Honor has announced the Honor 80 series of smartphones on its official website for China. Three variants of the series, Honor 80, Honor 80 Pro and Honor 80 SE are expected, sporting better cameras, display and faster charging.
Honor 80 Pro (left) and Honor 80 (right) renders. Image source: GSMArena
Better triple camera setup, 120Hz displays and MagicOS 7.0
The new series of smartphones was unveiled by Honor during two-day launch event in China, which also showcased MagicOS 7.0. Leading the pack are the vanilla Honor 80 and more premium Honor 80 Pro variants. The Honor 80 Pro comes with a 6.78-inch, 120Hz curved OLED display with 2700×1224 resolution. A highlight of the device is the 160MP main shooter, enhanced with Honor’s Image Engine software. The revamped software features upgraded AI RAW algorithms, scene optimizations, skin texture detection and even AI Vlog mode. The other modules on the back are a 50MP ultrawide and 2M depth module. The front camera is a 50MP selfie camera with secondary 2M depth module. It is powered by a Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 SoC, though it appears to be a slightly underclocked version as reported by GSMArena.
Honor 80 and 80 Pro will be available in 4 colors. Image source: GSMArena
The standard Honor 80 variant sports a slightly smaller 6.67-inch OLED display with 2400×1080 resolution with 120Hz refresh rate. It has the same 160MP main shooter and 2M depth module but with a lesser 8MP secondary module. The selfie camera is also of a lesser resolution with 32MP. It is powered by the newly announced Snapdragon 782G SoC and like the Honor 80 Pro, runs on MagicOS 7.0 based on Android 12 out of the box. Both Honor 80 and Honor 80 Pro comes with 4800 mAh batteries and with fast 66W wired charging. They will be available in four color options; Blue Wave, Pink Morning Glow, Jade Green and Bright Black. And for storage options, both devices will be available in three combinations; 8GB RAM + 256GB ROM, 12GB RAM + 256GB ROM and 12GB + 512GB ROM.
A wallet friendly variant, the Honor 80 SE
Honor 80 SE is the budget entry of Honor’s new smartphone series
Honor has also announced the Honor 80 SE as a budget entry for the series. It sports a 6.67-inch curved 120Hz OLED display with FHD+ resolution of 2400 x 1080. The main camera is a toned-down 64MP main with 5MP ultra-wide module and 2MP macro triple-camera. It will still sport a 32MP selfie camera as seen in the Honor 80. Instead of a Snapdragon SoC, it comes with a MediaTek Dimensity 900 but still runs on MagicOS 7.0 out of the box. It also packs a 4600mAh battery with 66W charging and only comes in two memory configurations; 8GB RAM + 256GB ROM and 12GB RAM + 256GB ROM. The device will also be available in four colors; Moonlight Crystal, Iceland Fantasy, Cherry Pink Coral and Bright Black.
At the moment, there is no official word on release dates and pricing for the Honor 80 series outside of China. Based on the prices on the Honor official website, TechNave has estimated the prices as follows; Honor 80 starting at RM1727, Honor 80 Pro starting at RM2237 and Honor 80 SE starting at RM1535. For more updates on availability and pricing in Malaysia, follow HONOR Official Store and HONOR Malaysia’s Facebook page
In the couple of years Samsung’s Galaxy foldables existed alongside HUAWEI’s own iteration of foldable devices, there has been plenty of interest from other manufacturers in producing similar devices. Microsoft has their Surface Duo Android smartphone, though they do not feature folding displays. OPPO launched their Find N (not in Malaysia, unfortunately). Google is even considering a foldable Pixel at more accessible price ranges. Then there is HONOR and their new Magic Vs.
Inevitably the HONOR Magic Vs is going to be compared to the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4, the current most popular foldable device out there. It is a slightly larger device offering a 7.9-inch foldable OLED display over Samsung’s 7.6-inch. In terms of resolution, it is also closer to the Galaxy Z Fold4 than the OPPO Find N at 1,984 by 2,272 pixels, which is also technically more than the Samsung. Its refresh rate is only at 90Hz though, the Samsung offers 120Hz. Still, it features HDR10+ colours and up to 800 nits of maximum brightness, which is still something.
Source: Honor
When you fold up the larger display, you can still use the device with its 6.45-inch OLED display that offers Full HD+ resolution. You get 120Hz refresh rate with this one for the smooth UI feel. It also offers up to 1200 nits in brightness, which could be useful under intense sun light.
