The Honor 200 Pro offers remarkable specifications at an attractive price point. Its standout feature is the Studio Harcourt portrait effects, yet it excels in other areas too. The phone boasts the largest battery in its category, charges very quickly, and handles gaming exceptionally well.
Pros
- Excellent portrait effects
- Bright and vibrant display
- Powerful performance
- Long battery life with fast charging
Cons
- The design might not appeal to everyone
- MagicOS 8.0 has a learning curve
- Curved screen may cause accidental touches
HONOR 200 PRO: QUICK REVIEW
Honor’s ‘number-series’ phones are known for offering flagship specs at mid-range prices. This trend continued with the impressive Honor 90 in 2023 and the Honor 70 before that. Previously, Pro variants were exclusive to China, but now they have arrived in Europe.
The Honor 200 Pro targets the lower-tier flagship market, unlike last year’s Honor 90. It aims to compete with devices like the Samsung Galaxy S24. At this level, top-notch cameras, fast performance, and advanced features are essential, and the Honor 200 Pro delivers.
A notable feature is the new portrait filters developed with Studio Harcourt. These filters produce stunning portraits.
The device is strong across the board. The Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 chipset ensures smooth daily operations and excellent gaming. The 5,200mAh battery provides long-lasting power, and charging is extremely fast, both wired and wirelessly.
Competition is tough with the Samsung Galaxy S24 and Google Pixel 8. These devices offer advanced AI features and longer support but lack the battery life and portrait quality of the Honor 200 Pro. Your choice depends on your priorities.
HONOR 200 PRO REVIEW: PRICE AND AVAILABILITY
The Honor 200 Pro is priced at £699.99 in the UK. It was released in China in May 2024 and internationally in June 2024. There is no availability in the US and Australia.
The Honor 200 Pro and its non-Pro version launched in China on May 31, 2024. They made their global debut in Paris on June 12, 2024. Pre-orders are now open in Europe, but there are no plans for a US or Australian release.
The Honor 200 Pro is available for £699.99 in the UK. It comes with 512GB storage and 12GB RAM. In comparison, the Samsung Galaxy S24 starts at $799 / £799 / AU$1,399. Therefore, the Honor 200 Pro is reasonably priced.
HONOR 200 PRO REVIEW: SPECIFICATIONS
The Honor 200 Pro offers an impressive array of specs. It features a 6.8-inch OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate. The device measures 163.3 x 75.2 x 8.2mm and weighs 199g.
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 163.3 x 75.2 x 8.2mm |
| Weight | 199g |
| Display | 6.8-inch OLED, 120Hz |
| Chipset | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 |
| RAM | 12GB |
| Storage | 512GB |
| OS | MagicOS 8.0, based on Android 14 |
| Rear Cameras | 50MP (f/1.9) main, 12MP (f/2.2) ultra-wide, 50MP (f/2.4) telephoto |
| Front Camera | 50MP |
| Battery | 5,200mAh |
The phone runs on MagicOS 8.0, based on Android 14. Its powerful Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 chipset, combined with 12GB of RAM, ensures smooth performance. For storage, it provides 512GB.
Camera capabilities include a 50MP main sensor, a 12MP ultra-wide lens, and a 50MP telephoto lens. The front camera also boasts 50MP. Lastly, the 5,200mAh battery offers long-lasting power.
HONOR 200 PRO REVIEW: DESIGN
The Honor 200 Pro features a velvety-feeling matte glass back. Its camera surround is inspired by Casa Milá and resembles an airplane window.
Initially, the notch might seem off-putting. However, it distinguishes the model from other designs. The silver bezel around the camera adds a premium touch.
The phone has curved edges, making it comfortable to hold. Its high-gloss metal frame enhances the sleek design. The rear’s matte glass texture feels luxurious and resists fingerprints but is slippery.
The Honor 200 Pro comes in three colors: Moonlight White, Black, and Ocean Cyan. The white version has a marble-like pattern, while the black offers a professional look. The cyan model is bold with a dual texture and S-shaped curve.
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Back Material | Matte glass, velvety-feeling |
| Camera Surround | Inspired by Casa Milá, resembles airplane window |
| Water and Dust Resistance | IP65 |
| Edges | Curved, high-gloss metal frame |
| Colors | Moonlight White, Black, Ocean Cyan |
| Special Features | Notch for unique design, premium silver bezel |
| Texture | Slippery matte glass, resistant to fingerprints |
A transparent TPU case is included to ensure protection.
HONOR 200 PRO REVIEW: DISPLAY
The Honor 200 Pro features a 6.78-inch quad-curved OLED display. It offers an adaptive refresh rate between 60Hz and 120Hz.
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Display Size | 6.78-inch |
| Display Type | Quad-curved OLED |
| Refresh Rate | 120Hz (adaptive: 60Hz to 120Hz) |
| Dimming Technology | 3840Hz PWM dimming |
| Peak Brightness | 4000 nits |
This display isn’t as impressive as an LTPO panel, which can drop to 1Hz, but it still helps with battery life while maintaining smooth performance.
The quad-curved design makes the device feel slim but can lead to accidental touches. Despite this, the high-resolution panel is sharp and vivid, offering excellent color rendition.
Brightness is sufficient even in bright sunlight. The display also includes eye health features, providing a high PWM dimming rate of 3840Hz. This tech reduces eye strain by minimizing flicker at all brightness levels, surpassing even premium models like the Samsung S24 Ultra, which only supports 480Hz PWM dimming.
