It has been a while since Honor split from Huawei because of a trade ban placed on the Chinese company. Fortunately, the best Honor phones can access Google Play Services and serve delicious specs in enticing packages. Unfortunately, there aren't as many options out just yet, but Honor's comeback looks promising. Keep in mind that you won't get CDMA compatibility in any Honor device. With that said, here are the best Honor phones you can find right now.
Android phones that have pride and Honor
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Top of the pyramid
The Honor Magic 5 Pro is the absolute best Honor phone but it isn't available to purchase just yet, unless you live in China. You can pre-order it in certain regions. It has a gorgeous 6.81-inch AMOLED panel with a buttery smooth 120Hz refresh rate. Under the hood, you get the mighty Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip and 12GB of RAM with 512GB storage in the UK. Everything is high-end about this Android 13 device, from the trio of 50MP cameras to the insane battery and charging specs.
Mid-range slayer
The Honor 70 marks the culmination of Honor's struggle to survive and put out an exceptional product despite the odds. The phone casts one billion colors, boasting a vivid 6.67-inch 120Hz OLED display. In addition, you get Android 12, the Snapdragon 778G+ 5G chipset, 66W SuperCharging, an under-display fingerprint sensor, and a very capable set of cameras. All with Google Play Services, of course.
Premium phone with top-notch specs
The Honor Magic 4 Pro has all the hallmarks of a great flagship phone: an evocative design with a round camera unit, powerful hardware in the form of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset, and three cameras at the back including two 50MP and one 48MP lens. There's also a 12MP front camera, 8GB of RAM, 256GB of internal memory, and a 4,600mAh battery with 100W fast charging.
A Lite option
This stripped-down version of the show-stopping Magic 5 Pro boasts a stunning 6.67-inch 120Hz curved AMOLED display. The Magic 5 Lite maintains the 5,100mAh battery but swaps 66W for 40W fast charging. You also get a 64MP primary shooter, an in-screen fingerprint reader, a Snapdragon 695 5G SoC, and 6GB/128GB memory specifications, providing bang for your buck.
Budget buster
With the Honor X8a, the brand offers a super affordable Android phone that doesn't skimp out on performance. It's powered by the mid-range Mediatek Helio G88 chipset, has a 100MP camera at the back, and the 4,500mAh battery easily lasts two days between charges. Let's not forget the bold and beautiful pattern on the back. Although you only get an LCD screen, it has a snappy 90Hz refresh rate.
Old dog with neat tricks
Built with a tight budget in mind, the Honor X7a gives you a 6.75-inch LCD panel with a Mediatek Helio G37 chipset and a 5,330mAh battery. It has 4GB of RAM and 128GB of storage expandable, as well as the coveted 3.5mm headphone jack. There isn't really anything to rave about here, but the Honor X7a becomes a great option when you factor in the cost.
Compromises are a given with Honor for now
The problem with Honor is that you only get GSM compatibility, eliminating support for any CDMA carrier like Verizon and MVNOs that use its network. Since Honor doesn't officially operate and conduct trade in the U.S., you can't get your hands on fresh units easily. The ones you find are usually imported from the U.K. or Europe, so they cost a lot more than their retail prices. Still, you don't have to settle for Honor's outdated phones with the right budget.
Honor is just starting to crawl its way back out of the dark, led by the dazzling light of the Honor Magic 5 Pro. The camera unit may not be for everyone, but you'll be extremely pleased with the performance and feel of the device. Powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, it runs Android 13 out of the box with Magic OS 7.1 layered on top. You get a stunning 6.81-inch OLED screen and a 120Hz refresh rate. Perhaps even more impressive is the Honor SuperCharge tech bringing 66W charging to the phone.
Since the Honor Magic 5 Pro isn't actually available to buy in most regions yet, you can take a look at the Honor Magic 5 Lite or the last-gen Honor Magic 4 Pro. If you're in the market for something more affordable, you can't go wrong with options like the Honor 70, Honor X8a, and Honor X7a. They may be old, but these phones feature gorgeous designs backed by robust hardware that should easily last a few years.
There are plenty of great Android phones available at all price points, and almost all the options on that list are more recent than Honor's devices. Nonetheless, the Honor 50 series is a worthy adversary for many popular mid-rangers of today. If you can swallow the non-CDMA support, that is.
