Honor 100 Review: The Brand’s Best Flagship Yet

Honor has been making waves in the smartphone market, evolving from a budget-friendly sub-brand of Huawei to a standalone powerhouse delivering premium devices at competitive prices. The Honor 100, released in 2023, is a testament to this transformation, boasting flagship-level specs and a sleek design that rivals top-tier competitors. In this review, we’ll dive into what makes the Honor 100 a standout, exploring its design, performance, display, camera, battery life, and software. Is this truly Honor’s best flagship yet? Let’s find out.

Design and Build

The Honor 100 is a visual stunner, embracing a bold and distinctive aesthetic. Its rounded 6.78-inch AMOLED display, with a peak brightness of up to 2600 nits, is paired with a partially multi-colored back that shifts hues depending on the light. The phone’s unique camera module design adds a touch of flair, setting it apart from the cookie-cutter designs of many modern smartphones. Weighing in at an optimized weight, the Honor 100 feels premium yet comfortable for daily use, with a slim profile that enhances its portability.

Available in colors like Black, Silver, Blue, and Violet, the Honor 100 exudes sophistication. The glass back and aluminum frame contribute to a flagship-level build quality, though it’s worth noting that the phone lacks an official IP rating for water and dust resistance, which is a minor drawback for a device in this class.

Display

The Honor 100’s 6.78-inch AMOLED display is a highlight, offering a crisp 1200 x 2664 resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate for buttery-smooth scrolling and animations. The panel delivers vibrant colors, deep blacks, and excellent viewing angles, making it ideal for media consumption, gaming, and productivity. Honor’s focus on eye comfort is evident with a high 3,840Hz Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) dimming rate, reducing eye strain during prolonged use. Whether you’re streaming videos or browsing social media, the display’s color accuracy and brightness make it one of the best in its class.

Performance

Powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 chipset, paired with an Adreno GPU, the Honor 100 delivers robust performance for a mid-range flagship. With options for 12GB or 16GB of RAM and up to 512GB of storage, it handles multitasking, gaming, and demanding apps with ease. In benchmark tests like AnTuTu, the Honor 100 performs admirably, offering a future-proof experience for users who need power without breaking the bank. While it may not compete with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 found in pricier flagships, it’s more than capable for most users, from casual gamers to power users juggling multiple apps.

The phone runs on MagicOS based on Android 14, which provides a clean yet feature-rich experience. However, some users have noted that Honor’s software can feel less polished than stock Android or iOS, with occasional bloatware and quirks in notification handling. Still, the inclusion of native Google services (especially in global versions with MagicOS 8) ensures broad app compatibility.

Camera

The Honor 100’s camera system is a mixed bag but leans toward impressive for its price point. The rear setup features a 50MP wide sensor with optical image stabilization (OIS) and a 12MP ultrawide lens, while the front houses a 50MP selfie camera. The main sensor captures sharp, vibrant photos, even in challenging lighting conditions, thanks to OIS and pixel-binning technology. The ultrawide lens performs adequately but struggles in low light, and the lack of a dedicated telephoto lens is a noticeable omission for a flagship contender.

Selfies are a strong suit, with the 50MP front camera delivering detailed and natural-looking shots. However, some users have reported that Honor’s AI-enhanced processing can be overly aggressive, occasionally affecting photo authenticity. For casual photographers, the Honor 100’s camera system is more than sufficient, but serious shutterbugs may want to look at alternatives like the Honor Magic 6 Pro for superior versatility.

Battery Life

With a 5,000mAh battery and 100W fast charging, the Honor 100 excels in the battery department. In real-world tests, it easily lasts a full day of heavy use, with some users reporting up to two days on lighter workloads. The 100W wired charging can juice up the phone from 0% to 45% in just 15 minutes, with a full charge taking around 45-50 minutes. Additionally, the inclusion of 5W reverse wired charging is a nice touch for powering up accessories. However, the lack of wireless charging is a notable downside, especially when competitors like the Honor 200 Pro offer it at a similar price point.

Software and Updates

Running MagicOS on Android 14, the Honor 100 offers a customizable interface with unique features like the Magic Capsule, a Dynamic Island-like notification system around the front camera. While functional, MagicOS has received mixed feedback. Some praise its minimalist design and five-year update commitment, while others criticize its occasional bloatware and less intuitive navigation compared to stock Android. For global users, the inclusion of Google Play Store and services is a major plus, especially after Honor’s split from Huawei. Still, software polish remains an area where Honor could improve to truly compete with the likes of Samsung or Google.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Stunning 6.78-inch AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate
• Strong performance with Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 and up to 16GB RAM
• Excellent battery life with 100W fast charging
• Sleek, eye-catching design
• Competitive price-to-performance ratio

Cons

• No wireless charging
• No IP rating for water/dust resistance
• Camera AI processing can be inconsistent
• MagicOS software needs refinement
• Limited global availability

Conclusion

The Honor 100 is a compelling mid-range flagship that punches above its weight. Its vibrant display, solid performance, and impressive battery life make it a worthy contender in a crowded market. While it falls short in areas like wireless charging and software polish, its price-to-performance ratio is hard to beat, starting at approximately $350 for the base model in China.

Is it Honor’s best flagship yet? Compared to predecessors like the Honor 90, the Honor 100 offers meaningful upgrades in performance, display quality, and design, making it a strong candidate for the title. However, its China-exclusive release (as of now) and minor shortcomings keep it from dethroning Honor’s premium offerings like the Magic 6 Pro. For those seeking a stylish, capable smartphone without a flagship price tag, the Honor 100 is a fantastic choice—if you can get your hands on it.

Disclaimer: Some specs are based on rumors, as the Honor 100 has not been officially announced for global markets. Check Honor’s official channels for updates on availability.