HONOR 8X VS Redmi Note 6 Pro: A Spectacular Smartphone Standoff

The mid-range smartphone market is embroiled in a fierce competition featuring two heavyweights from China--HONOR and Xiaomi.

Arguably the two best-performing phones in this segment, let's see how they compete against each other.

Design and aesthetics

The two phones couldn't be more visually different. Redmi Note 6 Pro features a premium aluminum back, which feels comfortable in the mid-range category. HONOR 8X, however, features a pioneering glass back with a dual-tone finish.

In the front, HONOR 8X scores higher with a larger screen fitted onto a similar-sized body as the Note 6 Pro. The screen-to-body ratio of HONOR 8X is higher. It is 91%. It is about 86% on Redmi Note 6 Pro. There are notches on both phones. But the notch is visibly smaller on HONOR 8X, allowing the screen more space. The 8X is thinner and lighter, making it easier to hold in hand and slide into your pocket.

Display differences

The technology behind the display is somewhat different. HONOR 8X employs an LTPS screen that provides bigger pixel densities and lower power consumption than the standard IPS panel used in Redmi Note 6 Pro. It has an extremely thin bottom bezel of 4.5mm and a smaller notch on top. HONOR 8X is also the world's first smartphone that has TUV Rheinland's Low Blue Standard Certification, which indicates lower blue light emission from the screen, thereby protecting your eyes.

Thanks to its larger screen size, the 8X has a slightly higher resolution. While Redmi Note 6 Pro has a slightly higher pixel density, the difference is so small it's negligible in real world use. On HONOR 8X, there's the option of disabling the notch just in case it isn't optimized in certain scenarios.

Under the hood

While the design and screen are factors in consumers' decision-making, it all boils down to the performance. These two phones are very different in this regard, too. The Note 6 Pro is equipped with Snapdragon 636 processor and the Adreno 509 GPU. It can handle games comfortably and is the standard for mid-range phones.

HONOR 8X, however, is powered by the new Kirin 710 chipset. Based on a 12 nm fabrication as opposed to the Snapdragon 636's 14 nm architecture, Kirin 710 is newer, faster and more efficient. It's so good that it's usually compared with Snapdragon's more powerful 660 chipset. The octa-core setup is quite similar to the flagship Kirin 960. HONOR 8X also has the blessing of Huawei's proprietary GPU Turbo technology, which significantly enhances performance and battery efficiency. You're able to play games like PUBG longer, with better frame rates and graphics.

Photography

In terms of camera, Redmi Note 6 Pro comes with a 12MP+5MP setup with dual pixels that captures photos with great "bokeh" effect. On the front, there is also a dual camera setup with 20MP+2MP sensors, which is great for selfies.

On HONOR 8X, the rear camera is a 20MP+2MP setup, which is bolstered by HONOR's AI camera technology. It can automatically recognize the objects and scenes in the image and make adjustments accordingly to produce the best photo possible, all in real time. The 16MP front camera comes with larger pixels to capture more light.

Final round

The phones are virtually identical in other aspects. They both have headphone jacks and other connectivity options. Battery capacity is also similar, although HONOR 8X should be able to produce more juice because of GPU Turbo and the efficiency of its chipset. HONOR 8X has more storage than Redmi Note 6 Pro.

Finally, HONOR 8X comes out triumphant on most counts, particularly the ones that matter the most to users. In this spectacular smartphone standoff, HONOR 8X is the winning gladiator.