VP/Tech Review | HONOR 200: The Master of Smartphone Portrait Photography

Have you ever wondered what the full-star treatment at Studio Harcourt in Paris feels like? To experience such luxury and be a part of its sophisticated list of celebrity clients such as Karl Lagerfeld, Cate Blanchette, and Michelle Yeoh. If only our mobile phones could capture the same classic and timeless photos Studio Harcourt does. Thankfully, HONOR thought of the same thing with the release of the HONOR 200 series.

Claiming to redefine smartphone portrait photography, the HONOR 200 features a Studio-level Portrait Camera setup — co-engineered by Studio Harcourt. As the newest member of the HONOR N series, it comes with the latest AI-enhanced HONOR AI Portrait Engine able to take detailed images.

Aside from revolutionizing smartphone photography, the HONOR 200 also has a massive memory and excellent battery life. Pair this with a design that blends organic geometric outlines and naturalism then you get a phone that seemingly does it all.

We know you guys are curious about a deep dive into HONOR 200, so tag along and join us for our HONOR 200 full review.

Camera

One of the most captivating features of the HONOR 200 lies within its Portrait cameras. Transforming mobile imaging to new heights, the HONOR 200 sports a 50 MP Portrait Main camera, a 50MP Telephoto Camera, and a 12MP Ultra-wide and Macro Camera. Additionally, it also has a 50MP Portrait Selfie Camera at the front.

The 50MP Portrait Camera features the powerful SONY IMX906 1/1.56” Sensor capable of better light sensing capabilities. This Super-large sensor allows the phone to take beautiful pictures with sharp details and better brightness. With more light entering the sensor, there’s less difficulty in shooting within areas that have challenging light situations. It also has built-in Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) to make shooting photos and videos easier.

Moreover, the 50MP Telephoto camera is specifically engineered for portrait photography. It features a SONY IMX856 sensor that precisely captures images of distant objects. Since the camera sensor has better light sensing, the portrait telephoto camera can take detailed and precise shots using the 2.5X optical zoom. To ensure that photos turn out clear, the OIS built into the Telephoto camera works overtime to minimize shaking.

For close-ups and wide angles, the HONOR 200 also has an impressive 12MP Ultra-wide and Macro camera. Capable of taking a 122° field of view, HONOR 200’s Ultra-wide camera is perfect for outdoor wide shots of architecture and cityscapes. Additionally, the HONOR 200 also allows its users to take intricate close-up shots with intricate detail and clarity using its Super Macro mode.

The Portrait of a Good Photo

Inspired by Studio Harcourt’s meticulous approach and lighting techniques, HONOR collaborated with the studio to bring the Harcourt Studio experience to our phones. Co-engineered by HONOR and Studio Harcourt, the revolutionary HONOR AI Portrait Engine channels the studio’s iconic lighting and shadow effects through the help of HONOR’s AI technology.

Now you won’t have to go through the process of flying to Paris to experience studio-quality portraits. You can simply open your camera app, go to portrait mode, and tap the Harcourt logo at the top of your screen. From there, you can choose between Harcourt Vibrant (Bright and classic portraits), Harcourt Color (Vintage film aesthetic), and Harcourt Classic (Studio Harcourt’s classic black and white portrait photography).

This AI Portrait Engine features AI Light and Shadow Enhancement to incorporate Studio Harcourt techniques in manipulating light and shadow.

To achieve Studio Harcourt’s diffused bokeh effect, HONOR AI Portrait Engine utilizes two sensors to create an AI Stereo-based bokeh algorithm that rivals professional cameras. In addition to this, HONOR AI Portrait Engine also incorporated AI-powered Portrait Detail Enhancement to detect features like hair, skin tone, and other facial features. This technology meticulously enhances the portraits to avoid false burning within the subject’s edges.

Moreover, to really achieve that Studio Harcourt look, HONOR AI Portrait Engine replicated the studio’s post-production effects. This technology claims to offer intelligent enhancement functionalities that enhance skin tone and texture while keeping details of the face. The good thing about this post-processing lies in its subtle but effective nature. It makes the photos look refined and clean while maintaining natural features that make the shots as realistic as possible.

