With the Honor 400 range having launched just over a month ago, there’s still considerable interest from potential buyers as their contracts lapse or they need a replacement. With new devices landing on our shores every month, it’s not always easy to decide which is the best option for you, even within a single brand. The Honor 400 range includes three new smartphones, each with their own features and price range, to deliver the best results for your lifestyle.
How the Smartphone Market Shifted
One of the biggest shake-ups to the industry was the decision made by the Trump administration in 2019 – the ongoing trade war between the United States and China. The decision to effectively ban Huawei and its products in the US also meant that US companies were unable to do business with the Chinese manufacturer. This meant it lost access to Google’s suite of services, mainly that of Android, as well as its set of apps, including Gmail, Chrome, Drive and more. Furthermore, other US-based apps affected include Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and more. Although not painting the entire picture, this ceased all sales in the US, and then much of Europe as well. While still available in many other regions, its lack of Android support was a significant blow, especially for consumers who had become ingrained in the ecosystem over a decade.
As a result, many brands that had been competing for a top five spot, with the top three having been established for many years, now had an excellent opportunity to climb the ladder. One such brand, which has led the way in sales in specific markets, beating the likes of Samsung and Apple in some territories, is Honor.
Will Do You the Honor
Interestingly, Honor was initially started as a subsidiary of Huawei and was also subject to the US ban. The two brands split in 2020, with Honor becoming wholly independent, retaining its research and development (R&D) arm, budget, and manufacturing facilities. Their recent rise in key regions, including South Africa, has made this a reality. As such, the brand’s ambitions continue to grow, having recently announced it has secured second spot in terms of sales in South Africa. With this achievement, it can only mean a net positive for South Africans when it comes to the lineup of smartphones reaching our shores from the Honour stable.
The recent launch of the Honor 400 range introduced all three variants to the market. This includes the Honor 400 Pro, Honor 400 and Honor 400 Lite. Each of these has its own set of specifications and price point, allowing users to choose exactly what they require from their smartphones and how much they’re willing to spend.
Next-Generation Mobility for the Masses
With AI leading the way in modern-day features, the leading manufacturers had an early advantage in these capabilities. However, these were often reserved for flagship and higher-end smartphones, leaving many everyday users behind in this key demographic. With the launch of the latest Honor smartphones, the brand aims to deliver these premium technology features to more consumers with its MagicOS 9.
More than just catching up, though, Honor has brought a world-first to its 400 lineup. This includes Google Cloud’s Veo 2 engine with its Image-to-Video tool, which has been integrated directly into the phone’s gallery. This means you don’t need to access a separate app; you can simply select an image from your gallery and use the edit feature to access these tools.
Additional AI features designed for your images and built directly into the software include AI Erase, AI Outpainting, Reflection removal, Film Simulation Mode and AI Portrait Snap, to name a few. All of this is built upon the AI Honor Image Engine.
Before the images reach your gallery, however, the Honor 400 smartphone can enhance your images without any editing. With tools like Honor’s 50x AI SuperZoom it allows for improved zooming capabilities. It can observe the images you want to snap, filters out any graininess, enhances clarity and smooths out any rough edges. With its 200MP primary sensor, you’re now able to deliver studio-grade images for print with a device that fits into your pocket.
With all the widespread use of AI in our daily lives, users may find it more challenging than ever to detect and distinguish between what’s real and what’s not. Thankfully, just as there are AI tools to edit images, there are also AI tools to assist in detecting fakes and trickery. With Honor’s AI Deepfake Detection built into the device, users can pick up on-call issues, as well as live translations and more. This technology is available on both standard and video calls.
