After the successful and trending launch of the HONOR 90 5G, which quickly sold out within a week, HONOR Philippines returns with the introduction of four new models: the HONOR X5 Plus, HONOR X6a, HONOR Pad X9, and HONOR 90 Lite 5G.
In this #VPTechReview, we’ll shift our focus to the lite version of the HONOR 90 5G. If you remember our comprehensive review of its predecessor, the HONOR 90 5G, you’ll recall it earned a reputation as one of the best mid-range smartphones. To revisit that review, please click here. Furthermore, Can the HONOR 90 Lite 5G live up to the expectations set by its older sibling? Let’s dive in and find out.
The spotlight now shines on the HONOR 90 Lite 5G, a smartphone designed for users who desire exceptional photo quality via its 100MP primary camera, all while staying budget-conscious.
Additionally, it’s important to note that both the HONOR 90 5G and HONOR 90 Lite 5G are potential parts of a series, with the HONOR 90 Lite 5G taking the lead as the initial release. Will there be a Pro or Pro+ variant in the works? Only time will unveil the answer.
Built and Aesthetics:
The HONOR 90 Lite 5G features a slim and lightweight design with rounded corners, measuring a mere 7.48mm in thickness and weighing only 179g. Moreover, it showcases sleek, sharp straight edges. This results in a truly portable device that effortlessly fits into your pocket or a small pouch.
Upon initial inspection, its design immediately brings to mind the simplicity reminiscent of recent iPhone models. According to its specifications, it touts a smooth and delicate surface that is resistant to marks and fingerprints.
The HONOR 90 Lite 5G offers a selection of three colors, yet in the Philippines, only Cyan Lake and Midnight Black will be on offer. We received the Midnight Black variant for this review. Personally, as someone who values monochromatic aesthetics, it immediately caught my attention. However, it’s worth noting that, in practice, our testing reveals that fingerprints are quite visible despite its claim of being fingerprint-resistant on paper—unless excessive hand sweating is considered. Nonetheless, the build and aesthetics provide a premium feel for a mid-range device.
Additionally, it’s noteworthy that it incorporates a Dual Ring Camera Design inspired by fine jewelry, which adds an intriguing touch to its design.
Edgeless Screen with TÜV Rheinland Certification:
The HONOR 90 Lite 5G features a spacious 6.7-inch Edgeless FHD+ Display, showcasing an impressive 93.6% screen-to-body ratio. This experience is further elevated with a refresh rate that can go as high as 90Hz, coupled with a sharp 1080 x 2388 resolution.
Furthermore, the lite version incorporates TÜV Rheinland-certified eye protection technology and Dynamic Dimming technology. These innovations enhance eye comfort and alleviate fatigue, catering to users who spend extended hours in front of their screens, thus delivering a more comfortable viewing experience.
Screen with Eye Care Features:
The HONOR 90 Lite, carrying TÜV Rheinland Certification, actively promotes users’ digital well-being and eye protection with three valuable display modes:
- Eye Comfort Mode: Upon activation, users can enjoy enhanced eye protection during extended smartphone usage.
- E-Book Mode: Catering to users who favor reading on their smartphones, this feature heightens the display’s contrast, resembling a paper-like reader. It ensures comfortable reading even in dimly lit rooms.
- Dark Mode: The Honor 90 Lite 5G also includes this feature, transforming white backgrounds into black and black text into white. This adjustment reduces the screen’s intense light, prioritizing users’ eye safety.
TÜV Rheinland Low Blue Light Certification: This unit employs Low Blue Light technology, effectively reducing harmful blue light. It assists users in minimizing eye strain and fatigue while preserving excellent visual clarity without color distortion. As a result, users’ viewing experiences remain undisturbed.
After using this model for almost two weeks, it’s safe to conclude that it offers one of the most comfortable displays for extended use. I could comfortably use this smartphone for several hours without straining my eyes or experiencing headaches. In fact, I even managed to binge-watch the entire One Piece live-action series on Netflix and enjoyed Olivia Rodrigo’s videos on YouTube.
The combination of entertainment capabilities and the eye-care features make the HONOR 90 Lite 5G an exceptional choice that shouldn’t be overlooked.
The 100MP Ultra Camera delivers high-quality photos
As the lite version, this model features only a 100MP Main Camera, compared to its older sibling with 200MP. Nonetheless, it maintains the new standard triple-camera setup commonly found in mid-range phones. This setup includes the 100MP Main Camera, a 5MP Wide & Depth Camera, and a 2MP Macro Camera. Furthermore, the main camera boasts an f/1.9 aperture, responsible for capturing vibrant, high-definition photos and intricate details in complex scenes, whether zoomed in or not.
Additionally, the 5MP Wide & Depth Camera offers an expansive field of view, thanks to its wide f/2.2 aperture that increases light intake and enhances picture quality while creating a pleasing shallow depth of field effect. The camera offers various features, including the Main Shooter, wideshot at 0.6x, quality zoom photos up to 2x, and up to 10x zoom. It also includes night mode, Portrait mode, HDR, and Pro mode. Sample photos are provided below for reference.
Main Camera
Daytime shot using the main camera
Night shot with Night Mode
Daytime shot using the main camera in 0.6x (Wideshot), and 1x and 2x Zoom
Given the 200MP camera on its older sibling, it’s remarkable that the HONOR 90 Lite 5G’s 100MP camera can still capture vibrant and detailed photos. In low-light conditions, noise becomes slightly noticeable, but considering the price point of this model, it’s an acceptable trade-off. Quality photos remain attainable even when zooming in.
