Honor X5c specifications and in-depth review

Honor X5c

Manufacturer: Honor

The Honor X5c is a budget-oriented smartphone built around a large 6.74-inch LCD panel with a 90Hz refresh rate, offering reasonably fluid scrolling for its class. Running Android 15, it comes with a range of privacy and customization features including clipboard warnings, app tracking controls, dynamic theming, and split-screen multitasking. The device measures 167 x 77 x 7.9 mm and weighs 186 g, presenting a relatively slim profile despite housing a sizeable 5260 mAh battery.

Under the hood, the Honor X5c runs on the MediaTek Helio G81 Ultra chipset built on a 12 nm process, paired with 4 GB of RAM and 128 GB of internal storage that can be expanded via a microSD card slot. The main camera captures stills at 13 MP and records video at 1080p 30fps, with support for phase-detection autofocus, HDR, manual exposure, and timelapse modes. Connectivity includes Bluetooth 5.1 with aptX HD, Wi-Fi 5, dual SIM support, USB Type-C, a 3.5 mm audio jack, GPS with Galileo, and a fingerprint scanner, though NFC and 5G are not present.

Pros
  • The 5260 mAh battery offers substantial capacity for extended usage between charges
  • A 90Hz refresh rate on the LCD panel enables noticeably smoother scrolling and on-screen motion
  • A 3.5 mm headphone jack and aptX HD Bluetooth support provide flexible wired and higher-quality wireless audio options
  • The dual SIM configuration combined with an external memory slot allows flexible storage and carrier management simultaneously
  • A wide set of manual camera controls — including manual ISO, exposure, focus, and white balance — gives meaningful control over still photography
  • Android 15 brings a broad range of privacy tools including app tracking blocking, location controls, and camera and microphone access management
Cons
  • The 720 x 1600 px resolution results in a relatively low pixel density of 260 ppi for a 6.74-inch screen, which limits sharpness
  • No water resistance rating means the device offers no certified protection against moisture or dust
  • The single rear camera with no optical image stabilization and no BSI sensor limits low-light and action photography capability
  • Only 4 GB of RAM may restrict smooth multitasking with demanding applications
  • 5G is not supported, limiting the device to 4G LTE cellular connectivity
  • Wireless charging and NFC are both absent, ruling out contactless payments and cable-free recharging
Who is this for?

This device is well-suited to everyday users who prioritize long battery life and straightforward usability over cutting-edge performance. The 5260 mAh battery, dual SIM support, expandable storage, and 3.5 mm headphone jack make it a practical choice for those who rely on their phone throughout the day without access to frequent charging. Users who enjoy basic photography with meaningful manual controls, as well as those who value Android 15's privacy and customization features, will find the software experience reasonably capable. The 90Hz LCD display and FM radio also make it suitable for casual media consumption and daily communication tasks.

Who is this NOT for?

Users who require strong multitasking or run demanding applications will likely find the 4 GB of RAM and MediaTek Helio G81 Ultra chipset limiting under heavier workloads. The 720p display resolution and absence of HDR support make this a poor fit for anyone who prioritizes visual clarity or color accuracy on a large 6.74-inch screen. Mobile photographers looking for versatile or high-quality imaging will be held back by the single 13 MP rear camera with no optical image stabilization and no BSI sensor. Additionally, the lack of 5G, NFC, and water resistance makes this unsuitable for users who need future-proof connectivity, contactless payment support, or any degree of protection against the elements.

Design:

water resistance None
weight 186 g
thickness 7.9 mm
width 77 mm
height 167 mm
volume 101.5861 cm³
has a rugged build
can be folded

The Honor X5c has a rectangular, non-folding form factor with dimensions of 167 x 77 x 7.9 mm and a total volume of roughly 101.59 cm³. It weighs 186 g, which is fairly typical for a device of its screen size. The phone does not feature a rugged build and carries no water resistance rating, so it offers no certified protection against dust or moisture exposure.

Display:

Display type LCD
screen size 6.74"
pixel density 260 ppi
resolution 720 x 1600 px
refresh rate 90Hz
has branded damage-resistant glass
supports HDR10
supports HDR10+
Always-On Display
supports Dolby Vision
Has a secondary screen
has a touch screen

The Honor X5c uses an LCD touchscreen measuring 6.74 inches with a resolution of 720 x 1600 px and a pixel density of 260 ppi. It supports a 90Hz refresh rate, which helps deliver smoother on-screen motion during everyday use. The display does not include branded damage-resistant glass, and it lacks support for HDR10, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, and Always-On Display functionality. There is no secondary screen present.

