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Huawei Honor review

6.4/10 AVG.
RATING
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Huawei Honor
Huawei Honor
Huawei Honor
Huawei Honor
...


6.4/10
Informr score
The Huawei Honor currently has an Informr score of 6.4 out of 10. This score is based on our evaluation of 13 sources including reviews from users and the web's most trusted critics.

The world smartphone market has no shortage of models that come with Android 2.3 Gingerbread pre-installed. One such model is the Huawei Mercury a.k.a. the Huawei Honor, which ships with a 1.4GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon CPU, 1GB RAM, over 4GB of internal storage, and a 4-inch 480x854 pixel resolution touchscreen display. It’s one of Huawei’s larger Android smartphones and while it looks pretty impressive on paper, real life performance offers something different.

There’s no denying the fact that the Honor is pretty well-equipped. It has an 8-megapixel camera with built-in LED flash, stereo speakers, and a 1,930 mAh battery. Its wireless features include GPS with A-GPS, Bluetooth 2.1 with A2DP, and 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi. And when it comes to wired connectivity, it gets the job done with a microUSB port. Again, it’s not such a bad phone on paper. But its actual performance is just not up to snuff.

Users have complained about poor call quality and lackluster touchscreen performance with the Honor. Apparently, having a speedy dual-core processor is not enough to guarantee smooth operations.

Need to Know: Huawei Honor

1. 4-inch color touchscreen display. (The Good)

2. Relatively low price. (The Good)

3. Uses an older version of the Android software. (The Bad)

4. Bad call quality. (The Bad)


Android
Operating system
Operating system
Android
1.4 GHz
Processor
Processor
1.4 GHz
4"
Screen Size
Screen Size
4"
8+ MP
Camera
Camera
8+ MP
1930 mAh
Battery


What the Critics Are Saying...


Android Police
Android Police

Here's the thing about the Mercury Ice. It does everything an Android phone running Gingerbread can do, and that's a lot. For $150, you're getting a piece of technology that, 5 years ago, would have practically been magic to someone. They'd have paid $500 or more for a phone like this. That's how fa...

- David Ruddock, Android Police
Pocket-lint
Pocket-lint

Comparing the Honour to the ZTE Grand X seems fair. Both are about the same price, and both will be sold to the same people. Sadly, both are flawed. The Grand X suffers from an insensitive screen that isn't great in sunlight, while the Huawei has a better touchscreen, but still doesn't work well out...

- Ian Morris, Pocket-lint
PhoneArena
PhoneArena

In the end the Huawei Mercury Ice is a rather unspectacular phone; its performance is sufficient but the operating system outdated and call quality suspect. At just $150 with no contract the price is right, but in the growingly competitive pre-paid space there are better phones with better networks...

- Brian K., PhoneArena
Wired
Wired

A “good enough” starter phone, especially for first-timers or those who hate long-term contracts. Good call quality. 2.03GB of internal storage with room to expand to 64GB via microSD. Muve Music services included. Light, just 4.9 ounces.Plastic battery cover feels cheap. Limited video codec support...

- Maurizio Pesce, Wired
PhoneArena
PhoneArena

Probably the biggest advantage of the Huawei Honor is its great value-for-money ratio. It can be bought for about $370 off contract, and at that price point, no other brand name company would be able to match its specs. However, you get what you pay for, so you will have to get used to its not-so-se...

- Nick T., PhoneArena


Prices (Where to Buy)




Common Questions


We've got you covered! Download a free PDF copy of the Huawei Honor user manual here.


Huawei backs up the Honor with a 1 Year parts & labour warranty.


If your Honor has problems and is still within its warranty period, you could contact Huawei support or the retailer you purchased the phone from. You'll find Huawei's contact information here. If your phone is off warranty and needs repair for a physical problem such as a broken screen or bad battery, you should visit an authorized service centre or a local phone repair shop. You can also connect with others in The Informr Community Forum to find and share answers to questions.




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Quick view

Screen Size
4"

The Huawei Honor's screen size is 4 inches with x pixels resolution.

Processor
1.4 GHz

There is a Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8255T 1.4 GHz processor (CPU).

OS

The phone runs on proprietary operating system firmware.

Camera
8+ MP

You can take photos or capture video with the phone's onboard 8+ MP camera.

There is also a secondary front facing camera useful for video chat and self portraits.

Storage
1024 MB

Internal memory is 1024 MB. An external, MicroSD, MicroSDHC (up to 32 GB) expansion slot is available for increased storage capacity.

Battery
1930mAh

The phone is powered by a Lithium Polymer (Li-Pol), 1930 mAh battery. Huawei's performance ratings are 16 days standby time.

