We put the Honor X8 5G through our rigorous DXOMARK Battery test suite to measure its performance in autonomy, charging and efficiency. In these test results, we will break down how it fared in a variety of tests and several common use cases.
Overview
Key specifications:
- Battery capacity: 5000 mAh
- 22.5W charger (included)
- 6.52-inch, 720 x 1600, 90 Hz, LCD display
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 480+ 5G (8 nm)
- Tested ROM / RAM combination: 128 GB + 6 GB
Scoring
Sub-scores and attributes included in the calculations of the global score.
Honor X8 5G
Key performances
These key points are derived from the lab measurements during testing and do not figure into the overall score. The lab measurements, however, are used for the overall score.
Pros
- Outstanding typical usage scenario
- Excellent autonomy during our on-the-go tests
- Decent autonomy when tested in calibrated mode
- Low residual consumption of the charger when the device is fully charged and still plugged in
- Below-average discharge currents
Cons
- Battery levels of 8%, 28%, 48%, 68%, and 88% remain on the display for only 30 seconds, regardless of the use case
- Automatic device shut down 30 seconds after reaching 2%
- Slow charging time due to the small 22.5W charger
- Low charge efficiency
The Honor X8 5G battery provided outstanding autonomy when tested in factory default mode. The device maintained a charge for more than 3 full days during the typical usage scenario (TUS), one of the best performances we’ve seen so far. We had the same excellent experience during the on-the-go tests, especially when scrolling on social apps. In calibrated mode, the device showed decent performance across all our use cases as well.
When it came to charging, the small 22.5W charger took 2 hours and 12 minutes to fill the large 5000 mAh battery. A 5-minute charge provided only 4 hours of autonomy, which was below the average of our database.
The time for the battery to reach a true full charge — as measured when power consumption from the outlet drops– after the device displays 100% on the screen was very long at 41 minutes. But when the charge was over, the residual consumption of the charger was very low. By measuring the amount of power needed to fill up the battery from the power outlet, we noticed that the charge efficiency was below average.
Focusing on the discharge efficiency, we saw that the Honor X8 5G had very low discharge currents during the TUS (day and night) and our on-the-go tests, meaning that the device was well-managed in factory default settings. The discharge currents were also low when testing in calibrated mode, except for the video streaming test, where it was average.
Compared with devices from the same price range ($200 to $399), the Honor X8 5G had a decent global score thanks to its autonomy performance, but its charging and efficiency scores were below average.
Test Summary
About DXOMARK Battery tests: For scoring and analysis in our smartphone battery reviews, DXOMARK engineers perform a variety of objective tests over a week-long period both indoors and outdoors. (See our introductory and how we test articles for more details about our smartphone Battery protocol.)
The following section gathers key elements of our exhaustive tests and analyses performed in DXOMARK laboratories. Detailed performance evaluations under the form of reports are available upon request. Do not hesitate to contact us.
Battery | Charger | Wireless | Display | Processor | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Honor X8 5G | 5000mAh | 23W (not included) |
- | TFT LCD 720 x 1600 |
Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 Plus |
Xiaomi Redmi Note 11S 5G | 5000mAh | 33W (included) |
- | IPS 1080 x 2400 |
Mediatek Dimensity 810 |
Oppo A77 5G | 5000mAh | 33W (not included) |
- | LCD 720 x 1612 |
MediaTek Dimensity 810 |
Autonomy
Honor X8 5G
182
Autonomy score is composed of three performance sub-scores: Home / Office, On the go, and Calibrated use cases. Each sub-score comprises the results of a comprehensive range of tests for measuring autonomy in all kinds of real-life scenarios.
Battery Life (moderate)
Battery Life (moderate)
Home/Office
Honor X8 5G
189
A robot housed in a Faraday cage performs a set of touch-based user actions during what we call our “typical usage scenario” (TUS) — making calls, video streaming, etc. — 4 hours of active use over the course of a 16-hour period, plus 8 hours of “sleep.” The robot repeats this set of actions every day until the device runs out of power.
On the go
Honor X8 5G
195
Using a smartphone on the go takes a toll on autonomy because of extra “hidden” demands, such as the continuous signaling associated with cellphone network selection, for example. DXOMARK Battery experts take the phone outdoors and perform a precisely defined set of activities while following the same three-hour travel itinerary (walking, taking the bus, the subway…) for each device
Calibrated
Honor X8 5G
198
For this series of tests, the smartphone returns to the Faraday cage and our robots repeatedly perform actions linked to one specific use case (such as gaming, video streaming, etc.) at a time. Starting from an 80% charge, all devices are tested until they have expended at least 5% of their battery power.
Charging
Honor X8 5G
181
Charging is fully part of the overall battery experience. In some situations where autonomy is at a minimum, knowing how fast you can charge becomes a concern. The DXOMARK Battery charging score is composed of two sub-scores, (1) Full charge and (2) Quick boost.
Full charge
Honor X8 5G
184
Full charge tests assess the reliability of the battery power gauge; measure how long and how much power the battery takes to charge from zero to 80% capacity, from 80 to 100% as shown by the UI, and until an actual full charge.
Charging Time 0-80%
Charging Time 0-80%
Quick boost
Honor X8 5G
182
With the phone at different charge levels (20%, 40%, 60%, 80%), Quick boost tests measure the amount of charge the battery receives after being plugged in for 5 minutes. The chart here compares the average autonomy gain from a quick 5-minute charge.
Efficiency
Honor X8 5G
154
The DXOMARK power efficiency score consists of two sub-scores, Charge up and Discharge rate, both of which combine data obtained during robot-based typical usage scenario, calibrated tests and charging evaluation, taking into consideration the device’s battery capacity. DXOMARK calculate the annual power consumption of the product, shown on below graph, which is representative of the overall efficiency during a charge and when in use.
Charge up
Honor X8 5G
205
The charge up sub-score is a combination of four factors: the overall efficiency of a full charge, related to how much energy you need to fill up the battery compared to the energy that the battery can provide; the efficiency of the travel adapter when it comes to transferring power from an outlet to your phone; the residual consumption when your phone is fully charged and still plugged into the charger; and the residual consumption of the charger itself, when the smartphone is disconnected from it. The chart here below shows the overall efficiency of a full charge in %.
Discharge
Honor X8 5G
194
The discharge subscore rates the speed of a battery’s discharge during a test, which is independent of the battery’s capacity. It is the ratio of a battery’s capacity divided by its autonomy. A small-capacity battery could have the same autonomy as a large-capacity battery, indicating that the device is well-optimized, with a low discharge rate.
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