HONOR 200 Review: An excellent camera phone with standout design

HONOR 200 Review: Having tested the Indian market with its launches like the HONOR 90 and HONOR X9B, the Chinese tech manufacturer HONOR has introduced its latest offering, the HONOR 200. Sporting a stunning design with a slew of features, including a decent camera, the device feels promising and worthy of its price segment. Let’s weigh in on the positives and analyse its overall standing in the mid-range smartphone market in India.

HONOR 200 Review: Design

The first time you take this phone in your hand, you get an experience of its sturdy build and slim profile, which is further adorned with the subtle wave design. With a matte finish on the rear panel, the device is a clear standout among the colourful devices launched these days. However, everything’s not so pleasant, as it sports a glossy plastic frame, which many users may find hard to digest in this price segment. Nonetheless, the oval-shaped camera module at the back enhances the design, rendering it a unique look. Overall, the phone feels light, weighing just 187g with a thickness of 7.7mm. The smartphone is available in two colour options: Moonlight White and Black.

HONOR 200 Review: Display

Sporting a 6.7-inch quad-curved AMOLED display, it boasts a peak brightness of up to 4,000 nits and a refresh rate of up to 120Hz. The PWM dimming support, which can notch up to 3,840Hz, elevates the multimedia experience altogether. The colours appear natural, and the content is sharp, crisp, and vibrant. The device is equipped with dual stereo speakers, ensuring loud and rich audio to complement the content viewing experience. The in-display fingerprint sensor works with a breeze and is accurate as well.

HONOR 200 Review: Performance and Software

Powered by the Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 chipset, which is further supported by 12GB of RAM, the device is a decent performer for modest users. The chipset might not be the best in the segment but offers a smooth experience while undertaking tasks like content viewing, multitasking, capturing photos, and playing games on medium settings. Coming to the User Interface, users looking for a clean UI experience might have their own reservations since it has a considerable number of pre-installed apps. The HONOR 200 runs on MagicOS 8, based on Android 14. The company promises three years of software update and four years of security patches.

HONOR 200 Review: Camera

The best part of the HONOR 200 is its camera prowess, which encompasses a 50MP primary camera, a 50MP telephoto sensor, and a 12MP ultrawide shooter. The primary camera offers decent outputs in daylight and also captures quality photos in low-light conditions, with good details. The photos are natural with minimal noise. The telephoto sensor maintains the colour quality along with its 2.5x optical zoom capability. When it comes to portrait photography, the camera gives excellent results in all three modes available. The ultrawide camera also performs satisfactorily, though it leaves some noise under low-light setups. The selfie camera, a 50MP sensor, also performs brilliantly, capturing skin tones efficiently.  

HONOR 200 Review: Battery

The HONOR 200 packs a 5,200 mAh battery that supports 100W charging. Notably, the device has a silicon-carbon battery and not a lithium-ion one, typically used in smartphones. You need to get the charger separately, as it is not included in the box. The device comfortably lasts for a day on a single charge, with some power still left in the tank. It takes almost 30 minutes to get fully charged.

HONOR 200 Review: Verdict

The HONOR 200 has a design statement that many users will feel is understated, but that’s where its uniqueness comes. The market is flooded with colourful devices, while the HONOR 200 creates its own niche, donning a serious design with sober colour options. Moreover, other alluring prospects include its excellent camera quality, battery backup, and stunning display. The device is a clear winner in the sub-Rs.35,000 category if the plastic frame and loads of pre-installed apps are not something you are majorly concerned about.

HONOR 200 Review: Pros and Cons

HONOR 200 Pros:

- Decent design

- Good battery life

- Vibrant display

- Excellent camera

HONOR 200 Cons:

- Plastic frame

- Cluttered UI experience

- Performance could be better