Typically, we see a new smartphone launch every week, but there are only a few that stand out. And, only because of such smartphones we feel that the industry is moving forward in the right direction. One such example of this is the recently launched Honor 8 Lite. While the Honor 8 Lite might not be a new design but it sources its DNA from one of the best-looking smartphones the Honor 8.
Carrying on the legacy of Honor 8, the Honor 8 Lite is another great device from the Huawei-Honor stable. What I like the most about the Huawei-Honor devices is the fact that they are all-rounders. Be it the Huawei P9, P10 or the Honor 6X, 8, 8 Lite or the unique Nexus 6P (which remains to be the best Nexus device ever) all these devices are distinctly designed, perform great, have great build quality and offer the best of features.
Having tested Honor 8 Lite smartphone for a few weeks now. I can assure you, that you and others around you would be mesmerised by its looks everytime you take it out of your pocket. Now let’s look at the specs of the device and move to the review part –
| Release date in India | May 2017 |
| Form factor | Touchscreen |
| Dimensions (mm) | 147.20 x 72.94 x 7.60 |
| Weight (g) | 147.00 |
| Battery capacity (mAh) | 3000 |
| Removable battery | No |
| Colours | Black, Blue |
| SAR value | NA |
| Screen size (inches) | 5.20 |
| Touchscreen | Yes |
| Resolution | 1080×1920 pixels |
| Pixels per inch (PPI) | 423 |
| Processor | 1.7GHz octa-core |
| Processor make | Kirin 655 |
| RAM | 4GB |
| Internal storage | 64GB |
| Expandable storage | Yes |
| Expandable storage type | microSD |
| Expandable storage up to (GB) | 128 |
| Rear camera | 12-megapixel |
| Flash | Yes |
| Front camera | 8-megapixel |
| Operating System | Android 7.0 |
| Skin | EMUI 5.0 |
| Wi-Fi | Yes |
| Wi-Fi standards supported | 802.11 b/g/n |
| GPS | No |
| Bluetooth | Yes, v 4.10 |
| NFC | No |
| Infrared | No |
| USB OTG | Yes |
| Headphones | 3.5mm |
| FM | No |
| Number of SIMs | 2 |
| SIM 1 | |
| SIM Type | Nano-SIM |
| GSM/CDMA | GSM |
| 3G | Yes |
| 4G/ LTE | Yes |
| Supports 4G in India (Band 40) | Yes |
| SIM 2 | |
| SIM Type | Nano-SIM |
| GSM/CDMA | GSM |
| 3G | Yes |
| 4G/ LTE | Yes |
| Supports 4G in India (Band 40) | Yes |
| Compass/ Magnetometer | No |
| Proximity sensor | Yes |
| Accelerometer | Yes |
| Ambient light sensor | Yes |
| Gyroscope | No |
| Barometer | No |
| Temperature sensor | No |
IN THE BOX
Not only is the device downright sexy, even the box it comes in is a class apart. It’s sibling the Honor 8 came also came in an identical box.
- Honor 8 Lite handset
- Earphones
- Charger
- Silicone Cover
- USB Cable
- User Manual and Warranty
DESIGN AND DISPLAY
I’ve already shared my opinion about how the Honor 8 Lite’s design can’t go unnoticed. So let’s have a closer look and check out the nuances of this smartphone. PSA – “I’m Sexy and I know it” – Honor 8 Lite.
On the front is the 5.2″ Full HD screen. On the front, you get the front 8MP snapper on the top along with the earpiece and proximity sensor. Followed by the Honor branding under the screen. As there are no buttons on the front of the device, you get the Home button on the right side just below the volume rocker and the hybrid sim tray on the left side of the device.
Also, the navigation controls are on-screen due to lack of any buttons on the front. On the rear is the 12MP camera with LED flash next to it. Rest of the rear is all sheen with minimal branding towards the end.
On the bottom is the MicroUSB port with the speaker grilles on both sides. The top gets the secondary noise cancellation mic and a headphone jack.
[FAG id=20005]
HARDWARE
- Kirin 655 | 1.7GHz octa-core
- 4GB RAM
- 64GB of internal memory expandable up to 128GB
- 3000 mAh battery
As all Honor devices, the Honor 8 Lite used the proprietary Kirin SoC. It is powered by powerful and energy efficient 1.7GHz octa-core Kirin 655 processor coupled with 4GB RAM and 64GB internal storage which is further expandable to 128GB via MicroSD card.
