Honor 8: First Impressions

[libra89]

If you have an Honor 8 and/or you have played with one, please share your first impressions here!

 

[dpham00]

Waiting impatiently to see what others say!

 

[libra89]

So I have been playing with this phone for the last 2 hours (with interruptions, but eh). Anyway, here's my first impressions:

-I have not experienced the lagging scrolling thing.
-The unboxing experience you see in the videos is the actual experience (just a side note).
-EMUI is a heck of a learning curve for me. I am trying to figure out how to change the lock screen image, where to get themes from (4 are preinstalled; basically the ones that match all of the Honor 8 colors), etc.
-It feels great in the hand, and it is actually slightly less wider than my 5" phone currently.
-Downloading a lot of apps at once didn't make the phone very hot, it barely got warm actually.
-For some reason, configuring the keyboard keeps popping up in notifications. On that note, if you disable Huawei swype, it disables google keyboard too, which I don't understand?
-It's a fingerprint magnet for sure, but since I have the white, direct light is really the only way to see them.
-I haven't tried the fingerprint sensor yet to comment on that.
-The silent mode in settings is awesome!
-VoLTE is set up right out of the box for T-Mobile, I didn't have to do anything.
-The SIM tray looks like it could be dual sim too (maybe disabled or something?) since I was able to fit my SIM in there BUT I was not up for testing that.
-The speaker is just okay. I haven't tested a call yet though to say how that is. I will in the near future, hopefully.
-Cameras seem to be decent too, better than my old Nextbit Robin, I'll say. It's too dark where I am to do any actual testing, but both seem to be nice.

Still setting up my wallpaper, layout and all though. That's all of my comments for now.

 

[dpham00]

I wonder if it is a dual tray... Either 2 sim cards or sim +sd?

 

[libra89]

I wonder if it is a dual tray... Either 2 sim cards or sim +sd?

Yeah it looks like a dual tray as you said.

 

[dpham00]

Yeah it looks like a dual tray as you said.

I wonder if someone can test a dual sim confirmation just to see what happens.

On the duos s7, it has a similar setup either dual sim or sim plus sd... Someone was able to hack an sd /sim card so they could use both in the single slot... Wonder if that would be possible either here or for the international official dual sim versions

 

[libra89]

I wonder if someone can test a dual sim confirmation just to see what happens.

On the duos s7, it has a similar setup either dual sim or sim plus sd... Someone was able to hack an sd /sim card so they could use both in the single slot... Wonder if that would be possible either here or for the international official dual sim versions

Yeah that would be pretty cool. I only have one sim so I'm unable to try anyway.

 

[dpham00]

Yeah that would be pretty cool. I only have one sim so I'm unable to try anyway.

That's ok... Hopefully someone else can try it. It would have been nice to provide 3 slots, 2 sim, one sd card but oh well. Not a big deal.

 

[libra89]

So I have been playing with this phone for the last 2 hours (with interruptions, but eh). Anyway, here's my first impressions:

-I have not experienced the lagging scrolling thing.
-The unboxing experience you see in the videos is the actual experience (just a side note).
-EMUI is a heck of a learning curve for me. I am trying to figure out how to change the lock screen image, where to get themes from (4 are preinstalled; basically the ones that match all of the Honor 8 colors), etc.
-It feels great in the hand, and it is actually slightly less wider than my 5" phone currently.
-Downloading a lot of apps at once didn't make the phone very hot, it barely got warm actually.
-For some reason, configuring the keyboard keeps popping up in notifications. On that note, if you disable Huawei swype, it disables google keyboard too, which I don't understand?
-It's a fingerprint magnet for sure, but since I have the white, direct light is really the only way to see them.
-I haven't tried the fingerprint sensor yet to comment on that.
-The silent mode in settings is awesome!
-VoLTE is set up right out of the box for T-Mobile, I didn't have to do anything.
-The SIM tray looks like it could be dual sim too (maybe disabled or something?) since I was able to fit my SIM in there BUT I was not up for testing that.
-The speaker is just okay. I haven't tested a call yet though to say how that is. I will in the near future, hopefully.
-Cameras seem to be decent too, better than my old Nextbit Robin, I'll say. It's too dark where I am to do any actual testing, but both seem to be nice.

Still setting up my wallpaper, layout and all though. That's all of my comments for now.

Adding to my first impressions:
-There is no visual voicemail on this phone.
-WiFi + data connectivity on this phone are like no other phone I have ever had! It is amazing.
-I am amused that this phone has a whitelist and a blacklist. I think these things are backed by TrueCaller, but that might be a part of the OS since I can't find the actual app for it.
-I have had a call, and the quality is very good. In call volume is on the louder side by default.

 

[Etyrnus]

Adding to my first impressions:
-There is no visual voicemail on this phone.
-WiFi + data connectivity on this phone are like no other phone I have ever had! It is amazing.
-I am amused that this phone has a whitelist and a blacklist. I think these things are backed by TrueCaller, but that might be a part of the OS since I can't find the actual app for it.
-I have had a call, and the quality is very good. In call volume is on the louder side by default.

