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Honor 400: Two-minute assessment
Within the time that I’ve spent with the Honor 400, a part of me is shocked to see simply how far the mid-range market has come. Often, once I take a look at telephones at this finish of the size, I anticipate there being one space that considerably holds the telephone again from true greatness. That is comprehensible – there must be some motive to improve to the best phones just like the iPhone 16 Pro or the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra – however on the Honor 400, this caveat by no means actually utilized.
For starters, with an inexpensive price ticket of £399.99 within the UK, the Honor 400 already undercuts a ton of mid-range contenders just like the Pixel 9a, the Samsung Galaxy A56 and the Nothing Phone 3a Pro, which is able to make it a extra tempting purchase for individuals who are tied to a strict price range.
Diving into the telephone itself, Honor spoils us with a lot of options, the spotlight being the 6.55-inch AMOLED show, which may attain a peak brightness of 5000 nits. I’ve examined a variety of telephones in my time, however Honor simply is aware of easy methods to make a mid-range show that’s immediately eye-catching. It’s colourful, simple to make use of outdoor, and nice for streaming movies and TV reveals.
The brand new 200MP predominant digicam captures some nice pictures, particularly when the solar is out, however the setup actually comes into its personal when paired with the Harcourt-inspired filters within the telephone’s portrait mode. For those who favor taking photos of family and friends somewhat than what you had for dinner, you then’ll admire what’s obtainable right here.
This quantities to a strong expertise total, however in some situations, it’s a slight downgrade in comparison with the telephone’s predecessor. As an illustration, the Honor 200 has a barely bigger 6.7-inch show in addition to a further telephoto lens. The identical Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 chipset has been carried over, so that you gained’t achieve a lot the place efficiency is anxious.
With that in thoughts, I wouldn’t advocate the Honor 400 to house owners of final yr’s Honor mid-range. For these with a tool that’s been out for 4 or 5 years, although, it’s arduous to argue with the worth proposition Honor has put collectively.
Honor 400 assessment: worth and availability
- Begins at £399.99 within the UK
- Launched in Might 2025
Located as the center baby of the brand new Honor 400 collection, the Honor 400 has a beginning worth of £399.99 for the 256GB mannequin, however that worth leaps as much as £449 in order for you the bigger 512GB storage possibility.
On the time of writing, solely UK pricing and availability have been confirmed, with the telephone releasing in Might 2025 each as a SIM-free system and from a number of UK networks.
Despite the fact that their naming conventions are simple to know, the pricing inside the Honor 400 vary is slightly complicated. At current, the Honor 400 Lite prices £249.99, simply £150 lower than the Honor 400, whereas the Honor 400 Pro asks for an additional £300 with an RRP of £699.99.
I can solely hypothesize that the Honor 400’s entry-level worth is a strategic transfer to make it extra inexpensive than a number of the established greatest mid-range telephones, which have a tendency to sit down round £499.
Honor 400 assessment: specs
| Header Cell – Column 0 | Header Cell – Column 1 |
|---|---|
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Dimensions: |
156.5mm x 74.6mm x 7.3mm |
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Weight: |
184g |
|
Show: |
6.55-inch (2736 x 1264) as much as 120Hz AMOLED |
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Chipset: |
Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 |
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RAM: |
8GB |
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Storage: |
256GB / 512GB |
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OS: |
Android 15 |
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Main digicam: |
200MP (f/1.9, 1/1.4”, OIS) sensor |
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Extremely-wide digicam: |
12MP (f/2.2, FOV 112°) sensor |
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Entrance Digicam: |
50MP sensor |
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Battery: |
5,330mAh |
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Charging: |
66W wired |
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Colours: |
Midnight Black, Meteor Silver, Desert Gold |
Honor 400 assessment: design
Picture 1 of 2
- Honor is unquestionably nipping at Apple’s heels
- The design feels extra assured than the Honor 200
The general design of Honor’s mid-range telephones has all the time felt slightly off to my eyes. For instance, the Honor 90 from just a few years again had an exquisite Emerald Inexperienced possibility that made it stand out, however it was hampered by two distinct digicam bumps that felt wildly misplaced.