Processor and Storage

But what’s a great camera if you can’t store all your photos, right? It’s a good thing the HONOR 200 comes in three massive memory variants: 8GB +256GB, 12GB+256GB, and 12GB+512GB. All three storage variants give you ample storage space to accommodate thousands of photos, movies, and music without compromise and limitations.

Moreover, the HONOR 200 also sports the Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 chipset to ensure optimal performance. A tried-and-true chipset capable of delivering smooth graphics and cutting-edge speed.

Without an edge of a doubt, the HONOR 200 was able to run games from the lightest to heaviest. It can even run multiple hours of Genshin Impact, in its highest setting, and maintain smoothness with no drop in frame rates. So, if you’re wondering if you can game using HONOR 200, the answer is yes!

Furthermore, the HONOR 200 also boasts a huge stainless steel vapor chamber to cool the phone. During our testing, the phone didn’t heat up severely after playing a couple of hours of Mobile Legends. The phone did heat up, but only slightly. You would need to really try and feel the heat just for you to notice that the phone’s temperature increased.

Battery and Charging

The HONOR 200 comes with an enormous 5200mAH Silicon-carbon battery. Developed by HONOR, this battery material eliminates the risks of high-volume expansions that, in the long run, damage the phone and the battery.

With its 5200mAh battery, the phone can last three days of battery life for extended entertainment capabilities. Our testing showed that playing 1080p videos for an hour in full screen only drained 5% of its battery life. This proves the long-lasting life of the battery capable of surviving a day filled with work and errands.

Additionally, the HONOR 200 comes with the 100W Wired HONOR SuperCharge allowing the phone to charge in as fast as 41 minutes. After draining the battery out in our testing, the phone reached 83% in 30 minutes. Furthermore, the phone reached 100% just around the 40-minute mark as the brand claimed. This has been one of the quickest charging tests we’ve encountered in our VP/Tech Reviews proving how lightning-fast the HONOR 200’s charging capabilities are.

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Build

As we’ve mentioned earlier, the HONOR 200’s design takes huge inspiration from the beauty of natural aesthetics. Creating a unique and visually appealing design, the brand chose a dual-textured profile inspired by natural wonders. For example, the symmetrical regular rear camera design at the back took inspiration from the patio windows of Casa Milà in Barcelona.

Similarly, the HONOR 200 offers three color options, inspired by natural scenes, for us to choose from: Moonlight White, Emerald Green, and Black. The one we used during our testing sports the Black variant which has a silky metallic finish. This silky texture made the phone comfortable to hold and easier to grip.

The HONOR 200 is 7.7mm thin and only weighs 187g so we had no trouble holding it in our hands. It doesn’t feel like carrying a brick, but it also carries enough weight to be considered premium.

Immersive Display

To further mesmerize their consumers with HONOR 200’s natural appeal, they equipped the phone with a 6.7” AMOLED Quad-curved display. I’ve seen curved displays before, but something about the HONOR 200’s display seems a bit different. It turns out that this display was made to resemble a glass filled to the brim. That’s why it looks like it floats, successfully setting itself apart from the curved displays we’re used to seeing now.

This floating display creates an even more immersive experience noticeable from just casually using the phone. It’s even more apparent when watching videos and playing games, especially with the 120Hz refresh rate option.

Its Super Dynamic Vivid display can reach a peak HDR brightness of 4000nits allowing the screen to produce excellent colors and visibility under any lighting conditions. Watching videos, especially at night, creates a truly immersive experience through its punchy colors and solid contrast that makes whatever’s on your screen pop.

Furthermore, the HONOR 200 runs on MagicOS 8.0 based on Android 14. In line with this, you’ll be glad to hear that the HONOR 200 supports Magic Capsule and Magic AI bringing the power of the latest AI innovations from HONOR to the N series.

Overall Thoughts

Without beating around the bush, the HONOR 200 gives you the latest AI technology from HONOR, fantastic portrait cameras, and powerful hardware. With a promise of 2 years of OS upgrades and 3 years of security patches, the HONOR 200 is set to become your companion in redefining your future.

In the age of social media, HONOR 200 gives you the convenience of having studio-level photos always in your pocket. Furthermore, it also has an outstanding battery and sleek design for a convenient and hassle-free productivity experience. Overall, the HONOR 200 is a solid phone with optimal performance perfect for users who want to maximize productivity and capture moments of their lives.