They really are targeting the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 with this Magic Vs. Underneath the expansive display, you can find a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, the same one you find on Samsung’s latest and most powerful foldable smartphone. The system on a chip (SoC) gets paired with up to 12GB of RAM for the best Android 12 experience you can find on modern devices. You get up to 512GB in storage with the device too, just in case you need all that space to store movies, audio files, work files, and even photos.
You would want that much space for photos with the MagicOS 7.0 device. Out the back is a triple camera set up that is headlined by a 54-Megapixel shooter. Alongside that is an 8-Megapixel telephoto lens and a 50-megapixel ultrawide camera. Unlike the Galaxy Z Fold4, the HONOR foldable only features one selfie 16-Megapixel camera that is lodged in the punch hole of the external display. That also means you get all uninterrupted foldable display.
Keeping everything running an entire day is a large 5,000mAh battery. If you need a quick charge before you leave the house, the 66W HONOR SuperCharge technology can fully charge the device within 46 minutes.
Source: Honor
Source: Honor
Source: Honor
Source: Honor
Source: Honor
Source: Honor
Source: Honor
Source: Honor
The HONOR Magic Vs has launched in China and is now taking pre-orders that are expected to ship out by November 30th. It come in three colours – Orange, Cyan, and Black. There are also apparently two other colour options for their highest specced model – Black and Gold. At launch, the HONOR Magic Vs is priced from CN¥ 7,499 (US$ 1,050/MYR 4,736*) all the way to CN¥ 10,888 (US$ 1,520/MYR 6,876*). There are no confirmed dates or official pricing for the local market just yet. We are expecting HONOR to launch the device sometime soon though, if they are launching the device here at all. They also mentioned that this will be their first international foldable smartphone, which makes its local launch all the more likely. More information on the HONOR Magic Vs can be found on their website.
*Approximately based on exchange rate of CN¥ 10 = MYR 6.32 as of 24/11/2022 on xe.com
The HONOR 11.11 Mega Sale has been announced, promising discounts on popular devices and the chance to get an exclusive Touch ‘n Go gift set!
Up to 48% off devices on the HONOR 11.11 Mega Sale
HONOR MagicBook 14 laptops on big discounts for 11.11
The HONOR MagicBook 14 AMD variants will be on discount of up to RM920 during the HONOR 11.11 Mega Sale. Fans can get the 16GB RAM + 512GB storage variant for RM2379 and the 8GB RAM + 512GB storage variant for RM1909. The HONOR MagicBook 14 is a great value for money pickup with these discounts, offering good battery life and snappy performance for productivity.
Get The Elusive Touch ‘n Go NFC card with HONOR 70
Get a limited-edition Touch ‘, Go NFC card with the Honor 70 X. Image source: Lowyat.net
For those still searching for the Touch ‘n Go NFC card, here is another unique avenue to get one. The new HONOR 70 Icelandic Frost edition comes bundled with the enhanced Touch ‘n Go NFC card. For just RM1999, the HONOR 70 comes with an HONOR 70 X Touch ‘n Go Limited edition gift set. The gift set includes Touch ‘n Go RFID set, Protective casing with card holder, and HONOR Band 6 with a 1-year extended warranty.
HONOR X6 available in 4GB RAM + 64GB storage variant
HONOR has also added a new variant of the lightweight X6 with 4GB RAM and 64GB storage. Retailing at RM499, the Honor X6 weighs in at only 194g and comes with a triple rear camera. It is good value for those wanting a smartphone with portability and crisp pictures on the go.
In the past few months HONOR has been doing plenty to sort of distance itself from its previous parent company, HUAWEI. There is a good reason for that. It now means that HONOR can work with Google and get Google’s very crucial Play Store on their devices. The direct result is that their devices can really run on Google’s Android too and Qualcomm’s System on a Chip (SoC).
They have just released their latest device in Malaysia, the HONOR 70. They call this their “imaging flagship”. It is not really a flagship on paper. It only packs Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 778G+ with 5G capabilities, a mid-range processor. It also does not pack more than 8GB of RAM paired to 256GB of internal storage.
There is a reason why they call it their “imaging flagship” though. It packs a second processing chip. It is a proprietary, independent chip that handles all things imaging. They call it the HONOR Image Engine that also powers the device’s camera AI.
