Honor launched by surprise this Thursday (25) the Honor 200 Lite, the company’s new mid-range cell phone that is positioned in a curious way compared to its predecessor. In addition to “skipping a generation”, the device brings modest improvements and even some downgrades compared to the Honor 90 Lite, trying to draw attention to its thin and light body, adoption of an AMOLED screen and updated camera system.
Photo: (Image: Reproduction/Honor) / Canaltech
The notable changes start with the design, simpler than the previous generation by adopting a rectangular camera module with rounded edges. The body, which promises high resistance to drops, maintains straight sides, but now features thin, symmetrical edges around the display.
The weight and thickness also draw attention, with just 166 grams and 6.8 mm, numbers well below the average compared to many modern devices, which tend to be closer to 200 grams and 10 mm.
The screen is the cell phone’s first controversial “upgrade”: the Honor 90 Lite’s IPS LCD panel leaves the scene to make way for an AMOLED display, with Full HD+ resolution of 2412 x 1080 pixels, but the refresh rate drops to 90 Hz to 60 Hz. Other than that, there are no major highlights in the solution, even though the company guarantees better eye protection.
With a more sober design than its predecessor, the Honor 200 Lite debuts in Starry Blue (blue), Cyan Lake (cyan) and Midnight Black (black) (Image: Reproduction/Honor)
Photo: Canaltech
Another modification with little impact is the processing, which adopts the MediaTek Dimensity 6080 chip, the same component found in devices like the Redmi Note 13 5G. The platform is competent for daily use and even for lighter games, but it brings almost no advances compared to the Dimensity 6020 used in the previous generation — according to benchmarks, the gains are around 5%. The device also has a single memory configuration, with 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage, without expansion via MicroSD.
Slight improvements are also found in the cameras, which have a trio of rear lenses made up of a 108 MP main sensor, with f/1.8 aperture and phase detection autofocus (PDAF), 5 MP ultrawide and 2 MP macro. Compared to the previous generation, the resolution is a little higher, while the aperture is larger, which should guarantee better captures in scenarios with more challenging lighting.
Selfies are the responsibility of a 50 MP lens, housed in a pill-shaped notch, a design responsible for one of the Honor 200 Lite’s new features: the Magic Capsule. Inspired by the iPhone’s Dynamic Island, the feature shows notifications and allows interaction with some system apps, in a similar way to the function offered by Apple.
The launch highlights the very thin construction, the adoption of an AMOLED panel and the new 108 MP camera (Image: Reproduction/Honor)
Photo: Canaltech
The consequences of the low thickness are present in the battery, which has a modest capacity of 4,500 mAh. Considering the limitation of the screen at 60 Hz and the basic hardware, the phone should still offer good autonomy, but the capacity is below competitors, which usually ship with 5,000 mAh. In turn, charging does not stand out, reaching only 35 W of power.
Completing the package are 5G connectivity, Wi-Fi 5 Dual Band, Bluetooth 5.1, NFC, USB-C port (still not always guaranteed on cheap devices), fingerprint reader integrated into the power button on the side, mono sound and Android operating system 14, running under the MagicOS 8.0 interface. Unfortunately, no update promises were made.
Price and availability
The Honor 200 Lite arrives in France first, with availability scheduled for May 3rd and pre-sales already open, with a suggested price of €329.90 (~R$1,830). Anyone who purchases the device before launch will also receive the Honor Band 9 smartband and the Honor Choice Earbuds X5 as a gift.
There is still no information on availability in other countries, but it is likely that the new product will reach more regions in the coming days. It is also possible that we will see the device debut in Brazil, considering the confirmation of the company’s start of operations here, and the apparent focus on mid-range and basic smartphones.
Honor 200 Lite: technical sheet
- Screen: 6.7-inch AMOLED, Full HD+ resolution of 2412 x 1080 pixels, 60 Hz refresh rate
- Processor: MediaTek Dimensity 6080
- RAM memory: 8 GB
- Internal storage: 256 GB
- Rear camera: 108 MP (Main, f/1.8) + 5 MP (Ultrawide, f/2.2) + 2 MP (Macro, f/2.4)
- Front camera: 50 MP (f/2.1)
- Dimensions: 161.1 x 74.6 x 6.8 mm
- Weight: 166 g
- Battery: 4,500 mAh with 35 W fast charging
- Extras: 5G, Wi-Fi 5 Dual Band, Bluetooth 5.1, NFC, USB-C, fingerprint reader on the side, mono sound
- Available colors: Midnight Black (black), Cyan Lake (cyan) and Starry Blue (blue with a glossy finish)
- Operating system: Android 14, MagicOS 8.0
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