Issues weren’t significantly better with final yr’s Honor 200, which featured far an excessive amount of adverse area in its digicam module, making the design really feel like an afterthought in comparison with the remainder of the system. Fortunately, Honor has lastly hit a much more premium, if doubtlessly uninteresting, aesthetic.
As talked about within the Honor 400 Lite assessment, it isn’t arduous to see the place Honor is drawing its inspiration from right here. The flat edges across the system, alongside the vertically aligned cameras, give off a whiff of the iPhone 16, which is not any dangerous factor when you think about that the Honor 400 is lower than half the worth of Apple’s £699/$699 handset.
It does really feel premium within the hand, and even with a plastic chassis, I believe individuals could be stunned to be taught simply how low-cost the Honor 400 is on the checkout, primarily based solely on its seems.
I do want, nevertheless, that Honor may have saved a few of its signature aptitude the place the colours are involved. The corporate has as a substitute opted for protected black, silver and gold variations. Fortunately, there may be an official IP ranking this time round of IP65, so that you gained’t have to fret about mud particles or jets of water – all the time useful over long-term use.
Whereas it definitely gained’t wow anybody, I really feel that that is probably the most confident-looking mid-ranger that Honor has ever put out, and I’ve to admire it for that.
Honor 400 assessment: show
- It’s a smaller show at 6.55 inches
- The curves have been swapped out for a flat panel
If there’s one space the place this firm has simply outpaced the mid-range competitors, it’s within the high quality of its shows, and the Honor 400 is not any exception, though there may be one tweak which may delay some of us from upgrading.
Beginning with the nice, this 6.55-inch AMOLED show is simply drop-dead attractive to take a look at. It will get impressively shiny at as much as 5000 nits, and when utilizing it outdoor in opposition to direct daylight, I haven’t discovered myself squinting to make out what’s on the display screen.
The crisp 2736 x 1264 decision additionally makes the telephone nice for catching up on Netflix or whichever streaming service takes your fancy. Utilizing the Honor 400 on the fitness center, I used to be fairly immersed in just a few episodes of Prime Video’s Invincible whereas on the treadmill, with the telephone doing the present’s vivid coloration palette justice.
For those who don’t thoughts sacrificing slightly extra battery life, you’ll be able to toggle Tremendous Dynamic Show alongside Vivid Show, two modes that use AI to investigate what you are watching and reply with improved colours and realism in actual time. I can’t say that I noticed a right away distinction, however the display screen already seemed nice, so I can’t actually complain.
Whereas the telephone’s refresh price will be set to 120Hz always, by default it’s positioned in an adaptive mode that enables it to vary relying on the duty at hand, saving battery life within the course of. Despite the fact that this has lengthy been a function among the many best Android phones, it blows my thoughts that it’s now one thing we get as normal within the mid-range/price range market.
Making a return is all of Honor’s dimming and eye-health options. That sounds spectacular on paper, with ‘3840Hz RiskFree Dimming’, however what does it truly imply? In observe, this tech limits the quantity of refreshes that happen at a velocity imperceptible to the human eye, decreasing the chance of eye fatigue over time.
In fact, one thing like that is troublesome to quantify. Nonetheless, I’ll say that out of all of the telephones I’ve used, the Honor 400 is among the few that doesn’t depart me with noticeable eye-strain if I do a fast little bit of scrolling earlier than mattress, notably if the incredible ‘eBook mode’ is activated.
All of this quantities to an exquisite show, however should you at present personal an Honor 90 or an Honor 200, it’s price taking into consideration that each of these telephones have a bigger 6.7-inch show, so you might be getting a slight downgrade the place dimension is anxious. Personally, I don’t thoughts, notably because it makes the Honor 400 simpler to make use of one-handed, however it’s nonetheless one thing to think about.