I'm still jealous. And thanks for the updates, this is seeming like I made a really good choice. I know the Axon 7 and OnePlus 3 are theoretically "better", but the lack of availability on both of them, and the signal issues the A7 users report (which are honestly present in almost EVERY metal body phone) kill those for me. I live in an area where I have signal, but due to being an older house it's weak inside. I previously had an HTC One A9 and it was unusable for talk and text at my home. My Nexus 5x is much better in that department, and from the looks of it the Honor 8 will be great as well.

 

[libra89]

I'm still jealous. And thanks for the updates, this is seeming like I made a really good choice. I know the Axon 7 and OnePlus 3 are theoretically "better", but the lack of availability on both of them, and the signal issues the A7 users report (which are honestly present in almost EVERY metal body phone) kill those for me. I live in an area where I have signal, but due to being an older house it's weak inside. I previously had an HTC One A9 and it was unusable for talk and text at my home. My Nexus 5x is much better in that department, and from the looks of it the Honor 8 will be great as well.

I really hope that yours will come soon! You're welcome.

That's good that it is better with the 5x. I had both of those phones too and the HTC One A9 was mostly yellow for me at home as well, so I can understand where you are coming from with this. I was shocked because I have never had that happen with the Nexus 5x or the Nextbit Robin when I owned them. I don't think you will be disappointed with the strength at all. I'm surprised that it is actually better than my iPhone SE.

 

[dpham00]

Adding to my first impressions:
-There is no visual voicemail on this phone.
-WiFi + data connectivity on this phone are like no other phone I have ever had! It is amazing.
-I am amused that this phone has a whitelist and a blacklist. I think these things are backed by TrueCaller, but that might be a part of the OS since I can't find the actual app for it.
-I have had a call, and the quality is very good. In call volume is on the louder side by default.

Can you use Google voice or similar for vvm?

 

[dpham00]

I'm still jealous. And thanks for the updates, this is seeming like I made a really good choice. I know the Axon 7 and OnePlus 3 are theoretically "better", but the lack of availability on both of them, and the signal issues the A7 users report (which are honestly present in almost EVERY metal body phone) kill those for me. I live in an area where I have signal, but due to being an older house it's weak inside. I previously had an HTC One A9 and it was unusable for talk and text at my home. My Nexus 5x is much better in that department, and from the looks of it the Honor 8 will be great as well.

The iPhone 6s plus had pretty good signal when I had it.

 

[dpham00]

I really hope that yours will come soon! You're welcome.

That's good that it is better with the 5x. I had both of those phones too and the HTC One A9 was mostly yellow for me at home as well, so I can understand where you are coming from with this. I was shocked because I have never had that happen with the Nexus 5x or the Nextbit Robin when I owned them. I don't think you will be disappointed with the strength at all. I'm surprised that it is actually better than my iPhone SE.

Wow that's impressive... To be better than the iPhone

 

[Etyrnus]

The iPhone 6s plus had pretty good signal when I had it.

I think Apple learned most of their lesson with that "Antennagate" (ugh, I can;t believe I just typed that) back on the 5 I think? They've seemed to pay more attention to it anyway. It's just in my experience metal body devices are more prone to signal interference/weak signal/gotta hold it funny than polycarbonate or glass backed devices. One of the best phones I had for durability and signal was my Lumia 920 (yup, former Windows Phone user), with the 1520 and 640 right there on signal strength as well. Marshmallow and the stagnation of WP brought me back to Android, I've just been trying to find a device that "fit" me.

 

[dpham00]

I think Apple learned most of their lesson with that "Antennagate" (ugh, I can;t believe I just typed that) back on the 5 I think? They've seemed to pay more attention to it anyway. It's just in my experience metal body devices are more prone to signal interference/weak signal/gotta hold it funny than polycarbonate or glass backed devices. One of the best phones I had for durability and signal was my Lumia 920 (yup, former Windows Phone user), with the 1520 and 640 right there on signal strength as well. Marshmallow and the stagnation of WP brought me back to Android, I've just been trying to find a device that "fit" me.

I would agree... A metal back phone can new made to have a good radio, but there are some difficulties.

 

[Guytronic]

-There is no visual voicemail on this phone.

You should be able to download\use the T-Mobile app for VVM.
It's worked on any Android phone I've had on the T-Mo network.

(You're still with T-Mobile right?)

 

[Etyrnus]

@libra89 how's the Bluetooth working for you?

 

[libra89]

You should be able to download\use the T-Mobile app for VVM.
It's worked on any Android phone I've had on the T-Mo network.

(You're still with T-Mobile right?)

I will try that and yep, still with them.

@libra89 how's the Bluetooth working for you?

I don't use Bluetooth so I can't help out there, sorry.

 

[libra89]

Wow that's impressive... To be better than the iPhone

I am surprised! Not sure about the 6s+ but it is better than the SE. At work, I always put my iPhone in the same place as I put all of my phones. When I put it there, the iPhone gives up on WiFi every time. This phone on the other hand, takes longer to.