Review Smartphones HONOR

HONOR X5c Plus 4GB+64GB Smartphone - Review and opinions

HONOR X5c Plus 4GB+64GB
8.1 Overall

Quick recommendation

Value for money 8.7/10
Ease of use 7.8/10
Durability 7.1/10
Customer reviews 9.0/10

Is it worth it?

The HONOR X5c Plus 4GB+64GB is aimed squarely at the budget-phone shopper who wants a proper large-screen Android handset for calls, messaging, streaming, contactless payments and everyday photos without drifting into expensive territory. Its appeal is easy to understand: a 6.74-inch 90Hz display, Android 15, a 5130mAh battery and expandable storage make it feel more complete than many entry models, but the trade-off is equally clear: this is a value-first 4G phone with modest memory and charging that suits light to moderate use better than demanding gaming or long-term power use.

My quick verdict is that this is a sensible buy for a parent, grandparent, teen, backup-phone user or anyone replacing an ageing handset on a tight budget and wanting modern essentials such as NFC, dual SIM and microSD expansion. I would skip it if 5G, fast charging, premium sound or stronger performance headroom are central to your daily routine, because the HONOR X5c Plus wins by being practical and affordable rather than ambitious.

Screen size 6.74 inches
Chipset MediaTek Helio G81
RAM 4 GB
Storage 64 GB
Battery 5130mAh
Refresh rate 90Hz

Key features

Big screen, modest sharpness

The 6.74-inch display is the feature you notice first, and for many people it is the reason to buy this phone. Large text, roomy app layouts and a more comfortable keyboard make daily use friendlier than on smaller budget handsets.

The flip side is that this is a display built for size and smoothness rather than fine detail. The 90Hz refresh rate helps with scrolling, but the panel is better suited to everyday viewing than to anyone obsessed with crisp, high-density screens.

Battery built for routine

A 5130mAh battery gives this phone the kind of stamina that suits commuting, family use and backup-phone duty very well. In practical terms, it is the sort of handset that can get through ordinary daily tasks without feeling fragile or needy.

Charging is the compromise. With 10W support, the battery routine works best when you charge overnight and stop thinking about it, not when you expect fast top-ups in the middle of a busy day.

Useful extras that matter at this price

What lifts the X5c Plus above many cheap phones is not one headline spec but the collection of everyday conveniences. NFC for payments, dual SIM, microSD expansion up to 1TB, Android 15 and side fingerprint plus face unlock all make it easier to live with as a real phone rather than a stopgap.

That combination matters if you want a low-cost handset that still covers modern basics. It also gives the phone a longer practical life than a stripped-down rival with no expansion and fewer connectivity options.

User experience

Pick this phone up for a normal day of WhatsApp, maps, web browsing and YouTube, and the first thing that changes the mood is the screen size. At 6.74 inches, there is plenty of room for larger text, wider keyboards and easier reading, which helps explain why it lands well with older users and first-time upgraders from much older phones. The 90Hz refresh rate also matters here: scrolling through menus and feeds feels less draggy than on a basic 60Hz budget handset. The catch is resolution clarity. One part of the product information points to 720 x 1600, which on a panel this size works out at roughly 260ppi, so this is more about comfort and size than razor-sharp detail. For streaming, messaging and social apps that is acceptable; for anyone fussy about crisp text and video, it is a compromise you will notice.

Move into a full day away from home and the battery story becomes one of the phone's strongest arguments. A 5130mAh cell is generous for this class, and the practical result is a handset that makes sense for commuting, family use and casual navigation without living in battery anxiety. That said, battery life and charging are not the same thing. The long endurance is attractive, but 10W charging is slow by current standards, so this is the sort of phone that fits best when you top it up overnight rather than expect a quick burst before heading out. If your routine is steady, that trade-off is easy to live with; if you are always grabbing 20 minutes at the plug, it becomes more frustrating.

For photos, video calls and social sharing, the HONOR X5c Plus stays in the believable budget lane. The 50MP rear camera and 5MP front camera are enough for daylight snaps, family pictures and straightforward video calls, and several owners are happy with the camera quality for the money. What matters more is route fit: this is not a camera-led phone, but it covers casual use without making the camera feel like an afterthought. The same goes for performance. The Helio G81 and 4GB RAM are fine for calling, messaging, browsing and lighter games, yet this is not the handset I would choose for heavier multitasking or anyone who keeps dozens of apps alive in the background.

