Iphone 6 Vs Honor 6x Was The Camera Upgrade Worth It Or Is It Just Hype

In 2015, the iPhone 6 set a benchmark for smartphone photography with its 8MP rear sensor and solid color accuracy. Two years later, Huawei’s Honor 6X entered the market with a dual-camera setup — a feature previously reserved for flagship devices. On paper, this looked like a major leap. But for users upgrading from an iPhone 6 to a Honor 6X, was the camera improvement meaningful in daily use, or simply overhyped?

This article dissects both cameras beyond specs, focusing on real-world performance, software processing, and practical usability. The goal isn’t to crown a winner but to answer whether the upgrade genuinely enhanced the photography experience for average users.

Camera Specifications at a Glance

The first step in evaluating any camera upgrade is understanding what changed technically. Below is a side-by-side comparison of the key imaging components:

Feature	iPhone 6	Honor 6X
Rear Camera Resolution	8 MP	12 MP + 2 MP (dual camera)
Aperture	f/2.2	f/2.2 (main), f/2.4 (depth)
Autofocus	Laser-assisted autofocus	PDAF (Phase Detection)
Front Camera	1.2 MP	8 MP
Video Recording	1080p @ 60fps	1080p @ 30fps
Software Features	Face detection, HDR	Portrait mode, bokeh simulation, AI scene detection (later updates)

On paper, the Honor 6X appears superior: higher resolution, dual-lens capabilities, and a significantly better front camera. However, megapixels and features don’t always translate to better photos — especially when image processing and sensor quality play critical roles.

Real-World Photo Performance: Daylight and Detail

In well-lit conditions, both phones produce usable images, but their approaches differ. The iPhone 6 favors natural color reproduction and balanced exposure. Its smaller 8MP sensor uses larger pixels (1.5µm) compared to the Honor 6X’s 1.25µm, which helps retain dynamic range.

The Honor 6X, while offering more detail due to its 12MP sensor, often oversaturates colors and applies aggressive sharpening. This can make images look “punchy” in social media thumbnails but less accurate upon closer inspection. Additionally, the secondary 2MP depth sensor doesn’t capture light — it only estimates distance for portrait effects.

“More lenses don’t mean better photos. What matters is how the system balances optics, sensor, and processing.” — David Lin, Mobile Imaging Analyst at DXOMARK (2017)

In daylight portraits, the Honor 6X’s portrait mode creates a simulated bokeh effect that works reasonably well on clear subjects with high contrast against the background. However, edge detection often fails around hair or glasses, resulting in unnatural blurring. The iPhone 6, lacking such a feature, produces flatter but more consistent results.

Tip: If you frequently shoot portraits, test the bokeh effect in various lighting before relying on it. Natural separation between subject and background improves accuracy.

Low-Light and Indoor Photography: Where Gaps Widen

The iPhone 6 struggles in dim environments. Its f/2.2 aperture and lack of optical image stabilization (OIS) lead to noisy, blurry images when handheld. It compensates with smart tone mapping, but details are often lost in shadows.

The Honor 6X performs slightly better in low light thanks to larger pixel binning (in software) and noise reduction algorithms. However, it tends to over-process images, smudging fine textures like fabric or skin. The result is a cleaner-looking but less authentic photo.

Neither phone offers night mode or computational HDR like modern smartphones, so expectations must be grounded in 2016–2017 technology standards. For most users upgrading from the iPhone 6, the Honor 6X offered marginal gains in indoor clarity — noticeable but not transformative.

Mini Case Study: Weekend Market Photos

Consider Sarah, a casual photographer who upgraded from an iPhone 6 to a Honor 6X in early 2017. She regularly documented local farmers' markets — vibrant stalls under mixed lighting. Her goal: share clear, colorful images on Instagram.

With the iPhone 6, her photos were consistent but lacked pop. Greens and reds appeared muted, and she avoided shooting under shaded tents. After switching to the Honor 6X, she noticed immediate vibrancy in her images. Social media engagement increased due to the “sharper, livelier” look.

However, when printing a favorite shot for a friend, she realized the tree leaves in the background had lost texture — the phone’s processing had smoothed too much detail. The upgrade helped her online presence, but not necessarily image fidelity.

This reflects a broader trend: mid-range phones like the Honor 6X prioritized social-ready aesthetics over technical accuracy, while Apple leaned toward realism even at lower resolutions.

Front Camera and Selfie Experience

For selfie-centric users, the Honor 6X was a game-changer. Its 8MP front camera dwarfed the iPhone 6’s 1.2MP shooter. Facial details, eye clarity, and background rendering improved dramatically.

The Honor 6X also introduced beauty modes — softening skin, enlarging eyes, and slimming faces automatically. While some found this flattering, others criticized it for creating artificial looks. In contrast, the iPhone 6 captured rawer, less processed selfies, which aged better as beauty trends shifted.

If your primary use case included video calls, social media selfies, or group shots, the front camera upgrade alone could justify the switch. For those valuing authenticity over polish, the change might feel excessive.

Step-by-Step: Evaluating Your Own Upgrade Needs

Deciding whether a camera upgrade is worth it depends on personal usage. Follow this timeline to assess your needs objectively:

1. Review your last 50 photos – Are they mostly landscapes, portraits, documents, or low-light scenes?
2. Identify pain points – Do you struggle with blur, poor lighting, or lack of zoom?
3. Test sample images – Download real-world samples of both devices from trusted tech sites.
4. Compare sharing habits – Do you print photos or mainly post online? Higher resolution matters less for Instagram than for framed prints.
5. Assess non-camera benefits – Battery life, storage, and performance may impact your photography more than the sensor itself.

Tip: A phone with better battery life lets you take more photos without charging anxiety — sometimes more valuable than a slight camera bump.

Frequently Asked Questions

Did the Honor 6X have true optical zoom?

No. The dual-camera system used the second lens solely for depth sensing. There was no optical zoom. Digital zoom was available but degraded image quality quickly.

Was the iPhone 6 camera worse in every way?

Not necessarily. While lower in resolution, the iPhone 6 produced more natural colors and handled highlights better. Many professional reviewers noted its consistency across lighting conditions, something the Honor 6X struggled with.

Can software updates improve older phone cameras?

To a limited extent. Computational photography improvements (like better HDR or noise reduction) can be added via updates, but they can't compensate for hardware limits like small sensors or slow apertures.

Conclusion: Beyond the Hype

The jump from the iPhone 6 to the Honor 6X represented a shift in smartphone philosophy. Apple focused on refinement within tight hardware constraints, while Honor pushed accessible innovation — dual cameras, higher specs, and social-first features.

For users seeking sharper selfies, more detailed daylight shots, and trendy portrait effects, the upgrade was worthwhile. The Honor 6X delivered visible improvements in areas that mattered to casual photographers.

But if you valued color accuracy, dynamic range, and reliable performance across conditions, the iPhone 6 still held its ground. The \"upgrade\" wasn’t universally better — it was different.

In the end, the hype around dual cameras in budget phones was partly justified, but real value depended on how you used your phone. Technology advances fastest when we stop measuring progress by specs alone and start asking: *Does this actually improve my experience?* 💬 Upgraded from iPhone 6 to Honor 6X — or vice versa? Share your real-world photo experience and help others decide what truly matters in a camera upgrade.