The Breakdown
Let’s get one thing out of the way first—this isn’t going to be a hyper-technical, spec-by-spec breakdown of the Honor 400. You can find that anywhere. What I want to share is what it’s actually like to live with the phone, use it daily, rely on it when it counts, and whether it’s worth the money. Spoiler: it’s better than you might expect.
First Impressions – Main package
- Phone (Built-in battery) x1
- HONOR SuperCharge x1 (Charger not included in Europe)
- Type-C Cable x1 (Europe is C2C, other regions are A2C)
- TPU Protective cover x1 (Protective cover not included in Europe)
- Quick Start Guide x1
- Eject Tool x1
- Warranty Card x1
- TP protective film (Attached on the phone before delivery) x1
Right out of the box, the Honor 400 doesn’t try too hard to impress, and that’s a good thing. It’s got that understated elegance that doesn’t scream for attention. The matte finish on the back gives it a classy, almost premium feel, and the camera module—though slightly raised—isn’t obnoxiously large like on some other phones. It’s comfortable to hold, not too heavy, and the curved edges make it easy on the hands during long use. Honestly, for a phone in this range, it feels better built than you’d assume.
The display from Honor immediately catches your eye. A 6.55-inch AMOLED panel with a resolution of 2736×1264 pixels, makes everything from swiping through apps to watching shows feel smooth and vibrant. Blacks are deep, colors pop, and visibility in bright sunlight is surprisingly good. I’ve taken it out on sunny days, and I’ve had zero complaints. That’s more than I can say for a few flagships I’ve used.
Performance in Real Life
Specs say a lot, but real-life performance often tells a different story. The Honor 400 is powered by the Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 chip, and while that doesn’t sound like flagship-level stuff, it’s honestly more than enough for almost everything I’ve thrown at it. Whether it’s running multiple apps, editing photos, or even playing games like Genshin Impact or Call of Duty Mobile, the phone handles itself with confidence.
There’s a calm efficiency in how it works. You don’t notice lags. You don’t feel like it’s struggling. And that, to me, is what matters more than the numbers on a benchmark test. The 12GB RAM (on my unit) makes multitasking seamless, and storage-wise, 512GB is plenty for most people unless you’re hoarding 4K videos.
MagicOS and Daily Use
Honor’s custom software, MagicOS 9.0, built on top of Android 15, is surprisingly good. It’s clean, doesn’t feel bloated, and has a few tricks up its sleeve. For instance, the Magic Capsule feature is clearly inspired by Apple’s Dynamic Island, and I have to say—it’s implemented better than I expected. It shows useful little animations and controls when you’re playing music, on a call, or using navigation, and it feels intuitive rather than gimmicky.
There’s also Magic Portal, which lets you drag content (like addresses or links) between apps with minimal friction. It’s these small quality-of-life touches that make the phone enjoyable to use, rather than just functional.
What’s more important, though, is that it all works. No weird glitches, no app crashes, and no frustrating bugs in the few weeks I’ve been using it. That’s something you can’t say about every phone in this price range.
Camera: The Real Star
I’ve used quite a few phones with “decent” cameras, and I’ve learned to lower my expectations when it comes to mid-range devices. But the Honor 400 threw me off—in a good way.
The main 200MP sensor (f/1.9), with optical image stabilization, is incredibly capable. It supports zoom up to 30x digital, and a maximum resolution of up to 16384×12288 pixels. Photos come out sharp, vibrant, and surprisingly well-balanced, even in tricky lighting. Night mode deserves special mention. It’s not magic, but it’s definitely way better than what I expected. Shadows retain detail, highlights aren’t blown out, and it doesn’t turn the scene into a blurry mess.
Then there’s the 50MP front-facing camera (f/2.0 aperture) with an ultra-wide angle, which honestly makes a noticeable difference. Selfies don’t feel cramped, and group photos actually include everyone without awkward angles. Video calls also look great—even in average lighting.
For casual photography, social media, or even a bit of mobile content creation, this phone from Honor more than delivers. Here are some of its main features:
- AI Super Zoom,
- Artistic,
- Film Simulation,
- Moving Photo,
- Time-lapse,
- AI photography,
- Super Wide Angle,
- Aperture,
- Multi-Video,
- Night shot,
- Portrait mode,
- Photo,
- Pro mode,
- Video,
- Slow-Mo,
- Panorama,
- HDR,
- STORY,
- Filter,
- WATERMARK,
- SCAN DOCUMENT,
- Super Macro,
- Capture smiles,
- Timer,
- HIGH-RES, etc.
Battery Life: Quietly Reliable
Battery life on the Honor 400 is one of those things you stop thinking about after a while—which is probably the highest compliment I can give. It’s got a 6000 mAh battery that just… lasts and supports HONOR 100W SuperCharge. I’ve consistently gotten through a full day and then some, even with heavy use. That includes video playback, social media, calls, and some gaming.
When you do need to top it off, the 100W wired charging is a lifesaver. According to Honor, the phone supports up to 20V/4A SuperCharge, compatible with 11V/6A,10V/4A. It goes from 0 to around 70% in under 30 minutes, which changes the way you think about charging. No more plugging in overnight or carrying a power bank everywhere. Wireless charging isn’t here, unfortunately, but at this price point, I can live with that.
Small Things That Matter
It’s easy to focus on the big specs and miss the little things, but they count too. The haptics on the Honor 400 are surprisingly good—crisp and tight, not that hollow vibration you get on cheaper phones. The under-display fingerprint sensor is fast and reliable. Face unlock is zippy in well-lit conditions and fully supports 2D face unlock.
Speakers are loud and clear supporting HONOR Sound effects. I won’t say they’re flagship-tier, but watching videos without headphones is perfectly enjoyable. There’s no headphone jack, which some might miss, but that’s become the norm now.
And yes, it has 5G with dual SIM support (Nano SIM card + Nano SIM card/eSIM), Wi-Fi 6 (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax, 2×2 MIMO), Bluetooth 5.4 (BLE/SBC/AAC/LDAC/APTX/APTX HD), NFC, OTG (USB Type-C, USB 2.0), GPS/AGPS/GLONASS/BeiDou/Galileo/QZSS —basically all the modern connectivity options you’d expect.
What Could Be Better?
No device is perfect, and the Honor 400 has a few drawbacks. First, while MagicOS has come a long way, it’s still not as streamlined as something like Samsung’s One UI or Google’s Pixel software. You might need a bit of time to get used to the layout and navigation.
Second, while the phone performs very well, the Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 isn’t exactly future-proof. It’s great for now, but if you’re planning to use this device for three or more years, you might feel its limitations eventually—especially with newer games or updates down the line.
Lastly, just IP66 rating. That doesn’t mean it’s fragile, but it does mean you should be cautious around water or dust. According to the company, it is splash-proof, water-resistant and dust-proof under normal use.
Final Thoughts: More Than the Sum of Its Parts
The Honor 400 sits in that sweet spot where value meets performance. It’s not trying to be the absolute best phone out there, and it doesn’t need to. What it does, it does really well. It feels like a device built with intention—prioritizing the things that actually matter to most users, like a good screen, strong battery life, and reliable cameras.
It’s not flashy, but it’s dependable. It’s not pushing boundaries, but it nails the fundamentals. If you’re someone who wants a phone that works well, feels great, and doesn’t drain your wallet, this might be the sleeper hit of the year.
And in a world full of overhyped specs and marketing buzzwords, that kind of quiet excellence is pretty refreshing.
