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| Honor 90 Pro |
In the rapidly evolving world of smartphones, the Honor 90 Pro emerges as a shining beacon of technological advancement and innovation.
Packed with a plethora of cutting-edge features, a sleek design, and a powerful
performance, the Honor 90 Pro promises to reshape the way we experience mobile
technology.
Features
The current price of this smartphone positions it as a
strong competitor in the mid-range market, rivaling models like the Google
Pixel 7a and Samsung Galaxy A54. It even comes in at a lower price point than
the Xiaomi 12T Pro. While it is priced higher than the Oppo Reno8 Pro, the
latter is exceptionally affordable at the moment.
So, what does this mid-range phone offer for your money? It boasts a remarkable 200MP primary camera with a larger 1/1.4-inch sensor compared to its predecessor. This camera is paired
with an f/1.9, 27mm equivalent lens. Additionally, it features a 12MP ultra-wide camera with an f/2.2 16mm equivalent lens.
The third camera is a 2MP depth camera with an f/2.4 aperture, primarily designed to assist in creating portrait shots and achieving shallow depth-of-field effects, although it cannot be used on its own. In terms of video capabilities, you have the option to shoot in 4K at up to 30 frames per second, while 8K recording, typically found in high-end flagship models, is not supported. However, for most users, 4K video is more than sufficient. Full HD video can be captured at both 60 and 30 frames per second.
Additional features to consider include storage choices of 256GB or 512GB (with a slight price increase for the latter option), a 6.7-inch AMOLED screen, and a substantial 5000 mAh battery. The battery supports rapid charging with Honor's "SuperCharge," which can charge the battery up to 45% in just 15 minutes when using a 66W charger (not included in the standard package). Notably, wireless charging is not available, which is a common characteristic among mid-range smartphones.
Design & Colors
The Honor 90 features a sizable 6.7-inch AMOLED screen,
which aligns with the prevailing trend of larger displays in today's
smartphones. It's the same size as the Oppo Reno 8 Pro 5G's screen, slightly
smaller than the flagship models like the 6.8-inch Samsung S23 Ultra, and
larger than some other mid-range alternatives such as the 6.1-inch Google Pixel
7a and the 6.4-inch Samsung Galaxy A54.
The preference for a large smartphone screen often comes down to personal choice. While one-handed use can be a bit challenging with such a size, it undeniably enhances your viewing experience for videos, photos, and other entertainment content.
Notably, the The 6.7-inch display on the Honor 90 offers a high resolution of 2664 x 1200 and a rapid 120Hz refresh rate, making it an exceptional screen, especially considering its price point. This display surpasses the level of detail offered by other mid-range competitors like the Oppo Reno 8 Pro and Google Pixel 7a. Moving beyond the physical dimensions, the phone boasts a sleek design with gracefully curved edges and a glossy finish in the "Midnight Black" color option, which we've been using.
It's also available in Emerald Green, Peacock Green, and Diamond Silver, all with a matte finish. The camera units on the phone are housed in two distinct, small, round protruding modules on the back. One module accommodates the main and ultra-wide cameras, while the other houses the depth camera and the flash unit. This design is distinctive and eye-catching, setting it apart from conventional smartphone aesthetics. Given that this is a mid-range device, it doesn't come with any special claims regarding ruggedness. Thus, it's advisable to consider investing in a protective case to safeguard the
phone from accidental drops and scratches.
Nevertheless, during our tests, the phone was used without a case and appeared to remain undamaged. The Honor 90 provides users with two display color modes. The default "vivid" mode is optimized for the DCI-P3 color space and performs well in this regard. However, it sacrifices color accuracy by tending to oversaturate colors, particularly blues and reds, presumably to achieve a vibrant OLED appearance.
In contrast, there's the "natural" mode, which
can switch between the DCI-P3 and sRGB color spaces depending on the content
displayed. When tested against sRGB, it exhibits nearly flawless color coverage
and maintains low deltaE values, indicating a high level of color accuracy.
This "natural" mode is well-suited for tasks where precise color
representation is essential, making it a potential choice for color-critical
work.
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| Honor 90 Pro |
Display
The Honor 90 Pro boasts a stunning display that immerses users in a world of vivid colors and sharp details. The high-resolution OLED screen delivers deep blacks and vibrant visuals, making it a delight for multimedia consumption, gaming, and everyday use.
Software and Performance Powered by the latest generation of processors, the Honor 90 Pro ensures smooth multitasking, lag-free gaming, and speedy app launches. Coupled with a refined software interface, the smartphone provides a seamless user experience that is both intuitive and efficient.
Camera
You might expect a mid-range smartphone to have a limited native camera app, but, in line with other Android devices, the Honor 90's standard photo app is surprisingly feature-rich, offering a variety of shooting modes and options
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When you open the camera app, it defaults to the Photo
mode, which is likely the mode you'll use for most of your photos. In this
mode, you can access the 0.6x and 1x lenses, and you also have the option for a
2x digital zoom by simply tapping on the numbers displayed on the screen. If
you need to zoom in further digitally, you can use a pinch gesture, allowing
you to zoom up to 10x.
The app provides numerous other options, including the
ability to activate AI Photography, which automatically adjusts settings to
match the scene. You can enable or disable the flash, apply various digital
filters, and turn on Moving Photos. More advanced settings can be accessed by
tapping a cog icon, where you can adjust aspects like aspect ratio, grid, and
level settings.
