the color mode and temperature, and turn on the eye protection mode. There is even an e-book mode - monochrome.
Cameras
The main feature of the HONOR X8a can be considered the presence of a 100 MP main camera. Recently, downgrading has been more and more noticeable - against the backdrop of rising prices and a shortage of components, manufacturers are increasingly simplifying models, instead of making them cooler. But HONOR decided not to go down that path. The brand already has a simpler option - HONOR X7a.
Another characteristic moment: the 100-megapixel camera shoots at a resolution of 25 megapixels by default. That is, it combines not 9 pixels into one (like 108-megapixel ones), but 4. Due to this, the pictures are more detailed (compared to standard 12-megapixel options), although they take up more space - on average, each “weighs” 5 MB.
It would be logical to think that there will be problems with shooting with a lack of light. But no, for a smartphone it’s cheaper than 20,000 rubles. HONOR X8a shoots very well. Especially if you use the night mode.
In the list of modes available in the main menu of the camera, there is a very practical "Aperture". It allows you to manually set the degree of background blur. This is convenient because, for ordinary scenes (not portraits), the automation of most smartphones does not always correctly determine this degree: sometimes you want to sharpen the background, but this is not so easy.
Two more cameras on the back are a 5-megapixel wide-angle and a 2-megapixel macro. There is nothing special, everything is like everyone else. The front camera has a resolution of 16 megapixels, which is also typical for inexpensive models.
Hardware and Performance
Inside the HONOR X8a is an octa-core MediaTek Helio G88. In fact, this is an advanced version of the G85 with support for 90Hz screens and high-resolution cameras. The amount of memory is quite consistent with modern requirements: 6 GB of RAM and 128 permanent memory. RAM can be increased by storage.
The smartphone runs on MagicUI 6.1, based on Android 12. Like all other modern Honor, Google services are here.
The shell is quite pleasant, it has good customization options and a large number of settings, which is rare for a budget device. For example, there is a multi-window mode, and a convenient sidebar (you can call it up by moving your finger from the edge of the screen). Traditional folders can be made large so that applications in them can be easily launched with one click.
If you have other HONOR equipment, you can use the HONOR Share function - it allows you to quickly, without unnecessary movements, transfer documents, photos, and videos from one gadget to another.
Autonomy
It is difficult to say what excites buyers more: going and od autonomy or a thin, elegant body. The HONOR X8a tried to find a compromise: they installed a 4500 mAh battery, which confidently lasts for a day of use. For comparison, this is 500 mAh more than the predecessor HONOR X8, while the dimensions of the new model remained almost the same.
Yes, it won’t be enough for the second day, but there is really no fundamental difference between whether to charge the smartphone tonight or tomorrow morning (like models with a more capacious 50 between 00 mAh battery). They didn’t forget about fast charging either: here it is 22.5-watt. Up to 50% of the battery is charged in about half an hour, and up to 100% - in 1 hour 25 minutes.
Total: our opinions about HONOR X8a
As we expected at the very band beginning of tin the artisan cle, HONOR X8a turned out to be inexpensive, but at the same time self-sufficient. In normal scenarios (mail, browsers, shooting), the capabilities of its processor and memory are enough to work without lags. The quality of photography is at the level of the best representatives of this segment. You can get good photos at night and quickly blur the background behind the object (not only in portrait mode). In addition, the smart and hone are easy to customize "for yourself."
And finally, he looks stylish. With narrow bezels and a strict (but pretty) back panel, it's easy to confuse it with more expensive devices - and this can be a decisive factor for many when choosing between several contenders in the same price segment.
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