The travel and daily-driver question is where this model earns its keep. NFC, dual SIM support, Bluetooth 5.1, 4G LTE and up to 1TB microSD expansion make it more practical than the bare-bones budget crowd. Contactless payments, a work-and-personal SIM setup, offline music on a memory card and FM radio all add useful everyday flexibility. The one friction point that stands out in day-to-day use is software navigation: the split pull-down for notifications and settings can be irritating until you build the habit, and the single speaker is not the one to rely on for rich sound. As a cheap primary phone it works, but as a polished multimedia phone it has obvious limits.

Pros

  • Large 6.74-inch 90Hz screen is comfortable for reading, messaging and general browsing
  • Strong everyday value with Android 15, NFC, dual SIM and microSD expansion
  • 5130mAh battery suits long routine use and light battery anxiety
  • 50MP main camera is credible for casual photos at this level.

Cons

  • 4G-only connectivity makes it a weaker fit if you want a more future-proof primary phone
  • 10W charging is slow, so quick top-ups are not this phone's strength
  • 4GB RAM and entry-level performance limit heavy multitasking and demanding games
  • Display sharpness is a compromise on a screen this large.

Community

User reviews

The pattern is consistent: people buy this phone for value, screen size and straightforward everyday use, and most come away feeling they got more than expected for the money. The disappointments are practical rather than dramatic, mainly around charging speed, occasional setup quirks and the fact that it remains a budget handset rather than a hidden flagship.

Paul

I bought it for my grandad and the large screen made it easy to set up and use, while the battery lasted a couple of days and the overall quality felt far better than expected.

Fruity

For me the big wins are NFC, long battery life, storage expansion and decent gameplay, though the split swipe-down controls for notifications and settings take some getting used to.

Noe

I found it easy to use, nicely made and clear on screen, but I would still say it suits someone comfortable with tech more than a complete beginner.

Baz

I think it is extremely good value, easy to use like any other Android, and the inclusion of NFC makes it stand out for a budget phone.

Comparison

Against the HONOR X6b, the X5c Plus takes the more comfort-led route. It gives you a larger 6.74-inch screen instead of 6.56 inches, the same 4GB RAM, but less internal storage at 64GB rather than 128GB in the compared configuration. If you care more about a bigger display and are happy to use microSD expansion, the X5c Plus is the easier recommendation. If you want more built-in storage from day one and prefer to stay within the same brand family, the X6b is the tidier choice.

Against the DOOGEE Note 58, the contrast is different. The DOOGEE's listed chipset, RAM and storage are far more aggressive on paper, with Dimensity 9000, 32GB RAM and 128GB storage, so it is the route for someone prioritising headline performance and capacity. The HONOR fights back by being easier to place as a straightforward budget daily phone with a strong user rating, practical battery size, Android 15 and a cleaner value-first identity. Choose the DOOGEE if raw spec ambition matters most; choose the HONOR if you want a simpler, lower-risk everyday budget handset.

Conclusion and verdict

The HONOR X5c Plus gets the important budget-phone decisions mostly right. It offers a large 90Hz display, very good battery capacity, Android 15, expandable storage, NFC and a camera setup that makes sense for ordinary life rather than marketing fantasy. For a parent, teen, older relative or anyone trying to spend modestly while still getting a genuinely usable smartphone, it is one of the more convincing low-cost options, especially if the current offer keeps it in the entry-price bracket.

I would pass if your next phone must feel fast for years, charge quickly, deliver sharper visuals on a big panel or bring 5G into the package. The X5c Plus is at its best when judged as a practical budget entry phone with a few welcome extras, not as a bargain shortcut to mid-range performance.

FAQ

Is the HONOR X5c Plus good enough as a main phone in 2026?

Yes for calls, messaging, streaming, maps, contactless payments and casual photos, but it is best for light to moderate use rather than demanding gaming or long-term power use.

Does this phone support contactless payments and extra storage?

Yes, NFC is present for contactless payments and the phone supports microSD expansion up to 1TB.

Alexandre Lefèvre

About the author

Alexandre Lefèvre

Tech enthusiast focused on testing and reviewing the latest devices. I share honest insights to help you choose the right products with confidence.