Reviewed by Srijith KN | Contributing Editor
With an 8,100mAh battery, serious durability credentials and a starting price of AED 899, the HONOR X7e Plus 5G made me reconsider what actually matters in a budget smartphone.
With rising component costs, especially memory prices, expected to impact the smartphone industry, manufacturers are facing increasing pressure to deliver more value at competitive price points. The affordable smartphone segment has become one of the most challenging categories, where brands need to carefully decide what features matter most to everyday users.
With the HONOR X7e Plus 5G, the focus appears clear, instead of chasing specifications for the sake of numbers, HONOR has concentrated on the fundamentals: durability, battery life and everyday usability.
To be honest, when a colleague from the industry told me they were sending a budget smartphone from HONOR for review, I was not particularly excited. The affordable smartphone segment does not always create the same excitement as flagship devices, despite what many YouTube reviews and social media posts suggest. Perhaps that is my personal preference, I have always been more interested in seeing what premium devices can push the boundaries of.
However, sometimes the most interesting reviews come from devices you have the least expectations from.
Opening the Box
One thing I immediately appreciated was that HONOR has included a complete package inside the box. Over the years, smartphone packaging has become increasingly minimal, with companies removing chargers, covers and accessories in the name of reducing waste or cost.
Remember the days when even wired earphones came inside the smartphone box? Phones looked different, designs were more experimental, and opening a new device felt like an experience. Today, many smartphones have started to look and feel similar.
The inclusion of essential accessories gives the HONOR X7e Plus 5G a more complete out-of-the-box experience.
Design and Build
The first thing that caught my attention was the Desert Gold colour option. It gives the phone a surprisingly premium appearance, and I was genuinely impressed when I first saw it. The clean design, rounded edges and subtle HONOR branding create a simple but attractive look.
The device does use a plastic rear panel, but it does not feel cheap. The build feels solid in hand, and the material quality gives confidence that the phone is designed to handle everyday use.
Durability is clearly one of HONOR’s biggest propositions with this device. The phone is designed for users who are constantly on the move, whether that means working outdoors in the UAE heat, travelling, or simply dealing with the occasional accidental drop.
HONOR claims the device offers certified drop resistance of up to 2.5 metres, alongside IP68, IP69 and IP69K protection ratings for dust and water resistance. However, I have always believed that durability ratings should provide confidence, not encourage careless behaviour. A smartphone is still an electronic device, and how well it is maintained will ultimately determine how long it lasts.
Personally, I have never been a huge fan of larger smartphones. Perhaps that is because I am not the biggest person physically, but carrying a heavier device throughout the day is something I notice. The HONOR X7e Plus 5G is definitely a substantial phone, and the added weight is likely a trade-off for the massive battery inside.
The fingerprint sensor is integrated into the side power button. It is not my personal preference, but I understand the decision. The implementation is excellent, the button feels sturdy, responsive and has a satisfying click that gives confidence in its build quality.
Battery: The Feature That Changed My Opinion
The biggest surprise with the HONOR X7e Plus 5G is the battery.
The device comes equipped with a massive 8,100mAh battery, and this is where the phone’s purpose becomes clear. Battery anxiety is something many smartphone users experience, especially when leaving home for an important meeting, travelling, or simply starting the day without remembering the last time the phone was charged.
As someone who uses the Nothing Phone (3) as my primary smartphone, battery confidence is something I increasingly value. Having to constantly think about charging can slowly become frustrating, especially when your phone is an essential tool for communication, navigation and work.
HONOR has also included 45W HONOR SuperCharge, helping reduce charging downtime. The phone can even work as a power source for smaller devices through reverse charging, adding another layer of practicality.
The X7e Plus 5G is clearly designed for users who spend long hours away from a charger, people working outdoors, travelling frequently, or simply wanting a device that prioritises reliability over constant charging.
Display, Sound, Camera and Daily Use
With a battery this big, you would naturally expect HONOR to give you a screen that makes good use of all that endurance. And it certainly is a big screen. At 6.87 inches, the LCD display with a 120Hz refresh rate immediately reinforces my earlier point — this is not a small phone, nor is it pretending to be one.
I spent some time watching YouTube videos, browsing and moving between applications to understand how the phone behaves in everyday use. It isn’t particularly fast, and you will notice that if you are accustomed to a performance-oriented smartphone. But that isn’t really what this phone is trying to be. For browsing, messaging, video streaming and regular apps, the Snapdragon 4 Gen 4 holds up reasonably well. For someone with relatively straightforward smartphone usage, the experience is perfectly usable.
The 120Hz refresh rate does help scrolling feel smoother, and the large display works particularly well for watching videos, reading and navigation. Colours are decent and the screen offers enough brightness for everyday use. Again, expectations need to be kept in perspective — this is an LCD panel on an affordable smartphone rather than a flagship OLED display.
Camera: Keep Your Expectations Realistic
Now, those two large rings on the back can be slightly deceptive at first glance. The actual camera setup is quite straightforward, led by a 50MP main camera, while the front gets a 5MP sensor.
The main camera produces decent photographs when there is sufficient light, and video recording tops out at 1080p. For casual photographs, social media and capturing everyday moments, it gets the job done. The front camera, however, could have been better, particularly when it comes to capturing light and detail.
There is also no optical image stabilisation, so this is certainly not a smartphone I would recommend specifically for photography. If cameras are high on your priority list, there are stronger options to consider. But for the intended user of this phone, the camera is functional rather than a defining feature.
AI Gets Its Own Button
AI is inevitably part of the conversation. The X7e Plus 5G includes AI Image-to-Video 2.0, which can transform still images into short video content using prompts and templates. HONOR also provides a dedicated AI Button, separate from the power key, offering quicker access to selected tools. A double press can launch the camera directly, even from the lock screen, while other gestures can be customised for different functions.
Dedicated AI or shortcut buttons are increasingly becoming the norm on smartphones. The Nothing Phones, for instance, has their own Essential Key that acts as an entry point into Essential Space. HONOR’s implementation follows a similar broader idea: reducing the number of steps required to reach frequently used features.
Sound
The speakers are fairly straightforward. Voices come through clearly enough when watching videos, while music sounds acceptable through the loudspeakers. They won’t replace a good pair of headphones or a dedicated speaker, but for YouTube, calls and casual listening, they do the job.
Editor’s Verdict
The HONOR X7e Plus 5G is a budget smartphone, and at AED 899, expectations need to remain realistic. The hardware is entry-level, but HONOR has concentrated its investment in areas that provide tangible everyday value: an unusually large battery, a tough body, a smooth 120Hz display and useful convenience features.
Its performance is adequate rather than exciting, and the cameras are clearly not its strongest point. The size and weight will also not appeal to everyone — myself included.
But that isn’t really the argument HONOR is making with this phone.
If you want a large, solid smartphone that can withstand the realities of everyday use and, most importantly, keep going without constantly looking for a charger, the X7e Plus 5G makes considerably more sense.
The 8,100mAh battery is easily the star of the show. In my usage, getting around two days from the phone is realistic, depending on how heavily it is used. Add the 45W HONOR SuperCharger and cable included in the box, along with IP68, IP69 and IP69K protection and certified drop resistance, and the overall proposition becomes clearer.
The HONOR X7e Plus 5G isn’t trying to be the fastest phone or the best camera phone.
It is trying to be the phone that keeps working, and for the audience it is designed for, that may matter considerably more.
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