In the fiercely competitive premium smartphone market, the HONOR 200 Pro makes a bold statement, blending high-end capabilities with a design that exudes elegance.
Launched in India in July, this phone commands a price of Rs. 57,999. However, with discounts it is available for less than Rs. 45,000. Available in two captivating colors—Green and Black—the HONOR 200 Pro targets users who crave top-tier performance, a sleek aesthetic, and exceptional multimedia features. Does it live up to the expectations? Let’s delve into the details to find out.
Design and Build: A Blend of Style and Substance
The HONOR 200 Pro flaunts a premium dual-glass design, accentuated by a curved, sleek frame crafted from durable aluminum, enhancing the phone’s resilience and premium feel. Our review unit, the Green variant, sports a captivating ‘Magic Gradient’ finish that subtly shifts colors under different lighting conditions, adding a touch of visual intrigue.
The power button and volume rocker are positioned on the right side of the phone, offering easy access for both right-handed and left-handed users. While visually stunning, the device can be a bit slippery without a case. We strongly recommend using one for improved grip and protection.
Weighing in at just 199g with dimensions of 163.3 × 75.2 × 8.2 mm, the HONOR 200 Pro feels light and comfortable to hold. If you’re used to heavier phones like the OnePlus 12 or Pixel 8 Pro, you’ll appreciate the lighter build, especially during extended use. The phone also boasts an IP65 rating, offering resistance to rain and minor spills, though it’s not designed for full submersion.
Display: A Visual Treat
The HONOR 200 Pro boasts a 6.78-inch FHD+ OLED display with a resolution of 2700 × 1224 pixels and a smooth 120Hz refresh rate. This screen offers a 100% DCI-P3 color gamut and an impressive peak brightness of up to 4000 nits, making it great for media consumption and gaming. The display also supports HDR10+ content, delivering a wider dynamic range and enhanced contrast for a more immersive viewing experience on compatible platforms like Netflix and YouTube. With a pixel density of 437ppi, the display is sharp and vibrant, rendering colors with exceptional accuracy.
One of the standout features is its 3840Hz PWM Dimming, which minimizes screen flicker and enhances eye comfort. The dynamic dimming feature intelligently adjusts brightness based on ambient lighting, further reducing eye strain. The HONOR 200 Pro’s display has also received certifications from TÜV Rheinland for Low Blue Light Emission and Flicker Free, further emphasizing its commitment to eye health and comfort. Additionally, the Circadian Night display feature adapts the screen’s color temperature to your body’s circadian rhythm, potentially promoting better sleep. These features are quite the rarity and much the necessity.
While the screen performs admirably indoors, its brightness under direct sunlight leaves room for improvement, particularly when using the phone for navigation on a bike. Fortunately, the display is shielded by Aluminosilicate glass, ensuring resistance to minor scratches and accidental drops.
Performance: Power to Spare
Driven by the Octa-Core Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 Mobile Platform and an Adreno 735 GPU, the HONOR 200 Pro delivers seamless performance across a wide spectrum of applications. In benchmark tests like AnTuTu and Geekbench, the HONOR 200 Pro consistently scores high, showcasing its ability to handle demanding tasks with ease. Real-world usage further confirms its smooth performance in gaming and multitasking scenarios. The 8s Gen is quite comparable in performance to the 8 Gen 2, the previous Snapdragon flagship.
The phone comes in a single variant in India, offering 12GB of RAM and a generous 512GB of internal storage. However, there’s no option for expandable storage via a microSD card, which might be a drawback for users who require additional space.
The phone incorporates a “Super VC Liquid Cooling” system to dissipate heat effectively, ensuring sustained performance even during prolonged gaming sessions or intensive tasks. Despite pushing the phone with heavy usage, we didn’t encounter any overheating issues, a testament to its effective thermal management. However, in 3D Mark wild life stress test, it scored 54.4% which is just average. The temperature shot up from 34 to 50 degrees. That said, check out some synthetic benchmark scores below.
Camera Capabilities: Capture with Style
The HONOR 200 Pro boasts a versatile triple-camera setup on the back:
- A 50MP main camera with a 1/1.3″ OmniVision OV50H sensor, f/1.9 aperture, and OIS for stabilized shots.
- A 12MP ultra-wide camera with a 112° field of view, f/2.2 aperture, and a macro mode for close-up shots.
- A 50MP telephoto camera with a 2.5x optical zoom, Sony IMX856 sensor, OIS, and f/2.4 aperture.
The main camera captures exceptional photos in bright daylight, offering impressive detail, dynamic range, and accurate colors. The telephoto lens also performs admirably, though some grain might be noticeable in low-light shots or when zoomed in excessively. Portrait mode works effectively, delivering a pleasing bokeh effect for subject-focused shots. Selfies taken with the 50MP front camera are rich in detail with natural-looking skin tones, thanks to the Sony IMX906 sensor.
There are two lenses on the front camera, one is used for depth, so portraits are quite effective. The HONOR 200 Pro leverages AI to enhance various aspects of photography, including scene recognition, portrait lighting effects, and automatic adjustments for optimal results. There are special professional filters in the “Harcourt” mode as well, which are unique for this segment.