Honor 400 assessment: cameras
- Similar to the show, the cameras have additionally been downgraded/upgraded
- The brand new 200MP predominant sensor is the star of the present
There’s a particular sample of give and take with the Honor 400. I’ve already talked about the variations within the show tech, and sadly, it additionally extends to the brand new digicam setup.
On paper, you’ve acquired a 200MP (f/1.9, 1/1.4”, OIS) predominant sensor, flanked by a 12MP (f/2.2, FOV 112°) ultrawide that additionally serves as a macro lens. That may sound pretty first rate given the £399.99 price ticket, however eagle-eyed readers may need already seen that whereas the primary sensor has had a bump from 50MP to 200MP, the telephone is lacking the extra 50MP telephoto lens from the Honor 200.
Whereas it’s good to have a devoted telephoto lens, having the upgraded megapixel depend on the primary lens does open up extra alternatives for cropping and zooming that do not fully wreck the standard of the photograph.
Having fun with the great sights of Surrey’s Field Hill, I used to be capable of snap some incredible pictures that basically did the path justice, helped largely by the brilliantly sunny climate. After I felt the necessity to crop in on sure images for social media after the actual fact, I didn’t really feel arduous completed by within the ultimate outcomes.
The identical will be stated for the ultra-wide pictures, which, regardless of that 12MP ceiling, nonetheless packed a formidable diploma of element and coloration. In a pinch, that very same ultra-wide lens can be utilized for macro pictures if, like me, you get pleasure from getting the odd image of fauna up shut (though I can’t think about utilizing it for a lot else).
You’ve acquired 4x digital zoom for selecting up topics within the distance, however for one thing actually far out, you’ll be able to lean on Honor’s 30x AI Superzoom. Similar to it operates on different Honor telephones, this function makes use of AI to recreate the image you’ve taken. This implies the tip consequence isn’t technically a photograph in any respect, however one thing AI has constructed from an actual photograph. As you may think, its success price will be blended, and there’s a basic ‘watercolour’ look that plagues all of those pictures after the actual fact.
Talking of AI, there’s an ‘picture to video’ function that permits you to make quick AI-driven animations out of pictures you’ve taken. I’ll admit, one video it derived from a selfie felt so real looking that I didn’t like the thought of seeing what else it may do. Fortunately, these movies don’t transcend 5 seconds, so there isn’t an enormous use case for them.
In terms of extra conventional AI options within the telephone’s modifying suite, like AI cutout or AI outpainting (the latter of which extends the image with generative AI), all of it works somewhat nicely.
Final yr, Honor made an enormous splash by partnering with pictures studio Harcourt so as to add extra pizazz to the portrait pictures of the 200 collection; now these signature Harcourt filters are again on the Honor 400, trying higher than ever.
For those who’re the kind of particular person whose Instagram uploads are stuffed with model-style pictures, you’ll admire what’s on provide right here. Though there are simply three Harcourt filters (Vibrant, Coloration and Basic), all of them look nice and pump out really eye-catching pictures.
Whereas the 50MP selfie digicam doesn’t make the most of Harcourt’s prowess, it nonetheless managed to seize self-portraits that I used to be more than pleased to share with the world, which doesn’t typically occur. There’s a splendidly comfortable bokeh right here that pairs nicely with the digicam’s autofocus.
The devoted night time mode additionally does a good job, so you have to be in luck with most low-light conditions should you do need to take a fast snap.
Honor 400 assessment: digicam samples
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Honor 400 assessment: efficiency
- Similar chipset as final yr
- Respectable efficiency in its worth vary
The perfect factor I can say in regards to the Honor 400 from a efficiency perspective is simply how little it’s been on my thoughts over the course of testing the system. In fact, I’m not saying that it exceeds the best iPhones – removed from it – however despite the fact that it makes use of the identical Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 chipset as final yr, it goes to point out how far the mid-range market has come, the place now you can anticipate strong day-to-day efficiency with out breaking the financial institution.
