Last year HONOR brand spectacularly returned to the European market, and this autumn – to the Ukrainian market. Of course, the return came with a full arsenal of devices for every request and budget – from fairly inexpensive smartphones for unpretentious users to folding models and top flagships, such as HONOR Magic5 Pro. Not without some of the most popular solutions – confident middlers, balancing between pretty good performance and moderate price. Today we are going to talk about one of them – the HONOR Magic5 Lite.
Unlike the Pro version, the junior Lite offers a number of simplifications in terms of features, which significantly affected its price – it will cost three times cheaper than the flagship model from the same series. What compromises have been realised in Magic5 Lite and what is it good for, apart from the price? Let’s take a look together.
HONOR Magic5 Lite Specifications
- Display: AMOLED, curved screen, 6.7″, FHD+ (1080×2400), 120Hz, 395 ppi, 20:9, DC Dimming support, brightness up to 800 nits, reinforced protective glass
- Processor: Snapdragon 695 5G, 8 cores, 6×Cortex-A55 (1.8GHz) + 2×Cortex-A78 (2.2GHz), 6nm
- GPU: Adreno 619
- Permanent memory: 256GB
- RAM: 8GB (+5GB due to ROM – HONOR RAM Turbo), LPDDR4X
- MicroSD support: no
- Slot: 2 nanoSIM
- Wireless networks: Wi-Fi (2.4 + 5 GHz), Bluetooth 5.1, NFC, IR port, GPS, A-GPS, Galileo, GLONASS
- Main camera: 64MP (f/1.8) + 5MP wide-angle (f/2.2) + 2MP macro (f/2.4)
- Front camera: 16 MP (f/2.45)
- Battery: 5100 mAh, 40W charging power (charger not included)
- OS: MagicUI 6.1 (based on Android 12)
- Dimensions: 161.6×73.9×7.9 mm
- Weight: 175 g
- Colours: black, green
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Price and positioning
HONOR Magic5 Lite can be called a typical representative of a mid-range smartphone. It has a lot of features, which makes the device quite attractive for the user, but it is not without compromises, which allowed to balance the price tag nicely.
How much does a device with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of flash memory on board cost? The full price is $350. Well, let’s see what HONOR Magic5 Lite can do?
Package contents
The smartphone arrived in a very discreet white box. There is nothing else on it except the model name and stickers with labelling and technical parameters. Very in the spirit of the time. Inside is, of course, the smartphone, as well as a charging cable, accompanying literature and a paper clip for the tray with SIM-cards. Actually, that’s all. Charger is not included in the package. Perhaps this is done for environmental reasons (hello to Apple and Samsung flagships), but perhaps just for the sake of cheapening. However, you can buy a 40W charger, if you don’t have one in your arsenal, for about $15. On the one hand, it’s not a problem, but it would be more convenient if everything was already in the box. Additionally, it’s worth noting that out of the box, the HONOR Magic5 Lite already comes with a factory protective film that will protect the screen from scratches – a pretty nice bonus.
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HONOR Magic5 Lite design and materials
Strangely enough, the rather affordable HONOR Magic5 Lite looks almost flagship-like. It’s light (175 g), thin (only 7.9 mm thick) and sleek, and has a curved screen. The bezels are minimal and symmetrical (the bottom one is the same as the top one), and the display/body ratio reaches 90%.
In any case, such a solution is not too common in the mid-range, giving the Magic5 Lite an almost premium look and, as a result, extra points to its appeal.
The case, naturally, is plastic on all sides. The model is presented in two colours: black and light green, which you can see in our review. I don’t know how black looks in life, but in green the smartphone is very attractive and stylish. I would say that it’s not just a light green shade, but rather a grey-pistachio shade – quite an intelligent and complex colour that you want to consider. The “back” itself has a matte surface and a texture that I would describe as matte metallic. Thanks to it, depending on the viewing angle, there are nice glints on the device. By the way, a pleasant bonus of this texture is that fingerprints are almost invisible on the case. So, it’s both beautiful and practical.
On the body at the top, it’s hard not to notice the unusual camera unit, which is a round panel with modules and flash at 12, 3, 6 and 9 o’clock. In the centre you can see the inscription “Matrix AI Vision Camera”. By the way, the camera unit is slightly elevated above the body, which does not allow the phone to lie flat on a horizontal surface. However, thanks to the centred location of the camera module, the device doesn’t wobble like other gadgets where the cameras are located in the top left corner.
