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Huawei Honor View 20
Huawei Honor View 20
Huawei Honor View 20
Huawei Honor View 20
Huawei Honor View 20
Huawei Honor View 20
Huawei Honor View 20
Huawei Honor View 20
...


8.5/10
Informr score
The Huawei Honor View 20 currently has an Informr score of 8.5 out of 10. This score is based on our evaluation of 66 sources including reviews from users and the web's most trusted critics.

The "1-Minute" Review

Verdict

In terms of raw value, the Honor View 20 has plenty to offer as long as you can overlook the load of bloatware pre-installed on the phone and don’t need the absolute best camera available.

What's good

  • Bold design
  • Hole-punch camera
  • Stellar performance
  • Plenty of storage
  • Exceptional battery life
  • Good (but not great) camera

What's bad

  • No microSD support
  • No waterproofing
  • Lots of bloatware

As the budget-conscious sister brand of Huawei, Honor is known for packing tons of value into an affordable package. With their latest release -- the Honor View 20 -- Honor is aiming to take the mid-tier pricing throne. But the market is packed with compelling options, so is their latest release worth picking up? Let’s see what reviewers are saying…

Design

The phone features an aluminum chassis with a glass rear panel. While this is a common theme in the past year, Honor puts a new spin on the design with a shimmering V in the rear glass panel. Reviews were split with some loving the unique look and others thinking the phone was too flashy.

Regardless of how you feel about the looks, the glass back makes for a slippery phone.

Express.co.uk noted, “... during our time with the View 20 it habitually fell off completely flat surfaces when placed on them for a significant period of time.”

You’ll want to use the clear case the phone ships with or plan to pick one up.

Display

Heading around front, you’re greeted with minimal bezels and a large 6.4-inch, 1080-by-2310 pixel IPS display. Instead of the now-trendy notch at the top, the screen uses a “hole-punch” design with the front camera embedded in the upper-left corner of the screen.

The hole-punch design received praise from most reviewers with many noting that they barely noticed the camera was there after a few minutes.

The viewing experience pleased by did not wow most reviewers. The IPS display cannot complete with OLED panels in terms of contrast and the 1080p resolution was sharp enough to highlight details but wasn’t anything special or innovative. Otherwise, colors, brightness, and viewing angles all received high marks.

Performance

Powered by Huawei’s own 2.6GHz Kirin 980 processor with 6 or 8GB of RAM, the phone blew benchmarks out of the water. Even the 6GB model ran silky smooth for reviewers. Multitasking, heavy gaming, and other resource-intensive tasks shouldn’t be a problem.

Mashable says, “... the View 20 is like a bullet train compared to other Android phones, which are like the slow subway.”

Software

Reviews dipped when talking about the phone’s software. While reviewers like that the phone ships with Android 9.0 Pie, some weren’t as impressed with Huawei’s Magic UI. They felt customizations were heavy-handed. And while you can install most of the pre-loaded apps, reviewers thought the phone shipped with too much bloatware.

Storage

Depending on the variant on the phone you choose, you’ll enjoy either 128GB or 256GB of internal storage -- more than enough for most. And that’s good considering the phone doesn’t support microSD cards, unlike many other Android devices.

Cameras

On paper, the Honor View 20’s 48MP rear camera with a 3D TOF sensor sounds like an absolute beast. But in reviews, results are less impressive. While it’s not a bad camera, it didn’t blow reviewers away. Some found the camera interface frustrating while others noticed the phone struggled to capture fine details.

While the AI-assisted 48MP mode took stunning shots, it required holding the phone still for 2 or more seconds -- a limitation that will prevent you from using the feature often.

Around front, the phone features a 24MP lens. The detail of selfies and portraits impressed reviewers but many found low-light performance lacking.

Neowin highlights this mixed opinion, saying, “The Honor View 20 really has a phenomenal camera, especially considering the price, but I'll still take the Huawei Mate 20 Pro given the choice.”

Battery Life

Fortunately, opinions improve for battery life. The phone includes a 4,000mAh battery with USB Type C fast charging. While there is no wireless charging, the phone offers two days of light-to-moderate usage on a single charge.

Audio

If you’re planning to play games, watch movies, or stream music, the single speaker provides a basic experience while the 3.5mm headphone jack makes it easy to slip on your favorite headphones and immerse yourself in the experience.

The Takeaway

Overall, the phone receives mostly positive marks from reviewers. Many consider it a legitimate rival to the best mid-tier phones on the market -- including the OnePlus 6T.

Mashable sums up opinions well, saying, “... the surprisingly good View 20 is the phone with the potential to put the company on the global map and let it stand shoulder-to-shoulder with other mobile giants.”


Android
Operating system
Operating system
Android
2.6 GHz
Processor
Processor
2.6 GHz
6.4"
Screen Size
Screen Size
6.4"
41+ MP, f/1.8
Camera
Camera
41+ MP, f/1.8
4000 mAh
Battery


What the Critics Are Saying...


T3
T3

The Honor View 20 is, overall, the best mid-range smartphone on the market today. Flagship calibre internals, strong camera system, and an immersive 6.4-inch screen deliver a truly fantastic experience, albeit with a few caveats.

- Robert Jones, T3
Photography Blog
Photography Blog

If you’re looking for a new phone and want something which has a high performing camera, but don’t want to necessarily spend big bucks on something at the top end of the market, the Honor View 20 makes for an excellent compromise – without too much in the way of sacrifice.

