Honor smartphones are making a triumphant return. Meet the Honor 50, the first with Google services
They went back to their circles.
From now on, the Honor 50 and other smartphones of the company will be sold in Europe with Google services installed and on the Android operating system. In the case of Honor 50 – on Android 11 and with the MagicUI 4.2 shell brand. Looking ahead: the familiar interface, you do not have to adapt if you already have an Honor smartphone.
GM’s return means syncing with a Google account, accessing the Google Play app store, YouTube and YouTube Premium, Google Docs. You can even save and import chats to WhatsApp again via Google Drive. The operating system will receive stable updates and security patches for several more years. Everything is just like any other Android smartphone.
Beautiful and ergonomic
Although Honor has radically changed its image, the designers do not forget the roots. Honor 50 is similar to Honor 30 Pro +, the previous premium flagship. Even a particular version of the smartphone with a logo on the back cover is a link to the original ‘thirties’ design. Since the alterations are not affected, Honor has the mark: a monolithic and durable device.
The new green color looks great. It’s shiny, but the glass here is like a cloudy mirror: unusual effect and less visible prints. The camera unit has changed dramatically: two circles, a large 108 MP module is kept in the upper mansion.
The first sensations of the Honor 50 are a fragile and very light smartphone. It weighs 175 g. The 6.57-inch screen isn’t the largest in its class (and that’s a good thing), and due to the curved edges, using the Honor 50 is very convenient. Let’s assume the question: there are no wrong keystrokes; the smartphone understands that a hand squeezes it and does not respond to provocations.
There is no audio jack, an external speaker (bottom); you cannot immerse the Honor 50 in water; there is no protection against moisture. However, it will withstand the rain and splashes. The under-display fingerprint scanner responds quickly but unlocks even faster on the face. The 32 MP front camera is located in the center cutout.
Show fashion
the display creates a premium feel to the Honor 50. The OLED matrix is excellent: it reflects 10.7 million styles and covers the DCI-P3 ‘cinematic’ color gamut, and the refresh rate reaches 120 Hz. It is possible in automatic mode, it is possible manually, and it is possible to switch to 60 Hz and save a charge.
Standard resolution: 2340 × 1080 pixels. That’s enough. Whether the Honor 50 will receive Netflix HD certification is unknown, but there are many reasons. Viewing photos, watching HDR videos on YouTube, and just looking at the juicy interface is a pleasure. The frame is thin; they usually disappear from view when looking “in the forehead.” The display is spectacular and only gives positive impressions.
There is no zoom, but there is a replacement.
Honor did not experiment with the camera; the whole is typical of the “middle class” of 2021: the main module 108 MP with pixel grouping (when 9 pixels are combined in 1 for better quality), 8 MP “ultra-wide” and two 2 MP auxiliary modules. One measures the depth of the scene and helps blur the background in portraits. The second, with a lens for macro photography. Details – in the photo.
A great test of the cameras will be in a separate review. But we’ve already done a few takes. Impressed by the night shooting, the night mode algorithms are well suited to complex scenes as well. And despite the lack of optical zoom, it was successfully replaced by a 108 MP sensor. The image, roughly 2-3 times, almost does not lose quality. Video can be recorded up to 4K 30fps. There is no optical stabilization, but the electronics are well suited.
Zoom 0.5x / 1x / 2x / 10x
There are intellectual and creative ways here. For example, “Multi-video” allows you to shoot with the primary and front cameras or with different lenses simultaneously. A find for bloggers and everyone who wants to show their emotions in the frame, speaking from time to time about the details that surround them. In “History” mode, you can record a mini-clip with music, fashion transitions, and filters with just a few clicks. The whole installation falls to the smartphone; all you have to do is press the button in time.
And you don’t need more.
Honor has changed the processor manufacturer: instead of HiSilicon Kirin, Qualcomm Snapdragon is now installed. It’s in the Honor 50 – Snapdragon 778G 5G, made with process technology of 6 nm.
In the hierarchy of “dragons,” the processor is one step lower than the top Snapdragon 888. But, judging by the first tests, it heats up much less and still allows you to play at high settings. Launched WoT: Blitz – showed a stable 60 FPS. Success request. In the AnTuTu test, the smartphone gave 521,800 points.
Depending on the model, the memory can be 6 + 128 GB, 8 + 128 GB or 8 + 256 GB. Declared support for Bluetooth 5.2, Wi-Fi 6, there is NFC for contactless payments. By the way, in terms of audio, Honor 50 now digests the popular aptX HD and LDAC codecs. Prepare the appropriate headphones. The memory card does not fit in the tray, but two SIM cards simultaneously, please.
Superfast charging
Honor 50 received a 4300 mAh battery. Capacity is typical, but we tested the smartphone for several days; there was no such thing as the arrow on the “tank” falling to zero. There is still stock until late at night. It also shows the modest processor in the appetites and the optimization in the operating system.
But more interesting: the charging power, up to 66 watts, and the adapter are complete. We obtain 70% of the charge in just 20 minutes (which is enough for a day in the office). Wireless charging is not supported.
