HONOR X8d was announced last Thursday, March 19, 2026, making it an incredible addition to the brand’s renowned X Number series. What was popularly known as a durability powerhouse is now the smartphone maker’s lineup of feature-packed smartphones, bringing a lot of simple-yet-striking handsets to the table.

Although prominently labelled as AI phones, the majority of the handsets within the X Number series have separate, distinctive features of their own. Now that the X8d is at play, it embraces a lot of changes up its sleeve, including the second-generation AI system that wasn’t found in preceding models of the lineup.

To date, the HONOR X8d is the latest AI phone from the brand. For some reason, it’s priced at PHP 15,999. If that rings a bell, that’s because it’s priced similarly to last year’s X9c (PHP 16,999), although that costs P1,000 more. Meanwhile, this year’s X9d — which was announced just last January 2026 — costs PHP 18,999.

Mind you, the last two devices I mentioned are 5G capable, which obviously outweighs the X8d in terms of long-term connectivity, because X8d only supports 4G (despite the PHP 15K price tag). But why mention it? It’s because they belong in the same price range as the X8d. For a phone being placed close to its superior counterpart, there’s no question that comparison is part of the equation.

Chic and casual

Striking in three different colors, the HONOR X8d is available in Light Blue, Velvet Gray, and Velvet Black. What we have here is the Velvet Gray variant, in an 8GB + 256GB configuration. Personally, I prefer this phone’s design over the X9d because, aside from it being reminiscent of Apple, it follows a different camera layout (vs. the circular camera design found on the X9d), which I find more appealing.

In terms of appearance, it has a 6.77-inch screen in a 1080 x 2392 resolution that is enough to keep your eyes peeled for casual work and entertainment. Its 3,000-nit peak brightness tech makes the screen look clear, even in broad daylight, joined by a 120Hz refresh rate made for fast-moving animations, and a heavy 7,000mAh battery capacity for prolonged device usage.

Software visuals with a twist

Out of the box, it runs on MagicOS 10 based on Android 16, which is a plus because of the refined software visuals and aesthetics, but there’s a caveat — there are some instances where the software becomes limited — especially on the notification panel. Instead of a typical blur effect, the software simply opts for a flat, grey backdrop, which kills the overall vibe of the software visuals.

While not a deal breaker for some, this noticeable limitation shows the phone’s lack of sufficient resources, as it was not able to render the intended blur effect. Regardless, the software retains its full-fledged customization setting (including the elongated clock font, which is considered a hit among smartphone fans desiring a liquid glass effect), giving the user control for personalization.

HONOR X8d Specifications

• DISPLAY: 6.77-inch AMOLED display, 1080 x 2392 resolution, 120Hz refresh rate, 3,000-nits peak brightness
• PROCESSOR: Qualcomm Snapdragon 6s 4G Gen 2 (6nm)
• GPU: Adreno 610
• ROM: 256GB
• RAM: 8GB (+8GB virtual)
• OS: Android 16 (MagicOS 10)
• FRONT CAMERA: 16MP (f/2.45 aperture)
• REAR CAMERA: 108MP main (f/1.75 aperture), 5MP wide (f/2.2)
• BATTERY: 7,000mAh, 45W charging
• BIOMETRICS: Fingerprint
• COLORS: Light Blue, Velvet Black, Velvet Grey
• CONNECTIVITY: NFC
• OTHER FEATURES: AI Button, 300-percent speaker volume, e-book mode
• PRICE: PHP 15,999 (8GB + 256GB)

Pricing & Availability

The HONOR X8d is priced at PHP 15,999 and only comes in one memory configuration, that is the 8GB + 256GB model. The phone is now up for pre-orders until March 27 with freebies, including an HONOR Camping Light Speakers.

More details of the HONOR X8d can be read here. Meanwhile, our full review of the device is coming soon.

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