HONOR X5 Plus Review | Geek Lifestyle

The X5 Plus is HONOR's most affordable new phone, but is it for you?

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Along with the X6a, HONOR launched the X5 Plus, a budget-friendly smartphone that is the most affordable in HONOR’s latest device lineup. How affordable? Well, you’ll only need to shell out PHP 5,490 to get one of these, making it one of the most wallet-friendly phones that are out right now.

But what do you get in a phone that’s only just a bit above PHP 5k? You’ll get a lot surprisingly as it packs a 50MP main camera along with the same display and processor as its sibling phone, the HONOR X6a.

In fact, aside from a couple of differences such as design, rear cameras, and lack of fast charging, we found that the HONOR X5 Plus is pretty much the same phone as the X6a, just a bit more affordable.

Because of this, our X5 Plus review is a bit shorter than our typical reviews. Here, we’ll be focusing on the design, performance, and reliability of the X5 Plus. For its other features like the display, you can check out our HONOR X6a review as they’re pretty much the same phone.

So, here’s our quick review of the X5 Plus if you’re curious about how HONOR’s sub-PHP 6k phone is like.

Geek-sthetic

To start, here’s a look at the phone’s design. While the X5 Plus is pretty much like the X6a in many aspects, the design is where the two differ the most. Specifically, the HONOR X5 Plus’ back does not have a gradient color pattern. The camera module is also a bit simpler as there are only two shooters here. Plus, the camera module has a shinier finish on the sides.

It’s hard to say which one is better as they both look pretty good design-wise, especially for budget-friendly devices. After all, even if they’re price tags are well below PHP 10k, they don’t feel like cheap devices.

What’s also nice is that the X5 Plus comes with a free clear case, so at least HONOR did not skimp out on that part of the phone even if it’s priced at just PHP 5,490.

Moving to the front, the X5 Plus has a 6.56-inch TFT LCD display with a 90Hz refresh rate and a 720p resolution. Aside from looking like the X6a, it seems that the X5 Plus’ screen is pretty much the same as the one on the X6a. Both have the same resolution and refresh rate, and they’re pretty indistinguishable when side-by-side. This means the X5 Plus’ screen should be a decent partner for binge-watching movies and shows.

Gaming Performance

The X5 Plus is powered by a Helio G36 — the same SoC as the one on the X6a. It also has the same 4GB of RAM. Because of this, we expected them to perform similarly for gaming.

For Call of Duty: Mobile, that was indeed the case as it was also able to run the game at a playable framerate on Low. You can also easily play games such as Mobile Legends here, albeit at Medium settings.

Weirdly, the X5 Plus did no support League of Legends: Wild Rift. We’re not sure why, but the phone was unsupported when we tried downloading Wild Rift. Theoretically, it should be able run the game as the X6a was able to do so. Users may want to keep this in mind when playing other games.

As expected, you won’t be able to push the X5 Plus for more demanding games. For instance, Diablo Immortal can be installed, but it gives a warning that the game is not optimized for the phone. If you try and play it, the X5 Plus can run the game, but “run” is a bit generous here as the framerates are low to the point of being unplayable. Because of this, the HONOR X5 Plus should be adequate only for more casual gaming uses.

Geek Phootoshoot Capabilities

The X5 Plus’ cameras are pretty much the same on paper as the X6a, except for the fact that it has no 2MP macro shooter. Thus, the 50MP main and 5MP selfie shooters preformed almost exactly like the X6a’s cameras.

As you can see in the samples above, the X5 Plus photos are of a similar quality to the ones taken by the X6a, meaning shots are decent as long as you don’t expect mid-range smartphone-level quality. For a more detailed look at samples, you can check out our X6a review.

Everyday Reliability

When it comes to everyday reliability, the HONOR X5 Plus performs similarly to the X6a. This means you can expect it to be a bit sluggish at times, but overall it should be fairly usable. It may not be the snappiest, but it doesn’t slow down enough to be annoying for us.

As for battery life, the X5 Plus is excellent in this regard. Thanks to its 5200mAh battery, the X5 Plus can easily last for a day or two on a single charge, making it a great phone to have if you don’t want to bring a power bank with you. Though do take note that it does not have fast charging, so you’ll wait a bit longer for it to reach 100%.

Final Geek Lifestyle Verdict

The HONOR X5 Plus is basically an X6a variant that’s cheaper, but also lacks some of the other features from its sibling. So, if you’re budget is tight enough that you’re willing to forgo some features like fast charging and a 2MP macro camera, the X5 Plus might be a worthy option.

One strong case for the X5 Plus though is as a backup or burner phone. If you need a device for emergency purposes, the X5 Plus definitely fits the bill as it’s not only affordable, but it also lasts for a long time on a single charge. This should make it a backup phone option for emergencies such as if your current daily driver breaks or gets lost.

HONOR X5 Plus Specs:

  • Mediatek Helio G36 Processor
  • PowerVR GE8320 GPU
  • 4GB RAM
  • 6.56-inch TFT LCD display, 90Hz refresh rate, 720 x 1612 resolution
  • 64GB storage (expandable via microSD)
  • 50MP f/1.8 main +  2 MP f/2.4 dual rear camera setup
  • 5 MP f/2.2 front camera
  • 3G, LTE Dual SIM
  • WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, proximity, gyro
  • 5200mAh battery
  • Android 13, Magic UI 7.1