Once limited to flagship devices, functions and features using artificial intelligence (AI) have started appearing in mid-range phones. The HONOR 400 Pro is one such phone, loaded with AI functions and other hardware that set it apart from other mid-range phones.
Among the unique AI functions found on this phone is AI Image to Video which can convert a spread of images into short videos, as well as other standard AI functions. Its internal specifications are also impressive, with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset and 100W fast charging, and it is sold at a fairly competitive price of RM2699.
So is this the best value mid-range phone this year? Read on to find out.
Design – Decorated with minimalist patterns
We might be the only ones who think this way, but the first image that comes to mind when we see the back of this phone is the hidden Mickey Mouse. Specifically, it's the way the camera lenses are arranged, with the three black circles, which makes it look like one. So, that might appeal to you if you're a Disney fan.
Rear design
The slim camera hump houses three lenses
Curved sides
Screen with a pill-shaped hole at the top
Overall, the HONOR 400 Pro has a neat-looking design, with a camera bump that isn't too thick. The colour we got was Tidal Blue and it features a waterline pattern. If you're not into this colour, it's also available in plain Lunar Gray and Midnight Black.
For its finish, it has a matte surface that doesn't leave any fingerprints. The sides are slightly curved, so it's quite comfortable to hold. The phone also has an IP69 waterproof rating, which means it's completely dustproof and protected from water, including heavy spray.
If you prefer using your phone with a case, the HONOR 400 Pro does come with a transparent case in the box. However, we found it a bit strange that the provided case doesn't quite fit the phone.
Tech specs and features - Equivalent to the 2024 flagship
Here are the full specifications for the HONOR 400 Pro:
- 6.55-inch AMOLED screen, 1.5K resolution (2736×1264), 120Hz refresh rate, 5000 nits peak brightness
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset
- 12GB RAM
- 512GB storage
- 200MP main camera + 12MP ultra-wide camera + 50MP telephoto camera
- 50MP front camera
- 6000mAh battery
- 100W fast charging, 50W wireless charging
- Stereo speakers
- Android 15 speaker system with MagicOS 9.0
- Support Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.4
- Price: RM2699
HONOR 400 Pro specifications
The screens for mid-range phones have come a long way. Previously, 120Hz screens were limited to flagship devices. But in recent years, mid-range phones went from 60Hz to 90Hz and now 120Hz in 2025. The HONOR 400 Pro is one such phone with its 120Hz AMOLED screen, which delivers excellent visuals for a better viewing experience in movies and games. In addition, its 5000 nits peak brightness means it's easily viewable in bright sunlight.
What's more interesting is that it uses the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset. As you may know, this is a chipset widely used in flagship phones in 2024. Even if it's already 2025, it's rare to see a flagship chip in a mid-range phone. After all, a newer mid-range chipset could still be cheaper to source than an older flagship Snapdragon chipset.
Regardless, the HONOR 400 Pro can deliver very high performance. While it's not on par with the Snapdragon 8 Elite used by this year's flagship phones, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 is still relevant and will offer fast performance in games or everyday use.
For Malaysia, there is only one memory configuration for the HONOR 400 Pro: 12GB RAM and 512GB internal storage. This is enough RAM for most tasks, and the storage is large enough for the average user, which is good because the phone does not have a microSD card slot.
The HONOR 400 Pro's battery capacity is also very large at 6000mAh. Moreover, it supports very fast charging rates. Thanks to the 100W SuperCharge and 50W wireless charging, you can quickly recharge the phone and ensure you never miss an important message or gaming session. Interestingly, 100W fast charging is also typically limited to more expensive phones, so it's nice to see it here. HONOR even included the 100W charger in the box!
There's no App Drawer like most Android phones
The Honor 400 Pro's software UI is its in-house MagicOS 9.0, which is based on Android 15. It offers 6 years of Android updates, so the phone is decently futureproofed. In terms of features, there are some AI functions like AI Image to Video, AI Cutout and AI Eraser. We'll discuss their performance in the next section.
Performance – Solid for almost any task
As usual, we performed some benchmarks on the phone. There's the standard Geekbench and 3DMark tests, but we also tried it with a new game called CarX Street. Here are the benchmark scores for the HONOR 400 Pro.
