It’s one of the nicest mid-range smartphones out there, but it lacks practicality.
The model is aimed at those who value appearance, quality materials and an excellent display. At the same time, Honor 90 will not interest those who are chasing maximum power or a practical body: design is a priority here.
I spent a week with the Honor 90 , using the smartphone as my main one, and compared its camera with the competitor’s module from Realme. I’ll tell you why I think this device is one of the most successful representatives of the middle class. I will also share the disadvantages that I had to face.
Where to buy and how much it costs
In large retail. Honor 90 is sold in large chain stores like M-Video or Citylink. Two
versions are officially available in Russia – with 8/256 and 12/512 GB of memory. At the time of preparing the review , M-video was asking 40,000 ₽ for the younger version , and 45,000 ₽ for the older model, which we reviewed .
On marketplaces. On Ozone and Yandex Market, prices are not too different from the official ones – from 37,000 rubles.
Characteristics of Honor 90
| Screen | 6.7”, AMOLED, 2664 × 1200, 120 Hz |
| Processor | Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 Accelerated Edition |
| RAM | 8 / 12 GB |
| Built-in memory | 256 GB / 512 GB |
| Camera | Main 200 MP Ultra-wide-angle 12 MP Secondary sensor 2 MP Front 50 MP |
| Battery | 5000 mAh |
| Dimensions | 161.9 × 74.1 × 7.8 mm , 183 g |
| Interesting features | Curved screen, reduced eye strain, 66W fast charging included, Honor ecosystem supported |
| Retail price | from 37,000 ₽ depending on version and store |
Design
Effective and pleasant to the touch. At first glance, the rear of the smartphone is designed in a standard way – matte plastic, two convex blocks for the camera. Small but pleasant details make all the difference.
The back cover is slightly rough and does not slip, and small shiny inclusions shimmer in the light. It’s hard to convey in photographs, but it looks great in person.
The curved screen is beautiful, but impractical. The display is curved on all four sides, and it seems that the smartphone costs more than it actually does. The side edges glare when the sun’s rays hit them. It’s distracting at first, but after a couple of days you get used to it.
It is much more difficult to stick protective glass on a screen than on a regular, flat one. A protective film was installed at the factory, but it started peeling off for me on about the fifth day.
Fits perfectly in the hand. The smartphone fits perfectly into any palm – this is thanks to the rounded side edges and low weight. When compared to other smartphones, such as the Realme 11 Pro+, the new Honor feels more comfortable and lighter due to its thin body.
Several colors. The smartphone is sold in three colors: light “Arctic ice”, dark “midnight black” and greenish-gray “emerald”. I had the last one. Depending on the lighting, it can be turquoise, almost gray and bright emerald.
The fingerprint scanner is fast, but there is a drawback. It is convenient to unlock Honor 90 using the fingerprint scanner, which is built into the screen. It works quickly and accurately – during my acquaintance with the smartphone, I had no complaints about the quality of this sensor.
However, there was still a reason for a minor quibble : there is no tactile response to successful recognition. The smartphone vibrates slightly only if you place your finger carelessly and the fingerprint is not recognized. I prefer it when there is a short click whenever you touch the scanner.
Screen
The display is excellent, but not flagship. Honor 90 can be safely recommended to those for whom the screen is most important in a smartphone. It’s big, bright and clear.
The image is smooth thanks to the high refresh rate of 120Hz . By default, automatic switching is enabled – the smartphone decides when to maintain the standard 60 Hz and when to make the image smoother.
But this is not an LTPO matrix with flexible frequency control, like on the flagships of Apple, Samsung or Xiaomi. Therefore, the Honor smartphone cannot save energy when viewing slow or still content, such as photos.
The brightness reserve is very large. The manufacturer claims that in the sun or when playing HDR video, the brightness can reach 1600 nits . There will be no problems with correspondence, watching videos or playing games on the street.