Honor 90 Lite: Top specifications for almost no money

Lorenz Keller

20.6.2023

Translation: machine translated

With the new 90 Lite, Honor packs an astonishing amount of technology into a budget smartphone. For 300 francs or euros, you get a 100 megapixel camera and a 6.7-inch screen.

I'm amazed at first glance. The new Honor 90 Lite costs just 300 francs or euros. In return, the Chinese manufacturer delivers some features that you would otherwise expect to find on smartphones twice or three times as expensive.

There is the main camera with a 100-megapixel sensor. The aperture of f/1.9 indicates that the camera is powerful. The integrated 256 GB memory is also powerful - the standard in this class is 128 GB.

The 6.7-inch screen is almost borderless. It is not based on OLED technology, but on the cheaper IPS technology. However, the resolution of 2388 × 1080 and the refresh rate of 90 hertz are excellent.

The new Honor is thin and light

The device looks compact and handy. On the one hand because the screen is flat and has not been stretched over the edges, and on the other because the 90 Lite is slim at 7.48 millimetres thick and weighs 179 grams.

The battery is medium sized with 4500 mAh. The maximum charging power via USB-C is 22.5 watts. That's not very much. Wireless charging is missing. This is where the savings programme begins: the manufacturer has to reduce costs somewhere in order to offer the smartphone at such a low price.

Savings are being made here - you don't notice much of it

There are points in the savings programme that are not so dramatic. A plastic back is less elegant on the screen than a glass one. However, the 90 Lite still looks classy. Plastic is also much more robust.

The lack of wireless charging is also acceptable in this price segment. A fingerprint sensor on the side instead of under the screen is also only a deterioration on paper. This is because the scanners on the power button usually work faster and more accurately than the sensors under the screen.

The MediaTek Dimensity 6020 processor with 8 GB is more VW Polo than Ferrari. But the chip is new and should be quite sufficient for the mid-range. Most apps and menus should run smoothly, as first tests show. Anyone who spends hours playing games with the highest graphics performance will buy a different phone.

You will feel these savings

The 100-megapixel sensor sounds good. You can't expect too much from the other cameras. The wide-angle lens only has a resolution of five megapixels. Experience has shown that the macro with two megapixels doesn't add much value. And the selfie cam with 16 megapixels and f/2.45 aperture is likely to struggle in dark lighting conditions.

Over time, the update policy will also make a difference. Although the device is delivered with Android 13, it is unclear whether and for how long new versions and security updates will be available.

For cost reasons, Honor is also foregoing certification for dust and water protection. It therefore remains unclear whether the smartphone will survive a heavy thunderstorm or even submersion in water.

Lorenz Keller

Senior Editor

Lorenz.Keller@digitecgalaxus.ch

Gadgets are my passion - whether you need them for the home office, for the household, for sport and pleasure or for the smart home. Or, of course, for the big hobby next to the family, namely fishing.