In today’s smartphone market, where flagship devices push past P50,000, finding a capable phone under P5,000 seems almost impossible.
Most budget devices come with major compromises, leaving users wondering: Can an ultra-affordable Android phone still deliver a decent experience for everyday use?
Enter the HONOR X5b and its variant, the X5b Plus—two of the most budget-friendly smartphones from HONOR.
Marketed as entry-level devices, they aim to provide essential smartphone functions while keeping the price remarkably low.
But how well do they hold up for casual users who need a mix of entertainment, productivity, and even a little creativity?
Here are our first impressions of the latest from HONOR.
Design and build
Despite its low price, the HONOR X5b doesn’t feel overly cheap. The phone sports a textured plastic back, which helps with grip and reduces fingerprints. While it won’t turn heads like a flagship model, it’s well-built for its price range. It features a 6.5-inch TFT LCD display, offering a 720p HD resolution.
While it won’t rival OLED screens, it’s more than serviceable for watching videos, browsing social media, or reading e-books. The bezels are noticeable, but for under ₱5,000, that’s expected.
Performance
Under the hood, the HONOR X5b runs on a MediaTek Helio G36 processor, paired with 2GB or 3GB of RAM (depending on the variant). While this isn’t a powerhouse chipset, it’s optimized for light tasks like messaging, social media, and video streaming.
Users can expect some slowdown with heavy multitasking, but for basic functions—checking emails, casual gaming, and video calls—the phone performs adequately. The Android 13 (Go Edition) helps by keeping things smooth, as it’s designed for devices with limited hardware. Battery
One of the most impressive aspects of the HONOR X5b is its 5,200mAh battery. Given its low-power processor and modest display, the phone can last up to two days on a single charge with moderate use. HONOR claims that even with continuous video playback or gaming, it comfortably lasts a full day.
Charging, however, is slow, as the phone supports only 10W charging via micro-USB or USB-C, depending on the model.
Camera
For photography, the HONOR X5b comes with an 8MP rear camera and a 5MP front camera. We were able to take a few photos using the camera and the output were pretty decent.
While these won’t win any photography awards, they are good enough for quick social media posts and video calls. The camera app includes HDR and basic AI enhancements, but don’t expect flagship-level sharpness or night photography.
So who should buy the HONOR X5b?
If you’re looking for an ultra-affordable Android phone that covers the essentials—calls, messages, browsing, and light entertainment—the HONOR X5b is a great option. It’s an excellent choice for students, seniors, or as a secondary backup phone.
For under ₱5,000, you can’t expect blazing-fast performance, but you do get a functional device with long battery life and a large display. If your needs are simple, the HONOR X5b delivers solid value for its price.
HONOR and Lazada tie up
Additionally, HONOR and leading e-commerce platform Lazada Philippines have also signed a partnership to allow shoppers can get HONOR X5b exclusively on Lazada this coming 4.4 Summer SuliTipid Sale (https://bit.ly/HONORxLazada44SummerSuliTipid) for only P3,499.
The partnership aims to leverage Lazada’s expansive reach and HONOR’s cutting-edge products to deliver an exceptional shopping experience.
“At Lazada, we’re committed to offering Filipinos something that’s Always Better. We are very proud of our continued partnership with HONOR and this exclusive launch of the HONOR X5b, offering the market a high-quality product at a great price,” said Alvin Ching, Head of Seller Operations at Lazada Philippines.
“Our collaboration with Lazada underscores our shared vision of making advanced technology accessible to everyone. The HONOR X5b is a testament to our commitment to providing stylish, reliable, and high-performing devices for Filipinos,” said Stephen Cheng, Vice President of HONOR Philippines.
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