The image processor works with Sony’s IMX800 sensor. This is technically the first device to feature Sony’s latest large format smartphone camera sensor. It measures 1/1.49-inch in size to make it the largest smartphone imaging sensor currently fitted to a consumer grade smartphone. The sensor is a 54-Megapixel sensor, because you do not need anything more than that in a smartphone. At the same time there is a 50-Megapixel Ultra-wide/macro camera that you can work with as well. Video-wise, they also added a feature to simultaneously track and record another subject in your video at 1080p Full HD resolutions.
The display is quite fascinating too, at 1080p Full HD resolution. It refreshes at 120Hz, a flagship level hardware this. It also displays up to 10-bit colours with up to 1920Hz PWM dimming for the best looking and immersive looking display in its class.
The Magic UI 6.1 device also features flagship level battery life. It packs a large 4,800mAh battery that can last you days. If not, you can quickly charge it at 66W speeds.
The HONOR 70 is now available for pre-order at MYR 1,999. You can get your hands on one from HONOR’s authorised retailers, their own e-commerce platform, and their flagship stores on Shopee and Lazada. More information on the HONOR 70 can be found on their website.
HONOR is adding yet another affordable option to its stable of devices in Malaysia. This time the company is expanding its mid-range offerings with the HONOR X8 5G. The new smartphone comes in both 4G and 5G flavours. Both of which are running on the Qualcomm Snapdragon Mobile.
The HONOR X8 4G will be equipped with the Qualcom Snapdragon 680 processor; while the 5G version will be running on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 480+. The former is fabricated using Qualcomm’s 6nm process while the latter uses Qualcomm’s 8nm process. As we’ve seen in the past, the newer 6nm process has better battery efficiency. That said, both are Octa-core processors with the power efficient big.LITTLE architecture. Both versions are complemented with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. The HONOR X8 4G does not support microSD card memory expansion however the HONOR X8 5G does.
The camera setup on both are also slightly different. The 4G version comes with a quad camera setup with a 64-megapixel main camera. This sensor comes with phase detection autofocus (PDAF) and is complemented by a 5-megapixel ultrawide, 2-megapixel macro and a second 2-megapixel depth sensor. The HONOR X8 5G comes with a triple camera setup with a 48-megapixel main sensor complete with PDAF. The setup is complemented by two 2-megapixel sensors for depth and macro. On the front the X8 5G comes with aan 8-megapixel sensor while the 4G comes with a 16-megapixel sensor.
Source: HONOR
The 4G HONOR X8 also comes with a larger 6.7-inch FHD+ display while the 5G version has a 6.5-inch HD+ display. The 5G version comes with a TFT-LCD panel while the 4G version is equipped with a IPS-LCD panel. The latter also has a 90Hz refresh rate. No official note on the refresh rate of the 5G version is available. They also have different sized batteries with the 4G version coming with a smaller 4,000mAh battery while the 5G version has a 5,000mAh one.
Other than that the two versions share mostly the same specifications supporting A-GPS, GLONASS and GALILEO for GPS. Both support Bluetooth LE and A2DP with the 5G version supporting the more current Bluetooth 5.1. Both charge via USB Type-C port with support for 22.5W fast charging. They also feature side-mounted fingerprint sensors.
Pricing & Availability
The HONOR X8 is currently available at MYR899. It’s available in three colours: Titanium Silver, Ocean Blue and Midnight Black.
The HONOR 8X 5G is available in Midnight Black and Ocean Blue at MYR999. Purchases of the 8X 5G are also entitled to a year’s extended warranty.
HONOR is expanding its offerings once again. The company has been coming out with all the punches this year. This time, after flexing its flagship prowess with the HONOR 50 and the HONOR Magic V, HONOR is looking to the more affordable offerings they were once renown for. They are introducing three new entries into their X series with a little bit of a rename.
HONOR X9 & X9 5G Leads the new X Trio
The new HONOR X series is spearheaded by the Snapdragon 695 touting HONOR X9 5G. It comes with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. When it comes to the display it comes with a 6.81-inch FullView Display with a 120Hz refresh rate and an FHD+ resolution. The X9 5G comes with a triple camera setup with a 48-megapixel main sensor complemented by a 2-megapixel macro and 2-megapixel depth sensor. Upfront, there is a 16-megapixel sensor for selfies.
