The budget tablet scene is hotter than ever, especially with HONOR Philippines dropping a new contender into the ring: the HONOR Pad X8a.

This sleek slate boasts an aluminum body, a sharp 11-inch display, and quad speakers — all for a price that won’t break the bank. But can it really hang with the heavy hitters in the cutthroat world of affordable tablets? We dive deep into the HONOR Pad X8a to see if it can deliver a knockout punch for everyday entertainment and productivity.

Is there anything in particular that stands out about this P7,999 (roughly $140 converted) tablet, which faces stiff competition in developing markets where the choices are practically endless? Here’s our take on the newly launched device.

More than meets the eye

The design and aesthetic choices featured on the HONOR Pad X8a can be summed up in one word: simple. Perhaps even too simple to catch anyone’s attention. This isn’t going to win any beauty contests, though to be fair, there’s only so much you can do with the form factor.

You’ve got your standard rectangular slab, decked out in a shade of gray. HONOR’s logo makes an appearance dead center, while a lone pill-shaped camera bump hangs out in the corner, close to the physical buttons on the frame.

Tablets aren’t exactly known for their groundbreaking hardware choices. However, with a market flooded with sleek and stylish competitors, the Pad X8a’s plain aesthetic might leave you wanting a little more spice. But hey, maybe HONOR’s playing it smart. After all, substance over style, right?

Which brings us to our next point. It’s easy to forget about the HONOR Pad X8a’s outward — and perhaps intentional — simplicity once you have the device in hand. This tablet definitely knows how to make a good first impression up close, thanks to its sleek, all-metal unibody that feels way more premium than its price tag suggests.

HONOR’s clearly not messing around when it comes to build quality. This thing feels solid in the hand, and the aluminum construction gives it a touch of class that you rarely find in the budget tablet world populated by “plastic fantastics.” At just 495 grams and a relatively svelte 7.25mm thin, it’s also surprisingly lightweight and easy to hold, even without a case.

Speaking of, we’re giving the company bonus points for tossing in a free folio case with the HONOR Pad X8a. That’s always a nice touch, especially for a budget-minded device.

Our only issue with this case is that it won’t win any awards for functionality. While it provides basic protection against scratches and bumps, don’t expect it to double as a sturdy stand. There’s no magnetic cover here to keep your tablet propped up at the perfect angle. So, if you’re planning on using the Pad X8a for hands-free viewing, you might want to hang on to your trusty old tablet stand.

Alright, let’s talk about the cameras. The HONOR Pad X8a isn’t exactly going to replace your trusty smartphone for capturing epic moments. It’s rocking a basic 5-megapixel sensor on the back and another 5-megapixel shooter up front. They’ll do the trick for taking quick pics, scanning documents — and there’s even a dedicated mode for that! — and hopping on video calls.

We do appreciate the brand’s attention to detail with the front-facing camera placement. It’s positioned perfectly for landscape use, which makes total sense for video calls and online meetings. Plus, it aligns perfectly with the folio case, so you don’t have to worry about awkward angles or blocked views.

We think the cameras on the Pad X8a are functional and get the job done for basic tasks. But if photography is your passion, you’ll definitely want to stick with your smartphone — as it should be.

HONOR’s clearly aiming to deliver a solid audio experience with the Pad X8a, packing in not one, not two, but four speakers. Let’s give credit where it’s due: This tablet can pump out some serious volume. Crank it up, and you’ll easily fill a small room with sound.

But here’s the catch: While loudness isn’t an issue, audio quality is a bit of a mixed bag. We noticed some distortion creeping in at higher volumes, and the bass, as with most tablet speakers, leaves something to be desired. It’s decent for casual listening and watching videos, but audiophiles might want to look elsewhere.

HONOR ditched the 3.5mm headphone jack on its budget tablet. While we do believe that wireless is the future (we really do!), it’s still a bummer, particularly for those who prefer the reliability and audio fidelity of wired headphones. On the plus side, the Pad X8a does support Hi-Res and Hi-Res Wireless Audio for those who opt for wireless listening.

The HONOR Pad X8a ships with 128GB of onboard storage in the Philippines, and that’s your lot. There’s no microSD card slot here.

Binge-watching buddy

Obviously, one of the major attractions here is the 11-inch TFT display. It features an 84% screen-to-body ratio, which is okay for a tablet in this price segment, and the bezels are reasonably sized.

The screen boasts a 1,920 x 1,200 resolution, a 90Hz refresh rate, and a peak brightness of 400 nits. The HONOR Pad X8a also arrives with some welcome eye-saving technology. Dynamic dimming keeps things comfortable during those late-night gaming sessions, while the Eye Comfort and eBook modes help reduce strain. That eBook mode even switches the screen to a black and white palette, perfect for devouring digital comics and novels and catching up on your favorite manga scanlations.

The 16:10 aspect ratio is another win, especially for movie buffs and binge-watchers. It translates to more screen real estate when viewing content in the landscape orientation and makes the HONOR Pad X8a a compelling option for kicking back and relaxing while streaming your favorite films and TV shows.

Additionally, the device arrives with Google’s Widevine L1 certification, so you can stream HD content on Netflix and Disney Plus without issues. YouTube goes even further, offering up to 1080p playback at a smooth 60 frames per second. For a tablet in this price range, the HONOR Pad X8a’s display is a delightful surprise; it punches well above its weight and offers a pretty immersive viewing experience.

The spacious panel isn’t just for movies and reading documents. It’s decent for multitasking, too. Not only does it allow for traditional windowed apps, but it also supports a split-screen mode that lets you run two apps side by side, each occupying half of the screen. This is good news for those who want to cross-reference information, take notes during a video call, or simply keep an eye on their social media feed while working on a document.

While you can technically push the HONOR Pad X8a further and have up to four apps open simultaneously, we advise against it. In our experience, juggling more than two apps at once starts to bog down the system, leading to noticeable lag and hindering your productivity. It’s a classic case of “less is more.”

For the optimal multitasking experience on the Pad X8a, stick with two apps in split-screen view. This strikes the perfect balance between functionality and performance, allowing you to seamlessly switch between tasks without really sacrificing speed or responsiveness. It’s a testament to how well HONOR has optimized the software to take advantage of the tablet’s generous screen size, especially considering it’s not exactly packing a flagship processor under the hood.

Balanced performance

The HONOR Pad X8a packs a 6nm Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 4G chipset that prioritizes what people want most in an affordable, big-screen tablet: capable web browsing and media consumption and robust battery life. You’ll probably enjoy using this device as long as you’re not expecting a portable powerhouse that delivers the smoothest experience.

Now, let’s talk gaming performance. While the HONOR Pad X8a might not be a dedicated gaming machine, it can surprisingly hold its own with some demanding titles. You just need to lower the visual settings to make certain titles like Genshin Impact and GTA: San Andreas playable. Using the lowest graphics preset, Genshin Impact runs fine without major performance issues on our unit, which has 4GB of physical RAM, even after an hour of gameplay.

As for GTA: San Andreas, we were able to bump things up a notch and enjoy a perfectly playable experience using the Medium graphics preset. The action was fluid, the visuals were decent, and we were able to relive the glory days of Grove Street without a hitch.

With its spacious display, the HONOR Pad X8a practically begs to be transformed into a portable retro-gaming machine. And thanks to the readily available emulators online, we couldn’t resist taking a trip down memory lane. We fired up our trusty PlayStation 2 emulator and loaded up some classic titles to see how the Pad X8a would handle the PS2 era.

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We first journeyed back to Middle-earth with Lord of the Rings: Return of the King, a hack-and-slash adventure that, surprisingly, boasts some pretty deep RPG elements. Next, we hit the virtual hardwood with NBA 2K12, arguably the peak of the franchise — and the last 2K game to grace the PS2 platform. It’s worth noting that while neither game ran perfectly, they were both definitely playable. However, purists seeking flawless emulation might want to temper their expectations or consider a more powerful device.

Under the hood, the Pad X8a sees a 8,300mAh battery, and HONOR claims some lofty usage figures — 14 hours of video playback, 85 hours of music playback, and 56 days on standby. While we can’t verify those exact numbers, we easily got two full days out of this tablet with regular use. That’s fine given the large screen and high battery capacity.

To give you a better idea of its stamina, we put the unit through some rigorous testing. Half an hour of playing Genshin Impact with the brightness cranked up consumed only 9% of the battery. Similarly, 40 minutes of streaming 1080p YouTube videos at full brightness depleted a mere 8%. In PCMark’s battery-rundown test, which simulates typical everyday usage, the Pad X8a managed 12 hours and 10 minutes with the screen brightness set at a comfortable 50%.

Obviously, these figures won’t shatter any records, but they solidify the HONOR Pad X8a as a reliable workhorse that can easily handle a full day of entertainment, productivity, or a mix of both, without needing a desperate scramble for a charger.

And when you do eventually need to refuel, well, be prepared for quite a wait. In the box, you’ll find a rather quaint 10-watt USB-A charger. It will take the bundled power brick multiple hours to fully replenish this product’s battery. That’s a long wait by modern standards. However, keep in mind that the tablet’s beefy battery capacity also plays a significant role in its charging speed.

Final thoughts

The HONOR Pad X8a isn’t here to wow you with flashy features or groundbreaking specs. Instead, it focuses on delivering a solid tablet experience that nails the fundamentals. This is a device that feels reassuringly sturdy in hand, thanks to its metal build; boasts a display that’s ideal for reading ebooks and comics and streaming your favorite shows; and firing up some classic games on emulators. Plus, the battery life can stretch to two days.

If you’re looking for a no-frills budget tablet that excels at the essentials, look no further.

HONOR Pad X8a specs

• 11-inch TFT display, 1,920 x 1,200 resolution, 90Hz refresh rate, 400 nits brightness
• 6nm Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 processor
• Adreno 610 GPU
• 4GB RAM
• 128GB storage
• 5-megapixel rear camera
• 5-megapixel front camera
• Quad speakers
• 8,300mAh battery
• 10-watt charging
• MagicOS 8.0 based on Android 14
• Color: Space Gray

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