Update 1 (11/10/2020 @ 09:25 AM ET): The Honor 10X Lite has launched in Europe. Scroll to the bottom for more information. The article as published on October 31, 2020, is preserved below.

Honor, the millennial sub-brand of Huawei has announced the Honor 10X Lite, launching in Saudi Arabia with a wider European rollout expected. The lower mid-range handset comes at a knockdown price, but of course, won’t come with Google Mobile Services (GMS) out-of-the-box. It's a more affordable version of the Honor 10X and 10X Max phablet, launched during the summer, but unlike them, doesn't offer 5G connectivity.

Honor 10X Lite: Specifications

Specification

Honor 10X Lite

Build

Icelandic Frost, Midnight Black, Emerald Green

Dimensions & Weight

  • 76.88 x 165.65 x 9.2mm
  • 206g

Display

  • 6.67" hole-punch IPS LCD
  • FHD+ 2400 x 1080

SoC

Kirin 710

RAM & Storage

  • 4GB RAM
  • 128GB internal storage
  • Storage expandable via microSD up to 256GB

Battery & Charging

5000mAh with 22.5W fast charging

Security

Side-mounted fingerprint sensor

Rear Camera(s)

  • 48MP
  • 5MP ultrawide
  • 2MP depth
  • 2MP macro

Front Camera(s)

8MP

Port(s)

USB-C

Audio

3.5mm audio jack

Connectivity

LTE/Wi-Fi 5/Bluetooth

Software

Honor Magic UI 3.1 on Android 10 with HMS (no GMS)

Other Features

Game Acceleration e-reader mode

The Honor 10X Lite offers a reasonable, if slightly pedestrian, set of specs that are reasonably on par at this price point. The fly in the ointment is, as ever, the lack of Google apps, because of the current sanctions against parent company Huawei. But if that doesn't put you off (they can be sideloaded), there's a Kirin 710 octa-core SoC backed up by 4GB or RAM and 128GB of storage, expandable with microSD by up to 256GB.

The camera is a 48MP quad-lens, flanked by a 5MP ultrawide sensor, with a 2MP for depth and 2MP for macro. Round the front, there's an 8MP punch-hole selfie camera. The display is a 6.67-inch FHD+ IPS LCD, but at this price, we wouldn't expect AMOLED. There's a fingerprint sensor on the side of the device, an increasingly common location for security, and Android 10, wrapped in Honor's Magic UI 3.1 skin.

Connectivity is pretty standard fayre at this level - LTE (no 5G), Wifi ac (no Wifi6), Bluetooth 5.1, NFC, and A-GPS. There is a headphone jack and USB-C 2.0. The generous 5000mAh battery allows for Honor Supercharge, which the manufacturer claims is capable of charging to 46% in 30 minutes.  All in all - a competent but uninspiring choice and with so many other phones competing in this space, the lack of Google apps will make this a difficult sell for many.

The Honor 10X Lite is available in three color variants - Icelandic Frost, Midnight Black, Emerald Green. It's on sale now in Saudi Arabia priced at SAR799 ($213) and due to arrive in Russia on November 6th with a European release shortly afterward.


Update: Honor 10X Lite launched in Russia and Europe

Honor has launched the Honor 10X Lite in Russia on November 6, and now in Europe. Specifically, the phone is available in markets like France and Germany. The phone comes with a retail price of €229.9, though you can snag up some discounts or other offers to make the deal sweeter. Keep in mind that the device comes with HMS out of the box.