Below, and also in the centre, there is the brand logo, which is highlighted in silver, and barely visible technical markings. On the sides, the “back” has the same roundings as the display, which together give the impression of a very thin device.
Let’s move on to the facade. As mentioned above, the frames here are very neat. I won’t say that they are minimal, but as for a mid-range device, they are very elegant. The selfie camera is located in the hole in the centre. Above it – a thin hole for the speaker and sensors (you can’t even see them). And don’t forget that we have a factory film on the screen, which also goes on the roundings on the sides.
As for the ends, the side, top and bottom bezels are highlighted with shiny metallic under the colour of the case, which feels a bit slippery. And the main part of the top and bottom edges has a simple matte texture.
A superficial acquaintance with HONOR Magic5 Lite gives quite a pleasant impression. A lot of attention was paid to the design to make the device modern and stylish on the one hand, and interesting and not banal on the other.
Layout of elements
The main control elements are placed in the expected places. Thus, the left side was left empty, and the power and volume buttons were placed opposite.
On the top you can see only an IR port window and a hole for one of the microphones, and on the bottom there is the main speaker, Type-C charging port, a hole for another microphone, as well as a slot for two nano-SIM. Let me remind you that the slot here is double and memory cards are not supported. There’s also no 3.5mm jack for wired headphones. Bluetooth headsets or an adapter from Type-C to audio jack will help us.
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Ergonomics
HONOR Magic5 Lite turned out to be not only cute, but also quite comfortable in operation. A significant role in this was played by the thickness of the end faces – due to the presence of rounding both on the display side and the body, the smartphone feels very thin. And it is also easier to move it in the hand than standard “bricks” with smooth edges. However, in my opinion, it would be nice if the ends were made not glossy, but still matte. Of course, it would affect the appearance of the smartphone, but it would provide a better grip with the palm. Still, it’s a bit lacking in the feeling of solidity when holding the Magic5 Lite in your hand. Especially when your hands are dry (and this is a problem that affects a lot of people in the winter). However, if you use a case or even just a silicone bumper, I think the problem will solve itself.
The unlock button is actually located in the middle of the end face and this, in my opinion, is the most convenient location. So, when you take the smartphone in your hands, the key is just under your thumb. Very convenient. But I would raise the fingerprint scanner a bit upwards – it is a bit low, in my opinion. Although this is subjective, of course.
HONOR Magic5 Lite Display
In my opinion, the display is one of the significant advantages of the rather affordable HONOR Magic5 Lite. Here is installed a slightly curved around the edges (by 45°) AMOLED-matrix on 6.7″ with a resolution of 1080×2400, pixel density of 395 ppi, brightness up to 800 nits and an aspect ratio of 20:9. For the protection of the display is responsible for the reinforced glass thickness of 0.65 mm (the manufacturer is not specified), which has passed a number of tests (compression, drop on a marble surface and others) and should protect the smartphone in case of accidental drops or other damage. The sampling rate is 300Hz, and screen refresh is up to 120Hz. As with most modern smartphones, several refresh rate modes are available: 60 Hz, 120 Hz or dynamic mode, where the refresh rate is determined automatically depending on the type of content the user is viewing.
They didn’t forget about eye protection. Considering how much time we spend on our smartphones every day, this is a pretty important thing. So, we have here support for DC Dimming, which reduces screen flicker and reduces eye strain, as well as TÜV Rheinland certification, which shows that harmful blue light is reduced. Another very nice feature is the “Eye Comfort” modes, which “insulates” the image (you can adjust the intensity and turn it on on a schedule) and “E-book”, in which the screen “fades” to provide a more comfortable reading experience from the screen.
In the settings you can also choose the color mode (Normal or Bright) and select the image temperature, so that the picture quality fully corresponds to the user’s wishes. And, of course, here you can find a lot of standard settings for smartphones: auto-brightness, switching to dark or light theme, Always On screen style and icons, wallpapers and screensavers, etc.
Even a glance at the HONOR Magic5 Lite screen specifications makes you realize that the display here is decent. The type of matrix provides the widest viewing angles, high contrast and color depth, which makes the picture juicy and saturated. The brightness reserve is enough even on the street in sunny weather. Add here a pleasant smoothness of the interface, which is provided by the increased refresh rate and simulation of an e-book, which allows you to read news or articles in the evening at full relaxation, and we get a really cool device for consumption of any content.
