Why Everyone’s Talking About the HONOR 400 5G

HONOR has officially launched its latest midrange smartphone, the HONOR 400 5G, priced at ₱22,999, and it’s packed with next-gen AI features that aim to bring a flagship-level experience at a more affordable price. 

From smart photo editing tools to real-time translation and AI-powered display comfort, this phone goes beyond the basics. It’s not just about specs, it’s about how smart and seamless the overall experience feels. After using it as a daily driver, here’s what it’s really like to live with the HONOR 400 5G.

Also read HONOR 400 5G Unboxing and First Impressions

Design and Build Quality

The HONOR 400 5G feels like a big step up from the HONOR 200. It’s thinner, lighter, and more premium-looking overall. At just 7.3mm thin and 184g, it’s easy to carry around and feels comfortable in the hand—even during long periods of use like browsing, gaming, or streaming videos.

The one we used for review is Midnight Black, which has a smooth matte finish that looks clean and keeps fingerprints away. It gives the phone a sleek, modern vibe. If you want more color options, it’s also available in Desert Gold, Meteor Silver, and Tidal Blue, all with the same refined finish.

Button and port placement is practical and familiar. The power button and volume rocker are located on the right side, which makes them easy to reach. At the bottom, there’s the Type-C port, main speaker, microphone, and dual SIM slot. On top, you get a secondary microphone, a second speaker for stereo sound, and an IR blaster, handy if you like using your phone as a remote.

The camera ring on the back adds a bit of personality without being too flashy. It blends well with the phone’s overall clean design. The buttons feel clicky and responsive, and the build quality is solid from top to bottom.

What could be better:

• No headphone jack, which might be a downside for wired audio users
• No microSD slot for expandable storage
• The camera bump is slightly raised, so the phone doesn’t sit flat on a table

Still, these are minor things in an otherwise well-designed and thoughtfully built phone. Overall, the HONOR 400 5G looks and feels more refined than its predecessor, making it a solid step forward in both design and everyday usability.

Durability

Phones these days need to do more than just look good—they have to keep up with daily life. The HONOR 400 5G doesn’t just feel well-built, it’s designed to handle everyday wear and tear.

It's is rated with SGS 5-Star Drop Resistance, which means it’s been tested to withstand accidental drops better than most regular phones. After a few days of normal use, slipping in and out of pockets and bags, it still looks clean and scratch-free.

It also has an IP66 rating for water and dust resistance, so it's protected against sudden rain, splashes, or dusty environments. The Super Rainproof Touch feature keeps the screen responsive even when your fingers are slightly wet, which is handy.

The front glass feels durable and resistant to scratches, though it’s not confirmed to be Gorilla Glass. If you want extra protection, adding a screen protector is still a smart move.

Overall, the HONOR 400 5G feels solid and dependable, built not just to look good but to handle the kind of daily use most people put their phones through.

Display and Sound

The HONOR 400 5G comes with a 6.55-inch AMOLED display, and right away, you’ll notice how bright and sharp it looks. With a 2736×1264 resolution and up to 120Hz refresh rate, everything from scrolling to video playback feels smooth and detailed.

What really makes the screen stand out is its peak brightness of 5000 nits. Even under direct sunlight, the display stays clear and easy to read, no need to crank up the brightness manually or look for shade. HONOR’s Sunlight Display Enhancement works well, adjusting the screen based on your environment.

For comfort, HONOR added features to help reduce eye strain. These include 3840Hz PWM dimming, AI Defocus Display, and Circadian Night Mode. They’re especially useful for long reading sessions or late-night phone use.

One feature worth mentioning is Motion Sickness Relief. It uses a combination of visual stabilization and sensors to keep the screen steady while the phone is moving. This can help lessen the dizzy or uneasy feeling some users experience when reading or watching content in a moving car or bus. It’s a small detail that not everyone may notice, but for those who are sensitive to motion, it makes a real difference in comfort.

As for sound, it has two speakers, one at the top and one at the bottom, for stereo audio. It’s decent for watching videos or playing games. Volume gets loud enough without sounding distorted, and the stereo effect adds a bit of depth. There’s no headphone jack, so you’ll need wireless or USB-C earphones for private listening.

Performance

The HONOR 400 5G is powered by the Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 chipset, combined with 12GB of RAM and a generous 512GB of internal storage. It also supports HONOR RAM Turbo, which adds another 12GB of virtual RAM, giving you a total of up to 24GB when needed. This setup makes the phone well-equipped for heavy multitasking and smooth day-to-day usage.

App performance is consistently responsive. Whether you're switching between social media, messaging, video streaming, or editing photos, the phone keeps everything running in the background without hiccups. With RAM Turbo, even memory-heavy apps like video editors or AI tools don’t slow things down. Background apps reload less often, which makes multitasking feel seamless.

