Honor is on a roll with its smartphone releases, and the new Honor 400 5G is no exception. Building on the solid foundation of the Honor 200 5G, this latest midrange offering combines a refined design, an impressive display, reliable performance, and a powerful camera system that punches above its weight class. With a few key upgrades and a sharper look, the Honor 400 5G makes a strong case for itself in an increasingly competitive segment.

Let’s dive into what it brings to the table.

I was already impressed by the camera of the Honor 200 5G. Just when I thought things had peaked, Honor drops the 400 5G, and once again, it delivers a solid reason to upgrade, especially if you’re big on mobile photography.

But this phone isn’t just about the camera. There are AI-driven features that go beyond image enhancement, letting you play around with fun, creative edits. Before we dive into those, let’s talk specs.

The Honor 400 5G measures 156.5 x 74.6 x 7.3 mm and weighs 184 grams. Honor switched up the form factor, and the change is noticeable. I got my hands on the Desert Gold variant, though it looks more pink than gold at first glance, and I’m not complaining. Midnight Black and Tidal Blue are also available.

Design and Build

Right out of the box, the Honor 400 5G looks like a fresh take. Compared to its predecessor, the phone has gone through a visible transformation.

The rear panel is finished in matte plastic, clean and smudge-resistant, and framed by matte aluminum. A bold new camera module sits on the upper back, designed with softened corners, housing two large circular lenses and an LED flash in a vertically aligned layout. It’s distinct, but not over the top. The button and port placement keeps things simple, volume and power on the right, speaker grille, USB-C port, mic, and SIM tray at the bottom. Up top, you get a second speaker, another mic, and an IR blaster.

Honor 400 5G smartphone in Desert Gold color, displayed with its box on a table.

This phone looks different, feels different, and is definitely not playing it safe.

At 156.5 x 74.6 x 7.3 mm and weighing 184 grams, the phone feels sleek and comfortable in the hand. The rounded corners and balanced form factor make it feel more premium than the Honor 200 5G.

The Honor 400 5G comes with a 6.55-inch OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and a resolution of 2736 x 1264 pixels. At 460 pixels per inch, the screen is razor-sharp: text, icons, and images are crisp and clear. What’s more impressive is the peak brightness of 5,000 nits, which keeps the screen readable even under direct sunlight. Indoors, even at low brightness, the display holds excellent viewing angles and clarity.

A smartphone mounted on a tripod displaying a photo editing interface, with a blurred beach background featuring blue skies and water.

The front camera is where it should have always been, at the top center. The optical fingerprint sensor sits beneath the display. 

Honor equipped the Honor 400 5G with several eye-friendly features, including 3840Hz risk-free PWM dimming, AI Defocus Eye Protection, AI Circadian Night Display, Full-scene Sunlight Enhancement, Low Blue Light, and Ultra Dark Mode. As someone who reads a lot on their phone, I found it easy to enjoy e-books comfortably, even without enabling the dedicated e-book mode.

Close-up view of the front display of the Honor 400 5G smartphone showing app icons and the time, with a soft gradient background.

Performance and software

Under the hood is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 processor paired with an Adreno 720 GPU. It’s not a flagship chip, but it gets the job done. Paired with 12GB of RAM and 512GB of internal storage, the Honor 400 5G handles multitasking, app switching, and even gaming smoothly. From social media to light video editing and casual gaming, the phone stays responsive and consistent.

The phone runs on MagicOS 9.0, based on Android 15. The user interface is clean, responsive, and easy to navigate, although there are some preinstalled apps that may not be for everyone. You can uninstall it anytime, so it’s not really a nuisance. Still, the OS brings useful AI features and personalization options, and there’s a noticeable effort to keep things fluid and clutter-free.

Camera System

Cameras are where the Honor 400 5G shines brightest. The rear camera system features a 200MP ultra-clear AI main sensor (f/1.9, OIS) and a 12MP ultra-wide lens (f/2.2), with support for up to 30x digital zoom. The image resolution can go as high as 16384 x 12288 pixels, and the camera supports 4K video at 3840 x 2160 pixels.

In real-world use, photos come out impressively detailed with accurate colors and great dynamic range. Low-light shots are solid, and the AI-enhanced modes are genuinely helpful without going overboard. Artistic filters, film simulation, and pro controls offer plenty of creative options for photography enthusiasts.

On the front, you get a 50MP selfie camera with support for high-resolution stills and 4K video. Whether you’re shooting portraits, recording vlogs, or jumping on a video call, the front camera performs reliably. Features like gesture control, mirror reflection, and 2D face unlock add convenience.

An arrangement of the Honor 400 smartphone alongside its packaging, a charging adapter, a cable, a white phone case, and a decorative stone with the words 'BE STRONG & take heart', all on a neutral-colored table.

Battery and Charging

Battery life is another strong point. The Honor 400 5G is powered by the upgraded 6,000 mAh silicon-carbon battery, offering well over a full day of use with moderate to heavy tasks. It easily supports streaming, gaming, camera use, and social media scrolling without draining too fast.

