The Honor 90, a mid-range smartphone, boasts an impressive design and excellent battery life but falls short in some aspects, making it not an immediate recommendation. While it excels in aesthetics and is comfortable for extended use, it faces stiff competition, particularly in terms of pricing, competing directly with Google’s Pixel 7a and OnePlus’ 11R.
The device impresses with its slim profile and lightweight build, thanks to a high-density silicon carbon battery and thinner components, though it sports a plastic backplate. The in-display fingerprint sensor functions efficiently.
Under the hood, it packs a 5,000mAh battery, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 chip, and options of 8GB or 12GB of RAM, along with 128GB or 256GB of storage. The phone runs on MagicOS 7.1, which resembles Huawei’s EMUI, but there are some software quirks like the absence of an app drawer.
Performance-wise, the Snapdragon chip ensures smooth multitasking, though it’s not designed for gaming.
As for the cameras, the main sensor performs well in daylight, delivering vibrant colors and an impressive dynamic range. However, it lags slightly behind Pixel smartphones in HDR performance. In low-light conditions, the Honor 90 struggles, but it excels in macro shots and video recording stability. The 50MP selfie camera produces good results.
Battery life is commendable, with the 5,000mAh battery providing over 5 hours of screen-on-time, making it suitable for a full workday. The device supports 66W charging but lacks wireless charging.
Despite its strengths, the Honor 90 misses the mark in several areas, including the absence of an IP rating for water and dust resistance, mono speaker setup, and the lack of optical image stabilization (OIS) for the cameras.
In conclusion, the Honor 90 shines in display and style but faces stiff competition and odd omissions, particularly at its base price of ₹37,999. However, at the introductory price of ₹27,999, it becomes a more attractive option for consumers.