Within the time that I spent with the Honor 400, I did not have an app fail to load or crash mid-use, and I may soar from one app to a different with none vital delay. Even when utilizing the telephone as a hotspot to observe a video on my iPad, I may nonetheless scroll by means of Google Chrome on the Honor 400 with none noticeable slowdown.
When it got here to video games, the telephone dealt with booting up a race in Asphalt Legends Unite and the sport’s frenetic vitality with ease. Graphics look daring and thrilling on the show, and any visible stuttering was very transient and rare.
I discovered the efficiency inside Call of Duty Cellular to be even higher, so should you prefer to get in just a few rounds of Nuketown in your lunch break, you gained’t have any points doing so right here.
I’ll say that for each video games (and at instances once I was actually pushing the system), I felt some warmth radiating off the Honor 400. It was by no means sufficient to make holding the system uncomfortable, however it did give me pause to make it possible for I didn’t overstretch the telephone’s limitations.
I do, nevertheless, need to give a quick nod to the audio system, which carried out surprisingly nicely in testing. I nearly all the time anticipate a mono-speaker system at this finish of the market, however there is a stereo set-up on the Honor 400, and it might get impressively loud and immersive once you’re diving right into a spot of gaming.
Honor 400 assessment: software program
- Honor has gone all in on AI
- MagicOS is healthier, however there’s nonetheless room for enchancment
Similar to nearly each different firm on the block proper now, Honor has gone all-in on AI.
As with AI implementation on different units, I discovered the general expertise to be a blended bag. I don’t assume the state of affairs is kind of as dire as what I’ve come throughout utilizing Apple Intelligence on my iPhone 16 Plus, however there are positively areas the place Honor has loads of room for enchancment.
On the higher aspect of that equation is Honor’s Magic Portal, which operates equally to Google’s Circle to Search (which already exists on the Honor 400), solely this time requiring that you simply spotlight an object utilizing your knuckle. I discovered the function to be extremely responsive, and when you’ve chosen your required picture or piece of textual content, you’ll be able to rapidly share it to an inventory of apps that seem on the aspect, as chosen by AI. It’s genuinely an awesome instance of AI getting used intelligently, and I did discover myself utilizing it just a few instances to save lots of textual content rapidly.
Options like AI Subtitles and AI Translate have their moments, however there’s nonetheless work to be completed. For the previous, it might generate speech to textual content with first rate velocity and accuracy, however once I tried to get it to make subtitles from a YouTube video, the entire expertise fell aside with nonsensical textual content. AI Translate fares a bit higher with a fast response time for translations, however it doesn’t boast fairly as many obtainable languages as Reside Translate on Galaxy AI-toting Samsung telephones, so that you’ll discover a extra sturdy expertise elsewhere.
On the decrease finish of the size, AI Strategies just about does what it says on the tin by providing up fast entry to apps it thinks you want at sure instances of day, however this can be a function Apple’s had for years so I don’t perceive why Honor has drawn a lot consideration to it right here as if it’s one thing model new. There’s additionally AI Deepfake Detection, though this solely works with video calls and doesn’t let you already know should you’re seeing a video or picture on-line that’s pretend, which is actually the place it ought to be focused.
All of this sits on prime of MagicOS 9.0, Honor’s Android 15 overlay, which in itself is one thing of a head-scratcher. I’ll say that in comparison with once I final used MagicOS on the Honor 90, the operating system has come fairly a great distance, and it feels much less cumbersome to make use of than I bear in mind.
It’s not fairly as slick as inventory Android, which will be discovered on the best Pixel phones, however it does have a pleasant aesthetic. And as somebody who principally makes use of an iPhone, I did admire the nods to iOS, together with Honor’s tackle the Dynamic Island, which reveals music playback on the prime of the show, in addition to the necessity to swipe down from completely different sections to entry the notification tray or the management middle (even when I did discover myself within the latter just a few instances when it wasn’t my intention).
