Skip to main content

Huawei unveils Honor Note 8, a gargantuan phablet with a 6.6-inch screen

It’s phablet season. A day before Samsung’s Galaxy Note 7 announcement, Huawei has eclipsed the rumored 5.7-inch device with the Honor Note 8 — a 6.6-inch gargantuan offering that is a direct response to Xiaomi’s Mi Max. Here’s everything you need to know.

Specs and OS

The Honor Note 7 is powered by the Kirin 955 processor, which is made by Huawei subsidiary HiSilicon. It’s the same processor that powers Huawei’s recent flagship offering, but unlike the P9, Huawei is offering 4GB of RAM. That can be helpful when you’re trying to multitask on such a large screen. You’ll be able to choose between 32GB, 64GB, and 128GB of internal storage, and the dual-SIM phone also supports a MicroSD slot that lets you upgrade your storage with an additional 128GB.

The 6.6-inch display features a Quad HD resolution, or 2560 x 1440 pixels, and the device has a much-needed 4,500mAh battery to keep the screen running for a while. You’ll find a USB Type-C port on the bottom of the device, which means faster charging and data transfer.

Like most smartphones these days, the Note 8 has a fingerprint sensor, a 13-megapixel rear camera with optical-image stabilization, and an 8-megapixel selfie camera that houses an 85-degree wide-angle lens.

The Note 8 runs Google’s Android 6.0 Marshmallow, but you’ll find it heavily layered with EMUI 4.1, the company’s user-interface overlay that’s highly reminiscent of iOS.

Design

Huawei’s phablet maintains a similar metal aesthetic as its other smartphones, but the silver variant carries a striking resemblance to Google’s Nexus 6P — mostly due to the rear black glass covering the camera. Apart from that, the phone actually looks quite plain. The bezels are quite slim on the front, the volume rocker sits at the top right, with the power button just below it.

The phone’s overall shape is more rounded than the P9.

Release date

The Honor Note 8 will be available for purchase in China on August 9. The 32GB variant is going for 2,299 yuan, or $345 U.S., and the 64GB model costs 2,499 yuan, or $375. For an additional $45, the 128GB variant is also an option. It comes in gold and silver, and you can also pre-order it now via Huawei’s website.

It’s unclear if this device will hit other markets, such as the U.S.

Editors' Recommendations

Julian Chokkattu
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Julian is the mobile and wearables editor at Digital Trends, covering smartphones, fitness trackers, smartwatches, and more…
Nokia 7.1 vs. Honor 8X vs. Moto G6: Budget phone battle royale
Nokia 7.1 pattern

If you're shopping for a new Android smartphone and you don't want to spend too much, then you're spoiled for choice right now. There are lots of attention-worthy options on the market that won't break the bank. The Moto G6 is probably the best known, but the Honor 8X has an awful lot to offer, and the Nokia 7.1 is an exciting new contender.

We decided to pit these three relatively cheap phones against each other to find out which is best in various categories. In the end, there can be only one winner.
Specs

Read more
Honor 8X vs. Honor 7X: Battle of the beautiful budget phones
Huawei Honor 8X review

The Honor 8X has finally been released, and Honor's latest affordable phone is looking like it'll appear on our list of the best budget phones, thanks to an upgraded processor, slimmed-down bezels, and a spruced-up camera.

But its predecessor, the Honor 7X, is still a solid choice if you're looking for a great Android phone that won't break the bank. Which do you buy? We've put these two great budget phones head-to-head to help you decide.
Specs

Read more
Samsung Galaxy Note 9 vs. Huawei P20 Pro: Two high-end phones clash
Galaxy Note 9 pink and black

Samsung's Galaxy Note 9 is finally here, and it's a magnificent tour de force, representing everything a 2018 Android flagship needs to be. While it's fresh out of the gate, we had the chance to pair it up against one of the marketplace's seasoned veterans. The Huawei P20 Pro has a long-lasting battery, super-smooth performance, and an incredible triple-lens camera.

Out of these two amazing flagship phones, which one's best for you? We pitted them head-to-head to find out.
Specs

Read more