In gaming, the HONOR 400 5G performs better than expected for a midrange device. MMORPG games like Mobile Legends and Genshin Impact run well on medium to high settings. Frame rates are stable, loading times are quick, and graphics look sharp thanks to the Adreno 720 GPU. While it's not a gaming-focused phone, it can definitely handle extended sessions without noticeable lag or overheating.

Thermal control is also worth noting. Even during longer gaming sessions or while downloading large files, the phone stays cool to the touch. It doesn’t throttle performance easily, which means it stays consistent even under pressure.

For those who like numbers, the HONOR 400 5G reaches an AnTuTu score of around 826,910, placing it well within the higher end of the midrange category. While it doesn’t match flagship-level speeds, it offers more than enough power for typical everyday use, casual gaming, and even light content creation.

What could be better:

• The HONOR 400 5G performs well in most games, but more demanding titles like Genshin Impact still require tweaking settings for the best experience.
• No support for expandable storage, which might matter if you need more than 512GB
• While thermal management is good, the back can get a bit warm during longer gaming sessions on high settings.

Overall, the HONOR 400 5G delivers a reliable and efficient performance experience. It handles everyday tasks with ease, supports serious multitasking, and holds its own when it comes to gaming and media use. The added virtual RAM gives it an extra edge in performance when you need it.

Magic OS and User Interface

Out of the box runs on MagicOS 9.0, based on Android 15, and the experience feels smooth, clean, and easy to get used to. Right out of the box, the interface looks polished with minimal bloatware. Most of the pre-installed apps are either useful or can be uninstalled, which keeps the phone feeling lightweight and clutter-free.

Navigation is fluid. Swiping between screens, pulling down the control center, or switching apps all feels snappy and responsive. Everything is well-organized, and the layout is beginner-friendly without being overly simple. If you're coming from another Android phone, there's hardly any learning curve.

HONOR added several AI-powered tools to enhance productivity and make everyday tasks easier. Features like Magic Portal let you drag and drop text or images from one app to another, which is great for multitasking. There's also Circle to Search, AI Writing Tools, AI Translation, and even AI Deepfake Detection, which shows that HONOR is thinking ahead when it comes to safety and smart features.

Google services are fully supported, so you get Google Play Store, Gmail, Google Maps, and even the new Gemini AI assistant built in. The AI tools integrate nicely without being too aggressive, so you can choose when and how to use them.

Animations are smooth, transitions are fast, and app loading feels instant most of the time. Customization options are also decent—you can change themes, icons, and layouts to suit your preferences without installing third-party apps.

What could be better:

• Some AI features may not be fully useful for all users and might take time to explore
• MagicOS still has a few settings hidden in menus that aren’t as intuitive to find at first
• There's no built-in app drawer by default, but you can enable it in settings

Overall, the UI delivers a smooth and practical user experience. It’s stable, responsive, and packed with useful features that don’t overwhelm. It balances smart tools with a clean interface that most users will appreciate.

Connectivity

The HONOR 400 5G offers a complete set of connectivity features that make everyday use smooth and reliable. It supports 5G on both SIM slots, so whether you're streaming videos, gaming, or uploading content on the go, mobile data stays fast and stable.

One highlight here is the support for eSIM, which is still rare in midrange phones. This makes it easier to switch carriers, use dual networks, or travel without needing to swap physical SIM cards.

The phone also supports Wi-Fi 6, which means faster and more stable connections even when you're connected to a busy home or office network. Downloading apps, streaming high-res content, or using cloud services all feel quick and seamless.

Bluetooth 5.4 ensures reliable wireless connections with earbuds, speakers, and other accessories. It pairs quickly and stays connected, even during long calls or gaming sessions.

There’s NFC support too, so you can use the phone for tap-to-pay services, fast pairing, and transferring files or contacts between compatible devices. It’s a handy addition that adds convenience in day-to-day use.

At the bottom, the phone uses a USB Type-C port for charging and file transfer. You also get a dual SIM tray for two physical nano SIMs, giving you more options if you don’t use eSIM.

And up top, there’s an IR blaster, letting you control TVs, air conditioners, and other appliances directly from your phone. It’s a small but practical feature, especially at this price point.

Overall, the HONOR 400 5G offers a complete and well-rounded connectivity setup. From fast 5G and eSIM to NFC and IR control, it’s built to keep you connected in every way that matters.

Camera

The HONOR 400 5G features a 200MPAI main camera with f/1.9 aperture and OIS, paired with a 12MP ultra-wide lens. On the front, it has a sharp 50MP selfie camera. These numbers sound big, but what's more important is how well it performs, and thankfully, the results speak for themselves.

In daylight, the 200MP main sensor captures detailed, well-balanced photos with natural colors and good contrast. Whether you're shooting landscapes, food, or portraits, images look sharp without going overboard on processing. You can also enable High-Res mode, which supports up to 16384 × 12288 pixels, if you want to capture extra detail for large prints or cropping.

