How many times have you had a mini heart attack, fearing and imagining the worst as your phone slips from your grip? Or perhaps that jolt of panic when water or liquids creep closer to your phone?

Over the years, I’ve seen mobile phones in all shapes and sizes but for some reason, all that sophistication brought surprising fragility. When cell phones turned into smartphones, this intensified; they not only became more expensive but also more high maintenance.

And the more we pay, the more we worry.

Don’t get me wrong, there have been durable phones in the last few years but a lot of them were very bulky, limited, and honestly just not for everyone.

Lately, though, HONOR has been shaking things up in the Philippines, building a line of durable phones that look like any other sleek device but offer that extra layer of protection we all crave.

Its latest durable contender is the HONOR X7c and if you’ve been on social media, you know that its big deal is its IP64 dust and water resistance. Is it a new thing in the smartphone scene? No. But it’s rare to see it in this price segment which makes the HONOR X7c all the more appealing for the everyday grind.

Built to last long

Smartphones are inherently fragile but humans are not; We bump, drop, trip, fall, and everything else in between. It’s for this reason that we spend extra on protection — rugged case, tempered glass, and the like.

With the HONOR X7c, you’re rid of this issue. It wants to be a life-proof phone offering not just all-angle IP64 dust and water resistance but also 5-star drop resistance.

What does this mean in the real world? It means you can live a little more vicariously because you’re not always thinking about the safety of your phone.

Want to take photos in the rain or even underwater? Go right ahead. That won’t hurt this phone. Did you drop it in something icky? Go ahead and wash it in the sink — just make sure it doesn’t go past the recommended 3 minutes.

Running late and it drops from your pocket? It might get a little ding on the outside, but it’ll still work fine and well. It boasts Swiss SGS Premium Performance Certification of Drop and crush resistance after all. And it’s also fitted with tempered glass right out of the box so even your display is a bit more durable than the norm.

Now, this isn’t to say it’s completely indestructible — drop it from a skyscraper (or something more realistic like a 10-story building), and, well, all bets are off. But for the bumps and splashes of daily life, the HONOR X7c is designed to go the distance.

Just keep in mind that, while it offers more robust protection than its competitors, it isn’t a forever kind of thing. Wear and tear will take its toll eventually but you’re at least assured it will last longer than most even with less care.

Power for the whole day

Part of having a low-maintenance phone is not worrying constantly about your battery status. And the X7c also considers that so it packs a large all-day 6000mAh battery to help you love an unbothered life.

When you do need to charge, the 35W fast charging gets you back up and running without too much downtime. Given the battery’s size, a full charge does take around two hours — but with the X7c’s battery endurance, you’ll probably find yourself charging it overnight, as most of us do.

Under the hood, the HONOR X7c packs a Snapdragon 685 chip. This is a widely used processor so its performance will feel familiar.

With a respectable 8GB of RAM plus an extra 8GB through virtual expansion, everyday tasks like social media, emailing, browsing, messaging, and the like are easy enough for this phone to run without problems. Its large 256GB storage also contributes to better performance.

Media work was also well and good; I could go about editing photos and even videos on CapCut quite well.  Don’t expect resource-heavy games like Genshin Impact to run perfectly, though, but casual gaming is right up its alley.

The HONOR X7c also has a 120Hz refresh rate, uncommon for its segment, but sacrifices a bit of quality and color by having an LCD instead and maxing out at HD resolution.

It’s worth noting, however, that you are limited to just 4G. Given that 5G coverage is now more widely available, 4G speeds might feel a little restrictive for some.

Cameras for daily documentation

The HONOR X7c offers two cameras but realistically, only the 108-megapixel camera is the one you’ll be shooting with.

We’ve seen this camera on other HONOR smartphones before and it performs as expected meaning, you’ll need light to make photos look good.

Managing expectations, you are still dealing with an entry-level phone here so I’m not at all surprised at the quality of the photos. Again, as with any smartphone, bright light –outdoor shots, sunny days, or well-lit rooms to name some — are where this camera does its finest work. Details are clear, colors are vibrant, and you’ll find it perfectly capable for your daily photo needs.

When you move indoors or in low-light settings, the quality does drop a bit, which is typical for phones in this range. Photos might not look as sharp or vibrant as they would on a high-end device, but they’re more than sufficient for quick snapshots and social media posts

An 8-megapixel camera is in charge of your selfies but, again, the hero is that 108-megapixel camera.

A phone for everyone

With its affordable price tag and durable design, the HONOR X7c is clearly made for those who need a phone that can withstand life’s mishaps.

Its durability is a huge plus, especially for people who work in demanding environments or those who simply want a phone that isn’t going to fall apart after a few accidental drops.

As mentioned, there aren’t a lot of phones that offer this kind of robust protection at this price. And this ruggedness, I would confidently assume, is something everyone would want for their devices. More importantly, HONOR makes it accessible for people who actually need it — like those who work on the field daily and have more cause for concern for their devices.

Those who endure long commutes, for example, won’t have to worry about weather changes or the safety of their phones if they’re caught in a throng of people.

Pricing and availability

The HONOR X7c is now in the Philippines for PhP 8,999 at any HONOR Experience Store or online via Shopee, Lazada, and TikTok Shop in the Philippines. The All-Angle Water-Resistant smartphone will also be FREE via Globe Postpaid Plans starting at GPlan 999 with 5GB Data and Unli All Net Call and Texts.