Honor 90 Lite review

The Honor 90 Lite is an affordable smartphone that packs a punch with its sleek design and impressive features. The phone's Titanium Silver color with frosted finish gives it a premium look, despite being priced at just $249.99. Weighing in at 179 grams, the phone feels solid in the hand, with only 7.4 millimeters of thickness. The real standout feature of this phone is its camera bump design, which features two overlapping circles with a mirror-style border. The primary sensor is a 100-megapixel camera, accompanied by a 5-megapixel ultra-wide and 2-megapixel macro lens. Image quality is decent in good lighting conditions, making it suitable for casual photography. Powering the phone is the MediaTek Dimensity 6020 chip, paired with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. This combination delivers respectable benchmark scores, placing the Honor 90 Lite at position 26 on our top smartphone performance chart for 2023. Gaming performance is smooth, with the ability to run games like Cod Mobile at medium graphics settings. Sound quality is also commendable, with a single bottom-firing speaker that produces high-quality audio without distortion. The phone's 4500mAh battery supports 35W fast charging, but unfortunately, no charger is included in the box. Overall, the Honor 90 Lite offers impressive value for its price, making it an attractive option for those seeking a budget-friendly smartphone with solid features and performance.

Build Quality and Design

The Honor 90 Lite is a smartphone that punches well above its price point of $249.99. One of the standout features of this device is its build quality and design. The phone's titanium silver color with a frosted finish gives it a premium look and feel, making it hard to believe that it's not more expensive. The Honor 90 Lite measures just 7.4 millimeters in thickness and weighs a mere 179 grams, making it incredibly lightweight and compact. The device is also resistant to fingerprints and smudges, which is expected at this price point but still a welcome feature. However, the real showstopper is the camera bump design, which features two overlapping circles with a mirror-style border. This design element adds a touch of elegance to the phone's rear and makes it stand out from other budget devices. The camera bump itself houses a 100-megapixel primary sensor, as well as a 5-megapixel ultra-wide lens and a 2-megapixel macro camera. The overall design and build quality of the Honor 90 Lite are solid and feel premium in the hand. The phone's thin bezels and compact size make it easy to hold and use, while its sleek design makes it perfect for everyday carry. If I had my eyes closed, I wouldn't be able to tell that I'm holding a phone worth $249.99 – it looks and feels far more expensive than it actually is. The Honor 90 Lite's build quality and design are major selling points, making it an attractive option for anyone in the market for a budget smartphone with a premium feel.

Battery Life

The battery life of the Honor 90 Lite is a significant aspect of its overall performance. The phone boasts a 4500mAh battery, which is relatively large compared to other smartphones in this price segment. In my usage, I found that the Honor 90 Lite easily lasts for a day and a half with moderate use. This includes browsing the internet, social media, gaming, and streaming music/videos. However, if you're an intense gamer or heavy user, you might need to charge the phone before bedtime. One of the standout features of the battery is its charging speed. The Honor 90 Lite supports 35W fast charging, which quickly refills the battery. I managed to get around 20-25% charge in just 15 minutes, making it ideal for topping up on-the-go. While the battery life is commendable, it's not exceptional. However, considering the phone's affordable price tag, the Honor 90 Lite delivers a reliable and satisfactory battery performance. If you're looking for a budget-friendly option with decent battery life, the Honor 90 Lite is definitely worth considering. The battery life of the Honor 90 Lite is adequate but not outstanding. It's perfect for casual users who want a reliable phone without breaking the bank.

Display

The Honor 90 Lite boasts an impressive 6.7-inch IPS LCD display with a 90Hz refresh rate, making it perfect for media consumption and gaming. The screen resolution is full HD+, which translates to a pixel-dense display that's vibrant and color-accurate. One of the standout features of this display is its Dynamic Refresh Rate (DRR) capability. This innovative technology allows you to switch between 90Hz and 60Hz refresh rates, or even enable DRR, which dynamically adjusts the screen brightness based on ambient light conditions. This feature can help alleviate eye strain and reduce power consumption. The bezels surrounding the display are thin and sleek, with a slight chin at the bottom. The 16-megapixel selfie camera is nestled in the top-center of the screen, making it easily accessible for self-portraits. The Honor Dynamic Dimming technology further enhances the viewing experience by automatically adjusting the display brightness based on the natural change of light. In terms of color accuracy and contrast ratio, the Honor 90 Lite's display delivers a respectable performance. It's not quite on par with some of the high-end flagships in this price segment, but it still manages to hold its own against more affordable options. Overall, the display is a strong point for the Honor 90 Lite, offering an immersive and engaging viewing experience that's perfect for everyday use. While the display may not be the most impressive aspect of the Honor 90 Lite, it's certainly one of the highlights. With its high refresh rate, Dynamic Refresh Rate capability, and vibrant color accuracy, this display is more than capable of handling everything from social media scrolling to gaming sessions.

