Honor 400 review

The competition

The Honor 400 is now available globally, offering a sleek midrange package at a launch price of around €500. It comes in several memory configurations, with the most common being 8GB of RAM paired with either 256GB or 512GB of storage. Availability varies by region, but the phone has seen official releases across key European and Asian markets, including Germany, France, and China, with other regions expected to follow. With this pricing and availability, the Honor 400 enters a fiercely competitive segment, where several well-rounded alternatives vie for attention.

The Galaxy A56 makes a strong case as a well-rounded mid-ranger, with a bright 120Hz AMOLED display, a dependable main camera with OIS, and Samsung's promise of extended software support. It's not the flashiest device, but it delivers where it counts - stability, battery endurance, and a polished user experience backed by One UI. It's a sensible choice for users who value consistency and long-term reliability over cutting-edge features.

The Poco X7 Pro stands out for its aggressive performance profile, thanks to a high-end chipset, snappy AMOLED display, and one of the fastest charging setups in its class. It doesn't pretend to be a flagship but brings enough raw power and gaming chops to appeal to performance seekers. If you want a phone that feels fast whenever you pick it up, this is an excellent alternative to the more restrained Honor 400.

Samsung Galaxy A56 • Xiaomi Poco X7 Pro • vivo V50 • Oppo Reno13

One viable alternative to the Honor 400 is the vivo V50. It offers a similarly sleek design and a vibrant AMOLED display, but stands out with its larger battery and more efficient power management, resulting in longer endurance. On the software side, vivo’s Funtouch OS has matured into a more refined and responsive interface, though personal preference will ultimately dictate which UI is more appealing.

Another solid contender is the Oppo Reno13. Its standout feature is the camera setup, particularly the main sensor, which delivers more consistent results in varying lighting conditions compared to the Honor 400. The Reno13 also excels in charging speed, thanks to its SUPERVOOC tech that can top up the battery faster than Honor’s 66W solution. It also offers excellent performance.

Our verdict

The Honor 400 makes a good first impression with its sharp and vibrant OLED display. It's well-calibrated, bright, and pleasant to use outdoors, giving the phone a premium feel in day-to-day interaction. Though more angular than the Pro model, the design has its distinct charm and feels solidly built.

However, beyond the surface, the Honor 400 starts to falter. While performance is adequate for casual use, it lacks the snappiness and power we've come to expect from phones in this price range. Demanding apps and heavier multitasking reveal the limitations of the chipset, and there's noticeable hesitation in some scenarios.

The battery life is another weak point. With a below-average endurance score in our testing, the Honor 400 lags behind much of the competition in terms of longevity. While the 66W fast charging is a welcome addition and does help offset the short battery life to a degree, it's still a compromise.

Camera performance is good and it covers 2x zoom duties quite successfully in both day and night. The secondary ultrawide camera is not so hot though.

In the end, the Honor 400 is not a bad phone - it's just not particularly competitive in a crowded midrange market. There are devices out there that deliver better performance, longer battery life, or more capable cameras for similar money. Unless you find it on a good deal or you're set on Honor's software and ecosystem, there are more well-rounded alternatives worth considering.

Pros

• Bright and color-accurate OLED display with good outdoor visibility.
• Premium design with flat surfaces and solid build quality.
• Fast 66W charging - 80% in 30 minutes.
• Clean MagicOS interface with nice AI features and long-term software update promise.
• Great main camera performance.

Cons

• Battery life not competitive.
• Middling chipset performance.