What holds MagicOS again is the unlucky quantity of bloatware that comes preinstalled on the Honor 400. When setting the telephone up, I wanted to eliminate a number of apps, together with TikTok and Temu, to not point out Honor’s own-brand apps, which embody the corporate’s Google Play Store competitor, the Honor App Market. It’s not a deal-breaker, by any means, however it doesn’t assist the telephone in opposition to fierce competitors.
On a greater be aware, the Honor 400 now comes with a promised six years of updates, offering official help till no less than 2031. In comparison with the paltry help that Honor offered for earlier units, this can be a enormous shift that makes the Honor 400 a greater possibility as a telephone to final you nicely into the long run.
Honor 400 assessment: battery life
- Barely bigger 5,300mAh cell
- Simply will get you thru a full day of use comfortably
Regardless of its smaller stature, the Honor 400 contains a barely elevated battery capability in comparison with the Honor 200, leaping from 5,200mAh to five,300mAh. Honor hasn’t been too particular the place longevity is anxious, apart from claiming an “all-day battery life” for the telephone, which, fortunately, is an evaluation that’s extra on the conservative aspect.
I put the Honor 400 by means of a heavy day of use, beginning at 8:30am, getting simply over 4 hours of display screen time, together with 40 minutes of Instagram and 25 minutes of Prime Video, alongside 33 minutes of Spotify within the background and 1 hour and 39 minutes of utilizing the telephone as a hotspot for my iPad. With all that in thoughts, the telephone nonetheless had 30% left within the tank by 10:30pm, 14 hours later.
For my cash, that’s greater than sufficient to alleviate any main battery nervousness. You additionally toggle one in every of two power-saving modes, which halt a variety of background processing to increase the longevity as a lot as potential. On most days, nevertheless, I didn’t must cost the Honor 400 till about midway by means of the next day.
Whenever you do must prime up, you gained’t have to attend lengthy because the Honor 400 boasts 66W quick charging, though there isn’t a appropriate quick charger included within the field. When charging at a barely slower 60W price on an adapter I needed to hand, it took about half-hour to get from 20% to 69%, and a complete of 54 minutes to get again to a full tank.
Sadly, there’s no wi-fi charging obtainable, which does really feel like a sticking level when that function is creeping into the mid-range dialog.
Ought to I purchase the Honor 400?
|
Attributes |
Notes |
Ranking |
|---|---|---|
|
Design |
It won’t flip heads with its colorways however the Honor 400 has a assured look. |
4 / 5 |
|
Show |
The show is the true spotlight right here, simply not for house owners of final yr’s telephone. |
4.5 / 5 |
|
Efficiency |
Nice on a regular basis efficiency that’s troublesome to fault. |
4 / 5 |
|
Digicam |
The absent telephoto is missed, however all the pieces else is strong. |
4 / 5 |
|
Battery |
Greater than sufficient to get you thru an intensive day of use. |
4 / 5 |
|
Software program |
MagicOS nonetheless has some solution to go, as does Honor’s AI suite. |
3 / 5 |
|
Worth |
Nice cameras, a beautiful show and tons of storage make this a winner. |
5 / 5 |
Purchase it if…
Do not buy it if…
Honor 400 assessment: additionally take into account
For those who’re not fully offered on the Honor 400’s set of options, then these alternate options could be a greater match.
How I examined the Honor 400
- Examined over a single week
- Used because the reviewer’s predominant handset
- Battery examined in opposition to intensive and typical days of use
For the needs of this assessment, I used the Honor 400 as my predominant handset for a complete of seven days because it carried my SIM card. Resulting from this being a pre-release mannequin, sure options like Google Pockets would not work with the system, so I relied on a paired TicWatch Professional 5 Enduro smartwatch for funds.
Whereas the telephone does function 66W quick charging, I used a 65W adapter throughout the charging take a look at, which robotically downgrades to 60W within the course of. The telephone I used previous to the Honor 400 was the iPhone 16 Plus, which served as a psychological reference over the testing interval.
First reviewed: Might 2025