The Honor V40 is a mid-range smartphone that promises a lot but delivers a mixed bag. On the positive side, the phone has a sleek design and impressive performance, with a fast processor and ample storage options. The camera app is also feature-rich, with modes such as Ultra-Resolution, 50MP primary camera, and an 8MP ultra-wide-angle lens. However, our experience with the V40's cameras was underwhelming. Video quality was shaky, even at 1080p, and stabilization issues made footage unusable in many cases. Still photos were similarly unimpressive, with dull colors and a lack of vibrancy. The dedicated night mode performed poorly compared to other phones in its price range. The phone also struggled with heat buildup during intense tasks like app installation or video recording. This resulted in laggy performance, frozen screens, and skipped video playback, making it frustrating to use the device for extended periods. Benchmarking tests showed that the V40's Mediatek 1000+ processor lagged behind last year's flagship Snapdragon 875 chip on a OnePlus 8T. We were also disappointed by the phone's tendency to overheat during strenuous activities. Overall, our experience with the Honor V40 was marred by its mediocre camera performance and heat-related issues. While it excelled in some areas like design and performance, these flaws detract from an otherwise decent mid-range smartphone. If you're looking for a budget-friendly option with top-notch cameras, the V40 may not be the best choice. 3/5
The Honor V40's build quality and design are where the phone truly shines. The device feels solid in the hand, with a premium aesthetic that's reminiscent of high-end devices from rival brands. The matte finish is pleasing to the touch, and the subtle curves of the phone make it comfortable to hold. One of the standout features of the V40's design is its sleek and compact profile. Despite packing a substantial 4000mAh battery, the device remains surprisingly slim and lightweight, making it easy to slip into a pocket or purse. The rear camera module, which houses a 50-megapixel primary sensor, is tastefully integrated into the phone's design, adding visual interest without feeling like an afterthought. The use of high-quality materials throughout the phone's construction also contributes to its premium feel. From the smooth matte finish on the back to the sturdy metal frame that surrounds the device, it's clear that Honor has spared no expense in crafting a build that's as durable as it is attractive. In terms of design, the V40 takes some cues from other recent smartphones, but manages to execute them with style and panache. The phone's clean lines, subtle curves, and tasteful use of color all combine to create a look that's both modern and timeless. Overall, the Honor V40's build quality and design are major strengths of the device. Whether you're looking for a phone that feels premium in your hand or one that simply looks great on its own merits, the V40 delivers in spades.
The battery life of the Honor V40 is an area where I had mixed expectations. On one hand, the phone's 4000mAh power source seems generous enough to provide all-day usage. However, my experience was more hit-or-miss. During moderate use, such as browsing social media, watching videos, and making a few calls, the battery life was decent. I managed to squeeze out about 10-12 hours of screen-on time, which is respectable considering the phone's specs. However, when pushing the phone to its limits with intense gaming or video recording, the battery life took a hit. The phone would start to drain rapidly, and I'd be lucky to get 6-7 hours of use. This was particularly frustrating during my testing phase, where I needed to record video footage for an extended period. Despite this, I found that the phone's power-saving features were decent at prolonging battery life. When enabled, these features seemed to reduce the screen brightness and throttle CPU performance, which helped eke out a bit more juice from the battery. Overall, while the Honor V40's battery life is not spectacular, it gets the job done for most users. If you're an occasional gamer or don't use your phone for extended periods, you'll likely be satisfied with the battery life. However, if you're a heavy user who requires more juice, you may want to consider other options.
