GBT TECH REVIEW: 5 FEATURES TO LOVE ABOUT HONOR 90 5G

Yes! HONOR launched another cool device adding to their number series of smartphones and it has finally arrived here in the Philippines last August 15, the HONOR 90 5G. Are you excited to get your hands on this premium mid-ranger?

I’ve got a chance to use and experience the HONOR 90 5G phone for almost a month and I must say that I really enjoyed using it- most especially camera-wise. You’ll know why as you read further.

So let me give you a short glimpse of some of the cool features of the HONOR 90 5G that I like.

But first, let’s unbox it. Shall we?

WHAT’S INSIDE THE BOX?

• Quick Start Guide
• FREE Transparent Silicone Case
• 66 Watts SuperCharge power adapter
• Type-C Cable
• Sim Ejector Pin
• 3.5mm Headphone Jack Connector(type-C)
• HONOR 90 5G unit

1. DESIGN AND DISPLAY

HONOR made sure that each HONOR 90 5g smartphone is unique and will standout as they released not just one, but four different colors and finishes: Diamond Silver, Peacock Blue, Emerald Green, and Midnight Black. The review unit that I got was Diamond Silver and it looks neat and premium. That glass-like back panel(still retains plastic back) has that 3D effect of diamond grip pattern which added style to the phone’s overall striking look.

I did notice that the back case isn’t that smudge and fingerprint resistant. So if you don’t want to clean those from time to time, I suggest you use the free clear case that is included in the package.

Inspired by the dynamic beauty of moon phases, the entire camera system is arranged within the overlapping circles and ellipses which the brand called “Mirror Luna”. This makes the HONOR 90 5G’s camera bed more stylish.

HONOR 90 5G has a slim design(7.8mm thickness) which fits well to my hand and this provides a good grip when being held on one hand. Considering the big battery capacity, this smartphone is surprisingly light with only 183g in weight making it comfortable to carry and does not add much weight on your purse or pocket.

For the port and button placements, the power and volume rocker is on the right which is sometimes confusing for me. Most of the time, I mistakenly press on the power button instead of the volume down. Maybe I just need to get used to this button placements. 😁

The USB Type-C charging port is at the bottom alongside the dual-sim card slot, mic receiver, and the single bottom-firing speaker.

The HONOR 90 5G is eSIM capable on its SIM2 slot. You can choose to use a physical SIM or an eSIM by activating it at the SIM management section in the settings.

Unfortunately, there’s no MicroSD slot to expand memory. But don’t worry because HONOR 90 5G offers large capacity RAM and ROM as follows:

•  8GB+256GB
• 12GB+256GB
• 12GB+512GB(the one I got)

As for the audio quality, don’t expect much because this smartphone does not produce stereo audio. So I sometimes find the sound output quite tinny and lacks in bass. Good thing it is still loud and audible. For its price range, I was actually expecting it to have a stereo audio as most smartphones under the mid-range category offer such.

If you also noticed, there’s no headphone jack port available. Thankfully, the 3.5mm Headphone Jack Connector(type-C) is provided in the package. I recommended that you just use Bluetooth headphones/earphones for you to have a better listening experience.

When it comes to the screen, the 6.7-inch, 2664×1200 HDR10+ OLED Quad-Curved Floating Display is a plus as it really looks clear, colourful and vibrant. For those who love to binge-watch, the very thin bezels will give more screen space to make your screen time more enjoyable.

Browsing and scrolling through the pages is a lot smoother with HONOR 90 5g’s 120Hz screen refresh rate. I did not experience delays or lags with every swipe. The screen also has a maximum of 1,600 nits of peak HDR brightness which makes the screen readable and visible even under sunlight.

For those who love watching movies, series or documentaries, this phone boasts Amazon Prime Video HDR and Netflix HDR certifications, which means that it has more enhanced color clarity and vividness on video contents.

If you love to spend long hours on this smartphone, the HONOR 90 5G can help keep your eyes less strained as it is equipped with 3840Hz Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) Dimming technology for a flicker-free display even in low brightness. It also has an Eye Comfort setting that you can set up to filter out blue light which reduces eye fatigue.