Performance:

internal storage 128GB
RAM 4GB
Chipset (SoC) name MediaTek Helio G81 Ultra
GPU name Mali G52 MP2
CPU speed 2 x 2 & 6 x 1.8 GHz
Geekbench 6 result (multi) 1391
Geekbench 6 result (single) 420
Geekbench 5 result (multi) 1300
Geekbench 5 result (single) 350
Has integrated LTE
RAM speed 1800 MHz
semiconductor size 12 nm
Supports 64-bit
DirectX version DirectX 12
Has integrated graphics
OpenGL version 3.2
OpenGL ES version 3.2
Uses big.LITTLE technology
CPU threads 8 threads
Has TrustZone
maximum memory bandwidth 13.41 GB/s
OpenCL version 2
memory channels 2
L2 cache 0.3 MB
eMMC version 5.1
maximum memory amount 8GB
GPU execution units 2
GPU turbo 950 MHz
number of transistors 5500 million
Thermal Design Power (TDP) 5W
DDR memory version 4
shading units 32
turbo clock speed 2GHz
L3 cache 1 MB

The Honor X5c is powered by the MediaTek Helio G81 Ultra, a 12 nm octa-core chipset clocked at 2 x 2 GHz and 6 x 1.8 GHz with a turbo speed of 2 GHz, paired with 4 GB of DDR4 RAM running at 1800 MHz and 128 GB of eMMC 5.1 internal storage, with the chip supporting a maximum of 8 GB of memory across two channels at up to 13.41 GB/s bandwidth. The processor uses big.LITTLE technology, supports 64-bit processing, integrates LTE, and includes ARM TrustZone security, while its 8 threads and 5 W TDP reflect its efficiency-oriented design. Graphics are handled by the Mali G52 MP2 GPU, which features 2 execution units, 32 shading units, and a turbo clock of 950 MHz, with support for DirectX 12, OpenGL 3.2, OpenGL ES 3.2, and OpenCL 2.0. Cache consists of 0.3 MB L2 and 1 MB L3, and the chip is built with approximately 5,500 million transistors. In Geekbench 6, the device scores 420 single-core and 1391 multi-core, while Geekbench 5 results stand at 350 single-core and 1300 multi-core.

Cameras:

megapixels (main camera) 13 MP
Has a dual-lens (or multi-lens) main camera
megapixels (front camera) 5MP
has built-in optical image stabilization
video recording (main camera) 1080 x 30 fps
Has a dual-tone LED flash
number of flash LEDs 1
has a BSI sensor
has a CMOS sensor
has continuous autofocus when recording movies
Has phase-detection autofocus for photos
supports slow-motion video recording
has a built-in HDR mode
has manual exposure
has a flash
optical zoom 0x
has manual ISO
has a serial shot mode
has manual focus
has a front camera
Has laser autofocus
Shoots 360° panorama
has manual white balance
shoots raw
has touch autofocus
has manual shutter speed
can create panoramas in-camera
wide aperture (front camera) 2.2f
Has timelapse function
Has a front-facing LED flash
has a dual-lens (or multi-lens) front camera
supports HDR10 recording
supports Dolby Vision recording
has a front-facing camera under the display
Has a RGB LED flash
has 3D photo/video recording capabilities

The Honor X5c features a single-lens 13 MP rear camera with a CMOS sensor, capable of recording video at 1080p 30fps with continuous autofocus during recording, while slow-motion video and timelapse are also supported. Focusing options include phase-detection autofocus and touch autofocus, though laser autofocus is absent, and there is no optical image stabilization. Manual controls cover exposure, ISO, focus, and white balance, but manual shutter speed is not available. The camera supports HDR mode, burst shooting, and in-camera panoramas, while RAW capture, 360-degree panoramas, HDR10 recording, Dolby Vision recording, and 3D photo or video are not included. A single LED flash is present on the rear, without dual-tone or RGB variants. On the front, a 5 MP camera with an f/2.2 aperture sits in a standard position — not under the display — and has no accompanying flash or secondary lens.

