Honor is making a strong comeback in the fiercely competitive Indian smartphone market with its latest release, the Honor 90 5G. This Honor 90 5G review is part of Honor’s high-end midrange lineup, following in the footsteps of its predecessor, the Honor 70.
From the first moment you lay eyes on the Honor 90 5G, its design makes a striking impression. The phone is sleek and lightweight, weighing just about 183 grams. Its elegant quad-curved design and two prominent circular camera rings give it a sophisticated look. We’ll assess its durability in detail later in this review, but at first glance, the Honor 90 5G exudes a premium feel. The vibrant, high-contrast AMOLED display is another standout feature, and with a 200MP camera onboard, there’s plenty to cover in this detailed Honor 90 5G review.
Display
The Honor 90 5G boasts one of the best displays in its category. It features a 6.7-inch quad-curved AMOLED screen with a resolution of 1200 x 2664 pixels and a pixel density of 435 ppi. The display supports an adaptive refresh rate of 120Hz and a peak brightness of 1600 nits, along with HDR10+ content. On paper, these specs are impressive for a mid-range phone, but in real-world use, the display exceeds expectations. It performs exceptionally well in bright sunlight, even at less than maximum brightness, and is comfortable to use in low-light conditions.
The Honor 90 5G also features ultra-thin bezels, providing an immersive viewing experience, interrupted only by the hole-punch camera. Honor has prioritized eye comfort with 3840 Hz PWM dimming, reducing flicker and minimizing eye strain. This, combined with automatic dimming with 400-grade adjustment, makes it easy on the eyes during extended use.
Sound
The audio experience on the Honor 90 5G is less impressive compared to its display. It features a single down-firing speaker, which is easy to muffle accidentally. While the audio remains clear at high volumes, it lacks the immersive quality provided by stereo speakers. For a better audio experience, using headphones is recommended.
Camera
The Honor 90 5G is equipped with a 200MP main camera, a 50MP selfie camera, a 12MP ultrawide lens, and a 2MP depth sensor. High megapixel counts don’t always equate to better photos, as they can affect light capture. However, the Honor 90 5G delivers solid image quality with good detail, especially in outdoor settings. The ultrawide camera maintains color accuracy and supports autofocus for decent macro shots. Portraits are well-balanced, with a good mix of background blur and subject detail.
The camera app provides a 2x zoom toggle, with sharp results up to 5x zoom in daylight. Full 200MP resolution photos offer more detail for cropping, though capturing these takes a bit longer and may impact dynamic range. The lack of Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) can make focusing on moving objects challenging, so a steady hand is necessary.
Selfies can be hit or miss, with occasional smoothing and color correction. However, the phone allows you to disable beauty mode and offers convincing digital depth blur effects. For video, both the main and selfie cameras support 4K 30FPS recording, with Electronic Image Stabilization (EIS) ensuring stable footage. The AI recommendation system and AI instant movie feature provide useful tools for vlogging, including AI noise reduction for clearer audio.
Performance
The Honor 90 5G is powered by the Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 “Accelerated Edition” running at 2.5GHz, paired with 12GB of LPDDR5X RAM and 512GB of UFS 4.0 storage. Everyday performance is smooth, with no noticeable lags, stutters, or overheating. While not the best gaming phone in its price range, it handles normal usage well. It runs on MagicOS 7.1, based on Android 13, with Honor promising two software updates and three years of security patches.
Design
The Honor 90 5G stands out with its sleek design, comparable in size to the iPhone 14 Pro Max but slimmer at 7.8mm thickness. Honor’s CEO even demonstrated the phone’s durability by cracking walnuts with the screen. However, it lacks Gorilla Glass and water resistance, making a protective case a wise investment. The under-display fingerprint sensor is positioned near the bottom edge, which can make one-handed unlocking tricky, but it is fast and accurate.
Battery
The Honor 90 5G comes with a 5,000 mAh battery that supports 66W fast charging. While not the largest battery available, it provides more than 14 hours of typical use. However, it discharges quickly when the battery level is low.
Price
The Honor 90 5G is positioned competitively in the high-end midrange category. As of now, the prices for the different variants of the Honor 90 5G are as follows:
- Honor 90 5G (12GB RAM + 256GB Storage):
- Approximately ₹30,000 in India
- Approximately $399 in the US
- Honor 90 5G (12GB RAM + 512GB Storage):
- Approximately ₹35,000 in India
- Approximately $449 in the US
These prices may vary slightly based on the retailer and ongoing promotions or discounts. It’s always a good idea to check with local retailers or online stores for the most current pricing and availability.
Verdict
The Honor 90 5G offers a stunning display, a high-resolution main camera, and ample storage, all wrapped in a sleek design. It performs well in everyday tasks but may not be ideal for serious gamers or those prone to dropping their phones. While Honor’s return to the Indian market may not be groundbreaking, the Honor 90 5G is worth considering for its impressive display and camera capabilities.
Pros:
- Stunning Display: The Honor 90 5G features a 6.7-inch quad-curved AMOLED screen with a resolution of 1200 x 2664 pixels, 120Hz adaptive refresh rate, and HDR10+ support, providing an excellent visual experience.
- Impressive Camera Performance: Equipped with a 200MP main camera, 50MP selfie camera, and additional ultrawide and depth sensors, the Honor 90 5G captures detailed and vibrant photos.
- Smooth Performance: Powered by the Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 “Accelerated Edition” and 12GB of RAM, the phone delivers a fluid user experience without lags or stutters.
- Decent Battery Life: The 5,000 mAh battery supports 66W fast charging and lasts more than 14 hours under typical use.
- Elegant Design: The phone is sleek and lightweight, with a stylish quad-curved design and ultra-thin bezels.
Cons:
- Single Speaker: The device has only one down-firing speaker, which can be easily muffled and does not provide a robust audio experience.
- Lacks OIS: The absence of Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) can make it difficult to capture stable photos and videos, especially in motion.
- Fragility: Without a protective cover, the Honor 90 5G is prone to damage, as it lacks Gorilla Glass and water resistance.
Image Credits :The images used in this review are sourced from the official HONOR Website https://www.honor.com/in/ All rights reserved to their respective owners.
FAQs
How durable is the Honor 90 5G?
Despite its sleek design, the Honor 90 5G is surprisingly durable. CEO Madhav Sheth even demonstrated cracking open walnuts with its screen! But for everyday protection, a good case is recommended.
Can I expect smooth performance from the Honor 90 5G during multitasking?
Definitely! Powered by the Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 “Accelerated Edition” and 12GB of RAM, the Honor 90 5G handles multitasking with ease, ensuring a smooth and lag-free experience.
Can the Honor 90 5G’s camera really shoot in 200MP?
Absolutely! The Honor 90 5G features a groundbreaking 200MP main camera that captures ultra-detailed photos, perfect for zooming in and cropping without losing clarity.
Do checkout review of Huawei Nova 12 SE : https://reviewandratings.com/huawei-nova-12-se-review/