In low-light scenarios, the night mode does a commendable job of preserving detail, although it occasionally smoothens images more than necessary. Apart from 4K recording, the phone supports features like slow-motion video, time-lapse, and a dedicated ‘Vlog’ mode for content creators. Video stabilization works flawlessly, making it an excellent choice for content creators. Ultimately, the camera department is where it needed to score in this review, and it definitely scored really well. Check out some camera samples
Battery Life: Endurance for Days
The HONOR 200 Pro houses a robust 5200mAh battery, comfortably lasting up to one and a half days with moderate usage. Even heavy users can expect a full day of battery life. The phone supports 100W SuperCharge fast charging, reaching 60% in a mere 15 minutes and achieving a full charge in approximately 41 minutes. Wireless charging is also supported at 66W SuperCharge speeds, catering to users who prefer wireless setups. The phone can also function as a wireless power bank, allowing you to charge other compatible devices like earbuds or smartwatches.
The MagicOS 8.0 software includes advanced battery health management features that learn your usage patterns and optimize charging cycles to prolong the overall battery lifespan. Battery optimization features such as “Smart Charge” and “Smart Battery Capacity” extend battery lifespan by intelligently managing charging levels. These features prevent overcharging and help maintain battery health in the long run.
Software and Features: MagicOS 8.0 Enhances the Experience
The HONOR 200 Pro runs on Android 14, overlaid with MagicOS 8.0. MagicOS provides a clean and intuitive interface with useful customization options. Standout features include Magic Text, which allows users to extract text from images, and Magic Portal, which simplifies dragging and dropping content between apps. MagicOS offers seamless multitasking capabilities, allowing you to run multiple apps simultaneously in split-screen or floating window modes. The phone supports seamless collaboration with HONOR laptops and tablets, enabling features like file sharing, screen mirroring, and even controlling your phone from your laptop. HONOR is building its own ecosystem for ensuring a consistent user experience. It’s still in the early stages, though.
Bloatware is minimal, limited to Google apps and HONOR’s native applications. HONOR has committed to two years of software updates and three years of security patches, although the frequency of these updates remains to be seen. HONOR has relaunched itself into the Indian market via the company HTech now, so more time is required to fully understand their update practices.
Connectivity and Audio
The HONOR 200 Pro supports 5G connectivity and comes equipped with Bluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi 802.11 (2.4GHz/5GHz) a/b/g/n/ac/ax, and 2×2 MIMO for stable and fast wireless connections. The phone offers dual SIM support with dual 5G standby, allowing you to use two SIM cards simultaneously for added convenience. We didn’t encounter any issues with Bluetooth connectivity when using wireless earbuds like Nothing Ear and OnePlus Buds 3.
The phone lacks a 3.5mm headphone jack, a trend that’s becoming increasingly common in premium smartphones. The phone utilizes AI-powered audio enhancements to deliver a more immersive listening experience through its stereo speakers and when using wired or wireless headphones. While the speaker quality is good, it’s not as loud as competitors like the OnePlus 12 or Pixel 8 Pro, particularly in noisy outdoor environments. However, call quality remains excellent both through the earpiece and speaker.
Verdict: A Compelling Choice
The HONOR 200 Pro is an excellent option for users seeking a premium smartphone that delivers powerful performance, a superb camera system, and thoughtful software features. Its lightweight design, bright display, and fast charging capabilities make it a standout contender in the crowded mid-to-high range smartphone market.
While there’s room for improvement in areas like loudspeaker volume and the absence of expandable storage, the HONOR 200 Pro offers exceptional value for its price, especially considering the current discounts. It’s well-suited for casual users who prioritize multimedia, a clean software experience, and a dependable camera system.
Pricing and availability
The HONOR 200 Pro is priced at Rs. 57,999 for the single 12GB + 512GB model, but with Rs. 13000 Instant discount and Rs. 1250additional SBI Bank discount on Credit or Debit card, you can get the phone for as low as Rs. 43,799 during festive sale on Amazon.in.
Alternatives to Consider
If you’re exploring other options in a similar price range, consider:
- iQOO 12
- Pixel 8
- OnePlus 12R
- Xiaomi CIVI
- Samsung Galaxy S23
Each of these smartphones has its unique strengths and may offer features that better align with your specific needs. However, the HONOR 200 Pro holds its own with its compelling combination of design, performance, and value.
If you’re looking for a phone that offers a premium experience without breaking the bank, the HONOR 200 Pro is definitely worth considering. Its blend of style, functionality, and innovation makes it a strong contender in the competitive smartphone landscape.
Pros:
- Stunning design with a premium feel
- Bright and vibrant OLED display
- Powerful performance for smooth multitasking and gaming
- Versatile camera system with excellent daylight photography
- Long-lasting battery with fast charging capabilities
- Clean and feature-rich MagicOS 8.0 software
Cons:
- Can be slippery without a case
- Lacks expandable storage
- Loudspeaker volume could be improved
- Only 2 Android updates
Overall, the HONOR 200 Pro delivers a compelling package that justifies its price tag, especially with the current discounts. Whether you’re a casual user or a power user, the HONOR 200 Pro is sure to impress with its blend of style, performance, and innovation.