Looking for a powerful smartphone under £250 that looks and feels high-end? The Honor 400 Lite might be the budget Android phone that finally breaks the mold. With a premium design, AMOLED display, AI camera features, and a surprisingly useful dedicated camera button, this phone competes with devices four times its price—including the iPhone 16 Pro.
In this post, we dive into everything you need to know before grabbing the Honor 400 Lite: the good, the not-so-good, and whether it truly lives up to the hype.
Honor 400 Lite at a Glance
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Price: ~£250
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Display: 6.7″ AMOLED, 120Hz, FHD+
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Processor: MediaTek Dimensity 7025 Ultra
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RAM/Storage: 8GB RAM / 256GB storage
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Battery: 5230mAh with 35W wired charging
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Camera: 108MP main, 5MP ultra-wide, 16MP selfie
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OS: MagicOS 9 (Android-based)
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Unique Feature: Dedicated camera button
Premium Design Without the Premium Price
The Honor 400 Lite looks deceptively expensive. Inspired by the iPhone’s flat-edge design, it sports a sleek, matte-finished plastic frame that resists fingerprints and smudges. Available in Velvet Black, Velvet Gray, and Mars Green, the phone has visual flair and holds comfortably in hand thanks to its curved corners and slim profile.
Insert Image: Honor 400 Lite color variants
Even the rear camera module mimics flagship aesthetics. Though there’s no full water resistance (it’s IP64 rated), it withstood real-world moisture without issue—even with wet fingers on the display.
Display: Vivid and Smooth
The 6.7-inch AMOLED screen delivers crisp visuals at 2412×1080 resolution with up to 120Hz refresh rate. It’s great for content consumption, gaming, and general use, although visibility under direct sunlight (especially with sunglasses) can be challenging.
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PWM Dimming: 3840Hz to reduce eye strain.
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Color Customization: Tweaks available in settings.
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Limitations: No HDR playback for Netflix or Prime Video.
Insert Image: Comparison shot of AMOLED screen vs LCD under sunlight
Performance: Solid for the Price
Powered by the Dimensity 7025 Ultra chipset, the Honor 400 Lite handles day-to-day tasks smoothly. Paired with 8GB RAM, it performs comparably to Snapdragon 695-powered devices.
What you can expect:
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Snappy multitasking and app launching.
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Gaming: Call of Duty and PUBG run well on medium-high settings.
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Heavier titles like Genshin Impact show occasional frame rate drops.
Note: Performance isn’t “ultra” as the name implies, but it’s consistent and reliable.
Camera Experience: Surprisingly Capable
Primary Sensor: 108MP
Secondary Sensor: 5MP ultra-wide
Front Camera: 16MP with LED flash
The camera system offers bright, saturated images—similar to iPhones—but with a few clever extras:
Standout Feature: Dedicated Camera Button
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Opens camera even from sleep.
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Half-press to focus, full-press to shoot.
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Swipe for zoom—customizable settings available.
Insert Image: Demonstration of the camera button in use
Performance Summary:
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Good detail with the 108MP sensor, even when zooming.
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Ultra-wide lacks sharpness.
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Low-light selfie flash is effective.
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Video capped at 1080p/30fps (no 4K).
Software & AI Features
MagicOS 9 is clean, fast, and highly customizable. From fonts to lock screen styles, there’s a lot to tweak.
AI Features Include:
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Magic Capsule: iPhone-style interactive notification system.
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Magic Portal: Drag content with your knuckle for fast actions.
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Smart Camera: Google-powered visual search outperforms iPhone’s.
Limitations: No AI image generation or chat rewriting, which isn’t a huge loss for most users.
Battery & Charging
The 5230mAh battery easily lasts a full day with moderate use.
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20-30% battery left after a typical day
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Intensive use (gaming + video calls) drains quicker
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Charging: 35W wired (no wireless option)
Insert Image: Screen-on time comparison graph
Sound Quality: A Missed Opportunity
Sadly, it’s mono-only. While volume is decent, the lack of stereo speakers affects the media experience. Bluetooth headphones are highly recommended.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
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Premium design at a budget price
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AMOLED 120Hz display
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Reliable performance
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Innovative camera button
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256GB storage standard
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AI features that actually work
Cons:
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Mono speaker setup
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No 4K video
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No wireless charging
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Only IP64 water resistance
Final Verdict: Is the Honor 400 Lite Worth It?
Absolutely—especially if you want flagship features without paying flagship prices. At just £250, the Honor 400 Lite delivers more than you’d expect. It even outshines the iPhone 16 Pro in a few areas like AI functionality and camera usability. While it’s not perfect, it’s a top-tier budget smartphone for 2024.
FAQs
Is the Honor 400 Lite good for gaming?
Yes, it runs games like Call of Duty and PUBG smoothly. Heavier games may require lower settings.
Does it support 5G?
Yes, the Dimensity 7025 Ultra chipset includes 5G support.
Can I expand the storage?
Unfortunately, there’s no microSD slot, but the built-in 256GB is generous for most users.
Is the camera button useful?
Very—it speeds up your photo capturing process and is more customizable than the iPhone’s.
How many years of software support will it get?
Expect around 2–3 years of updates, typical for mid-range Android phones.
Summary
The Honor 400 Lite combines style, smart features, and strong value. While there are a few compromises, the phone’s performance, display, and camera innovations make it one of the best budget Android options in 2024.
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