Operating system:

Android version Android 15
has clipboard warnings
has location privacy options
has camera/microphone privacy options
has Mail Privacy Protection
has theme customization
can block app tracking
blocks cross-site tracking
has on-device machine learning
has notification permissions
has media picker
Can play games while they download
has dark mode
has Wi-Fi password sharing
has battery health check
has an extra dim mode
has focus modes
has dynamic theming
can offload apps
Has customizable notifications
has Live Text
has full-page screenshots
supports split screen
gets direct OS updates
has PiP
Can be used as a PC
Has sharing intents
has a child lock
Supports widgets
Is free and open source
Has offline voice recognition
has voice commands
Tracks the current position of a mobile device
is a multi-user system
has Quick Start

The Honor X5c runs Android 15 and includes a solid set of privacy controls, covering location permissions, camera and microphone access management, clipboard warnings, and app tracking blocking, though cross-site tracking blocking and Mail Privacy Protection are not present. Customization options include theme customization, dynamic theming, dark mode, and an extra dim mode, while focus modes and Quick Start are not available. The OS supports split-screen multitasking, Picture-in-Picture, full-page screenshots, a media picker, customizable notifications, sharing intents, widgets, and the ability to play games while they download. It also features on-device machine learning, offline voice recognition, voice commands, Live Text selection, app offloading, a child lock, multi-user support, phone tracking, and a battery health check tool. Direct OS updates from the vendor are not provided, and the device cannot function as a PC replacement. Wi-Fi password sharing and Quick Start are absent as well.

Battery:

battery power 5260 mAh
has wireless charging
Supports fast charging
charging speed 15W
has reverse wireless charging
comes with a charger
has a removable battery
has a battery level indicator
has a rechargeable battery

The Honor X5c is equipped with a 5260 mAh rechargeable, non-removable battery that supports 15W fast charging, and a charger is included in the box. A battery level indicator is present for monitoring charge status. Wireless charging and reverse wireless charging are not supported.

Audio:

has a socket for a 3.5 mm audio jack
has stereo speakers
has aptX
has LDAC
has aptX HD
has aptX Adaptive
has aptX Lossless
Has a radio

The Honor X5c includes a 3.5 mm headphone jack and a built-in radio, offering convenient options for wired audio and broadcast listening. It supports aptX HD for higher-quality Bluetooth audio transmission, though standard aptX, aptX Adaptive, aptX Lossless, and LDAC are not available. The device is limited to a single speaker, as stereo speaker output is not present.

Connectivity & Features:

has 5G support
Wi-Fi version Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n)
SIM cards 2 SIM
Bluetooth version 5.1
has an external memory slot
Has USB Type-C
USB version 2
has NFC
download speed 300 MBits/s
upload speed 100 MBits/s
Has a fingerprint scanner
has emergency SOS via satellite
has crash detection
is DLNA-certified
has a gyroscope
supports ANT+
Has a heart rate monitor
has GPS
has a compass
supports Wi-Fi
Has an infrared sensor
has an accelerometer
has a cellular module
Has a barometer
has an HDMI output
Uses 3D facial recognition
Has an iris scanner
Stylus included
supports Galileo
Has motion tracking
Has optical tracking
Has a built-in projector

The Honor X5c supports Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) and Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n), Bluetooth 5.1, and a cellular module with download speeds up to 300 Mbit/s and upload speeds up to 100 Mbit/s, though 5G is not supported. It accommodates two SIM cards and includes an external memory slot for expandable storage. Wired connectivity is handled via a USB Type-C port running USB 2.0, while HDMI output is absent. Location is covered by GPS and Galileo support, and an accelerometer is present, but there is no gyroscope, compass, or barometer. The device includes a fingerprint scanner for biometric authentication, while NFC, 3D facial recognition, and an iris scanner are not available. Additional features such as ANT+, DLNA, infrared sensor, heart rate monitor, crash detection, satellite SOS, motion tracking, optical tracking, and a built-in projector are all absent, and no stylus is included.

Miscellaneous:

has a video light
Has sapphire glass display
Has a curved display
Has an e-paper display

The Honor X5c includes a video light for illumination during video recording. The display is flat rather than curved, and it uses neither sapphire glass nor an e-paper panel.

Final Verdict

The Honor X5c is a 4G smartphone that delivers a practical, no-frills experience built around a 5260 mAh battery, dual SIM flexibility, expandable storage, and a reasonably capable Android 15 software environment with solid privacy controls. Its 90Hz LCD display and manual camera controls add usability touches that go slightly beyond the bare minimum for its class, while aptX HD Bluetooth and a 3.5 mm jack round out the audio offering. That said, the 720p resolution, 4 GB of RAM, single rear camera without stabilization, and absence of 5G or NFC mean the device has clear boundaries in what it can comfortably handle. For users whose daily needs center on communication, light media consumption, and reliable battery endurance, the Honor X5c fulfills its role adequately — but those with more demanding expectations around visual quality, connectivity, or performance will quickly encounter its limitations.

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