HONOR 90 5G has ÜV Rheinland Flicker-Free Certification

I’ve tried the flicker test and saw a very significant difference on the screen of HONOR 90 5G versus other smartphone. The HONOR 90 produces less screen flickers which means that its screen is less straining to the eyes.

2. SOFTWARE AND CUSTOMIZATION

The HONOR 90 runs on the latest Android 13 with the brand’s own MagicOS 7.1. I find the features very intuitive and user-friendly, especially for new users. It also offers other exclusive functions such as Magic Text, which function as a text scanner which you can edit after and HONOR Share, which allows users to share between PC and HONOR 90.

I also like how I can personalize the phone from wallpapers, home screen settings, to changing icons, and my personal favorite… the Always On Display photo which you can change to your liking.

3. PERFORMANCE

For the duration that I’ve been using the HONOR 90 5G, I can say that i’m very satisfied with its performance. I was able to test it several times on Mobile Legends game on high graphic settings and did not encounter any issues. Graphics in the game are super smooth and fluid. No lags and drop frames. Thanks to its supercharged 2.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen1 Accelerated Edition 5G processor. The phone doesn’t heat up that much as well when in use even on long playing hours.

As for multitasking ability, HONOR 90 5G can deliver. I did not encounter any problems as I can open and run multiple apps without any hiccups.

4. 200MP Rear Camera

One of our main considerations when buying a smartphone is the camera. Admit it, we love capturing moments and we usually take pictures or videos of things, people, life events or places to preserve memories. If you are a content creator or someone who is fond of mobile photography, a good quality camera is a must. So having a decent smartphone camera that can produce quality photos like HONOR 90 may come in handy.

I have reviewed mid-range category smartphone camera’s before and comparing it now to this phone, I must say that HONOR 90 5G’s rear camera is the best that I have tried so far when it comes to photo quality -it would actually pass as flagship.

Here are my sample shots.

This smartphone houses a whopping 200MP(f/1.9) rear camera, backed up by a 12MP f/2.2 ultrawide and a 2MP f/2.4 depth sensor which I find very versatile in any condition. It produces good quality images with good detail, wide dynamic range, and solid colors that does not need editing and good to post as it is. At low-lit environment, you don’t need to worry about super grainy photos as it can capture decent shots as well.  

If you want to get the best photo quality with the highest detail and in 200MP resolution, I would suggest that you use the HIGH RES Mode.

The 50MP f/2.4 selfie camera does a decent job when taking selfies as well. It’s nice that the Portrait Mode also works on the front camera. I like the bokeh effect as looks natural and separates the background and foreground seamlessly.

Videos also produce good detail up to 6x digital zoom and can shoot 4K  video quality at 30 0r 60 fps frame rates. If you are a content creator you will definitely make use of this.

Other camera functions are as follow:

5. FAST CAHARGING AND BATTERY LIFE

Powering the HONOR 90 5G is a hefty 5,000mAh battery which is kinda impressive as it can last one day on heavy usage(browsing, watching movies, playing games, taking photos/videos). While using it moderately with just simple browsing on social media, it can last about two days.

Charging is pretty fast as well which took a little less than an hour from 3% to 100% using the 66-watt HONOR SuperCharge brick and its accompanying USB-C cable. Not bad for the charging speed right?

VERDICT:

Is it worth it to get this new mid-ranger smartphone? YES! I believe so. HONOR 90 5G offers good design, beautiful screen display, amazing cameras, solid performance, and long battery life.  Unfortunately, this phone only has one speaker and does not have stereo quality sound output which kind of a downside.

Nevertheless, if you love doing mobile photography, the 200MP rear camera will definitely give you very nice quality photos that doesn’t need editing. Just point, shoot and upload.  If you are into playing mobile games, this phone can definitely handle heavy graphics without lagging. Multi-tasking is not a problem as well. Plus it has superb battery life that can last long because of the big battery capacity(5,000mAh). Watching movies is also a delight as it has nice display of colors.

Overall, HONOR 90 5G delivers good specs for its price.

What do you think?

PRICE AND AVAILABILITY: