HONOR CHOICE Earbuds X7i Review: My Real Experience

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When a pair of earbuds costs less than $30, expectations are naturally low. Usually, that means plasticky build quality, inconsistent Bluetooth, and sound that’s more “tin can” than “tune in.”

So when I got my hands on the Honor Choice Earbuds X7i, I didn’t expect much — but these budget-friendly buds managed to surprise me in more ways than one.

Also see: Huawei FreeClip 2 Review

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HONOR CHOICE Earbuds X7i – Specifications

Feature	Details
Body dimensions (earbuds)	33.0 × 23.2 × 20.8 mm (L × W × T)
Charging case dimensions	63.8 × 47.1 × 24.5 mm (L × W × T)
Charging mode	USB-C (cable not included)
Bluetooth	Bluetooth 5.3
Protection rating	IP54 (earbuds)
Codec support	AAC, SBC
Charging case battery	500 mAh (minimum)
Earbud battery (each)	40 mAh (minimum)
Single charge battery life	Up to 8 hours (music playback, ANC off, 50% volume, AAC)
Total battery life (with case)	Up to 40 hours (music playback, ANC off, 50% volume, AAC)

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Unboxing Experience

The box is simple — you’ll find the earbuds, extra tips, manuals, and that’s it.

No charging cable. It’s an odd omission, but let’s be honest, most of us already have a dozen USB-C cables lying around.

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Design and First Impressions

Right out of the box, the Honor Choice X7i look and feel better than most cheap earbuds I’ve tried.

The glossy charging case has a solid magnetic clip and a USB-C port on the bottom — no flimsy hinge or wobbly lid here.

Inside, the earbuds rest snugly with a satisfying click, and each earbud has a smooth, minimal design with a flat touch-sensitive panel for controls.

They come with three sizes of soft silicone tips (small, medium, and large), and thankfully, they’re not those hard rubber ones that dig into your ear after 30 minutes.

The medium tips fit me perfectly — secure but still comfortable enough to wear for hours.

The buds are also lightweight and carry an IP54 rating, meaning they can handle sweat and light rain without worry.

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Pairing and Setup

Pairing the X7i was as painless as it gets. Open the lid, pull out the earbuds, and they will instantly appear on your phone’s Bluetooth list.

I connected mine to my Android phone in seconds — no button pressing, no confusion.

Honor does have a companion app that lets you customize settings and switch ANC levels, but it’s currently not available in the Google Play or Apple App Store in the U.S..

You can still download it using the QR code from the quick start guide, though it adds an extra step.

Interestingly, the app didn’t even list the United States as a region option during setup, but selecting another English-speaking country worked fine.

The app itself is well laid out and intuitive, with controls for noise cancellation, transparency mode, EQ presets, and touch functions.

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Audio Quality and Performance

Now, let’s talk sound — because this is where I expected the Honor Choice X7i to fall apart. Surprisingly, it didn’t.

The overall audio signature is clean and balanced, leaning slightly toward the mid and high ranges.

Vocals and acoustic instruments sound crisp, and the spatial surround effect gives music a wider, more open feel.

It’s not true surround sound, but it does add a bit of clarity and separation that’s rare in this price range.

Bass, however, is where these buds show their limits. It’s there, but it’s soft and lacks punch.

If you’re into bass-heavy tracks or workout playlists, you might find the sound a little thin.

The app offers a few EQ options, such as Bass Boost and Treble Boost, but they don’t drastically improve the sound — in fact, the Bass Boost tends to muddy it, and the Treble Boost can make it sound tinny.

For everyday use — podcasts, YouTube, or Netflix — the sound is more than adequate. Spoken dialogue is clear, and there’s minimal latency when watching videos.

Gaming, on the other hand, introduces some audio delay, and while there’s a “Game Mode” designed to reduce this, I didn’t notice much improvement when testing it.

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Noise Cancellation and Transparency Mode

This is where the Honor Choice X7i truly shines. The Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) is far better than I expected from a sub-$30 pair of earbuds.

It effectively blocks out background hums, fans, and light chatter — not perfect, but certainly impressive for the price.

The transparency mode is decent too. It’s not as natural or crystal-clear as what you’d find on high-end models from Sony or Apple, but it does let in enough ambient sound to stay aware of your surroundings.

Switching between ANC, transparency, and normal mode is simple — just hold the touch area, and you’ll hear an audible tone indicating the change.

I’d confidently say the X7i’s ANC and transparency performance could rival earbuds that cost two or three times more.

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Call Quality and Connectivity

The Bluetooth 5.3 connection is rock solid. I walked from one room to another in my apartment with no dropouts or distortion.

Calls also sound clear, with decent background noise suppression. Voices come through naturally, though they can get a bit thin in windy conditions.

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Battery Life

Honor claims up to 8 hours of playback on a single charge and around 40 hours with the charging case.

During my testing, that claim held up fairly well. I managed a little over 7 hours at moderate volume with ANC on, which is impressive.

The case itself doesn’t support wireless charging — understandable given the price — but recharges via USB-C.

There’s no fast charging mentioned, but a quick 10-minute top-up gave me nearly an hour of listening time.

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What’s Missing

To keep the cost this low, a few compromises had to be made.

• No multi-point pairing (you can’t connect to two devices at once)
• No wireless charging
• No Find My Earbuds feature
• No ear fit test
• And, as mentioned, no charging cord in the box

The touch controls are also hit or miss. There’s no single-tap function (which feels limiting), and sometimes the double or triple taps require more than one attempt to register.

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Should You Buy the Honor Choice Earbuds X7i?

If you’re an audiophile, the X7i won’t blow you away. The bass is mild, and it lacks the depth and richness of premium earbuds.

But if you’re after a solid pair of budget earbuds that actually deliver, these are among the best I’ve tried at this price.

They’re comfortable, reliable, and surprisingly feature-rich, with ANC that works and a companion app (even if a bit tricky to install) that adds real functionality.

For under $30, the Honor Choice X7i is a steal — perfect for casual listening, calls, workouts, or as a backup pair you won’t mind tossing in your bag.

They don’t pretend to be premium, but they get the basics right — and in this price range, that’s saying something.

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