In the case of the HONOR X9, it’s important to mention the 5G moniker as the HONOR X9 also comes without 5G connectivity. The regular X9 comes with the Snapdragon 680 instead. That said, it comes with a more robust quad camera setup. The main sensor is a 64-megapixel main sensor complemented by an 8-megapixel wide sensor, 2-megapixel sensing macro sensor and 2-megapixel sensing depth sensor. The display on the X9 also has a lower refresh rate of 90Hz. Other than these, the HONOR X9 and X9 5G share the same design and specs including a 4,800mAh battery with 66W fast charging with HONOR SuperCharge and USB Type C.
The design of the HONOR X9 series hearkens back to the HUAWEI P40 with the circular accent emblazoned at the back. It also contains the multiple camera sensors and flash that the smartphone comes with. The face of the phone is covered with the HONOR FullView Display with a punch hole for the selfie camera.
HONOR X8 – Putting the Middle in Mid-range
The HONOR X series will also contain the HONOR X8 which touts the same Snapdragon 680 that powers the X9. In all ways, it’s the hybrid of the X9 and X9 5G. It comes with a slightly smaller 6.7-inch FullView display with a 90Hz refresh rate and FHD+ resolution. Aside from this, it also comes with a smaller 4,000mAh battery with support for 22.5W HONOR SuperCharge via USB-C connection.
All of these specs aside, the HONOR X8 comes with the nearly same camera setup as the HONOR X9. However, it comes with a smaller 5-megapixel wide sensor. That said, it also has a different design language which is more angular than the fluid X9. It also departs from the circular accent in favour of a square module containing all its sensors.
HONOR X7 – Bringing even more affordability
Rounding up the HONOR X series is the HONOR X7. The HONOR X7 comes with the same Snapdragon 680 as its siblings with the same amount of internal storage but a lower 4GB of RAM. It comes with a larger 6.74-inch HONOR FullView Display with an HD+ resolution and 90Hz refresh rate. On the camera front, it comes with the same setup as the X8 albeit having a smaller 8-megapixel selfie camera. It comes with a larger 5,000mAh battery with support for 22.5W HONOR SuperCharge via USB-C.
The HONOR X7 comes with the familiar design we’ve seen in the HONOR 50 before. However, it comes with a waterdrop display design where the selfie camera is. It’s also not curved like the HONOR 50.
Pricing and Availability
HONOR’s X series will be available starting on 7th April 2022. All members of the HONOR X Series will be launching with EMUI 4 powered by Android 11.
The HONOR X9, X9 5G and X8 will be available in Titanium Silver, Ocean Blue and Midnight Black. It will be available for MYR1,299, MYR1,099 and MYR899 respectively.
The HONOR X7 will be available for MYR699 in Titanium Silver and Ocean Blue.
The last we heard from HONOR, they launched the HONOR 50, their first Android smartphone since they went independent. Because they are no longer associated with HUAWEI the HONOR 50 flagship will ship with Google Play Store on its Android based Magic UI. Of course, they are not going to just stop at making smartphones. They are picking up where they left off when they were still with HUAWEI.
They have a line of notebooks that were affordable and quite desirable. They called them the MagicBook, obviously a reference to their Magic UI for smartphones. Except, the MagicBook devices are not running Android or MagicUI. Instead, the MagicBook series ran Windows 10, and they were quite popular, to say the least.
The last MagicBook is getting dated though carrying an AMD 4000 series processor. If they want to compete, they need to keep their MagicBook updated with the next best thing. They kicked off in a big way though with some of the world’s first Windows 11 notebooks.
HONOR MagicBook V 14
Source: HONOR
The MagicBook V 14 then is the latest HONOR notebook PC to grace the market and one of the first Microsoft Windows 11 notebooks in the market, and it seems promising. Instead of AMD, the flagship MagicBook V 14 runs Intel’s latest 11th Generation Core i7-11390H (up to) processor. It is an Intel EVO certified platform too, which means you are promised fast boot and long battery life while having enough power to game and edit videos. Of course, your processor is paired with an NVIDIA GeForce MX450 discreet GPU for maximum impact in the video and games department.
The 14.2-inch touch sensitive display boasts 2,520 by 1,680 pixels that covers about 90% of the body. With up to 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage, the MagicBook V 14 is a powerhouse on diet. The 14.5mm thin package weighs in only at 1.48kg. As mentioned, the MagicBook V 14 will come with Microsoft’s latest Windows 11.
