The Honor 200 has just launched in India making the 30k segment even more competitive. But is it worth the upgrade with this latest launch?
I got my hands on the Honor 200 and it is surely packed to the brim with features. In this review, I’ll be dissecting them, stacking it up against the popular OnePlus Nord 4 to see which phone offers the most bang for your buck. Keep reading to find out.
Honor 200 5G Design
Let's kick things off with a look at design, where two distinct philosophies come into play. The Honor 200 embraces a focus on lightness. Its sleek plastic body, finished in a smooth matte, feels comfortable in the hand and keeps weight to a minimum. It comes in two color options, and the one I have here is Moonlight White. It's a classic choice, especially with the textured finish, but maybe a touch on the conservative side.
The OnePlus Nord 4, on the other hand, exudes a more premium feel with a metal construction. It boasts a trendy dual-tone finish available in this Oasis green colour but you also get Obsidian Midnight, and Mercurial Silver, giving you a wider range of styles to choose from.
Also, bonus points for the Nord 4's IP65 water resistance rating – peace of mind for clumsy thumbs everywhere!
Ultimately, the Nord 4 seems ideal for people who value both durability and a bit of flair.
Honor 200 5G: Display
Moving on to the display, both phones offer impressive specs with their 6.7-inch screens and 120Hz refresh rates. The Honor 200 features a 1.2K AMOLED panel with a peak brightness of 4000 nits, which is fantastic for HDR content. The Nord 4, though, has a slightly larger 6.74-inch 1.2K AMOLED screen with a peak brightness of 2150 nits. So, the Honor 200 gets brighter under specific conditions, but no matter which you choose, both phones boast stunning visuals with rich colors and deep blacks thanks to the AMOLED technology.
Honor 200 5G: Performance
When it comes to performance, the Nord 4 takes the lead with its Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 processor.
In our benchmark tests, the Nord 4 scored higher, showing better results on AnTuTu and Geekbench compared to the Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 in the Honor 200.
Having said that, the Honor 200 does hold its own and browsing and multitasking is a breeze on the device. The variant I tested comes with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, but you can upgrade it to 12GB of RAM and 512GB of storage.
Meanwhile, the Nord 4 tops out at 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage.
The Honor 200 can handle demanding gaming easily, and it even has a Game Center app to help optimize performance.
I pushed it with BGMI on Smooth Extreme settings, even cranked it all the way up to Ultra HDR for a bit, and surprisingly it ran smoothly without any lag or stuttering. It did get a little warm, but that's pretty typical for mobile gaming.
Honor 200 5G: Camera
In the camera department, the Honor 200 takes a "more is more" approach
It boasts a versatile setup with a 50MP primary camera, a 50MP telephoto lens, and a 12MP ultrawide sensor. Plus, it has a 50MP selfie camera.
The Nord 4 keeps things a little simpler with a 50MP main shooter and an 8MP ultrawide sensor, along with a 16MP front camera.
Please see the video for camera samples.
Overall photo quality is pretty similar between the two phones, but the Honor 200 offers a wider range of possibilities. Daylight shots on the Honor 200 are more true-to-life with natural colors, although it can sometimes lean a little warm.
Low light photography is definitely better on the Honor 200, capturing more detail and balanced exposure compared to the Nord 4. The telephoto lens on the Honor 200 makes a big difference, offering 2.5x optical zoom for crisp close-up shots without sacrificing quality – a significant advantage over the Nord 4's 2x digital zoom.
But the he Honor 200's portrait mode might be its secret weapon. It collaborates with Harcourt studio to bring you 3 AI-powered effects that will have you taking studio-quality portraits in no time.
The 50MP selfie camera on the Honor 200 also impresses with well-lit and detailed photos, even in low light conditions. However, it doesn't utilize the same cool Harcourt Portrait Modes as the rear camera, which is a bit of a missed opportunity.
Honor 200 5G: Battery and Charging
Moving on to the battery life - the bane and blessing of every smartphone user, both the Honor 200 and OnePlus Nord 4 pack serious juice.
The Honor 200 boasts a 5200mAh battery. That's a solid chunk of power that should keep you going for a full day, even with moderate usage. On top of that, it supports super fast 100W wired charging. Though do keep in mind that the Honor 200 doesn't include a charger in the box. So, factor that extra cost into your decision if you don't have a compatible charger already.
The OnePlus Nord 4, on the other hand, comes with a 100W charger included. It also packs a slightly larger 5500mAh battery. In our tests, it managed to squeeze out nearly 6 to 7 hours of screen on time which is quite impressive and the fast charger topped up the phone from dead to 100% in less than 40 minutes!
While the Nord 4 seems to have a slight advantage over the Honor 200 in terms of battery life, one thing’s for sure – both of these phones ensure you won't be left stranded with a dead battery at the worst possible moment.
Honor 200 5G: Software
Software-wise, both phones run on Android 14, with their respective skins: MagicOS on the Honor 200 and OxygenOS on the Nord 4. Both offer a smooth experience but come with pre-loaded apps that you can remove.
And of course, it’s 2024, so both phones come packed with AI features. The Honor 200 offers a variety of AI-powered tools aimed at enhancing life with faster, more seamless connectivity and quick file transfers across apps, thanks to the Magic Portal and Anywhere Door. There's also Magic Capsule, similar to the iPhone's Dynamic Island, which allows you to run and monitor multiple apps simultaneously on the top panel of the display.
However, I’ve found the Nord 4’s AI features like AI Speak, AI Summarize, and AI Writer more practical in my daily use. These features offer functionalities that I genuinely rely on, making them more valuable to me, especially as a content creator, as compared to the Honor 200’s focus on connectivity and multitasking improvements..
OnePlus also promises four years of Android updates and six years of security patches, compared to Honor’s three years of major updates and four years of security patches.
This makes the Nord 4 a more future-proof choice.
Honor 200 5G: Price and Verdict
So, to wrap it up, both phones are good options in the 30K price segment.
The Honor 200 boasts a gorgeous display, a reliable battery, and let's not forget, an impressive camera setup. However, the Nord 4 packs a better processor, which could be a crucial factor for performance-driven users.
And like I mentioned before Nord 4 comes with a charger in the box, saving you a potential extra purchase.
Also, the Nord 4 has a clear advantage in price starting at ₹29,999, while the Honor 200 starts at ₹34,999.
So for 5000 rupees more, ultimately, the choice depends on your priorities...
If versatile camera features are your preference, the Honor 200 is a good option. But if you prioritize raw processing power, the Nord 4 might be the better choice.
Also watch: OnePlus Nord Buds 3 Pro review & comparison with CMF Buds Pro 2