All this backed up by a 3000 mAh battery but lacks Quick charge support.
SOFTWARE
- Android 7.0 (Nougat)
- EMUI 5.o overlay
The 8 Lite uses Android 7.0 (Nougat) operating system, with an overlay of Huawei’s proprietary EMUI user interface. But, this is the first Huawei/Honor smartphone to launch with EMUI 5.0 out-of-the-box.
We were fortunate to visit the Huawei’s R&D centre in Bangalore where we were given an in-depth tour of what’s new in EMUI 5.0 and how all the phones are tested.
At Huawei’s R&D centre to experience EMUI 5.0 based on Android Nougat on the new Honor phone. #ReflectsYou pic.twitter.com/uvAIDs8yT1
— ɐlʍɐɥɔ lıɥʞıu (@nikhilchawla) May 5, 2017
With EMUI 5.0, the in-house designed user interface promises to deliver a revolutionary experience with one-button navigation, intuitive interactions, machine learning and improved security. Apart from the improved app drawer, the EMUI 5.0 includes features such as HiBoard, a universal search bar. In terms of design, the EMUI 5 is inspired by Aegean Sea blue, with pure white colours throughout the whole UI. You can read more about it here – Huawei rolls out All-New EMUI 5
Sneak peak at @Huawei’s EMUI5.0 that will be run on top of #Android Nougat. @HiHonorIndia’s new phone will be the first phone to feature it pic.twitter.com/2rdFOyXkv9
— ɐlʍɐɥɔ lıɥʞıu (@nikhilchawla) May 5, 2017
The EMUI has always been one step ahead of stock Android. Be it multi-screen feature on an Android device or the SOS feature, Huawei did it first. They did it even before the makers of the Android operating system, and later those features got adopted by Android. Yes, Google should take a lesson or two from Huawei’s software engineering prowess.
Here are some of the features that we liked in the EMUI 5 –
CAMERA
- 12MP rear camera with phase detection auto-focus
- 8MP front camera with f/2.0 aperture and 77-degree wide-angle lens
We live the world where we mostly get to see selfie focused smartphones in the mid-range category. Hence, the Honor 8 Lite is a great bet for people who want more than a selfie. Users who want an all-rounder device then the Honor 8 Lite is the answer for them.
Camera (one of the most important decision-making point in smartphones) has always been a forte of Huawei and Honor devices. They are the master of dual lens camera and Leica based smartphones. And even though, the Honor 8 Lite doesn’t get Leica or the Dual Lens, it still can capture the best of shots in its competition.
The camera UI on the EMUI 5 is also a treat to use. Everything is available on a single swipe, swiping from the left gives you the Modes and swiping from the right gets you into settings.
The 12MP primary camera amazed me with its details and low light capabilities. Here are some of the samples –
And the Selfie camera lacks flash for low-light selfies but you won’t be disappointed with the photos thanks to the Perfect Selfie and the Beauty Mode. Have a look at this photo I clicked in pitch dark at night. The natural skin tone with the screen flash simply amazes me –
PERFORMANCE
I might have mentioned earlier in this post but here I say again that Honor 8 Lite is not just beauty but its a beauty with a brain. The slim form factor and glass front back makes it sexy and at the same time, Kirin processor with 4GB RAM makes it powerful. The user available ROM on the device is around 50 gigs as the OS takes around 11GB out of the 64GB.
With a 3000 mAH battery and EMUI’s amazing battery management, the Honor 8 Lite breezed through the day with heavy usage. I could make the for another day with its battery management features such as Power Saving Mode and Ultra Power Savings Mode.
We don’t believe in Benchmark Tests as they never justify the user experience. But, for those who care about it, here is how it performed –
THE UNBIASED VERDICT
Even before you read the verdict, you’d have a got a fair idea of how much we liked the device. But as this is the unbiased verdict, here are a few things we would have liked in the Honor 8 Lite:
- USB Type-C port with Fast Charging
- No protection like Corning Gorilla Glass
- Hybrid Sim Tray that offers only 1 with 4G LTE connectivity out of the two SIM slots.
Priced at INR 17,999 /- the device is priced really well considering it’s a complete package of stunning looks, great performance, latest software backed by Huawei’s promise. We at The Unbiased Blog recommend the Honor 8 Lite for anyone who wants to stand out from the crowd!