HONOR MagicBook 16/16 Pro
Source: HONOR
The HONOR MagicBook V 14 is a lightweight powerhouse flagship meant to be ultra-portable and ultra-productive for the road-warrior. The HONOR MagicBook 16/16 Pro is a gaming powerhouse for the modern gamer.
With AMD’s latest Ryzen 5000 series processors, the HONOR MagicBook 16 series sets itself up to be one heck of a gaming notebook. With that in mind, HONOR fits the new notebook with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 (up to) and up to 16GB of RAM. With a speedy 512GB of SSD storage, the HONOR MagicBook 16 series will feel like magic running through Windows 11. If course, all that power can also be put to good use in video editing scenarios.
Price and Availability
The HONOR MagicBook V 14 is now available for pre-order in China at a starting price of CN¥ 6,199 (MYR 4,020*). It will be available in Blue Hour, Space Gray, and Mystic Silver colour options. The MagicBook 16 and 16 Pro is also now available for pre-order in China for CN¥ 6,499 (MYR 4,215*) onward. There are no colour options for this one though. There are no confirmed dates on when the new HONOR notebooks will make its step into other markets at this time too. We are keeping a close watch though.
*Approximately based on exchange rate of CN¥ 1 = MYR 6.49 on xe.com as of 28/09/2021
HONOR is a brand most well-known for being the affordable arm of HUAWEI. However, that changed over a year ago when the company was spun off to be an independent company challenging what was once its parent company. This year, the company has already launched one flagship as an independent company – the Honor 50 series. HONOR is once again expanding its portfolio with a brand new smartphone.
Better Image and Video with IMAX Enhanced Cameras
Source: HONOR Global (YouTube)
The HONOR Magic3 series will consist of three smartphones (for now): the HONOR Magic3, the HONOR Magic3 Pro and the HONOR Magic3 Pro+. These smartphones are the first smartphones on the market to have IMAX enhancements when it comes to imaging. They have capabilities for shooting in exclusive 3D LUT colour grading profiles as well as video recording in LOG format.
Of course, given the hallmark partnership with IMAX, the HONOR Magic3 does have a focus on the camera that powers these features. The HONOR Magic3 comes with a triple camera setup. Its main sensor is a 50-megapixel, SONY IMX 766 sensor with 23mm focal length and an f/1.9 aperture and a wide-angle lens. This is complemented by a 64-megapixel monochrome sensor with an f/1.8 aperture and a 13-megapixel sensor with an ultra-wide-angle lens, 13mm focal length and an f/2.2 aperture. It also has a laser autofocus module. The HONOR Magic3 Pro comes with a four-sensor camera setup. It shares the same setup as the Magic3 with a complement of an additional telephoto sensor with a 64-megapixel periscope sensor with OIS and 3.5x optical zoom and an 8×8 dTOF sensor. The Magic3 Pro+ comes with the same setup as the Magic3 Pro with the 13-megapixel ultra-wide sensor replaced with a 64-megapixel ultra-wide sensor.
Source: HONOR Global (YouTube)
With the partnership with IMAX, the HONOR Magic3 series is said to be one of the factors behind the increased image quality. It allows even more flexibility when it comes to post-processing thanks to the 3D LUT profile and LOG format video. The cameras come with eight AI film effects with preset LUT profiles. These profiles allow users to edit and colour grade more easily allowing for better colour accuracy and better image quality. This is enhanced further by the enhanced colour precision of the 8 colour channels of the sensor and its integrated Smart AWB algorithm.
On the front, is a dual-sensor camera setup. This is nestled in the 3D display in a pill-shaped cutout. The 13-megapixel sensor is complemented by a 3D ToF depth sensor. The camera setup doesn’t just take selfies, it is also used in the phone’s more secure implementation of the face unlock feature.
A Powerpacked Flagship
The two smartphones are running on Qualcomm’s latest and greatest: the Snapdragon 888+. The new processor is a supped up Snapdragon 888 which promises even better performance while sipping on battery power. This is complemented with 12GB of RAM and 512GB of onboard memory. Both phones also run on a 4,6000mAh battery capable of 66W fast wired charging and 50W wireless charging.
