Honor 7X first impression: Is this the 'next big thing' in the mid-range phone class?

Huawei's Honor 6X made its debut in January 2017 and was one of the first mid-range phone to boast dual cameras. Now, its successor is coming in a few weeks to India with another trendsetting feature — "FullView" display — in its class.

International Business Times India got the opportunity to test the Honor 7X ahead of launch, and we are totally impressed with the new phone, especially the screen, build quality and the camera. We have been using the device for a couple of days and here's first impression.

Display, design language and build quality

The Honor 7X comes with an all-metallic unibody design language with a smooth shell on the back that, when held in hand, gives the feel of high-grade quality and also the amount of metal that has gone into making the phone. It weighs 165g.

As far as the visual appeal is concerned, the Honor 7X is quite a looker. It has curvaceous corners (and edges) offering a good grip, 2.5D curved glass cover on the back, which not only pleasing to the eyes, but also protects the screen in case of accidental drops.

With 5.93-inch FullView screen having full HD+ (2160x1080p) resolution, it is a delight to watch high-resolution videos on the Honor 7X. If priced aggressively, it will set a new benchmark in the mid-range phone segment.

Camera

The upcoming Honor 7X boasts a dual-camera setup: 16MP+2MP having LED flash, 1/2.9-inch sensor size, 1.25 µm pixel size, PDAF (Phase Detection Auto Focus), HDR (High Dynamic Range) and full HD video recording.

In the brief time we spent with the device, it was able to capture really good pictures in bright light conditions and even the blur Bokeh Effect feature is of nice quality for its class.

On the front, the Honor 7X houses an 8MP camera with full-HD video recording. It was able to snap pretty fine selfies and even group wefies.

But, will reserve the final verdict on the Honor 7X camera's capabilities until we test it in other lighting conditions.

Processor, RAM and storage

The Honor 7X that is already is available in the China, comes in three storage variants — 32GB/64GB/128GB — and we have received the top-end (128GB) for the review.

It is ably supported by sumptuous 4GB RAM and Honor's very own and very efficient proprietary HiSilicon Kirin 659 octa-core processor.

During the brief time we spent with the device, it was quick in responding in terms of app-loading and switching between the multiple apps. Even during the long photo session, it didn't show any lag while we tested on several camera modes. We will be performing benchmark tests and will post in the full review soon.

Battery

The Honor 7X comes with a 3,340mAh battery, which is more than enough to last a whole day under mixed usage.

But, it can go for another half a day if used conservatively, which we found out during the two days of testing.

We will be able to get a clearer picture on battery life once we start using it as the primary device. Stay tuned for the full review soon.

Initial verdict

During our short period with the Honor 7X, we were particularly impressed with the gorgeous metallic unibody design language, the construction is of top-notch quality and it was a delightful experience to watch on the wide screen.

Besides the exterior hardware, we liked the picture quality of the dual-camera on the Honor 7X's back. And, the system configuration (RAM+Storage) makes the phone stand apart from rivals.

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All in all, the Honor 7X is top contender to become the "next big thing" in the mid-range phone class, but one crucial point will play a pivotal role in this, and that is the price.

If the company retails the Honor 7X aggressively under Rs 18,000, it is sure to give stiff competition to well-established brands.

Keep an eye on this space, as we will be bringing the complete review of the Honor 7X in three weeks.

Follow us @IBTimesIN_Tech on Twitter for latest updates on Huawei and Honor products.

Key specifications of Honor 7X: