HUAWEI Honor 8X (64GB + 4GB RAM) 6.5" HD 4G LTE GSM Factory Unlocked Smartphone - International Version No Warranty JSN-L23 (Blue)

When I first read the Huawei/Honor was bring out the 8X I was super stoked. I had the 7X and loved it, but I wanted something that was quicker and had more native storage. I followed the release of the 8X and was crestfallen when it was not released for the US, but recently I was informed that the JSN-L23 version worked for the US. I checked it out and verified the bands and became a very happy camper. I ordered this phone for my early birthday present.The first device I received was awesome... but it was the wrong color. Amazon sent me out a replacement that was correct so that I have this gorgeous blue phone in my hand. I hed my wife give the first phone a try and she really liked it so I had to order her one as well.PROS* Price - You get what you pay for and then some. This phone could easily sell for double and still be a decent buy.* Battery life - no complaints here. I can go all day and still have plenty of juice left. I'm not a gamer but I travel every day for work and use my phone for my paperwork, consulting maps, and as my ereader.* Screen - my first thought on a 6.5" 1080p screen was, "will it look good enough?" Yes, it does. It looks great. It is nice and bright. The notch is not too big and leaves plenty of room for notifications and status icons. The pre-installed screen protector was a very nice addition, as well.* Hardware - This a fast phone. The build is Gorilla glass on the front and back with metal edges, and the included clear case adds extra protection. It has a nice heft in the hand. The fingerprint sensor is dead on in the proper location and is very snappy. Game performance is good and the sound can get more than loud enough. I haven't encountered any lag or stuttering in my day to day use thus far.* Cell Reception - I am on Cricket which uses AT&T's network. I haven't had any issues with cell reception. While the L23 version has bands 2, 4, and 5 it does lack bands 12 and 17. As I said above I travel daily for my job and a lot of that is by interstate and I can say that the only areas I have bad reception are the areas that have always had bad reception. I have 4G almost all the time.* Software - my phone is still on Android 8.1.0. From what I have found online Honor pulled the impending update to 9.0 due to some issues that came to light but they still plan on putting it out once these are resolved. I can't speak on EMUI as I use Nova Launcher on all my phones.CONS* Size - No matter what people say size does matter. This is a large phone. I am a big guy with big hands and it can still be a stretch to reach across the screen with my thumb. Hopefully anyone buying a 6.5" phone understands that that is part of the deal.* Camera - while I have not had any issues with the camera I have hear that some people do. I'm not a photographer so as long as the image is clear I am fine with it. My pictures thus far have all looked good, but just know that this is a point of contention with some.* Micro USB - this, to me, was really disappointing. I knew about it before I bought the phone but it still bothered me. I have plenty of micro USB cables and all from previous phones (I'm looking at you, Honor 7X) but it would have been much nicer to have had USB C.The bottom line is that I am very happy with this device. It is a killer bargain for the price, plus it really turns heads with its looks. Buy it.

To start, I want to clear up some false information that's being spread on here.I received the JSN L23 version which gets perfect signal on T-Mobile (I get perfect 4G but no LTE) (EDIT: As of an April update I now get 4G LTE). If you live in the US and don't receive the JSN-L23, send it back and get the right version; don't write reviews and answer questions saying it doesn't work.Onto the phone, this will be my first phone review, and I can't say anything that hasn't been said in countless other reviews, so I'll try to be concise:You will probably not find a phone of this quality for under $250. Definitely not if you live in the US (this phone was supposed to come to the US, but the government battling with Huawei has prevented that).The camera is pretty good (for the price, especially), but not Huawei Mate 20 Pro $1000+ good, obviously. If you want the absolute best photography you'll have to spend a lot more. The AI enhancements help get good photos, though, and portrait mode is effective.The battery life is amazing so far. I went 15 minutes without draining 1%. Moderate use will get you through a full day, for sure. The downside is that it charges with Micro-USB instead of USB Type-C, so you will not have Quick Charge speed.The performance is very smooth. Multitasking, social media use, and media viewing like YouTube are all quick and snappy with no lag. Gameplay is almost completely smooth with either no or very rare lag on PUBG, though it recommends medium graphics instead of high, so I imagine performance might suffer with high.The phone's features and UI being good are subjective; Android purists will not like the customized nature of EMUI. However, if you're coming from iOS or don't care about stock Android, you will enjoy it. It's evolved a lot and is faster than before, and comes with plenty of useful features (e.g., a built in screen recorder, and a phone transfer app that makes moving files from an old phone simple and easy).The display is also gorgeous. Coming from a 2K AMOLED display, it isn't so much of a downgrade to be a deal breaker. It's about identical in function; very bright and sharp. Not as good as displays that cost 3X as much, but it's unrealistic to expect that.Audio is surprisingly good. Hardcore audiophiles will want to invest in speakers, but for casual users it's above-average quality that translates to good sound in real world use. My Axon 7 with dual front-facing Dolby Atmos stereo speakers is the winner, but that phone is old, and the phone's that have those speakers now cost 3X as much as this one. Bottom line, the audio is good enough, but if you want to get the best audio, you might want to get a speaker. Specifically, singing sounds clear enough, but some instruments can sound a bit tinny. But don't get me wrong, you will not be disappointed with the audio.Onto the general aesthetic, the nearly bezel-less 6.5 inch screen looks great. You can also hide the notch if you hate notches.The back of the phone is simply gorgeous. It is unique and looks premium.To conclude this review, I want to say that you will not be disappointed with this phone. For the price, it's amazing, and in general it is pretty close to the level of flagships that cost 3 - 4X the price.This phone does not look "cheap" or poorly-made. It is very premium and will impress people.Huawei redefines the concept of "budget" phones. There is no real need to pay any more for a phone. It's only missing NFC, wireless charging, Type-C charging, water resistance, and a few other small things.Remember: send it back if you don't get the right version.

I live in Southern California with AT&T carrier. This phone picks up 4G signal averaging 50 to 65 MB down and 30+ up when outside on the street; but when you are deep inside a supermarket it drops to like 3G speed of up to 6 MB down. That is due to the phone only having LTE band 2, 4 and 5 and lacks 12 and 17 for deeper building penetration and falls back to slower bandwidth. At home I can get 4G 50 MB down and about 3 to 4 MB up. For daily normal usage this is all fine. I am able to make or get calls anywhere I go. I got this phone JSN-L23 from lifeline786 and came with an US USB charger, which was a nice surprise. The clear, soft case that came with the phone doesn't have perfect cut out; so I bought my own perfect case from Spigen. Overall this phone has a nice weight and premium feel, and at $207 it is a real bargain. The call quality and ear piece are loud and clear or grade A. The speaker is decent and loud enough or grade B+. It doesn't have a lot of bloatware and I was actually able to uninstall more than half dozen app's. It has a great screen and responsive. With light use the battery can last more than two days. However it does have a one weakness which could bother some users. The WIFI on this particular model is not dual band. It doesn't support 5Ghz WIFI. If your modem has dual band 2.4Ghz and 5 Ghz, it only connects to 2.4Ghz. I am only able to get about 27 MB to 35 MB down. My 5-year old phone can go up to 85 to 90 MB down. It is not a deal breaker because even with slower WIFI the phone is still pretty snappy and responsive. I mean who really needs 95 MB download speed on a cell phone. If this lack of dual band WIFI doesn't bother you, then I think at this price it is a steal.