Source: HONOR Global (YouTube)
On the display side of things, both of the HONOR Magic3 smartphones come with a 6.76-inch OLED display with Full HD+ resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. The display is also curved and folds over the sides. The Pro+ comes with a higher resolution QHD+ resolution screen. The Magic3 comes with IP54 certification while the Pro comes with IP68. Both will be running Magic UI powered by Android 11.
Pricing & Availability
The HONOR Magic3 series will be available in two finishes. The first is finished with synthetic leather while the next comes with a more conventional glass back. The former is available in Golden Hour and Blur Hour colours while the latter is available in Black and White.
Source: HONOR Global (YouTube)
The HONOR Magic3 is priced at €899 (MYR4,462.72*) while the HONOR Magic3 Pro comes in at €1,099 (MYR5,455.85*).
The HONOR Magic3 Pro+ will come in Ceramic Black and Ceramic White. It will be priced at €1,499 (MYR7,441.18*).
The Magic3 series will be released in China first with plans for a global rollout to be announced later on.
*Conversion rate taken from XE.com at 9.49 pm on 12 August 2021. EUR€1 = MYR4.64.
The Honor namesake has been tied to HUAWEI for the longest time. That should not be a surprise though, Honor started out life as HUAWEI’s sister brand. For the longest time as well, they have lived under the shadows of the giant that is HUAWEI. When HUAWEI’s trade band with U.S. companies fell Honor, as a part of HUAWEI, was heavily impacted as well.
There is some light at the end of the tunnel though. Honor is no longer part of HUAWEI group as of 2021. In 2021 also, Honor confirms that their devices will run on Android with Google Play in tow.
A few weeks after they mentioned that they launched their first ever smartphone for 2021. They launched their new Honor 50 series smartphones. Instead of just one smartphone then, they released three – the Honor 50 SE, Honor 50, and Honor 50 Pro.
HONOR 50 SE
Source: GSM Arena
The HONOR 50 SE was not technically highlighted too much in the launch. It is still a part of the HONOR 50 family, however. It is the most budget friendly of the bunch, but also a little different.
Instead of the usual Qualcomm Snapdragon System on A Chip (SoC) that you expect from the new HONOR line-up, you get a MediaTek Dimensity 900 SoC. Admit it, for a moment you were expecting the name HiSilicon to come up. Despite being made to fit smaller budgets, the Dimensity 900 chip is still no slouch with 5G connectivity. The octa-core SoC can clock at up to 2.4Ghz when you need the power for MagicUI 4.2 on Android 11 and its apps.
Because the Dimensity 900 can support UFS 2.1 memory, you get exactly that in 128GB flavour for storage on the Honor 50 SE. There is also 8GB in RAM to pair with the device. All of these are given life by the 4,000 mAh battery that should last you all day. If you run out of juice, 66W fast charging should have you covered.
The brand, like HUAWEI, has always been watched for its camera technology though. Out the back is a 108-Megapixel main camera alongside two more supporting cameras. One is an 8-Megapixel ultrawide sensor and the other is a 2-Megapixel macro sensor. Out the front you will find a single 16-Megapixel shooter perched in the middle of the forehead of the 6.78-inch 120Hz Full HD+ LCD display.
HONOR 50
HONOR 50
The main stars of the show are naturally the vanilla variant and the overkill Pro variant of the HONOR 50. The two devices should also be the most popular devices in its range in terms of sales. At the same time, if you have seen the HONOR 50 SE, it is quite difficult to tell the devices apart if you do not pay attention. That is to say that they sport nearly similar designs, apart from camera placements and size.
The HONOR 50 is fronted by 6.57-inch Full HD+ display with 120Hz in refresh rate to give you a consistently smooth UI experience. For that snappy feel too, the panel supports 300Hz sampling rate for an almost immediate response from every single touch. Of course, these speeds do contribute to great gaming experience on the device too.
The HONOR 50 shares the same rear camera array and platform as the more premium and powerful HONOR 50 Pro. It does not share the selfie camera though. The HONOR 50 only has a single lens 32-Megapixel camera parked in a hole at the top of the display.
Like its more premium brother, the Honor 50’s MagicUI 4.2 on Android 11 is powered by a new Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G SoC with 5G capabilities. It is supposedly less powerful than the outgoing Snapdragon 780G platform, but not by much. You get up to 8GB of RAM to go alongside up to 256GB of storage. Everything runs of the 4,300mAh battery that can fast-charge at 66W.
