HONOR 400 5G Review—AI-Powered Imaging and More

POSTED BY: Lionell Go Macahilig
2025-07-02 15:30:01 PHT

The HONOR 400 5G joins the local smartphone scene with a feature set that rivals flagship devices, thanks to its suite of AI-powered imaging and productivity features, ample battery capacity, and thoughtful design. The successor to last year’s HONOR 200 5G, the HONOR 400 5G aims to redefine what users can expect from a midrange smartphone. Let us look at what it has to offer in this review.

Display and Design

Sporting a 6.55-inch AMOLED display with a 2736 × 1264p resolution, 120Hz refresh rate, and 5000 nits peak brightness, the HONOR 400 5G ensures visuals remain clear and vibrant, even under direct sunlight. Hours of HONOR 400 5G use due to Internet browsing or gaming should not be a concern. HONOR's Eye Comfort technologies like 3840Hz PWM Risk-Free Dimming, Dynamic Dimming, and Circadian Night Mode work together to reduce eye strain due to prolonged use. In addition, AI Defocus Eyecare and Motion Sickness Relief provide an extra layer of user-centric design, ensuring comfort even during motion-heavy activities like reading in a moving vehicle.

Like other previously launched HONOR smartphones, durability is also a major focus of the HONOR 400 5G. This smartphone is SGS 5-Star Drop Resistance certified and IP66 dust and water-resistant, making it tough enough against accidental drops or splashes. Weighing approximately 184g and measuring 156.5 × 74.6 × 7.3mm, the HONOR 400 5G has flat sides and rounded corners, making it a nice fit in the hand and convenient to carry around.

WATCH: HONOR 400 5G Unboxing

AI-Powered Photography and Productivity

On the imaging front, the HONOR 400 5G features a 200MP Ultra-Clear AI Main Camera with f/1.9 aperture and optical image stabilization (OIS), paired with a 12MP ultra-wide and macro lens (f/2.2 aperture), and a 50MP Portrait Selfie Camera. With features like AI Super Zoom (up to 30x digital zoom), AI Portrait Snap, and HD Moving Photo, users can capture everything from distant landscapes to dynamic portraits with ease.

Advanced modes like Film Simulation and Harcourt Portrait (previously introduced in the HONOR 200 5G) further enhance creativity. The former adds cinematic effects, while the latter delivers studio-like portrait photography with options like Harcourt Vibrant, Color, and Classic.

Beyond capturing images, the HONOR 400 5G shines in post-processing. Its AI Editing suite, including tools like AI Eraser, AI Outpainting, AI Upscale, AI Cutout, and AI Face Tune, allows users to remove unwanted objects, extend image backgrounds, restore and enhance old, low-resolution photos, isolate subjects for creative edits or collages, or correct closed eyes in group photos. For images plagued by background photobombers, the AI Erase Passers-by tool smartly removes them with a single tap, while AI Remove Reflection clears out distracting glares when shooting through glass.

However, the most interesting aspect of the HONOR 400 5G’s image post-processing suite is the new AI Image-to-Video feature. Co-developed with Google’s Veo model, the AI Image-to-Video feature transforms static images into short, animated videos—perfect for social media storytelling. The feature works even on old photos for a nostalgic effect. Watch the following examples:

The AI experience does not stop at HONOR 400 5G’s image post-processing features. Other AI-powered features of the phone include the following:

  • HONOR Connect—lets users seamlessly share files with other devices.
  • Magic Portal 2.0—lets users drag content across apps intuitively.
  • AI Writing Tools—powered by Google Gemini for text drafting, rewriting, and grammar correction.
  • AI Recorder—offers speech-to-text transcription, summarization, and translation.
  • AI Translation—supports real-time interpretation for both face-to-face and side-by-side conversations.
  • AI Deepfake Detection—identifies AI-synthesized faces during video calls, enhancing online safety.

Software and Battery Performance

Under the hood, the HONOR 400 5G is powered by the octa-core Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 Mobile Platform, which consists of one Cortex-A715 at 2.63GHz, three Cortex-A715 at 2.4GHz, four Cortex-A510 at 1.8GHz, and an Adreno 720 GPU. Along with 24GB RAM (12GB + 12GB via HONOR RAM Turbo) and 512GB storage, the HONOR 400 5G delivers smooth multitasking and gaming performance on MagicOS 9.0, which is based on Android 15. It scored 831292 in AnTuTu Benchmark, placing it among the top 100 smartphones in the AnTuTu Benchmark ranking for May 2025. Running Mobile Legends: Bang Bang at Ultra High graphics setting, the HONOR 400 5G registered 38°C CPU temperature and 36°C battery temperature on average.

WATCH: Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Gameplay on HONOR 400 5G

Speaking of the battery, the HONOR 400 5G has a 6000mAh silicon-carbon module, promising up to 28 hours of offline video playback and rapid charging with 80W HONOR Wired SuperCharge support. Turbocharging can top up the battery to nearly half in just 15 minutes.

Final Words

Available in Midnight Black (our review unit), Tidal Blue, and Desert Gold for only ₱22,999, the HONOR 400 5G is as much a fashion statement as it is a smart device. The HONOR 400 5G delivers a complete package for its class. It offers flagship-level AI photography tools, long-lasting battery life, a vibrant and eye-friendly display, and smart AI-driven software features—all wrapped in a stylish and durable design. For users wanting flagship-like features without the flagship price tag, the HONOR 400 5G is undoubtedly worth considering.