The ultra-wide camera comes in handy for fitting more into the frame. It’s great for travel shots, group photos, or capturing tight spaces. While it’s not as sharp as the main sensor, it does a decent job with minimal edge distortion.

Zoom is handled digitally, with support for up to 30x zoom. Quality remains strong up to around 5x, which is great for casual zoom shots. Beyond that, image quality naturally drops, but it's still useful for getting closer when needed.

Sample Photos

At night, the camera does a solid job. Thanks to AI Night Mode and built-in optical image stabilization, low-light shots come out brighter with decent clarity and less blur. You’ll still see a bit of grain in darker scenes, but for its class, the night performance is more than acceptable.

For video, it can record up to 4K at 3840 × 2160 resolution, with good dynamic range and stable footage, especially with OIS and software stabilization working together.

The 50MP front camera takes sharp selfies with natural skin tones and good exposure, even indoors or at night. Portrait mode works well too, with clean edge detection and soft background blur.

HONOR also packs in a variety of capture modes, including AI Super Zoom, Film Simulation, Pro Mode, Night Shot, Portrait, Super Macro, Moving Photo, Multi-Video, and even Scan Document. These modes are easy to access and fun to experiment with, whether you're a casual shooter or someone who likes to tweak settings.

But what makes the HONOR 400 5G’s camera setup stand out is the deep integration of AI-powered editing tools directly built into the phone’s gallery. After taking a photo, you can enhance it in smart and creative ways without needing third-party apps:

• AI Image to Video transforms still shots into dynamic video clips with motion effects. It gives everyday photos a cinematic feel, perfect for stories and social posts.
• Erase Passers-by removes unwanted people in the background with just one tap.
• Remove Reflection cleans up glare from windows and shiny surfaces.
• Eyes Open fixes closed eyes in group shots, saving what might’ve been a missed moment.
• AI Outpainting expands the background of a photo beyond the frame, giving you more creative flexibility.
• AI Cutout and Edit lets you isolate objects or people and paste them onto different backgrounds.
• AI Upscale improves the resolution of lower-quality images with one tap.

These tools are easy to use and don’t require any editing experience. However, since they run on cloud-based AI, an internet connection is required, and processing may take a few seconds, especially when working with high-resolution images.

What could be better:

• Ultra-wide camera could be sharper, especially in low light
• Digital zoom loses detail after 10x
• AI editing tools require internet and may take time to process, depending on the task

Overall, the HONOR 400 5G delivers a capable and versatile camera system that’s easy to enjoy. With reliable image quality and smart AI features built in, it makes capturing, enhancing, and sharing great-looking photos feel effortless.

Battery and Charging

The HONOR 400 5G is packed with a large 6000mAh silicon-carbon battery, which is one of the biggest in its category. In everyday use, that means you can comfortably get through a full day, and often well into the next without worrying about plugging in.

During regular use with social media, browsing, messaging, and a bit of video streaming, the phone holds strong. Even with gaming and camera use added to the mix, it still manages to last until the end of the day. For lighter users, charging once every two days is even possible.

When it’s time charge, the phone supports 80W HONOR SuperCharge. Using the included fast charger, it goes from around 20% to 70% in just under 30 minutes, which is great when you're in a hurry. A full charge typically takes just under an hour.

What makes this even better is that the phone manages to stay relatively cool while charging, thanks to smart temperature management. You don’t need to worry about overheating or performance slowing down during a quick charge session.

What could be better:

• No wireless charging, which some users may expect at this level
• The charger is needed to get the full 80W speed—other adapters may charge slower

Still, with its huge battery and super-fast wired charging, the HONOR 400 5G is built for all-day reliability. Whether you're a heavy user or just need a phone that won't die halfway through the day, this one delivers dependable battery life with minimal waiting.

Final Thoughts

The HONOR 400 5G hits a sweet spot in the midrange category. It combines a premium-looking design with capable processing performance, reliable battery life, and a camera setup that delivers more than expected, especially with all the built-in AI features.

What sets this smartphone apart is how effortless it makes content creation and editing. With tools like AI Image to Video, Erase Passers-by, and Outpainting available right in the gallery, it becomes easy to enhance photos and videos without using extra apps.

It may not have wireless charging, and the AI tools do rely on an internet connection, but these are minor trade-offs considering everything else it offers. With its clean design, smooth performance, and helpful AI extras, the HONOR 400 5G is a well-balanced device that’s easy to recommend for users who want both style and smart features in one package.

Now officially available in the Philippines for ₱22,999, the HONOR 400 5G comes in three elegant colors: Midnight Black, Tidal Blue, and Desert Gold.

Buyers also get exclusive freebies worth ₱9,397, including a JBL Go 4 speaker, HONOR Choice Earbuds Clips, and a Jisulife Pro 1. On top of that, each purchase gives you a shot at winning big in a raffle, with prizes like a Rolex GMT Master II worth ₱600,000 or a Hermès Lindy Mini Bag worth ₱420,000.

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