Performance and wireless connectivity
Inside the HONOR Magic5 Lite is a Snapdragon 695 5G with 8 cores. 6 of them are energy-efficient Cortex-A55 with a clock speed of 1.8 GHz, and 2 are high-performance Cortex-A78 with a frequency of up to 2.2 GHz. The processor is made using 6nm process technology and the graphics are handled by Adreno 619. Modifications, as mentioned above, offer two – 6/128 GB and 8/256 GB. But in both cases, the RAM is increased at the expense of permanent memory by 5 GB (HONOR RAM Turbo). In the settings, I did not find where this feature is enabled, but in the “About phone” item, 8 GB + 5 GB is immediately indicated. Probably, the flash memory is immediately engaged in the operation of the smartphone and the user no longer needs to turn on something independently. And this is quite convenient. And I remind you that there is no microSD support here (the slot is only for two nanoSIM), so you should count only on the amount of storage that is available. As for wireless connections, we get a full set – dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4 + 5 GHz), Bluetooth 5.1, NFC, GPS services and even an IR port.
What can we say about the performance of HONOR Magic5 Lite? Taking into account the fact that the “hardware” we have here is of average level, the smartphone will not show records in top mobile toys. But it copes with everyday work and multitasking on 10 out of 10. I didn’t notice any freezes or braking during work or when using benchmarks that seriously load the device. And, given the considerable amount of RAM (and even with the use of 5 GB of flash memory for some tasks), the smartphone will remain relevant for at least a few years. The results of synthetic tests can be found below.
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HONOR Magic5 Lite Software
The device works with the MagicUI 6.1 proprietary interface, which is based on Android 12. The shell is quite pleasant in operation, it works quickly, it has everything you need for a modern smartphone, and it is not functionally bulky. And what was quite a lot when you first turn it on, it is installed by default applications, games and various services that are not interesting for the Ukrainian market (for example, a service to search for train tickets for the UK). But fortunately they can be removed without problems. However, not without branded applications, such as My HONOR and the app store from the company, which actually duplicates Play Market. Nothing can be done with them – they are intentionally “sewn” into the system. And, yes, unlike its alma mater, Huawei, HONOR did not fall under sanctions, and now, in general, is a separate brand, so all Google services work on HONOR Magic5 Lite.
What’s in here? Practically everything that modern devices should have. You can choose between button or touch navigation on the interface, change the front cutout for various applications and desktop view, enable one-handed control mode, customize the “curtain” and everything like that. There is also a panel for quick access to the most frequently used applications. It is called by swiping from either side of the screen and holding it for a few seconds on the desktop. Quite a handy thing. There is also a virtual assistant Yoyo, which should provide recommendations when using some applications, and a simplified display mode, which enlarges the image of icons, text and simplifies the view of settings. Probably, this chip may be of interest to users of more mature age.
Among the interesting things – you can take a screenshot not only by pressing the power and volume buttons simultaneously or by swiping with three fingers, but also by tapping the screen with a single finger joint. Double tapping activates screen recording.
Unlocking methods
HONOR smartphone can be unlocked using two familiar tools – fingerprint scanner and face scanner. Let’s start with the first one. It is optical and located right under the screen. It works lightning fast and during the testing I didn’t notice a single “faulty” press – the screen unlocked clearly and from the first time.
However, there are no complaints about the face scanner either – it is quite fast and works without fail. By the way, in the settings you can enable the function of low-light compensation. Magic5 Lite doesn’t increase the brightness, blinding the user, but “floods” the screen with unlock instructions on a white background. This is enough for quick access to the smartphone, even if you do it in complete darkness and the screen brightness level is very low.
Sound
A single speaker located at the bottom of the device is responsible for playback in HONOR Magic5 Lite, so the sound we have here is mono. The speaker itself is loud, but the sound is flat and rather mediocre. It’s not suitable for listening to music, but for video calls or watching TikTok – why not. If you want to get a more interesting sound, you can’t do without headphones or a speaker.
There is no 3.5 mm jack, so you should use either wireless headsets or a Type-C adapter with HONOR Magic5 Lite. By the way, to improve the sound in headphones, the smartphone received Hi-Res Audio Gold certification for Wireless and wired devices.
