Honor 90 Lite 5G Review: Great Performance for a Fraction of the Cost
October 10, 2023The Honor 90 5G, which was released in August, hauled a lot of praise from local and international media outlets, us included, along with the multitude of consumers who helped the Honor 90 5G reach ‘Sold Out’ status within just days after its launch. And as we’ve said in our review, the Honor 90 5G isn’t just for mobile photography, but for so much more. So if you’d want to know more about that, head on over to our review here.
Fast forward to today, the landscape of smartphones has witnessed a significant transformation. The era of mid-range devices delivering subpar performance seems to fade into obscurity. In light of this, the new Honor 90 Lite 5G proves to be a noteworthy contender, considering its price point, which might initially set low expectations.
The Honor 90 Lite 5G is the new addition to Honor’s exciting mid-range smartphone lineup. It walks with the nearly-indestructible Honor X9a and photo-centric Honor X8a when it comes down to price and performance. However, there is a specific seat where the Honor 90 Lite 5G should be, and that is what we’ll discuss in this review.
What’s inside the box:
Design:
One immediate surprise is the tactile experience of handling the Honor 90 Lite 5G. It boasts a sleek, geometrically flat design with flat edges and curved corners. The 6.7″ Edgeless Eye-Comfort Display and the midnight black back panel catch the eye. While the device’s frame and rear are made of polycarbonate and may not exude premium feel, they compensate for this with commendable structural integrity and a lightweight build weighing in at just 179g.
Performance
Honor 90 Lite 5G’s performance at this price range is particularly commendable. It exhibits minimal instances of lag and stutter, with games running smoothly and YouTube playback being instantaneous.
The only instances where a slight slowdown is noticeable occur when the battery level drops to a certain percentage, triggering power-saving optimizations. This may be seen as somewhat aggressive in power management, but it is not a significant concern for typical daily usage.
The device sports a 4500mAh battery and supports 35W fast charging, ensuring that it can be quickly replenished if it doesn’t quite make it through the day. Additionally, its 5G capability, while potentially affecting battery life, positions it to be a future-proof device. It’s worth noting that wireless charging is not an option, likely a cost-saving measure.
In terms of software and hardware integration, the Honor 90 Lite 5G offers a responsive and accurate Fingerprint Scanner, while its facial unlock system, utilizing the front-facing camera, is less reliable and responsive. The device runs Android 13 with Honor’s custom MagicOS 7.1 skin, which should feel familiar to users accustomed to other major smartphone ecosystems. The user experience, from settings to camera UI to app integrations, maintains a sense of continuity.
Cameras
Now, let’s address the 100MP Main Camera. It delivers impressive still images, characterized by well-implemented natural details. The camera utilizes AI to optimize shots based on the subject, displaying its adaptability. For instance, when capturing photos of flowers, the viewfinder highlights a flower, and the color palette is adjusted to enhance the image. This clever technology is executed effectively, as evidenced in photos of animals and other subjects.
However, there are some limitations in the photography department. Low-light performance is subpar, introducing noticeable noise into images. Additionally, both the wide-angle and macro lenses demonstrate lower quality in producing stills compared to the main camera.
Honor 90 Lite 5G Specifications:
Screen: 6.7” FHD+ LTPS LCD
Resolution: 2388 x 1080 pixels, 90Hz refresh
Chipset: MediaTek Dimensity 6020
CPU: 8-cores, up to 2.2GHz
RAM: 8GB RAM (+5GB extended memory)
Internal Storage: 256GB (No Card Slot)
Triple rear cameras:
– 100MP f/1.9 main
– 5MP f/2.2 ultrawide
– 2MP f/2.4 macro
16MP f/2.45 selfie shooter
SIM: Dual nano-SIM
Network: 5G, 4G, LTE
Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, 2.4GHz and 5GHz, Bluetooth 5.3
Positioning: GPS/AGPS/GLONASS/BeiDou/Galileo
USB: USB Type-C (USB 2.0), OTG
Other Features: NFC, Side-mounted fingerprint sensor
OS: Android 13, MagicOS 7.1
Battery: 4500mAh battery
Charging: 35W wired, 55% in 30 mins (Europe), 22.5W charging wired (Global)
Dimensions: 162.9 x 74.5 x 7.48mm
Weight: 179g
Color: Cyan Lake, Midnight Black, Titanium Silver
What we think about the Honor 90 Lite 5G
If you are to compare the Honor 90 Lite to current flagship devices reveals a substantial gap in performance and features. Nonetheless, it’s important to bear in mind that this device shouldn’t be stacked up against such competition.
Taking everything into consideration, the Honor 90 Lite offers a compelling package: a capable stills camera, good-quality 1080p video recording, a vibrant display, and all-day battery life, all for a PHP 12, 990 price tag. It truly represents a bargain, and if this budget aligns with your requirements, you’d be hard-pressed to find anything else that comes close to the value offered by the Honor 90 Lite.
So when you’re having a hard time choosing a mid-range smartphone for your hard earned cash, then you should check out Honor’s mid-range lineup. And if you are really looking for that mid-range smartphone that offer the better value for money, then that would be none other than the Honor 90 Lite 5G.
Check out the links below to know where to get the new Honor 90 Lite 5G, head on over to https://www.hihonor.com/ph/retailers/