HONOR 200 PRO REVIEW: CAMERAS
The Honor 200 Pro features a 50MP main camera, a 50MP telephoto lens, and a 12MP ultra-wide macro lens.
| Camera Specs | Details |
|---|---|
| Main Camera | 50MP (f/1.9) with 1/1.3-inch sensor and OIS |
| Telephoto Camera | 50MP 2.5x (f/2.4) with OIS |
| Ultra-wide Macro Camera | 12MP (f/2.2) |
| Front Camera | 50MP wide-angle |
Honor markets the 200 Pro as “the portrait master.” The hardware supports this claim well.
The main camera excels in low light due to its large sensor. The camera app includes a 2x digital crop feature with minimal quality loss in good lighting.
The 2.5x telephoto lens is useful, though a longer focal length would be nice. It performs well up to about 5x zoom. However, image quality degrades significantly beyond 10x digital zoom.
The ultra-wide camera offers a 16mm equivalent field of view. Although not the widest, it has autofocus and can capture unique macro shots. It’s lower resolution than the other sensors but still captures good detail. It struggles in low light, which is common for ultra-wide lenses.
The front camera, with its 50MP resolution, is great for group shots. It can also crop digitally for a closer focal length. However, it lacks autofocus, so positioning is crucial.
The standout feature is the new portrait mode developed with Studio Harcourt. These modes include Harcourt Classic and Harcourt Color, both adding a high-quality bokeh effect and excellent edge detection. However, they only work with the main and telephoto cameras, not the selfie camera.
For video, the Honor 200 Pro supports up to 4K 60fps on the main and telephoto cameras. The ultra-wide and selfie cameras support up to 4K 30fps. Videos feature excellent stabilization and various software features, including full manual controls.
HONOR 200 PRO REVIEW: PERFORMANCE
The Honor 200 Pro uses the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 chipset, paired with 12GB RAM and 512GB storage.
| Performance Specs | Details |
|---|---|
| Chipset | Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 |
| RAM | 12GB |
| Storage | 512GB |
This combination delivers a flagship experience at an affordable price. Daily use feels smooth, with apps opening quickly and no noticeable stuttering.
In benchmarks, the Honor 200 Pro shows its strengths and weaknesses. It lags behind Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 devices in graphics but occasionally outperforms them in computational tasks. While not top-of-the-line, it surpasses Exynos-powered Galaxy S24 and Pixel 8 in gaming performance.
Playing demanding games like Wuthering Waves at max settings posed no issues. The device heats up under heavy load but remains comfortable to hold. Honor’s new vapor chamber cooling system works effectively.
HONOR 200 PRO REVIEW: SOFTWARE
The Honor 200 Pro operates on Magic OS 8.0, which is based on Android 14. This customized interface is a significant shift from the stock Android experience.
| Software Details | Features |
|---|---|
| OS | Magic OS 8.0 |
| Based on | Android 14 |
Magic OS draws inspiration from Apple. The notification shade and quick settings menu are separated. The app drawer is disabled by default, and there’s a Dynamic Island-like feature called Magic Capsule.
For those used to traditional Android, Magic OS might feel unfamiliar at first. However, iPhone users may find it more intuitive. Initially, the interface felt jarring, but it became more comfortable over time. The Magic Capsule is particularly useful for quick access to media controls and timers, regardless of the active app.
Another handy feature is Honor’s Magic Portal. It allows you to drag text or images to the screen’s side, popping up recommended apps for quick sharing or searching. This feature speeds up tasks like adding addresses to Google Maps or performing reverse image searches.
However, there are minor drawbacks. The phone comes with some bloatware, mainly Honor’s apps. Additionally, the Magic Capsule experienced a few glitches, such as media controls occasionally becoming unresponsive. These issues are likely to be resolved in future software updates, as I tested a pre-release version.
HONOR 200 PRO REVIEW: BATTERY
The Honor 200 Pro features a 5,200mAh silicon-carbon battery with 100W wired and 66W wireless charging.
| Battery Specs | Details |
|---|---|
| Capacity | 5,200mAh |
| Wired Charging Speed | 100W |
| Wireless Charging Speed | 66W |
This advanced battery tech allows the Honor 200 Pro to house a large battery in a sleek design. It can easily last a day of heavy use and possibly up to two days with lighter usage.
Charging is impressively fast with the included 100W adapter, reaching full charge in just 50 minutes. A 30-minute charge brings the battery to around 70%.
The 66W wireless charging is also swift. Using Honor’s SuperCharge stand, the phone can be fully charged in about an hour, making it a worthwhile investment for quick and convenient charging.
HONOR 200 PRO REVIEW: ALSO CONSIDER
While the Honor 200 Pro offers impressive specs and features at a competitive price, it’s essential to consider alternatives.
| Feature Comparison | Honor 200 Pro | Samsung Galaxy S24 | Google Pixel 8 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price (at launch) | £699.99 | $799 / £799 / AU$1,399 | $699 / £699 / AU$1,199 |
| Display | 6.78-inch OLED | 6.2-inch OLED | 6.2-inch OLED |
| Cameras | 50MP wide, 16MP ultra-wide, 50MP telephoto (2.5x) | 50MP main, 12MP ultra-wide, 10MP 3X zoom | 50MP main, 12MP ultra-wide, No zoom |
| Chipset | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 | Exynos 2400 / Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 | Google Tensor G3 |
| Battery | 5,200mAh | 4,000mAh | 4,575mAh |
The Samsung Galaxy S24 and Google Pixel 8 provide compelling alternatives. The Galaxy S24 offers similar display quality and camera versatility, while the Pixel 8 focuses on Google’s advanced AI features and user experience.
Battery life and chipset performance vary among the three models, catering to different user priorities.