Honor 6X vs ZTE Blade V8 Pro (Smartphone Showdown)

Looking back at 2016, we saw how entry-level devices got better and better. And as we speculated in a recent article, dual cameras are going to become the norm for most smartphones launched in 2017, even the lower-end ones.

Dual cameras mostly made it on premium phones like the iPhone 7 Plus, LG V20 or Huawei Mate9 in 2016, but this year we believe we’re going to see more and more affordable device adopt this camera setup.

At CES 2017, we saw the launch of two budget-friendly phones with dual-cameras – the Honor 6X and ZTE Blade V8 Pro. The handsets are already available, so if the idea of having a dual-camera phone appeals to you, here’s a comparison of the two models to help you decide which one is for you.

Display

5.5-inch with 1920 x 1080 resolution vs 5.5-inch with 1920 x 1080 resolution

Both smartphones feature a 5.5-inch panel with FHD resolution (approx. 401ppi), so if you’re looking for a slightly larger handset with an affordable price-tag, you can either chose either the Honor or the ZTE. It depends on your preference. Let’s see what else these two smartphones have going for them.

Computing power

Kirin 655 clocked at 2.1GHz vs Snapdragon 625 clocked at 2.0GHz

3GB/4GB of RAM vs 3GB of RAM

Mali-T830MP2 vs Adreno 560

The Honor 6X features one of Huawei’s own processor, the Kirin 655 which is clocked slightly higher than the Snapdragon 625. Both are octa-core affairs destined for the middle-range sector and are capable of sustaining most daily operations without much fuss.

The Kirin 655 is made up of four 2.1GHz Cortex-A53 cores plus four 1.7GHz Cortex-A53 cores, while the Snapdragon 625 features eight 2GHz Cortex-A53 cores – so you shouldn’t see a huge difference in terms of performance.

The Honor 6X is offered in a 4GB of RAM version, but both phones come with the standard 3GB of RAM option.

Cameras

12MP+2MP/8MP vs 13MP+13MP/8MP

The dual camera setup on the ZTE Blade V8 Pro seems a bit more advanced. The phone has a dual 13MP main camera with Phase Detection Autofocus and dual-LED flash plus an 8MP selfie snapper capable of shooting 1080p video.

In contrast, the Honor 6X features a dual 12MP+2MP setup with Phase Detection Autofocus, LED flash and an 8MP selfie snapper with 1080p video capturing capabilities at 30fps.

Software

Android 6.01. Marshmallow vs Android 6.0 Marshmallow

The Honor 6X was announced with Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow out of the box and we thought that was a real shame. Luckily, a few hours after the announcement the company let us know the Android 7.0 Nougat will be offered sometime in Q2 2017.

As for the ZTE Blade Z8 Pro – the device also runs Android 6.0 Marshmallow, but we’re not so optimistic ZTE will offer Nougat treatment for this device. But who knows.

Battery

3,340 mAh vs 3,140 mAh

Given that both phones feature a 5.5-inch display with FHD resolution and the two chipsets powering the devices will exert similar demands, the Honor 6X will probably offer a longer life cycle. Especially with the Android 7.0 Nougat update coming. However, the difference is not going to be out of this world.

Other features

32GB/64GB of internal storage vs 32GB of internal storage

The Honor 6X has a beefier variant with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage. However, keep in mind that both phones have a hybrid SIM card, which means users can use one of the slots to add a microSD card slot. So both phones’ internal memory can be expanded up to 256GB.

Pricing

$249.99 vs $229.98

As you can see the ZTE Blade V8 Pro is a bit more affordable. Also users who order the phone from ZTE’s website will also receive a complementary phone case.

The Honor 6X’s 4GB of RAM variant will cost $299 and will be sold in select markets.

Verdict

The phones are quite similar in terms of specifications, except the ZTE Blade V8 Pro offers a more advanced dual camera setup. On the other hand, the Honor 6X has a 4GB + 64GB version available, just for your pleasure. Don’t forget that the Honor 6X will get Android 7.0 Nougat soon, while we’re not too sure the ZTE Blade V8 Pro will ever get it. The former also comes with a slightly larger battery.