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Honeywell Home X8S Smart Thermostat Review

Subhadeep GhoshUpdated April 7, 2026★4.4 rating
Honeywell Home X8S review for USA buyers
Best Smart Integration
4.4(286 reviews)

The Honeywell Home X8S is the most forward-looking thermostat in our guide. Its 5-inch touchscreen, Matter support, and live doorbell video make it feel more like a wall-mounted smart display than a traditional thermostat.

It is Honeywell's first premium model that genuinely belongs in the same conversation as Nest and ecobee, and the best pick for a mixed-platform smart home built around Matter.

$199.99Save 17%

Amazon.com price as of 12/07/2026. Details

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Value
Great value
Rating
4.4/5
Reviews
286
For years, Honeywell thermostats won on reliability and HVAC compatibility but trailed Nest and ecobee on smart features and design. The Honeywell Home X8S is the model that closes that gap — aggressively. It is our Best Smart Integration pick in the smart WiFi thermostat guide because it is really a small smart display that happens to control your furnace.
Between the 5-inch screen, Matter support, and live doorbell video, this is the most forward-looking thermostat we tested. It is Honeywell finally playing offense.

Who Should Buy the Honeywell X8S

Buy the X8S if your smart home is a mix of Alexa, Google, Apple, and SmartThings devices and you refuse to be locked into one assistant. Matter is the whole point: it lets the thermostat cooperate with all of them instead of forcing an ecosystem choice.
It is also the pick for households where several people interact with the thermostat. A big, readable screen in a central hallway reduces the confusion of a tiny dial that everyone squints at.
It is not the safest buy if you value a long track record above the newest features — it has fewer reviews than the ecobee Premium or Nest 4th Gen. And if your main goal is fixing hot and cold rooms, the Honeywell Home T9 includes a sensor for less, while the X8S sells them separately.

The 5-Inch Touchscreen: Built to Be Read Across the Room

The 5-inch color touchscreen is the first thing you notice, and it stays useful long after the novelty fades. In side-by-side testing it is easier to read from across the room than any other thermostat here. Temperature, schedule, air quality, even a doorbell feed are all legible without walking up to the wall.
Honeywell also lets you customize themes and colors, so the display can match your décor instead of clashing with it. In a home where the thermostat sits in a visible hallway or living space, that flexibility matters more than spec sheets admit.
For families, the bigger screen is a quiet win. When multiple people adjust the temperature, a clear, tappable interface prevents the "who set it to 80?" arguments that tiny displays invite.

Doorbell Video on Your Thermostat

This is the feature no other mainstream thermostat offers. With a compatible First Alert or Ring doorbell, the X8S can display a live video feed when someone rings — and it is the first thermostat in the US and Canada designed to stream doorbell video from more than one brand.
It sounds niche until you live with it. A thermostat usually sits in a central hallway, exactly where you pass on the way to the door. Turning that spot into a glanceable screen for package deliveries and visitors is genuinely handy.
If home security is a bigger priority for you, the thermostat is only one screen in that story. Our best wireless outdoor security cameras with no monthly fee guide covers the cameras and doorbells that feed a system like this without a subscription.

Matter and Mixed-Platform Homes

Matter certification is the X8S's strategic advantage. Alongside the Nest 4th Gen, it has the broadest cross-platform compatibility in this guide, and it uses that reach across Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple Home without ecosystem-specific workarounds.
That is the reason to buy it. If you are building a smart home you do not want tied to a single company, the X8S is designed for exactly that future. Control it from whichever app you prefer, and add devices from any brand that speaks Matter.
Building that hub layer first is the difference between Matter working and Matter frustrating — start with our best Matter smart home hubs guide.

HVAC Compatibility and Air Quality

Under the modern shell is Honeywell's real strength: HVAC compatibility. The X8S supports demanding systems, including heat pumps with up to 4 heat and 2 cool stages, or conventional setups with up to 3 heat and 4 cool stages. It also handles humidity and ventilation control directly, which many smart thermostats punt on.
The built-in indoor air quality monitoring rounds it out with actionable comfort insights, nudging you when conditions call for more ventilation. When those readings point to a persistent particle or VOC problem, a dedicated purifier is the real fix — our best smart air purifiers for large rooms guide covers models sized for open US living spaces.

Honeywell Home X8S Specs at a Glance

Display
5-inch color touchscreen, 480 x 800, customizable themes
Dimensions
About 5.24 x 3.54 x 0.96 inches
Room sensor
Optional Smart Room Sensors, sold separately
Platforms
Matter, Alexa, Google Assistant, Apple Home
Doorbell video
Live feed from compatible Ring and First Alert doorbells
Air quality
Built-in indoor air quality monitoring; humidity and ventilation control
Wi-Fi
2.4GHz and 5GHz, 802.11ax/ac/a/b/g/n
HVAC support
Up to 4H/2C heat pump or 3H/4C conventional
Certification
ENERGY STAR, utility rebate eligible
Typical price
About $220 to $250

What We Like, and What to Watch

The strengths are modern and distinct. The largest, most readable display here, Matter support for mixed homes, doorbell video no rival offers, strong HVAC compatibility from Honeywell's heritage, and included air quality monitoring. For a 2026 smart home, it is the most future-facing pick.
The watch-outs come from its newness. It has a shorter track record and fewer reviews than the ecobee Premium or Nest 4th Gen. Room sensors cost extra. The First Alert / Honeywell Home app is functional but not as polished as Nest or ecobee software. And the best value only shows if you actually use the premium integration features — buy it for the screen, Matter, and doorbell video, not just to set a schedule.

Before You Install the Honeywell X8S

Verify HVAC compatibilityCheck your wire labels against Honeywell's guidance, especially for multi-stage or heat pump systems
Photograph your old wiringRecord every wire and terminal before you disconnect anything
Confirm your doorbell is supportedThe video feature needs a compatible Ring or First Alert doorbell
Check for a Matter controllerCross-platform control needs a Matter hub or compatible device in the home
Budget for room sensorsSensors are sold separately if you need multi-room balancing
Check your utility rebateThis ENERGY STAR model is often rebate eligible

How the X8S Compares With Nest and ecobee

Against the Nest 4th Gen, both support Matter, but the X8S wins on display size and doorbell video while the Nest wins on Google-native smoothness and a longer track record. Google purists lean Nest; integration maximalists lean X8S.
Against the ecobee Premium, the X8S offers a bigger screen and doorbell video, while the ecobee counters with a built-in Alexa speaker, an included SmartSensor, and years of proven reliability. Choose the X8S for the newest hardware, the ecobee for the safest all-rounder.
Against the Honeywell Home T9, the X8S is the upgrade in display, Matter, and doorbell integration, while the T9 is the value play with an included room sensor for less. If room comfort is the whole point and Matter is not, the T9 saves money.

The Verdict

The Honeywell Home X8S is the most forward-looking thermostat in the USA for 2026. The 5-inch display, Matter support, doorbell video, and air quality monitoring make it the strongest pick for a mixed-platform smart home that wants the newest hardware.
Buy it if you want Matter flexibility, the best screen in the class, and doorbell video on the wall, and you are comfortable with a newer product. If you want a longer proven track record, the ecobee Premium is the safer all-rounder, and if your only goal is fixing uncomfortable rooms, the Honeywell T9 does it for less. To get the most from its Matter support, build your hub layer first with our Matter smart home hubs guide.

How it compares

The other picks in this guide at a glance, with a thumbnail, rating, and where each one wins.

See the full buying guide

Frequently asked questions

What makes the Honeywell Home X8S different from other smart thermostats?

Two things. It has the largest display in this class, a 5-inch color touchscreen you can read from across the room, and it can show a live video feed from compatible First Alert and Ring doorbells right on that screen. No other mainstream thermostat streams doorbell video from multiple brands. Add Matter support and indoor air quality monitoring, and it is the most integration-focused thermostat we tested.

Does the Honeywell X8S support Matter and multiple platforms?

Yes. The X8S is Matter-certified and works with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple Home. That broad compatibility is its core strength and the main reason to choose it for a mixed-platform smart home where you do not want to be locked into one voice assistant.

Does the Honeywell X8S come with a room sensor?

No. Unlike the Honeywell T9 or ecobee Premium, the X8S sells its Smart Room Sensors separately. If multi-room temperature balancing is your main goal, factor the extra sensor cost into the price, or consider the T9, which includes one in the box.

Which doorbells work with the Honeywell X8S video feature?

The X8S can display live video from compatible First Alert and Ring video doorbells. It is the first thermostat in the US and Canada designed to stream live doorbell video from more than one brand. If you already own a Ring or First Alert doorbell, the feature turns a central hallway thermostat into a handy mini display for deliveries and visitors.

Is the Honeywell X8S good for complex HVAC systems?

Yes. Honeywell's HVAC heritage shows here. The X8S supports demanding setups, including heat pump systems with up to 4 heat and 2 cool stages, or conventional systems with up to 3 heat and 4 cool stages. For dual-fuel or unusual wiring, verify terminals against Honeywell's guidance and consider professional installation.

Should I buy the Honeywell X8S or the ecobee Premium?

Choose the X8S if you want the biggest display, Matter-first flexibility, and doorbell video, and you are comfortable with a newer product. Choose the ecobee Premium if you want a longer proven track record, a built-in Alexa speaker, and an included SmartSensor. Both are excellent; the X8S is the more modern bet, the ecobee the safer one.

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