Honor 90

In the world of smartphones, the Honor 90 stands out as a unique offering. While it may not claim the throne as the company's flagship, it certainly doesn't fall short in terms of appeal. This sleek, well-balanced device boasts a modern design and a host of enticing features.

Design Excellence

Honor has spared no expense on the exterior of the Honor 90. With its slim profile, lightweight build, and ergonomically rounded body, it feels fantastic in hand. Its design exudes elegance and luxury, making it a fashion statement in the smartphone world.

Dazzling Colors and Finishes

The Honor 90 is available in a range of eye-catching colors and finishes. Our review unit arrived in the visually stunning Peacock Blue variant, featuring a silky-textured, uniform back with a captivating splash of color that dances in the light. Other options include Diamond Silver, which offers a distinctive two-texture design, as well as the more subdued Midnight Black and Emerald Green.

Display Delight

The star of the show is undoubtedly the Honor 90's curved 6.7-inch display. Sporting a 10-bit panel with HDR10+ support, it boasts an impressive peak brightness of 1600 nits. With a resolution of 1.5K, a 120Hz refresh rate, and 3840Hz PWM dimming, this display offers a visual treat that's perfect for outdoor use and a stellar HDR experience.

Color Precision

The Honor 90 provides two color modes: "vivid" for DCI-P3 color space and "natural" for either DCI-P3 or sRGB, depending on your preference. While the vivid mode may oversaturate colors for that OLED pop, the natural mode delivers color-accurate results, suitable even for color-critical tasks. Additionally, the device includes a Video enhancer feature, enhancing non-HDR videos by boosting color and contrast.

Refresh Rate Options

The Honor 90 offers three refresh rate modes: 60Hz, 90Hz, and 120Hz. These modes cater to various preferences, allowing you to choose between standard, medium, high, or dynamic refresh rates. While the dynamic mode may occasionally drop to 60Hz, the high mode ensures a consistent 120Hz experience, particularly beneficial for gaming.

Battery and Charging

Equipped with a 5,000 mAh battery and 66W fast charging, the Honor 90 provides dependable daily battery life. While it's not the most outstanding endurance performer, it will easily last a full day on a single charge. The 66W charging speed ensures you'll be back in action quickly.

Software and User Experience

The Honor 90 runs on MagicOS 7.1 atop Android 13, offering a full suite of Google apps. This user-friendly interface comes with customization options, themes, and an app drawer. It also supports split-screen multi-window and pop-up window modes for improved multitasking.

Performance and Benchmarks

Under the hood, the Honor 90 boasts a Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 chipset with an overclocked "Accelerated Edition." While it may not top the charts, it performs well for everyday tasks and casual gaming. However, it struggles with sustained heavy loads, leading to noticeable performance drops.

Camera Capabilities

The Honor 90 packs an impressive camera setup, including a massive 200MP primary camera, a versatile 12MP ultrawide with autofocus for macro shots, and a 2MP depth sensor. The 50MP selfie camera delivers sharp results with competent subject detection for portrait mode. Video capture options include 4K support for all main, ultrawide, and selfie cameras.

Alternatives

In the competitive smartphone market, the Honor 90 faces several compelling alternatives. Samsung's Galaxy A54 and A34 offer IP67 ingress protection, expandable storage, and a 120Hz AMOLED display, although they lack a telephoto shooter. Xiaomi's Poco F5 provides stereo speakers, rapid charging, and a versatile camera setup, while the Redmi Note 12 Pro offers similar features at a lower price point. Realme's 11 Pro+ boasts stereo speakers, a massive 100W charging, and an impressive 200MP main camera. Google's Pixel 7a and 6a present attractive options for those seeking pure Android, excellent camera capabilities, and long-term software support. The choice ultimately depends on individual preferences and priorities.

Verdict

The Honor 90 is a smartphone that excels in design and display quality, making it a visual delight. Its camera setup is versatile, and it offers an enjoyable user experience. However, it falls short in battery endurance, speaker quality, and some missing features like water resistance. While it's a solid midrange option, there are more feature-rich alternatives in its price range.