Honor 90 Review: A New Standard in Midrange Aesthetics

September 05, 2023, 07:48 AM
by Nafiz Tahmid

UNB News
Publish- September 05, 2023, 07:48 AM
Nafiz Tahmid
Update- September 05, 2023, 08:20 AM

Honor 90 Review: A New Standard in Midrange Aesthetics

Honor 90 (Image: Honor Facebook Page)

Renowned for its commitment to cutting-edge technology and stylish design, Honor has consistently captured the attention of tech enthusiasts. The Honor 90 is the newest addition to the brand. Although the phone was released on June 07 in China, it will be launched officially in India on September 15, 2023. Our comprehensive review aims to determine whether the Honor 90 truly embodies the ideal all-in-one package.

Key Features of Honor 90

Design and Display

The Honor 90 smartphone comes with a striking design and an impressive display that steals the spotlight. The centerpiece is its attractive 6.7-inch 2664×1200 AMOLED display, evidence of where the bulk of the phone's investment has gone.

With a remarkable peak brightness of 1600 nits and vibrant color reproduction, the screen remains remarkably legible even under bright sunlight, rendering it perfect for on-the-go content consumption. The curved edges and minimal bezels contribute to an astounding 90.8% screen-to-body ratio, providing an immersive viewing experience.

One of the Honor 90's standout features is its 3840 Hz PWM dimming technology, designed to reduce eye strain and enhance viewing comfort. This, coupled with the phone's eye-comfort mode, gradually minimizing blue light emissions, underlines Honor's commitment to user well-being.

Despite the large display, the Honor 90 surprises with its manageable weight of just 183g, making one-handed usage remarkably effortless. However, the sole bottom-firing speaker can't match the audio experience of dual-firing setups.

On the design front, the camera module's peculiar arrangement has drawn mixed reactions, with two large circles adding a distinct flair. The available color options – Emerald Green, Midnight Black, Peacock Blue, and Diamond Silver – provide choices to suit various tastes.

Cameras

The camera capabilities of the Honor 90 have undergone a significant upgrade, complementing the phone's remarkable display. The standout feature is the impressive 200MP main sensor, a substantial leap from its predecessor's 58MP counterpart.

While the ultra-wide camera has transitioned to a 12MP sensor and the 2MP depth sensor remains unchanged, it's important to note that megapixels alone don't dictate photo quality, as evidenced by Google's Pixel 7a with a 64 MP main sensor.

Honor 90 (Image: Honor Facebook Page)

Pixel binning, a technique employed by the 200MP sensor, enhances color vibrancy and contributes to the digital 2x zoom's impressive output. The ultra-wide camera excels in capturing expansive city scenes, although it struggles in low-light indoor environments. Portrait mode results vary based on the subject; while outdoor subjects are well-defined, indoor shots sometimes lack refinement in separating subjects from backgrounds.

With a robust 50 MP front camera, selfies retain noteworthy detail. On the video front, the Honor 90 offers features for content creators, including AI-driven automatic editing. Video quality impresses both indoors and outdoors, though stabilization may benefit from a smartphone gimbal for optimal results.

Honor 90 (Image: Honor Facebook Page)

Software

The Honor 90 boasts a robust software package centered around Android 13, accompanied by a comprehensive update guarantee. This assurance entails two major version updates and regular security patches across a span of three years. Distinguishing itself from stock Android, the Honor 90 operates on its distinctive Magic UI user interface, notable for its absence of an app drawer.

Instead, the interface relies on a combination of folders, widgets, and maps for organization. A proprietary feature, the Yoyo assistant, enhances user experience by suggesting relevant apps based on individual usage patterns, and it even facilitates text recognition and copying within applications.

Additionally, the Honor Suite comes into play when the phone is connected to a computer, allowing seamless data synchronization and transfer between the two devices.

Performance

The Honor 90's performance is driven by the Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 processor in its "Accelerated Edition," notable for its increased maximum clock speed of 2.5 GHz compared to the standard 2.4 GHz. While benchmarks show marginal discrepancies between the two versions, the Honor 90's performance aligns closely with the average of smartphones equipped with this SoC. In direct comparison, devices like the Xiaomi 13 Lite with the same chipset exhibit similar performance.

Generally, the Honor 90's performance falls within the class average, with comparable results across the comparison devices. Nevertheless, in day-to-day usage, the smartphone offers consistently smooth performance, efficiently launching large applications. The device's substantial 12 GB RAM ensures the capability to keep numerous apps running simultaneously in the background, enhancing multitasking capabilities.

Battery

The Honor 90 phone comes with an upgraded 5000mAh cell, which contributes to its impressive battery performance. Despite its large display, the phone can last for nearly two days under the right circumstances, surpassing the battery life of certain flagship phones.

In a real-life scenario, the phone managed to last for 14 hours with 52% battery remaining after 2 hours and 51 minutes of screen-on time, including activities like watching YouTube, reading on Libby, and making NFC payments.

The Honor 90 also supports 66W wired fast charging, allowing users to go from 11% to a full battery in just 39 minutes. Additionally, it offers the convenience of getting 20% battery back in just five minutes.

Pros and Cons of Honor 90

Pros

- The Honor 90 stands out as one of the lightest and thinnest phones in its size range, offering a sleek and portable design.

- Impressive battery life.

- The 200MP camera is capable of capturing stunning shots.

Cons

- The user experience with Honor's version of Android may feel outdated compared to other options available in the market.

- The inclusion of a 2MP depth sensor in the phone's camera setup may not provide significant value.

Price of Honor 90

The price for Honor 90 in India is expected to start from Rs 45,000 or BDT 59,460 (1 rupee = BDT 1.32). However, the official price of Honor 90 in Bangladesh may vary due to tax and other issues.

Honor 90

Final Words

The Honor 90 offers a unique proposition for those who prioritize distinctive design, impressive battery life, and a captivating display in their smartphone choice. With its sleek and lightweight form factor, the phone stands out as an ergonomic and visually appealing option.

Honor's intention is to captivate fresh enthusiasts in the midrange segment with the 90 model. The inclusion of a 200MP camera adds significant value for photography enthusiasts. It also offers 512 GB storage capacity, along with 12 GB of RAM, and a dynamic 120 Hz AMOLED panel. Furthermore, the design of the Honor smartphone unquestionably distinguishes itself from the masses.

While the phone boasts remarkable attributes, it falls short in areas such as long-term software support and a consistently reliable camera performance. For those who prioritize seamless software updates aligned with Google's vision or seek a top-tier camera experience, alternative options may be more suitable.