Honor has unveiled its latest midrange smartphones, the Honor 400 and 400 Pro, which are now available in the UK and Europe. These devices are distinguished by their promise of six years of software updates, a feature that is commendable in their price range, with only Google’s Pixel 9A surpassing them.
The 400 Pro, priced at £699.99 / €799 (approximately $900), is essentially a flagship device. It is equipped with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor and features a 6.7-inch AMOLED display, IP68 and IP69 ratings for water and dust resistance, and a 5,300mAh battery (or a 6,000mAh battery outside Europe). The camera setup is noteworthy, featuring a 200-megapixel main camera along with ultrawide and telephoto lenses.
I find the standard 400 model especially appealing due to its more affordable price of £399.99 / €499 (around $560). Unlike the Pro version, it has flat edges and a slightly smaller 6.5-inch display, making it more comfortable for one-handed use.
The 400 comes with the same main and ultrawide cameras as the Pro, although it lacks the telephoto lens. Its water resistance rating is slightly lower at IP65, and while it is powered by the Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 chip, the combination of a large battery and smaller screen is anticipated to yield excellent endurance. The notable downside is the absence of wireless charging found in the Pro model.
Both models from Honor are backed by a commitment to six years of operating system updates and security patches, which will take them to Android 21 in 2031. This commitment aligns with Samsung’s offer for its Galaxy A56 and is just one year shy of the seven-year coverage promised by Google for the Pixel 9A. Each device comes pre-installed with Honor’s MagicOS based on Android 15 and features an innovative AI image-to-video functionality powered by Google’s Veo 2 model, currently exclusive to these phones.
While the 400 Pro’s flagship pricing may not appeal to everyone, the standard 400 presents a strong alternative to both the Pixel 9A and Galaxy A56. It offers a lower cost, comparable longevity, and superior specifications in several areas.
Photography by Dominic Preston / Technology News