In this mode, the app will automatically activate "Night" mode in low-light conditions and switch to "Super Macro" mode when you get close to a subject, utilizing the super-wide camera for close-up shots. At the bottom of the screen, you'll find additional shooting options, such as Portrait mode for capturing human subjects with a pleasing shallow depth of field, a selectable Night mode, and an Aperture mode that allows you to create background blur effects with any subject.
The app also offers a Video mode, as well as a
"Multi Video" mode that enables you to record from both the rear and
front cameras simultaneously. Tapping "More" reveals a range of other
shooting options, including HDR photo, Slow-Mo, Panorama, and more. Two
noteworthy modes are Pro mode and High-Res mode.
In Pro mode, you gain control over various shooting
parameters like shutter speed, ISO, exposure compensation, and white balance.
This mode also allows you to capture images in RAW format. High-Res mode is
designed to leverage the full 200MP potential of the sensor, as opposed to the
default 12MP pixel-binned images. It's best used in well-lit conditions for
optimal results.
The Video mode offers 4K video recording at 30fps. You
can enable AI to automatically select the best video mode for your purpose,
with options like Portrait Video, HDR Video, Close-Up, Multi-Video, and
Solo-cut.
Android
Version
The Honor 90 runs on MagicOS 7.1, built on top of an
Android 13 core. Notably, it offers full support for the Google Apps suite,
which sets it apart from Huawei's software builds that often come with
limitations.
It's worth mentioning that Honor has rebranded its Android overlay from "UI" to "OS"
with this version (v7) in an attempt to establish a distinct identity apart from its Huawei EMUI heritage. While there's a shared history between Magic OS (or UI) and EMUI, you'll find some commonalities if you've used a relatively recent Huawei phone.
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| Honor 90 Pro |
However, there are also noticeable differences.
Moving from UI 6 to OS 7, you'll come across subtle changes here and there, but the overall appearance
and user experience of the Magic overlay remain quite consistent. Icon designs remain largely unaltered, and the task switcher and notification/quick settings retain their familiar layouts (a departure from the latest EMUI with its Control Center), and the Settings menu maintains its familiar look.
Additionally, features introduced in previous iterations, such as large folders and the card bar
beneath app icons to indicate support for in-house widgets (referred to as cards), are available.
On the subject of widgets, it's worth noting that some useful EMUI features are absent in the Honor 90's
Magic OS, like the ability to stack widgets or combine them in a unified manner.
Specifications
Here are the specifications for the Honor 90:
Ultra-wide camera:
12MP
f/2.2 aperture
Auto Focus (AF)
Wide camera:
200MP
1/1.4” sensor
f/1.9 aperture
Phase Detection Auto Focus (PDAF)
Depth camera:
2MP
f/2.4 aperture
Front selfie camera:
50MP
f/2.4 aperture
Display:
6.7-inch Quad-Curved Floating Screen AMOLED
Resolution: 2664 x 1200 pixels
Operating system:
Magic OS 7.1 (Based on Android 13)
Dimensions:
161.9 x 74.1 x 7.8mm
Weight:
183g
Battery
The Honor 90 is equipped with a substantial 5,000 mAh
battery. Regrettably, despite its modern 4nm manufacturing process, the
Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 chipset doesn't excel in terms of battery endurance.
In line with this chipset's track record, the Honor 90's
battery performance is decent but not particularly remarkable, clocking in at
95 hours of total endurance in our tests. Given the size of the 5,000 mAh
battery, we had higher expectations. Nevertheless, users can rely on the phone
to consistently provide a full day of battery life on a single charge.
Connectivity
The Honor 90 Pro supports a wide range of connectivity
options, from 5G capabilities for high-speed internet to NFC for seamless
payments. Its comprehensive connectivity suite ensures that users can stay
connected and access information wherever they go.
Pros
and Cons
Pros:
Sumptuous exterior and attention-grabbing design.
Highly luminous OLED display with accurate color
representation and HDR10+ compatibility.
Adaptable camera arrangement with autofocus on the
ultrawide lens and generally reliable performance across the board.
Cons:
Lacks a splash protection rating.
Features a single, rather subpar speaker.
Verdict
Undoubtedly, the Honor 90 stands out as a visually
striking device. Honor has invested a great deal of effort in its design, and
the results are truly impressive. In certain color options, very few phones can
match the bold appearance of the Honor 90.
Beyond its design, there are many appealing aspects to this phone. The display is unquestionably a standout feature, offering remarkable brightness, excellent color accuracy, and support
for HDR10+.
Moreover, it boasts a swift 120Hz refresh rate. While the automatic refresh rate management could use some improvement, it generally does its job adequately. The camera setup on the Honor
90 is quite versatile, with a noteworthy feature being autofocus on the ultrawide lens. Additionally, the main camera, ultrawide, and selfie camera all can capture 4K video.
However, there are downsides
to consider as well. The battery life of the Honor 90
leaves something to be
desired, and the single bottom-firing speaker doesn't
perform exceptionally well.
It would have been preferable to have some form of water resistance, along with the inclusion of a microSD card slot and a 3.5mm audio jack. The virtual proximity sensor is also somewhat disappointing. While it may seem like a minor detail, it can be quite bothersome in everyday use.
In summary, the primary appeal of the Honor 90 lies in its exceptional design, with its features being
somewhat less prominent. It's certainly not a poor value
proposition, but for a
similar price, you can find devices with better hardware.
