The Honor 8X and Huawei P Smart 2019 are two of the best budget devices currently on the market, and two devices that we’ve genuinely really enjoyed our time with.
Honor are a brand very much renowned for providing exceptional value for money, however as a sub-brand of Huawei, there are understandably many similarities between the pair. So, how do the two really compare?
Design and Display
So, first thing’s first, when looking at these two devices, you’ll notice that they look very similar indeed. The general setup and layout on the rear is almost identical and both the Honor 8X and P Smart 2019 are fitted with a Full HD+ IPS LCD panel.
The display of the Honor 8X is notably bigger though, and measures in at 6.5-inches compared to the 6.21-inch screen of the P Smart. Both produce bright and vivid colours and come evenly matched with a 2340 x 1080-pixel resolution, which is more than respectable for devices at this price point.
As you may have gleaned, both devices do come with that notch, with that of the Honor 8X being slightly more obvious. For us, these have been so small that we’ve barely noticed them. But if you’re really not a fan, then you are able to hide them both within the settings of the device which simply places a black bar either side of it. What you can’t argue with, is the screen-to-body ratio that a notch lends a device and the Honor 8X boasts an incredible 91% ratio which we have been particularly impressed with. We’ve used this device a lot, and it’s been great for watching videos and playing games.
The Huawei P Smart 2019 comes with a smaller 83.1% screen-to-body ratio which is in part due to the size of the chin at the bottom. That said, the overall design of the device makes it feel more expensive than it is. The rounded edges make the handset feel really sturdy and the reflective finish is simple and sleek.
Honor seem to have developed a trademark in their reflective finishes and the 8X shines lights in all directions depending on the angle in which the device is held, creating a really unique design. 2.5D curved glass drapes over the front and back of the devices, sandwiching an aluminium frame which, in a similar vein to the P Smart 2019, helps to grip the phone comfortably and gives a more premium feel.
Both devices feature a fingerprint sensor in almost identical locations which have worked particularly quickly for us and are easy to locate when using the phone one-handed, even for smaller hands. That said, both the P Smart 2019 and Honor 8X come with Facial Recognition that unlocks in a matter of moments so you may prefer to make the most of that.
Honor 8X
- 6.5-inch Full HD+ IPS LCD
- 2340 x 1080-pixel resolution
- 91% screen-to-body ratio
- Trademark reflective finish
- 2.5D curved glass
- Rear fingerprint scanner
- Face unlock
Huawei P Smart 2019
- 6.21-inch Full HD+ IPS LCD
- 2340 x 1080-pixel resolution
- 83.1% screen-to-body ratio
- Curved edges
- Rear fingerprint scanner
- Face unlock
Camera
Camera-wise, it’s again difficult to separate the two.
The Honor 8X comes fitted with a dual-camera on the rear, consisting of a 20MP main colour sensor with an f/1.8 aperture and a 2MP black and white telephoto lens also with an f/1.8 aperture. AI technology is able to distinguish over 500 scenes and adjust settings accordingly and produces images that are far less saturated than can often be produced on other devices.
Dedicated night photo mode works by stitching together multiple frames and requires you to be still for a couple of seconds in order to produce the best image. For the price point, we have been very impressed with the results.
The dual camera setup to the rear of the Huawei P Smart 2019 is not too dissimilar and consists of a 13MP primary sensor with an f/2.2 aperture that is slightly smaller than the Honor 8X, as well as a 2MP secondary lens with that much needed depth sensor. The AI software is similarly impressive and can also intelligently scan over 500 scenarios, adjusting the camera settings accordingly. It’s important to note that if AI mode is turned on then the camera will capture images at 8MP rather than the full resolution.
Both devices come fitted with Pro mode that allows you to customise shootings settings even further, including exposure, ISO, shutter speed, white balance and focus. You probably need to be a bit more of a photography pro to master this though.
If selfies are more your thing, then the Honor 8X has a 16MP front camera that comes with beauty mode, filtering skin textures for better portrait photography. In a similar vein, the 8MP front camera of the Huawei P Smart 2019 has several filter modes and post-processing options that uses fancy AI tech to recognise 8 unique selfie scenes.
Honor 8X
- Dual rear camera
- 20MP main colour sensor with f/1.8 aperture
- 2MP telephoto lens with f/1.8 aperture
- AI technology distinguishes 500+ scenes
- Night photo mode
- Pro mode
- 16MP front camera
- Beauty mode
Huawei P Smart 2019
- Dual rear camera
- 13MP primary lens with f/2.2 aperture
- 2MP secondary lens with depth sensor
- AI technology distinguishes 500+ scenes
- Pro mode
- 8MP front camera
- AI recognises 8 unique selfie scenes
Performance
On the performance side of things, both the Honor 8X and Huawei P Smart 2019 come fitted with Huawei’s Kirin 710 processor which is fairly mid-range but can handle most games without any real issues.
As a slightly older device, the Honor 8X still runs Android 8.1 Oreo, however, should be getting an update soon. In comparison, the Huawei P Smart 2019 is fit with the newest Android 9.0 Pie. This also means a newer EMUI that comes with digital balance, allowing you to set a time limit on how long you or your children use your phone for, which is a really handy extra.
Eye Comfort mode is available on both devices and reduces blue light, making it safer to read long articles or endure long periods of screen time, especially when viewing in low light.
The Honor 8X has a slightly larger battery at 3570mAh compared to 3400mAh of the P Smart 2019, however other than that the two can’t be easily pulled apart. Both come with that trusty 3.5mm headphone jack, a micro-USB port rather than the standard USB-C, support for a microSD card and unfortunately, no IP rating.
Honor 8X
- Kirin 710 processor
- Android 8.1 Oreo
- Eye comfort mode
- 3570mAh battery
- 3.5mm headphone jack
- Micro-USB port
- No IP rating
Huawei P Smart 2019
- Kirin 710 processor
- Android 9.0 Pie
- Digital balance
- Eye comfort mode
- 3400mAh battery
- 3.5mm headphone jack
- Micro-USB port
- No IP rating