Portrait Feature:
While the Honor 90 Lite 5G didn’t prominently promote its portrait camera, and this feature might be achieved through software enhancement, we can still say that, although not at its best, it produces HD portrait photos in well-lit environments.
Elevating Selfies with the HONOR 90 Lite 5G:
Of course, comparing this model to its older sibling, the HONOR 90 5G, is a testament to its capabilities, but the lite version also shines in its own right. The HONOR 90 Lite features a 16MP selfie shooter. It’s noteworthy that HONOR has generously provided users with the ability to capture captivating selfies, displaying vivid and enhanced colors, all thanks to its f/2.45 aperture. Furthermore, the selfie camera excels in facial recognition capabilities, effectively highlighting the subject’s facial features. Below, you can find sample selfies for your reference.
The selfie camera on the HONOR 90 Lite 5G truly stands out, particularly in well-lit environments. Notably, it manages to maintain facial accuracy, even when the beauty mode is activated. However, its performance isn’t exceptional in low-light conditions. But with a little creativity, such as using third-party lighting accessories, you can still achieve those stunning selfies you desire.
Impressive Budget-Friendly Performance:
The HONOR 90 Lite 5G packs an Octa-Core configuration, comprising (2×2.2 GHz Cortex-A76 & 6×2.0 GHz Cortex-A55), all powered by the Mediatek Dimensity 6020 chipset. This chipset is commonly employed in lower mid-range SoCs and budget-friendly gaming smartphones, boasting an integrated 5G modem. Thanks to its 7nm process chip, the HONOR 90 Lite operates with power efficiency, contributing to extended battery life.
Furthermore, it features WiFi 5 and Dual 5G capabilities, running on MagicOS 7.1, which is built upon Android 13. This combination ensures remarkable performance within the constraints of a budget-friendly phone.
Exploring the Battery Performance
Now, let’s delve into the HONOR 90 Lite’s battery capabilities. It adheres to typical mid-range battery standards, boasting a 4500mAh Super Battery paired with a 22.5W SuperCharge Wall charger. On paper, it claims to charge up to 53% in just half an hour. During our testing, it took 41 minutes to reach a 55% charge and a total of 1 hour and 30 minutes to achieve a full charge. While not the fastest, this performance is acceptable, considering that this phone falls under the more budget-constrained segment of mid-range devices. A one and a half-hour charging time is still quite commendable.
Impressive Flagship-Level Storage
One striking feature of the HONOR 90 Lite is its substantial 256GB storage capacity, a characteristic often associated with flagship devices. This expansive storage empowers users to capture more photos and videos, preserving cherished memories, and to install a multitude of applications, fully harnessing the model’s potential.
While the initial model ships with just 8GB of RAM, HONOR introduces the HONOR RAM Turbo (8GB+5GB), an exclusive technology that reallocates a portion of flash memory to function as RAM, effectively boosting the RAM from 8GB to an impressive 13GB. This achievement is truly remarkable!
During our testing, I managed to use this phone for a full 3 days without needing to recharge, even with extensive use involving social media, playing Pokémon games, and indulging in Netflix and YouTube.
HONOR 90 Lite 5G delivered a notably smooth performance throughout this period.
Benchmarking Performance
In our quest to assess its performance, we subjected the HONOR 90 Lite 5G to various benchmarking tests, utilizing apps such as AnTuTu, Geekbench 6, 3DMark, and CPDT.
Here are the benchmark results for the HONOR 90 Lite 5G:
- AnTuTu: 400,965
- Geekbench 6: 730 (single-core), 1,921 (multi-core)
- 3DMark Wild Life: 1,200 with an average of 7.19 fps
- CPDT: Sequential write speeds of 237.37MB/s, sequential read speeds of 836.07MB/s
VERDICT:
The Honor 90 Lite 5G serves as a valuable tool for users seeking to immerse themselves in the fast-paced world of social media, where everything is just a click away. While it offers slightly fewer features compared to its older sibling, the HONOR 90 5G, the lite version still manages to shine in its own right.
The 100MP Ultra Camera excels at capturing astonishing, detailed, and vibrant photos, particularly in well-lit conditions. This, in itself, feels like a premium addition to the model, even though it falls within the budget-constrained mid-range segment.
Both the Main and Selfie cameras, along with the portrait mode, deliver high-quality photos under good lighting conditions. In low-light settings, a touch of creativity is needed to capture the stunning photos you desire. Nevertheless, this model caters to users such as students and young professionals who desire a quality camera phone within budget constraints.
The standout feature of this model is undoubtedly its flagship-level storage of 256GB. With this, users can fully enjoy the freedom to store countless memories and apps on their device.
Although it may appear “lite” in terms of specifications and price, don’t be deceived; this model excels in everyday usage and is perfect for on-the-go activities.
To be completely honest, during my review of this model, I initially expected it to be priced at around P19,000 or more. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that HONOR Philippines has made it available at a very affordable price point, ensuring that all Filipino users can enjoy it.
Therefore, I plan to keep this model with me for a little while longer. You wouldn’t want to miss out on this opportunity while it’s still available for purchase.
PRICE AND AVAILABILITY
The HONOR 90 Lite 5G is impressively priced at just Php 12,990. Moreover, you have the opportunity to pre-order it from September 27 to 30, 2023. During this period, you can receive a FREE pair of HONOR Gift Earbuds worth Php 1,590 when purchasing at HONOR Experience and Partner Stores or online through platforms such as Lazada (https://bit.ly/H90Lite5GLaz), Shopee (https://bit.ly/H90Lite5GShopee), and TikTok Shop (https://bit.ly/3ZleihW). For HONOR fans, there’s also the option to acquire the HONOR 90 Lite 5G via Home Credit, with affordable monthly payments as low as Php 521.
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