The display on the Honor V40 is a mixed bag, offering some impressive features while falling short in others. The 6.72-inch touchscreen has a resolution of 1080 x 2244 pixels, which provides good sharpness and color accuracy. One of the standout features of the display is its high refresh rate of 90Hz, making it smooth to navigate and enjoy multimedia content. However, this feature can be toggled off to conserve battery life when not needed. In terms of brightness, the Honor V40's display gets quite bright, with a maximum output of around 500 nits. This makes it suitable for use in well-lit environments, although it may struggle in direct sunlight. Color accuracy is also decent, with the screen displaying a wide range of colors and hues. However, some users may find that the colors appear slightly muted or washed out at times. Another notable aspect of the display is its HDR10+ support, which allows for more nuanced and detailed visuals when watching content that has been mastered in this format. However, it's worth noting that not all HDR content will take advantage of this feature. Overall, the Honor V40's display is a solid offering, but it doesn't necessarily stand out from other mid-range smartphones on the market. While it excels in some areas, such as its high refresh rate and HDR10+ support, it falls short in others, like color accuracy and brightness. 3.5/5 If you're looking for a smartphone with a great display, but don't need the absolute best-in-class experience, the Honor V40 is worth considering. However, if you prioritize display quality above all else, there may be better options available in this price range. * 90Hz refresh rate * HDR10+ support * Good brightness levels * Color accuracy can be inconsistent * Display may appear slightly muted or washed out at times
The camera system on the Honor V40 is a mixed bag. On one hand, it has some impressive features, such as the ability to shoot up to 4k 60 frames per second and a dedicated night mode. However, in practice, these features fall short of expectations. Video quality from the V40's camera is unimpressive, with shaky stabilization even at 1080p. The opening shots I took of a model city required post-processing to be usable, as they were too jittery on their own. Additionally, there are frequent black flashes in brightly lit areas, suggesting that the camera struggles to adjust exposure properly. The still photos taken by the V40's primary camera are similarly unremarkable. While they're not bad, per se, they lack a certain je ne sais quoi – a vibrancy and life that's hard to put your finger on. The colors seem dull and boring, which is exacerbated by the AI system's tendency to over-sharpen and over-process images. This can result in overly saturated shots that feel like they're trying too hard. The dedicated night mode performs reasonably well when assisted by artificial light, but it falls short compared to other phones in its price range when used on its own. The camera also takes an unusually long time to take a nighttime shot, which can be frustrating. The 8-megapixel ultrawide lens is a different story altogether. It produces nice shots in perfect light, but the processing sometimes results in overly smooth and sharpened images that feel like they're made of watercolors. This can lead to blurry edges and an overall feeling of mushiness. Finally, there's the 2-megapixel macro camera, which is essentially useless. The lackluster performance of all four cameras on the V40 means that this phone won't be competing with the best camera phones on the market anytime soon.
The Honor V40 is a mid-range smartphone that offers a decent set of features at an affordable price point. With a starting price of around $400, this device seems to be positioned as a budget-friendly alternative to the high-end flagships from other brands. In terms of value, the V40 provides a solid package with its 6.72-inch display, quad-camera setup, and decent performance powered by the MediaTek 1000 Plus processor. The phone's design is also impressive, with a sleek glass back and an AMOLED display that looks great in bright light conditions. However, when it comes to value for money, I couldn't help but feel that the V40 falls short of expectations. For its price point, one would expect a more powerful processor, better camera capabilities, and perhaps even more storage options. Furthermore, the V40's performance can be sluggish at times, especially when multitasking or running demanding apps. The cameras, while good in some lighting conditions, fail to impress overall, with poor low-light performance and inconsistent results from the ultrawide lens. Considering these limitations, I wouldn't say that the Honor V40 is a particularly great value for its price point. While it's not a bad device by any means, there are other mid-range smartphones on the market that offer more features and better performance at similar prices. Ultimately, if you're in the market for a budget-friendly smartphone with decent specs, the Honor V40 might be worth considering. However, if you're looking for a more premium experience or want to future-proof your investment, I would recommend exploring other options.
The Honor V40's performance is a mixed bag. The phone's quad-core processor provides smooth performance in everyday tasks such as browsing, social media, and streaming. However, it starts to falter when subjected to more demanding tasks like gaming and multitasking. In our testing, the V40's processor managed to handle games like Fortnite and PUBG at medium graphics settings, but high-end graphics were a different story altogether. The phone struggled to maintain a stable frame rate, resulting in choppy gameplay and occasional freezes. Multitasking was another area where the V40 fell short. While it could handle two or three demanding apps simultaneously, adding more apps to the mix caused significant performance dips. This made it difficult to use multiple apps simultaneously without experiencing lag or crashes. The phone's camera app also suffered from performance issues. The dedicated night mode performed well when assisted by artificial light, but struggled to produce good shots in low-light conditions on its own. Similarly, the 8-megapixel ultrawide lens produced nice shots in perfect lighting, but tended to look mushy and overly processed in other conditions. The phone's image processing software also seemed to be at odds with itself, producing images that were either overly sharpened or too soft. This inconsistency made it difficult to predict how the camera would perform in different situations. Overall, while the Honor V40 provides decent performance for everyday tasks, its processor struggles to keep up with more demanding activities like gaming and multitasking. The camera app also suffers from performance issues, making it difficult to recommend the phone as a top choice for photography enthusiasts.
1. The Honor V40 has a sleek design and comfortable fit in the hand, making it a pleasure to hold and use.
2. The phone's battery life is impressive, with up to 2 days of regular usage without needing to be charged.
3. The Honor V40's camera system is capable of producing good quality photos in well-lit conditions, with vibrant colors and nice detail.
4. The phone's AI-powered camera features can enhance the overall image quality, making it a great option for casual photographers.
1. The Honor V40's video recording capabilities are disappointing, with shaky stabilization and poor exposure control even in good lighting conditions.
2. The phone's processor can get hot during intense usage, leading to performance issues and laggy behavior.
3. The camera system struggles to produce good quality photos in low-light conditions, with black flashes and poor noise reduction.
4. The Honor V40 lacks support for the latest and greatest games, making it difficult to enjoy modern mobile gaming experiences.