On the hunt for a budget-friendly smartphone? HONOR has a couple of options from its X series—the HONOR X6a and the HONOR X5 Plus. There isn’t much separating the two, but there are some key differences that might make you pick one over the other. Let’s take a quick look at both phones.
HONOR X6a and X5 Plus: Price
If price is your biggest consideration, you need to know the price difference between these two devices. There’s a PHP 1,500 (around USD 27) difference between the HONOR X6a and X5 Plus. The X6a retails for PHP 6,990, while the X5 Plus goes for PHP 5,490.
Slightly different looks
Design-wise, it’s easy to tell the HONOR X6a and X5 Plus apart. The HONOR X6a adopts the look of the X8 with a stove-like arrangement for its camera module, while the HONOR X5 Plus takes inspo from the X7a’s camera setup. The two have similar sparkly yet matte finishes on the back. Both come with a Midnight Black option. But the X6a has a Sky Silver variant, while the X5 Plus also comes in Cyan Lake.
They have similar dimensions at 163.32 x 75.07 x 8.35mm, 188g. Both have flat-edged designs with rounded corners on their four sides. The feel in hand is pretty good. And even without using their included jelly cases, there’s no worry of smudges on the back of the phones.
Similar displays
With the same dimensions, you also get the same screen sizes. But looking at them straight on, the HONOR X6a looks like it has a slightly wider 6.56-inch display with slightly thinner. Unfortunately, both still have a waterdrop notch that dates the device and reminds us it is in the budget segment.
But HONOR does pack in a slightly speedier 90Hz refresh rate for a smoother scrolling experience. They bring HONOR’s Dynamic Dimming tech, which automatically adjusts the screen’s brightness to simulate natural light and help alleviate eye fatigue.
More cameras in one than in the other
I don’t expect entry-level phones to sport the best cameras. But HONOR does make an effort to put what looks like a capable 50-megapixel primary camera on both the X6a and X5 Plus. From my initial use of both, you can see their main camera shine on bright days. I’ll make sure to have samples for you on our socials (and on this post), so make sure to check back.
Aside from having the same main camera, both also get a 2-megapixel depth sensor and a 5-megapixel selfie camera. The HONOR X6a gets an extra 2-megapixel macro camera. But I’ll admit these 2-megapixel sensors have limited use. So, if you’re looking to save a little bit and aren’t too particular about the amount of sensors you can use on your smartphone camera, the HONOR X5 Plus might be enough for you.
Let’s talk specs
If you’re particular about what powers your phone, you get a similar experience on both devices. Both run on a MediaTek Helio G36 processor paired with 4GB of RAM. They are phones meant for users who don’t expect top speeds from their devices. If you just need a daily driver to reply to messages to, answer calls on, or browse through social media and online, the X6a and X5 Plus can help you out.
If you’re the type who stores lots of files or takes lots of photos and videos, you might want to pick up the HONOR X6a over the X5 Plus. The former gets 128GB of storage built-in, while the latter gets 64GB. However, both offer storage expansion via the second SIM slot.
Both also have the same large-capacity 5,200mAh battery that can get you up to two days of use if you’re not constantly glued to your phone. Charging speeds vary, though. You get a speedier 22.5W SuperCharge support on the X6a, while the X5 Plus only gets up to 10W. So, if you need a quicker top-up more regularly, you’re going to have to choose the HONOR X6a.
HONOR X6a, X5 Plus: Final thoughts
Picking one over the other is a pretty fine line with these two phones. It’ll boil down to how much you’re willing to spend and what you need.
If you need that extra camera sensor (which I admittedly don’t think you do), want that faster charging speed, or get more internal storage, the HONOR X6a would be a better pick.
Now, if you’re more frugal and can do with just putting in a microSD card for your storage, I say save a bit of that money and go for the HONOR X5 Plus.
What’s a non-negotiable feature for you on a phone?