Geekbench - Performance on par with 2024 flagship phones like the Samsung Galaxy S24
3DMark - Visible dip in performance for the first 6 minutes of a Wild Life Stress Test, but the phone's performance eventually stabilised
CarX Street played on high graphics without any problems
Since the phone has a flagship chipset, its performance is on par with flagship phones from 2024. The HONOR 400 Pro is more than capable of performing daily tasks such as web browsing, video streaming, social media, and more. In addition, this phone can play demanding games on high graphics settings. Its operating temperature also remained stable at around 40°C.
As for battery life, the 6000mAh was more than impressive. On the days we tested the phone, it lasted a whole day with 40% battery left. Our busy day included taking lots of pictures and videos, GPS navigation through Google Maps, and watching movies on Netflix.
Despite the somewhat heavy usage, the phone still had around 50% battery at the end of the day
Charging - 10% to 80% in 35 minutes; 45 minutes to 98%
Charging was also very fast. Thanks to the 100W charger that comes in the box, we managed to juice up the phone from 10% to 80% in about 35 minutes. Another 10 minutes was enough to push it to 98%. By the way, users have to manually enable 100W charging, as it's not enabled by default. This is because the 100W charging causes the phone to become very hot, which is why we suggest not using the phone while it's charging.
Next, let's talk about camera performance. The main camera delivers good quality in both bright and dim situations. That's a nice surprise, as the cameras for mid-range phones don't always have the best low-light performance. Having said that, the quality of selfies taken on its front camera feels somewhat lacklustre compared to that of other mid-range phones.
Main camera
Ultra-wide camera
Night mode
Portrait selfie
Comparison of 1x zoom, 3x zoom, 5x zoom, 10x zoom, 30x zoom and 50x zoom
For video recording, the rear camera can record at resolutions of up to 4K and 60fps. The front camera can also record in 4K resolution but is limited to 30fps. Overall video quality was satisfactory and the image stabilisation was good enough. You won't be able to record while jogging, but recording while walking is completely fine.
In terms of features, the HONOR 400 Pro is one of the first to allow AI video generation. This is possible thanks to the AI Image to Video feature, which does what it says on the tin - convert images into videos. Specifically, short videos. This function is indeed interesting (and maybe a little scary) but sometimes the resulting video is exactly what we wanted.
For example, during the press briefing session for the HONOR 400 Pro, our BM editor took a photo of himself running. We expected the AI Image to Video function to produce a video of him running, but it was the dinosaur in the background that moved instead, while he remained static. Here are some examples of AI Image to Video:
It's also worth remembering that the AI Image to Video function can only be used 10 times per day. That makes it a "time-gated" feature, so you would have to be selective as it's difficult to convert every one of your photos into short videos.
Other AI functions like AI Cutout and AI Eraser work very well. AI Cutout is basically an eraser feature that's useful at "cropping out" photo bombers, while AI Eraser fills in the resulting gap through generative AI.
AI Eraser can neatly erase people behind me
AI Cutout can also cut out subjects in photos accurately and neatly
Conclusion – Excellent mid-range smartphone, but the AI functions were gimmicky
Overall, the HONOR 400 Pro is a solid mid-range phone that's worthwhile. It has a beautiful screen and a near-flagship chipset capable of playing the latest games and delivers good performance. In addition, it has a long battery life, ultra-fast charging, and a charger in the box.
However, those expecting useful AI functionalities on the HONOR 400 Pro might be disappointed. HONOR still needs to polish features like AI Image to Video a bit more before they become fully viable. Hopefully, we can see some improvements with future updates.
For alternatives, you can consider the HONOR 400 (RM1899). It has the same AI features as its Pro counterpart and is more affordable, in exchange for a slower chipset and charging speed. It also doesn't have a telephoto camera. Another option is the realme GT 7 (RM2599), which performs on par with the HONOR 400 Pro. However, this phone doesn't have any AI features. If you want a phone with an eye-catching design, the OPPO Reno13 (RM2299) could be a better option instead.
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