What is it?
The Honor 600 Pro occupies an more and more fascinating nook of the smartphone market. It presents lots of the options related to premium flagship gadgets, however with a price ticket nicely beneath Honor’s Magic Series, which is nominally the prime quality. It additionally comes loaded with AI instruments that vary from helpful to mildly eccentric.
A 6.57-inch AMOLED show dominates the entrance, whereas a considerable digicam housing and an additional facet button trace at the place Honor has centered its efforts. The total design is polished, though the resemblance to Apple’s design language is tough to overlook, notably in an orange end.
The 600 Pro involves market one rung beneath the Magic Series. On paper, nonetheless, the space between them iss surprisingly brief. Both the Magic8 Pro and 600 Pro function Snapdragon 8 Elite chipsets, though the Magic makes use of a more recent era. Both provide a 120Hz show, IP68/IP69K safety and wi-fi charging.
Those specs translate into an expertise that feels totally premium. Apps open shortly, multitasking is easy and gaming runs easily. The 120Hz show retains scrolling fluid, whereas a large 7,000mAh battery powers comfortably by way of a full day of heavy use and nonetheless has power in reserve. Fast charging takes lower than an hour, making in a single day charging really feel nearly old style.
One omission is LTPO show expertise, which might have allowed refresh charges to scale right down to 1Hz for larger energy effectivity. The 600 Pro switches between fastened refresh-rate steps as an alternative. In basic use, although, few customers are more likely to discover.
Honor AI
Honor has packed the 600 Pro with AI options, centred on a devoted AI button on the facet of the gadget.
Users can assign totally different features to single, double and lengthy presses, together with Honor AI, Google Lens, AI Photo Agent, AI Screen Suggestions and AI Memories. The button works nicely as a shortcut system, though assist for on a regular basis apps like Google Maps or WhatsApp would have made it way more versatile.
Among the AI options, Magic Portal stands out. It recognises textual content and pictures on display and suggests related actions, akin to opening Maps from an tackle, making a calendar entry from a date, launching ChatGPT or saving info to notes. At occasions it feels unusually desirous to take over however, more often than not, it will get the job executed.
AI Memories makes an attempt to provide screenshots a second life by organising and categorising captured content material. The idea is interesting, though the present implementation feels nearer to an upgraded screenshot supervisor than a productiveness breakthrough.
Image modifying produces combined outcomes. AI Photo Agent helps natural-language prompts, permitting customers to request modifications by way of easy directions. Results differ. In testing, pores and skin tones shifted unexpectedly and facial options modified.
AI Upscale generally pushed portraits in the direction of illustration relatively than images, whereas AI Outpainting sometimes left seen artefacts round expanded picture areas. AI Magic Colour proved extra reliable, enhancing color with out turning pictures into tourism brochures.
The image-to-video generator occupies a class all of its personal. Accessible by way of the gallery’s Create menu, it transforms nonetheless images into brief animated clips in a couple of minutes. Some outcomes are spectacular. Others resemble scenes from a dream that made good sense till the alarm clock rang.
Combining images of two cats produced a convincing sufficient animation, other than one cat creating eye colors that nature seems to have neglected. Urban Groove and Graceful Ballet, which rework nonetheless pictures into dancing movies full with music, provide related leisure worth.
Several AI options are nonetheless demonstrations of risk relatively than necessity. Fortunately, the telephone by no means is determined by them.
The digicam system delivers at flagship degree. The fundamental 200MP digicam, 50MP telephoto lens and 50MP selfie digicam produce detailed pictures with pure color and dependable publicity throughout a wide range of circumstances. Portraits look balanced, whereas combined lighting presents few challenges. The 12MP ultrawide digicam retains tempo for many conditions, though positive element softens when examined carefully.
At 7x zoom, an AI-enhanced zoom choice turns into obtainable. This is one space the place the expertise provides clear worth. The distinction seems delicate at first look, however nearer inspection reveals improved element in hair, fur and textured surfaces.
Performance stays sturdy throughout the board. Gaming classes maintain temperatures beneath management, stereo audio system present loads of quantity and readability, and each the fingerprint scanner and facial recognition work persistently.
The software program expertise introduces a couple of irritations. Many AI options stay disabled by default, requiring a tour by way of a number of settings menus earlier than they reveal themselves.
How a lot does it price?
The Honor 600 Pro is on the market at a really helpful retail worth of R19,999, or from R799 per thirty days over 36 months. The Honor 600 is on the market at R14,999, or from R549 per thirty days over 36 months. Both are available in orange, whereas the 600 Pro can be supplied in golden white and the 600 in black.
Does it make a distinction?
The Honor 600 Pro delivers a lot of what consumers anticipate from a flagship smartphone: glorious battery life, highly effective efficiency, sturdy cameras, wi-fi charging and premium construct high quality. Some AI options will turn out to be a part of every day use, whereas others will present a couple of minutes of amusement earlier than fading into the background. The strengths of the gadget stay firmly rooted within the fundamentals, and people fundamentals are dealt with exceptionally nicely.
What are the most important negatives?
- Several AI modifying instruments produce inconsistent outcomes.
- Many helpful options stay buried in settings menus.
What are the most important positives?
- Outstanding battery life with quick charging.
- Bright and fluid 120Hz AMOLED show.
- Excellent digicam system with notably sturdy zoom efficiency.
* Arthur Goldstuck is CEO of World Wide Worx, editor-in-chief of Gadget.co.za, and writer of “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to AI – The African Edge”. Jason Bannier is deputy editor of Gadget.co.za.