HONOR 50 Pro
Source: GSM Arena
The HONOR 50 Pro, as its name suggest, is the most premium device of the HONOR 50 range. It may not pack more power than the HONOR 50 with the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G 5G SoC in tow. It does have more RAM with up to 12GB in RAM size alongside up to 256GB in storage.
It does not have the best rear camera set up too, the same as HONOR 50, as we mentioned. There is the 108-Megapixel main shooter. The 108-Megapixel shooter is supported by three other cameras that are parked in the other halo of cameras and flash collection. You get one 8-Megapixel ultrawide shooter, a 2-Megapixel Macro shooter, and another 2-Megapixel depth sensor out the back. Out the front though is a dual-lens combination of a 32-Megapixel sensor and a 12-Megapixel wide-angle lens. As expected from HONOR as well, the HONOR 50 Pro and HONOR 50 camera app comes with a bunch of multi-camera modes and all kinds of enhancements including Super Night Mode that is also available to the front camera.
It has the largest and best display among the three in the series too. The HONOR 50 Pro also has a 120Hz refresh rate display at Full HD+ resolution. The display expands to 6.72-inch though, instead of the 6.57-inch of the regular device. The display also boasts DCI-P3 100% colour gamut for the best and most accurate colour reproduction you can find on a smartphone display. Alongside 300Hz sampling rate, MagicUI 4.2 on Android 11 looks better than ever.
The only thing that is less in the HONOR 50 Pro compared to the vanilla HONOR 50 though is its battery. At 4,000mAh, you are not going to complain that it is too small, because it is still a significant size. Instead of 66W though, it charges even faster at 100W allowing the device to charge from flat to 100% in less than an hour, theoretically.
Price and Availability
The HONOR 50 series are coming to Malaysia, as confirmed by HONOR. Currently though, there are no confirmation on when that is going to happen just yet. We can also confirm that the HONOR 50 and HONOR 50 Pro will be part of the HONO 50 family that is available in Malaysia – no word on HONOR 50 SE’s availability.
The devices are already available for pre-order in China. The HONOR 50 series will be available in 4 colour options; you get to choose from Frost Crystal (special finish), Amber Red, Emerald Green, and Midnight Black colour options. The HONOR 50 and HONOR 50 Pro are selling for CN¥ 2,699 (MYR 1,736*) and CN¥ 3,699 (MYR 2,380*) respectively, while the HONOR 50 SE will be available for CN¥ 2,399 (MYR 1,543*). More information on the HONOR 50 series can be found on their website.
*Approximately based on exchange rate of CN¥ 10 = MYR 6.43 on xe.com as of 17/06/2021
It’s been quite a journey for Honor in its recent emancipation from Huawei. However, it looks like the emancipation is coming with significant benefits. If you need a little refresher, Honor started off as a subsidiary brand of Huawei to address the growing Millennial and Gen-Z segment who were looking for affordable, power-packed devices. Honor had a big European debut with one of their first ambassadors being Brooklyn Beckham, son of Football Star, David Beckham and Spice Girl, Victoria Beckham. However, with the sanctions from the U.S. on Huawei, the brand began to ship their devices without Google Play Services and with Huawei’s AppGallery.
Earlier this year, the brand was spun off into its own company and it looks like that has been a boon to it. In a tweet from the Official Honor Germany account the brand confirmed that their latest flagship, the Honor 50 will be coming with Google Play Services. (The tweets have since been deleted.) This is a big win for the brand as we’re beginning to see Huawei slip from the top of the list of smartphone vendors. Most recently, the company noted a 41% year on year decline in smartphone shipments.
Source: Android Authority
Source: Android Authority
That said, with the sale of Honor to a Chinese consortium of companies, Honor is seeing positive momentum. In fact, the company has confirmed that their upcoming Honor 50 will be coming with the recently announced, Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G. The partnership wasn’t possible under Huawei due to the U.S. sanctions. In addition to this, the company has also revealed that an upcoming Honor Magic device will be coming with the “most premium Qualcomm chipset”. The current SoC which fits that description is the Snapdragon 888 unless Qualcomm has another chipset up its sleeves.
The last Honor Magic device was released way back in 2018. The line up is being reintroduced as part of the new portfolio. Previously, the Magic line up was Honor’s most premium line up with power-packed specifications and top of the line features. It looks like that isn’t changing with the company touting the upcoming device as a “premium flagship product featuring superb imaging quality”.