Charging is handled by the included 100W SuperCharge brick. The phone can charge to almost full in about half an hour of charging. It supports variable power inputs, adjusting intelligently depending on the scenario. For a midrange device, the combination of long battery life and fast charging is impressive.

Close-up view of a smartphone screen displaying a battery icon indicating 8% charge, with various app icons visible in the background, resting on a wooden surface.

The Honor 400 5G includes a solid set of sensors: a gravity sensor, a compass, a proximity sensor, an ambient light sensor, and an ultrasonic-based approach detection. The in-display fingerprint sensor is fast and accurate, and face unlock adds an extra layer of convenience (I haven’t tried it, though).

The phone also supports NFC, though only in card emulation and reader/writer modes; peer-to-peer is not included. The NFC sensor is placed just to the right of the rear camera module.

On the audio front, stereo speakers and Honor Sound deliver clear, balanced output. It’s not flagship-tier audio, but for everyday use, music streaming, video calls, or casual gaming, it’s more than adequate.

AI features

The Honor 400 5G doesn’t just lean on megapixels; it adds intelligence to imaging through a suite of AI features that are both practical and creative. Among them, Image to Video, AI Cutout, and AI Outpaint are tools that push the device beyond traditional smartphone photography. There is no need for third-party apps, whether free or paid.

Among the most impressive additions is Image to Video. This feature takes your static images and automatically generates short, stylized videos. With the help of templates and scene transitions, the AI creates smooth pans, zooms, and even drone-like shots, all with minimal effort. It’s ideal for users who want to make quick reels, slideshows, or short-form video content without diving into complex editing apps.

What sets it apart is how little input is needed. Select a few photos, choose a style, and the AI handles the rest. It’s not pro-level editing, but it’s fast, polished, and ready to share.

Imagine if you thought you had a video of a scene you needed for a Reel, only to find out that what you have is a static image. This is most useful. But don’t forget to tag it as AI-enhanced or that you used AI.

AI Cutout

AI Cutout allows users to remove the background of a subject in one tap, making it easy to create stickers, layer effects, or change scenes. It’s especially useful for product shots, portraits, or social media graphics. Edge detection is accurate, even around tricky areas like hair or fabric, and the results are usually clean enough to use as-is.

It’s a tool that previously required third-party apps, but now it’s built right into the gallery, saving time and effort.

AI Outpaint

AI Outpaint gives users the power to extend images beyond their original borders. It uses generative AI to guess and recreate surrounding areas, filling in background elements like skies, walls, or natural scenery. It’s perfect for fixing awkward crops, making square photos landscape-ready, or simply experimenting with new compositions.

Results can vary depending on the image, but when it works, it feels like magic. It’s especially handy for users who post to platforms with different aspect ratio requirements.

Close-up view of the rear design of the Honor 400 5G smartphone, featuring dual circular camera lenses and a matte finish, placed on a light wooden surface.

Creative Modes

Beyond these headline tools, the Honor 400 5G integrates AI into everyday use. In the camera app, AI scene recognition optimizes photos on the fly, and there are intelligent modes like Artistic, Film Simulation, Multi-Video, and even AI-powered smile detection. These features make the phone feel more responsive and user-aware.

Even in system-level tasks, MagicOS brings AI optimizations that help manage resources, lighting, and screen behavior. AI Defocus Eyecare and AI Circadian Night Display adapt screen output to reduce eye strain, with thoughtful touches for users who spend hours on their phones.

Honor 400 5G Review - Back End News
Honor 400 5G Review – Back End News

Verdict

The Honor 400 5G positions itself as a confident midrange device that prioritizes camera performance, display quality, and battery life. It doesn’t try to be everything, but what it does, it does well. The design feels upgraded, the screen is easy on the eyes in every condition, and the performance is more than enough for the average user.

The standout feature is clearly the camera system, which punches well above its weight class. Add a massive battery and fast charging to the mix, and you have a well-rounded device with few compromises.

If you’re after a stylish phone with solid specs and a camera that can keep up with your content needs, the Honor 400 5G deserves a serious look.

Pros: Great camera, long battery life, vibrant display, fast charging
Cons: No wireless charging, some bloatware

Order now at any Honor Experience and Partner Stores, and online via Lazada https://bit.ly/Laz_H400_PR, Shopee https://bit.ly/Shop_H400_PR, and TikTok Shop https://bit.ly/TikTok_H400_PR.

To know more about Honor 400 5G, head on to: https://bit.ly/Web_H400_PR. For more exciting announcements, you may visit Honor’s website http://www.hihonor.com or social media platforms: Facebook (Facebook.com/HonorPhilippines), Instagram (Instagram.com/honorph), and TikTok (Tiktok.com/@honorphilippines). To check out Honor’s complete list of retail stores, go to https://www.hihonor.com/ph/retailers/.

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By Marlet Salazar

Marlet Salazar is a technology writer focusing on cybersecurity. In 2018, driven by her passion for the tech industry, she founded Back End News through bootstrapped funding. She honed her writing skills at the Philippine Daily Inquirer, rising from proofreader to desk editor through the years.

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