A year ago, Honor released the Honor 200 Lite, an affordable smartphone aimed primarily at the younger generation. A year later, the Chinese brand responded with the Honor 400 Lite, a successor that takes up the torch with a clear ambition: to offer even more for an ever-tighter budget. Priced at €299, €30 less than its predecessor, the Honor 400 Lite offers improved specifications in almost every area.
A camera button inspired by the iPhone 16
But beyond its aggressive pricing and solid specifications, the Honor 400 Lite attracts attention with a particularly interesting design element. On its edges, Honor has added a dedicated tactile hardware camera button. This button is more than just a shutter button, as it allows you to open the camera app, quickly capture a snapshot, or start video recording by holding down the button. Does this remind you of anything? Apple's approach is similar with the iPhone 16's Camera Control button, but Honor's device costs a fraction of the price of an iPhone.
But the comparison doesn't stop there, the Honor 400 Lite also offers a design reminiscent of Apple's latest models. In reality, Honor seems to have found inspiration mainly from its former parent company Huawei and its Pura 70 series.
A mix of iPhone 16 and Huawei Pura 70
The HONOR 400 Lite stands out with a slim (only 7.29mm thick) and lightweight (171g) design. It sports a minimalist aesthetic with a geometrically designed camera module and a smooth, glare-free finish thanks to the Excimer process. It is available in two colors: Velvet Gray and Velvet Black. In terms of resistance, it is SGS Five-Star Drop Resistance certified and equipped with IP64 technology, allowing it to withstand accidental everyday drops and be used even with wet hands.
While it looks like a high-end Huawei or Apple, it does not compete in this category. This smartphone, however, includes a series of features that aim to offer an interesting experience at an affordable price.
The smartphone features a 6.7-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 2412 x 1080 pixels and a refresh rate of 120 Hz. Its peak brightness reaches a level of 3500 nits, which should ensure optimal visibility even in direct sunlight. A fingerprint sensor integrated under the screen is also present, marking an evolution compared to the sensor on the edge of its predecessor.
Mobile photography with AI (and a dedicated button)
Photography is a subject close to the heart of the HONOR 400 Lite. It is equipped with a 108 MP main camera with an aperture of f / 1.75, combined with a 5 MP ultra-wide-angle and depth-of-field sensor. For portrait lovers, three specialized modes are offered (x1, x2, x3 zoom).
The 16 MP front camera benefits from the HONOR RAW Domain algorithm to balance shadows and lights, and a Selfie Light function for improved rendering.
Artificial intelligence is not left out and plays a key role on this smartphone. The dedicated AI Camera button is not only a physical control, it also gives access to intelligent features. A quick press provides quick access to Google Lens, transforming the smartphone into an exploration tool to identify plants, animals, works of art, or translate text in real time. Additionally, the HONOR 400 Lite benefits from AI with access to AI Eraser and AI Outpainting tools via the Google Gemini button (an OTA update may be required for these tools).
Great promises in terms of performance and endurance
Under the hood, the HONOR 400 Lite is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7025-Ultra processor. The model offered in France adds 8 GB of RAM, supplemented by HONOR RAM Turbo technology (8 GB + 8 GB), and 256 GB of storage.
Autonomy is ensured by a 5,230mAh Li-ion polymer battery, designed to retain more than 80% of its capacity after 1000 charge cycles. Thanks to HONOR SuperCharge 35W technology, the smartphone can recharge up to 52% in just 30 minutes and reach 100% in 73 minutes.
On the software side, the Honor 400 Lite launches with Android 15 and Magic OS 9.0 and benefits from a 5-year commitment to Android and security updates.
Price and availability
The Honor 400 Lite is available now at a price of 299 euros. For its launch, it benefits from an immediate discount offer of 50 euros, making it available at 249 euros. On paper, it positions itself as a serious contender for the title of best value for money under 300 euros. We will be sure to verify this promise in a review that will be published very soon in the Journal du Geek.
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