Huawei Honor Specs

Overview
Release Date November 15, 2011
Regions Available USA
Operating System No

Compare Android Smartphones

Processor Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8255T 1.4 GHz
Internal Storage 1024 MB
RAM 512 MB
Hearing Aid Compatible No
TTY/TDD No
Noise Cancellation No
SAR Head: 0.391 W/kg
Body: 0.85 W/kg
Manufacturer Warranty 1 Year
Accessories Included AC Charger, Data Cable, Headset, Manual, Standard Battery
Cellular
Networks
EDGE, HSDPA 14.4, HSUPA, HSPA+
Mobile / Cellular Data
Push-to-talk (PTT) No
Wi-Fi Calling No
Voice over LTE (VoLTE) No
SIM card size
Yes
Dual SIM No
Connectivity
USB Micro-USB 2.0
USB OTG Support No
GPS Type A-GPS
Infrared No
Bluetooth 2.1
Bluetooth Profiles A2DP, AVRCP, OPP/FTP, HFP, HSP
Bluetooth Audio Codecs SBC
Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n
Mobile Hotspot Yes
Memory Expansion Slot Yes
Expansion Slot Info MicroSD, MicroSDHC (up to 32 GB)
NFC No
Data Tethering Compatibility Yes
Camera
Main Camera
Resolution / Aperture
8+ Megapixels
Zoom
Yes
Flash
Yes (LED)
Additional Rear Camera Info
Auto focus, Geotagging
Video Recording Formats
3GP / 3GPP, H.264 / AVC, MPEG-4, WMV, ASF
Video Recording Parameters
HD (1280 x 720 pixels), 30 fps
Front Camera
Resolution / Aperture
Additional Front Camera Info
0.3 megapixels
Video Recording Parameters
Display / Screen
Type Color
Technology LCD (TFT)
Colors 16.7 million
Resolution x pixels
Pixel Density Unknown
Size 4 inches
Secondary Display No
Sensors Ambient Light, Proximity, Motion / Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Digital Compass
Multi-Touch No
Fingerprint-Resistant Coating No
Additional Display Features Capacitive touch screen
Power & Battery
Battery Type Lithium Polymer (Li-Pol)
Battery Capacity 1930 mAh
Removable Battery Yes
Wireless Charging
Fast Charging No
Video Playback Time Unknown
Internet Use (Wi-Fi) Unknown
Internet Use (Cellular) Unknown
Talk Time Unknown
Standby Time Up to 16 days
Mixed Usage
Physical Characteristics
Design Type Bar
Material Unknown
Colors Black, White, Yellow, Pink
Dimensions [H x W x D] 12.2 x 6.1 x 1.1 cm (4.8 x 2.4 x 0.4 in)
Weight 140 grams
Water Resistant / Waterproof Unknown
Rugged design No
IP Rating No
Headset Jack 3.5mm
External Speakers Yes
Input / Navigation
Sleep / Wake Key No
Home Key No
Input / Keyboard Type Touchscreen
Navigation Type Touchscreen
External Volume Control Yes
Fingerprint Sensor No
More
Additional Information Messaging: SMS, MMS, Google Talk
ROM: 4GB
Multi-Use Smart Phone / PDA: Yes
Graphics: Wallpapers
Backlit Illumination: Yes
Zoom / Magnification: Yes
Predictive Text Entry: Swype
Voice Commands: Yes
Keypad/Screen Lock: Yes
Multiple Numbers Per Contact: Email address, Other fields
Voice Activated Dialing: Yes
Photo Caller ID: Yes
Web Browser: Yes
Email Client: Yes
Email Protocols: POP3, IMAP, SMTP
PC Synchronization: OTA
DLNA Support: Yes
Java Application: Yes
Audio Formats: MIDI, MP3, eAAC, AAC+, WMA, OGG, AMR-NB
Video Playback Formats: 3GP / 3GPP, H.264 / AVC, MPEG-4, WMV, ASF
Streaming Video: Yes
Custom Ringtones: No
Vibration Alert: Yes
Downloadable Ringtones: Yes
Ringer ID: Yes
Speakerphone: Yes
Data Tethering: Yes
Mobile Hotspot: Yes
Radio: Yes (FM)
Viewable document types: DOC, PDF, PPT, XLS
Games: Downloadable, Pre-installed
Apps: Downloadable, Pre-installed
Included Software / Apps: -
Calendar, World Clock, Alarm, Calculator, Weather, Maps, NotePad, Voice Memos / Recorder

Other Names (AKA): Huawei Glory, Huawei U8860, Huawei Mercury, Huawei Mercury Ice
Related Links Manual (PDF)
Huawei Honor Reviews
Where to buy Huawei Honor
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