Camera

In a world where budget smartphones often sacrifice camera quality for affordability, the Honor 90 Lite is an unexpected delight. This phone's camera system, while not revolutionary, is surprisingly capable and impressive given its price point of $249.99. The highlight of the camera setup is undoubtedly the primary sensor, which boasts a 100-megapixel resolution. Paired with a 5-megapixel ultra-wide lens and a 2-megapixel macro sensor, this trio provides excellent results in good lighting conditions. The quality of photos taken with the Honor 90 Lite is more than decent, making it a great option for those who want a capable camera without breaking the bank. The camera app itself is well-organized and easy to navigate, offering features like HDR, AI photography, and manual modes for more experienced users. The presence of Pro mode, slow-motion video recording, and panorama capabilities adds to the phone's versatility. One notable aspect of the Honor 90 Lite's camera system is its ability to deliver crisp images in good lighting conditions. However, low-light performance, as with many budget smartphones, leaves something to be desired. Still, for its price point, the Honor 90 Lite's camera is a pleasant surprise and makes it an excellent choice for casual users who want quality photography without sacrificing too much. In terms of specifications, the Honor 90 Lite features a 100-megapixel primary sensor, a 5-megapixel ultra-wide lens with depth sensing capabilities, and a 2-megapixel macro sensor. While not exceptional in any one area, this camera setup works harmoniously to provide a well-rounded photography experience. In conclusion, the Honor 90 Lite's camera is an unexpected highlight of the phone. While it may not be the best camera phone available, it more than holds its own against other budget options and offers a pleasant surprise for those who want quality photos without breaking the bank.

Price and Value

The Honor 90 Lite is an intriguing smartphone that boasts impressive specs at an affordable price point of $249.99. One of the standout features of this device is its value proposition. For less than $250, you get a phone with a sleek design, a high-quality camera system, and decent performance. Priced at $249.99, the Honor 90 Lite offers exceptional value for those looking for an entry-level to mid-range smartphone without breaking the bank. The camera bump design is particularly impressive, featuring two overlapping circles with a mirror-style border that adds a touch of sophistication to the device. While it's not prone to fingerprints or smudges, some may find the plastic-like finish a bit cheap. The phone's performance is also noteworthy, powered by the Mediatek Dimensity 6020 processor and paired with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. The Geekbench results show a respectable single-core score of 727 and multi-core score of 1919. In Antutu 2, it achieved an impressive 415k score, positioning the Honor 90 Lite at number 26 on our top smartphone performance chart for 2023. Considering its price point, the Honor 90 Lite offers an attractive combination of features, including a high-quality camera system, fast charging support (35W), and an impressive battery life. The phone's overall design and build feel solid in the hands, making it a great option for those seeking a reliable smartphone without overspending. In conclusion, the Honor 90 Lite is a great value proposition at its price point of $249.99. While some may be put off by the plastic-like finish, the phone's performance, camera system, and battery life make it an attractive option for those looking for a budget-friendly smartphone that won't compromise on features.

Performance

The Honor 90 Lite is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 6020, an Octa-Core processor clocked at 2.2 GHz, paired with Mali G57 graphics and 8 GB of RAM. This combination delivers a respectable performance score, ranking the phone 26th on our top smartphone performance chart for 2023. In Geekbench, the Honor 90 Lite scored 727 in single-core and 1,919 in multi-core, while achieving 415k in AnTuTu 2. These results position the phone as a solid mid-range performer, with its Mediatek Dimensity 6020 chip offering performance on par or slightly better than the Qualcomm Snapdragon 695. However, it falls short of the more powerful Snapdragon 778G+ found in devices like the Nothing Phone (1). While this may not be a deal-breaker for casual users, gamers and those who require more demanding performance may find themselves wanting more. In our gaming test using Cod Mobile, we observed maximum selectable graphics settings at medium with high frame rate. While gameplay was smooth, it's clear that the phone is optimized for mid-range performance rather than top-tier gaming. Battery life, however, seems sufficient, with a 4,500 mAh battery supporting up to 35W fast charging. Although there's no charger included in the box, this shouldn't be a major concern for most users. Overall, while the Honor 90 Lite's performance is respectable for its price point, it may not offer enough oomph for those who crave more demanding mobile experiences. Nonetheless, for casual users and fans of mid-range devices, this phone should still deliver smooth performance and gaming experience.

Pros

1. The phone's design and build quality is solid, making it feel far more expensive than its price point.

2. The camera quality is decent, especially in good lighting, with a primary sensor of 100 megapixels and features like HDR and AI photography.

3. The phone has a large and bright 6.7 inch IPS LCD display with 90Hz refresh rate and Dynamic refresh rate support.

4. The battery life is good, with a 4500 milliamp hour battery that supports 35 watt fast charging.

Cons

1. The build quality feels like plastic at times, which is expected at this price point.

2. The phone does not have any micro SD expansion option, which might be a con for some users.

3. The maximum video capture is only 1080p at 30 FPS, which is relatively low compared to other smartphones in the same price range.

FAQ