- Amy Davies, Photography Blog
Talk Android
Talk Android

The Honor View 20 represents stonking great value, bringing a gorgeous design, extraordinary battery life, and an impressive camera to market for £499 ($650) for the 6GB/128GB variant, and £579 for the 8GB/256GB model reviewed here. You would never guess that the Honor View 20 doesn’t cost a thousan...

- Peter Holden, Talk Android
Techaeris
Techaeris

The build quality is excellent and the display is beautiful for an LCD. It performs amazingly well and the camera is top notch, even though it has way too many options. Battery life is great, and I think the price is right giving you plenty of value. Overall, the Honor View 20 is a great device and,...

- Alex Hernandez, Techaeris
SlashGear
SlashGear

It’s not perfect, though, and those looking for a better camera experience might want to save up for a more expensive handset. Overall, the Honor View 20 makes a pretty compelling offer of a mobile companion that can get you through the day and more, provided you don’t expect too much from it as far...

- JC Torres, SlashGear


Prices (Where to Buy)




Common Questions


Huawei backs up the Honor View 20 with a parts & labour warranty.


If your Honor View 20 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
6.4"

The Huawei Honor View 20's screen size is 6.4 inches with 1080 x 2310 pixels resolution.

Processor
2.6 GHz

There is a HiSilicon Kirin 980 (7 nm) Octa-core 2.6 GHz processor (CPU).

OS

The phone runs on the Android 9.0 Pie operating system (OS).

Camera
41+ MP

You can take photos or capture video with the phone's onboard 41+ MP, f/1.8 camera.

There is also a secondary front facing camera with 24+ megapixels resolution.

Storage
128/256 GB

Internal memory is 128/256 GB. No external card slot is available for expansion.

Battery
4000mAh

The phone is powered by a Lithium Polymer (Li-Pol), 4000 mAh battery. Huawei's performance ratings are 1560 minutes.

Honor View 20 Specs

Overview
Release Date January 22, 2019
Regions Available USA, Canada, United Kingdom
Operating System Android 9.0 Pie

Compare Android Smartphones

Processor HiSilicon Kirin 980 (7 nm) Octa-core 2.6 GHz
Internal Storage 128/256 GB
RAM 6/8 GB
Hearing Aid Compatible Unknown
TTY/TDD Unknown
Noise Cancellation Unknown
SAR Unknown
Manufacturer Warranty -
Accessories Included USB Power Adapter, Manual, Data Cable
Cellular
Networks
GPRS, EDGE, HSPA+, LTE
Mobile / Cellular Data
4G/LTE
Push-to-talk (PTT) No
Wi-Fi Calling Unknown
Voice over LTE (VoLTE) Yes
SIM card size
Nano-SIM
Dual SIM Yes
Connectivity
USB USB Type-C
USB OTG Support Yes
GPS Type A-GPS
Infrared Yes
Bluetooth 5.0
Bluetooth Profiles A2DP, AVRCP, OPP/FTP, HID, HFP, HSP
Bluetooth Audio Codecs SBC, aptX, aptX HD
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n
Mobile Hotspot Yes
Memory Expansion Slot Yes
Expansion Slot Info
NFC Yes
Data Tethering Compatibility Yes
Camera
Main Camera
Resolution / Aperture
41+ Megapixels, f/1.8
Zoom
Yes
Flash
Yes (LED)
Additional Rear Camera Info
Auto focus, Effects, Face detection, Geotagging, ISO, Multi-shot, Panorama, Self-timer, White balance, TOF 3D stereo camera, Dual camera feature, HDR, gyro-EIS
Video Recording Formats
MPEG-4
Video Recording Parameters
Ultra HD (3840 x 2160 pixels), 30 fps
Front Camera
Resolution / Aperture
24+ Megapixels
Additional Front Camera Info
HDR, f/2.0
Video Recording Parameters
Full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels), 30 fps
Display / Screen
Type Color
Technology LCD (IPS)
Colors 16.7 million
Resolution 1080 x 2310 pixels
Pixel Density 398 pixels
Size 6.4 inches
Secondary Display No
Sensors Ambient Light, Proximity, Motion / Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Digital Compass
Multi-Touch Yes
Fingerprint-Resistant Coating No
Additional Display Features Capacitive touchscreen, All-View Display
Power & Battery
Battery Type Lithium Polymer (Li-Pol)
Battery Capacity 4000 mAh
Removable Battery No
Wireless Charging
Fast Charging Yes
Video Playback Time Unknown
Internet Use (Wi-Fi) Unknown
Internet Use (Cellular) Unknown
Talk Time Up to 1560 minutes
Standby Time Up to 21.7 days
Mixed Usage
Physical Characteristics
Design Type Bar
Material Aluminium
Colors Magic Night Black, Sea Blue, Phantom Blue, Red
Dimensions [H x W x D] 15.69 x 7.54 x 0.81 cm (6.2 x 3 x 0.3 in)
Weight 180 grams
Water Resistant / Waterproof No
Rugged design No
IP Rating No
Headset Jack 3.5mm
External Speakers Yes
Input / Navigation
Sleep / Wake Key Yes
Home Key No
Input / Keyboard Type Touchscreen
Navigation Type Touchscreen
External Volume Control Yes
Fingerprint Sensor Yes
More
Additional Information Other Names (AKA): Huawei Honor V20
Related Links Huawei Honor View 20 Reviews
Where to buy Huawei Honor View 20
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