Honor 50 review
The Honor 50 has made a significant comeback since parting ways with Google, now offering the full suite of Google services on board. This is welcome news for those in Western markets looking to upgrade without compromising on Android features. But does this phone pack enough punch to compete with flagship offerings? The device boasts a lightweight glass design, impressive 120Hz OLED display, and dependable battery life. Can it overcome its pricing struggles against more capable flagships? We'll explore the answers within our comprehensive review.
Build Quality and Design
The Honor 50's build quality is a mixed bag. The phone has a lightweight glass design with plenty of curves, which gives it a premium feel. However, the thin frame is made of plastic, which feels somewhat cheap compared to the rest of the device. Additionally, the circular camera rings are an interesting design element, but they may not be to everyone's taste. One notable aspect of the Honor 50's design is its similarity to another recent Huawei device, the Nova 9. In fact, the two phones are nearly identical, with the only real differences being a different main camera and the presence of Google services on the Honor 50. This may raise questions about the phone's originality and creativity in terms of design. The front screen of the phone also features a curve, which is a nice touch, but it may not be as effective at reducing glare as some other curved displays. The 6.57-inch OLED display itself has a 1080p resolution and a super-fast 120Hz refresh rate, which makes for smooth and responsive performance. The Honor 50's design is likely to appeal to fans of Huawei's aesthetic, but it may not offer anything particularly new or exciting in terms of build quality and design. Overall, the phone feels like a solid mid-range device, rather than a flagship model. While it has its positives, such as a premium glass back and smooth display performance, it also has some drawbacks, including the use of plastic for the frame and the lack of originality in its design.
Battery Life
The Honor 50's battery life is a pleasant surprise, considering its 4300mAh capacity. In our proprietary tests, the phone managed to score a respectable 100-hour endurance rating, which suggests that it can easily last for two days with moderate use. Charging speed is another area where the Honor 50 performs well. Although it doesn't quite match the lightning-fast charging speeds of some other flagship phones, it still charges reasonably quickly. With its included 66W charger, the phone was able to go from zero to 61% in just half an hour. In terms of actual usage, I found that the Honor 50's battery life is more than sufficient for a day's use. Even with heavy use, including gaming and video streaming, the phone easily lasted for around 12 hours on a single charge. While the battery life may not be spectacular, it's definitely not disappointing either. The Honor 50's efficient Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G chipset and decent display seem to have contributed to its respectable battery performance. Overall, I'd say that the Honor 50's battery life is one of its standout features, and it should appeal to anyone looking for a phone with long-lasting power without sacrificing too much in terms of performance.
Display
One of the standout features of the Honor 50 is its stunning display. The phone boasts a 6.57-inch OLED screen with a 1080p resolution and a super-fast 120Hz refresh rate. This combination makes for incredibly smooth and responsive scrolling, perfect for navigating through menus or gaming. The high refresh rate also supports high-frame-rate gaming, ensuring a seamless experience even in the most demanding titles. The display's support for 10-bit color means you get great contrast, making it ideal for watching videos or browsing photos. Color accuracy is respectable, although it may vary depending on the setting chosen. Brightness levels are good too, with our tests showing a maximum of 525 nits when using the manual slider, which boosts to an impressive 750 nits in bright conditions. The curved design of both the front and back screens adds to the phone's premium feel, and the optical fingerprint scanner under the display is responsive and reliable. Overall, the Honor 50's display is a significant improvement over its predecessors, making it a great option for those who value a high-quality viewing experience. While the camera system is also worth noting, this review will focus solely on the display. The Honor 50's impressive screen is sure to please those looking for a premium phone with top-notch visuals. However, as we'll explore in our full review, there are some drawbacks to consider when it comes to the overall package.
Camera
The camera system on the Honor 50 is an interesting aspect of the device. The main camera features a 108-megapixel nine-in-one sensor, which provides decent results in daylight conditions. Photos taken with this camera are sharp and contrasty, with saturated colors and reasonable dynamic range. However, fine details in some scenes were not as well-represented as we've seen from other competitors. Portraits taken with the main camera look good, with great sharpness and detail, and subject detection is better than what was observed on the Nova 9. The ultrawide-angle camera, which has an 8-megapixel sensor, takes photos that are not particularly impressive - they're soft, lack detail, and have limited dynamic range. The wider field of view offered by this camera is a benefit, but the images themselves don't live up to expectations. Macro shots taken with the 2-megapixel camera are okay, with fine sharpness if focus distance is correct. However, details are limited by the low resolution, and colors could be punchier. Low-light photos from the main camera are respectable, with a decent level of detail in shadows and well-contained highlights. There's also great contrast and low noise. When shooting in night mode, results can be even better, especially in more challenging scenes. Shadows are boosted, remaining noise is cleaned up, and there's additional sharpness and color vibrancy. Unfortunately, ultra-wide-angle camera shots at night aren't very good - they're fuzzy, lacking in detail, with a narrow dynamic range. Selfies taken with the 32-megapixel front-facing camera are good, detailed, colorful, and sharp enough. The dynamic range is also quite wide, making selfies usable even in backlit situations. Videos can be recorded with the main camera at up to 4K resolution at 30fps, and footage comes out sharp and detailed, with great colors and contrast. The ultra-wide-angle camera is limited to 1080p resolution and produces similar contrast and color results as the main camera, but it's much softer and less detailed. Electronic stabilization is supported in 4K on the main camera and does a good job of smoothing out shakiness from walking around. Overall, while the Honor 50's camera system has its strengths, particularly with the main camera in low-light conditions, it doesn't quite live up to expectations when compared to other devices in this class.