And Baby Makes Three
With the Honor 400 Lite added to the lineup, the 400 range includes three smartphones to choose from. Here’s a summary of the range in terms of its specifications:
| Honor 400 Pro | Honor 400 | Honor 400 Lite | |
| Dimensions | 160.8 x 76.1 x 8.1mm | 156.5 x 74.6 x 7.3mm | 161 x 74.6 x 7.3mm |
| Weight | 205g | 184g | 171g |
| Display | AMOLED, 120Hz, 3840Hz PWM, HDR Vivid, 5000 nits (peak) | AMOLED, 120Hz, 3840Hz PWM, HDR, 5000 nits (peak) | AMOLED, 120Hz, 3840Hz PWM, 3500 nits (peak) |
| Screen | 6.7″, 109.5 cm2 (~89.5% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.55″, 105.4 cm2 (~90.3% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.7″, 108.0 cm2 (~89.9% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Resolution | 1280x2800px, 460ppi density | 1264x2736px, 460ppi density | 1080x2412px, 394ppi density |
| OS | Android 15, MagicOS 9 | Android 15, MagicOS 9 | Android 15, MagicOS 9 |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8650-AB Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4nm) | Qualcomm SM7550-AB Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 (4nm) | Mediatek Dimensity 7025 Ultra (6nm) |
| CPU | Octa-Core (3.0GHz Cortex-X4, 5×2.95GHz Cortex-A720, 2×2.0GHz Cortex-A520) | Octa-Core (2.63GHz Cortex-A715, 3×2.4GHz Cortex-A715, 4×1.8GHz Cortex-A510) | Octa-Core (2×2.5GHz Cortex-A78, 6×2.0GHz Cortex-A55) |
| GPU | Adreno 750 | Adreno 720 | IMG BXM-8-256 |
| Internal | 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM | 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM | 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM |
| Camera | 200MP, f/1.9, (wide), 1/1.4″, PDAF, OIS | 200MP, f/1.9, (wide), 1/1.4″, 0.56µm, PDAF, OIS | 108MP, f/1.8, (wide), 1/1.67″, PDAF |
| 50MP, f/2.4, (telephoto), 1/2.0″, 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom | 12MP, f/2.2, 112˚ (ultrawide), AF | 5MP, f/2.2, (ultrawide) | |
| 12MP, f/2.2, 112˚ (ultrawide), AF | |||
| Features | LED flash, HDR, panorama | LED flash, HDR, panorama | LED flash, HDR, panorama |
| Video | 4K, 1080p, gyro-EIS, OIS | 4K, 1080p, gyro-EIS, OIS | 1080p@30fps |
| Battery | Si/C Li-Ion 6000 mAh – ROW | Si/C Li-Ion 6000 mAh – ROW | Li-Po 5230 mAh |
| Charging | 100W wired, 51% in 15 min, 100% in 39 min | 66W wired (for 5300 mAh), 44% in 15 min, 100% in 46 min | 35W wired |
| 50W wireless | 80W wired (for 6000 mAh), 40% in 15 min | ||
| 5W reverse wired | 5W reverse wired | ||
| Reverse wireless | |||
| Colors | Midnight Black, Lunar Grey, Tidal Blue | Midnight Black, Meteor Silver, Desert Gold, Tidal Blue | Marrs Green, Velvet Black, Velvet Grey |
So, which is best suited for your daily requirements?
If you’re looking for the full suite of features and software capabilities, and you’re not focused on a budget, the Honor 400 Pro would be the best option. The device features the best camera in the range, thanks to its triple-lens configuration. It offers excellent camera capabilities thanks to its large 200MP primary lens and AI-enhanced photography, including impressive zooming capabilities. With a few minutes of hands-on testing under the belt, this is the feature I’m most looking forward to testing in the real world.
Next is the standard Honor 400. Although it doesn’t feature the same camera setup, it delivers across the board with a great list of specifications that are not far off from the Pro. With an all-day battery, excellent hardware and AI-enhanced software, users have everything they need to tackle their tasks throughout the day.
Lastly, the Honor 400 Lite fits all your most essential features and fits them into a budget package. Designed for efficient and everyday usage, it includes all the best AI features, as well as a dedicated camera button for quick snaps, zoom and auto video. It features a lightweight yet durable design, making it suitable for even the most rugged environments.
Honor 400 Availability
Each of the three devices is designed to simplify your daily tasks while enhancing them to the next level. It allows users to unleash their creative side without incurring additional costs or spending extra time to achieve their desired results. It brings the next generation of features across a range of budgets.
The Honor 400 Lite is available for R7,999, the 400 for R12,999, and the Honor 400 Pro goes for R17,999. All three are available at selected retailers and networks, including Vodacom, MTN, Telkom and Cell C.