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Cameras
The HONOR Magic5 Lite camera set consists of a 64MP (f/1.8) main module, a 5MP wide-angle (f/2.2) and a modest 2MP (f/2.4) macro lens. The main lens shoots Full HD video at 30 fps, however, and the front camera at 16 MP, has the same specs for clips. By default, the main sensor shoots with a resolution of 16 MP – here is used familiar from most other smartphones chip Quad Pixel (4-in-1). In the modes, if necessary, there is an option to switch to the “full-size” version, but you can not significantly improve the quality of pictures in this way – the difference is almost imperceptible, and the files weigh significantly more. But whether to use this mode or not is up to the user. I don’t see much sense in it.
What about the shooting modes in the native camera app? The set is pretty familiar:
- For photos – Aperture, Night Shot, Portrait, Universal Photo, Pro, Panorama, Super Macro, and High Resolution (64MP)
- For video – Slow motion, Video, Multivideo (simultaneous shooting on the rear and front cameras) and History for social networks
Additionally – there’s beatification and HDR mode.
If we talk about the quality of shooting, it is quite expected, as for a mid-range smartphone. Daytime photos on the main sensor will not disappoint you in most cases – they have enough clarity, detail and contrast, and it is also quite good at rendering color and textures. At night, which is also expected, the quality of photos sags – noise and artifacts appear, detail and clarity are lost, and light sources turn into just light spots. This is where the night shooting mode comes to the rescue, when you take a series of shots, which are then “glued” into one and further refined by built-in algorithms. And, it should be noted that photos look much nicer this way. See for yourself. Traditionally, the left bar represents shooting in normal mode, the right one – in night mode.
And this is how the main sensor shoots during the day and in more favorable light.
FULL-RESOLUTION PHOTO OF THE MAIN MODULE
The two remaining sensors – wide-angle and macro – are very demanding of light. And even in good daylight, to get a decent shot with either of them, you’ll have to sweat a lot, and it’s not a sure thing that you’ll get something good. Each of them transmits colors more faded, does not give clarity and good detail, gives out noise or “soap” at the edges of the photo. And this is with more or less adequate light. A few examples on macro:
FULL-RESOLUTION MACROMODULE PHOTO
And a wide-angle:
FULL-RESOLUTION PHOTO ON THE WIDE-ANGLE MODULE
From this we can conclude that only the main sensor of the HONOR Magic5 Lite is suitable for adequate photos.
And a few words about the front camera. It is 16 MP with light sensitivity f/2.45. In general, it will be enough for video communication, for example, but you can’t get really cool selfies for social networks with its help. In general, the camera shoots not bad, but the images turn out a little “soapy” and in some places too sharp. Unless you process the picture later or apply a filter. By the way, there are no built-in filters, but there is a beautification, which smooths the skin color and can even add a little makeup (depending on the selected degree of enhancement). There is no physical flash for the front camera, but instead the smartphone offers white light flooding around the perimeter of the screen.
HONOR Magic5 Lite battery life
The battery of the smartphone is 5100 mAh. HONOR Magic5 Lite supports 40W charging power, but there is no charger in the kit, so there is no way to check how long the battery is charged. However, given the charging power, I think that in less than an hour to 100%. The website says that for 30 minutes of charging you can get 12.5 hours of video viewing, and how much it is in percent – remains behind the scenes.
5100 mAh is a pretty average battery capacity in modern smartphones. This is enough for a day of very active use, with calls, social networks and mobile games. With less intensive work – up to 1.5-2 days. PCMark autonomy test showed 14 h and 20 min of work on a single charge with an above-average brightness level from 100% to 13%.
I think the result is beautiful. And, if anything, you can use the energy conservation modes.
Conclusions
So, what is the HONOR Magic5 Lite? It’s quite an interesting representative of a mid-range smartphone with its strengths and compromises. What I would like to praise the device for is a wonderful curved AMOLED screen with a refresh rate of 120 Hz, a nice and elegant design (I personally liked the color), pleasant performance for most tasks, a sharp interface, a good main camera module and, of course, a great battery life.
From the minuses – we have here a rather weak monaural sound (not in volume, but in quality) and mediocre additional cameras and front camera. If this is not critical for you, HONOR Magic5 Lite will be a pretty good purchase with a nice balance between price and features.
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