Price and Value
The Honor 50 is an intriguing device that checks many boxes for smartphone enthusiasts. However, when considering its price, the value proposition becomes more nuanced. Priced around $600-$700, the Honor 50 competes directly with other flagship killer phones on the market. Given this price point, it's natural to expect a higher-end camera system and perhaps a more robust processor. Unfortunately, while the Honor 50 has some impressive features, such as its 120Hz curved OLED display, dependable battery life, and fast charging capabilities, its camera experience is somewhat lacking in comparison to its competitors. The 108MP main camera produces good photos during the day, but the ultra-wide and macro cameras fall short. Furthermore, the phone's processor, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G, while decent, doesn't quite live up to the performance of other flagship devices on the market. This, combined with the lack of stereo speakers, might make it harder for the Honor 50 to stand out in a crowded mid-range to flagship segment. In terms of price and value, the Honor 50 feels somewhat overpriced given its specifications. If you're looking for a high-end camera experience or superior performance, there are other options available that might offer more bang for your buck. That being said, if you prioritize the Honor 50's impressive display and reliable battery life, it's still a solid device worth considering. However, for those who want the best of both worlds – top-notch cameras and processors – this phone might not be the most compelling choice at its current price point. Ultimately, whether or not the Honor 50 provides good value depends on your individual needs and preferences. If you're in the market for a reliable mid-range to flagship device with some impressive features, it's worth taking a closer look.
Performance
The Honor 50's performance is a mixed bag, but it's definitely an improvement over its predecessor. Under the hood lies a Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G chipset, which provides both 5G connectivity and flagship-grade performance. While it may not be as high-tier as the Snapdragon 888, the 778G still offers smooth and responsive performance in daily use. In our testing, we didn't experience any significant issues with lag or stuttering, even during intense gaming sessions. The phone's interface is snappy, and apps launch quickly. However, we did notice some thermal throttling, which may be a concern for those who plan to use the Honor 50 extensively. The phone's performance is further aided by its 6.57-inch OLED display, which features a 120Hz refresh rate and low touch latency. This combination makes scrolling and swiping incredibly smooth and responsive, making it ideal for gaming and general use. Battery life on the Honor 50 is decent, considering its 4300mAh battery capacity. In our testing, we managed to get around 12 hours of screen-on time with moderate use. However, charging speed isn't particularly impressive, taking around half an hour to reach 61% from zero using a 66W charger. In terms of storage options, the Honor 50 offers either 128 or 256GB on board, with no expandable storage available. This may be a concern for those who need more space, but it's not a deal-breaker by any means. Overall, the Honor 50's performance is respectable, if not spectacular. It's an improvement over its predecessor, and the inclusion of Google services is a welcome addition. However, considering the phone's price point, there are other options available that offer more in terms of chipset and camera capabilities.
Pros
1. The honor 50 has a lightweight glass design with plenty of curves
2. The phone has a super fast 120hz refresh rate for smooth and responsive scrolling and gaming
3. Support for high frame rate gaming too, plus there's support for 10 bit color and great contrast
4. Color accuracy is respectable depending on the setting you choose and brightness is good too
5. The optical fingerprint scanner is responsive and reliable under the display
6. The Magic UI shares the aesthetics of Huawei's EMUI 12 but with intrinsic features of Android 11 and access to Google apps
7. You get dependable battery life and fast charging with a large 4300 milliamp hour battery capacity
8. The camera experience, especially from the main cam, is good with decent level of detail in shadows and highlights well contained too
Cons
1. Pricing is up against some tough competition from flagship killer phones that can offer more in both chipset and camera department
2. Missing some popular features like stereo speakers
3. The ultra-wide camera's photos are rather soft and low in detail with limited dynamic range
4. Macro camera's photos have limited detail and colors could be punchier but sharpness is fine if you get the focus distance right
5. Low light photos from the ultra-wide cam aren't very good, they're fuzzy and lacking in detail with narrow dynamic range
6. No night mode support on the ultra wide camera
7. Selfies are taken with a 32 megapixel front facing cam but it's not as detailed as some other flagship phones
8. Videos recorded with the main cam and up to 4k resolution at 30fps, but ultra-wide cam is limited to 1080p resolution