Honor does not leave attempts to impose competition on the best Chinese brands. Photo: soyacincau.com[ad_1]
Model 11T from Xiaomi is one of the leaders in the middle segment. But the young company Honor challenged him with its Honor 50 model. We figured out how smartphones differ at a similar price, what advantages and disadvantages should be taken into account.
Honor does not leave attempts to impose competition on the best Chinese brands. Photo: soyacincau.comDesign
The exterior of the Honor 50 is an oval camera block with a ledge, a glossy glass panel and a display with rounded edges. The design of the model repeats the ideas of Huawei Nova 9 – the Honor brand has separated from Huawei, but has not yet developed its visual concept.
The rounded edges on the Honor 50 do not lead to accidental clicks thanks to the well-thought-out geometry of the case. Photo: techradar.comThe model is ergonomic (with a thickness of 7.8 mm it lies perfectly in the hand) and is not heavy. Device weight – 175 g. For charging and data transfer – standard USB Type-C port. Honor did not make a 3.5 mm headphone jack. The fingerprint scanner is under the screen. The device does not have IP class protection – water and dust can get inside. This was confirmed by company officials.
The Honor 50 is comfortable to hold and use. Design – no frills. Photo: ixbt.comXiaomi 11T also does not differ in original ideas. A glass back panel, a curved display, a branded rectangular camera unit – a typical set of a modern smartphone with an aluminum case.
In terms of dimensions, the 11T surpasses the Honor 50: the device is 1 mm thicker (8.8 mm) and 28 grams heavier (203 g). Weight is an important indicator. The smartphone is protected from dust and splashes (class IP53), but it is illogical to carry it without a case. The back cover collects fingerprints, there is no immunity from scratches. With a protective tight case, the weight will be even greater. Women and lovers of light devices take note.
The design of Xiaomi 11T is not worth the risk of carrying a smartphone without a case. Photo: xi.expressThe device does not have a 3.5 mm audio jack. The USB Type-C port is responsible for charging and transferring files. The fingerprint scanner is on the side, there are no problems with operation.
Display
Honor 50 has done everything to make watching video content, working and playing games a pleasure. The 6.57-inch FHD+ OLED display delivers accurate and rich colors. High brightness eliminates problems in the sun.
A special bonus is the screen refresh rate of 120 Hz. In any application or menu, Honor 50 works smoothly, with smooth transitions. The software of the device is optimized so well that 120 Hz feels like 140 Hz. The only caveat is the operation of the AOD function (alerts when the display is off). The system is not always stable, there is no permanent AOD.
The display of Honor 50 is not inferior to the screens of the flagship models. Photo: ferra.ruThe Xiaomi 11T display is larger by one tenth of an inch (6.67). Similar FHD + resolution, AMOLED matrix and 120 Hz refresh rate (60 and 120 Hz modes are fixed, there is no adaptive frequency change). With support for over 1 million colors, the 11T display delivers great detail and brightness. In games and streaming video, the advantages of the matrix are revealed by 100%: everything is very beautiful and smooth.
For a better immersive experience, the 11T features dual speakers with Dolby Atmos technology. They do not give the effect of a cinema, but they add atmosphere.
The 11T display performs equally well in any task and in any light level. Photo: techadvisor.com.Processor and performance
On board the Honor 50 is the Snapdragon 778G processor, which occupies the top positions in the list of mid-budget chips. The 778G can’t be compared with the 800 series in terms of power, but it is enough for everyday tasks. With interface navigation, social networks, applications, the processor handles easily and quickly.
In games, the 778G offers a compromise: the user sets low settings, the processor produces a smooth picture without gaps and freezes. Trying to play on ultra graphics causes lag, FPS drops and nerve cell loss. Results of testing the average frame rate in popular games:
- Asphalt 9: Legends – 30. You can play.
- Real Racing 3 – 112. Comfortable game.
- Last Island of Survival – 59. Smooth and enjoyable gameplay.
- Call of Duty: Mobile – 40. In dynamic scenes, slowdowns are possible.
The temperature of Honor 50 during the game does not exceed 41 degrees. Cooling is implemented qualitatively. Photo: stuff.tvXiaomi 11T processor – MediaTek Dimensity 1200-Ultra is inferior to the Snapdragon 888 of the 11T Pro model, but remains productive. In synthetic benchmarks, the 11T equals the Pixel 6 and beats the Honor 50 by two dozen points. Applications, multitasking, the 11T handles any scenario.
In games like Genshin Impact, PUBG Mobile, Call of Duty:Mobile FPS does not drop below 43-45 fps on medium-high and high graphics settings. The picture is smooth and stable. When playing intensively, the phone heats up more than expected, but this does not affect performance and comfort.
Thanks to the large and bright screen, you can play on the 11T without any problems with controls and picture. Photo: ictfix.netBattery
The battery capacity of Honor 50 is only 4300 mAh, but the device is well optimized, and the energy-efficient processor adds autonomy. Without recharging, the smartphone works from one to one and a half days. Intermittent gaming or watching streaming video does not change performance for the worse. Charging at 66 W is the advantage of Honor 50. The device charges quickly: about 40 minutes from 0 to 100%. There is no wireless charging, but the recovery speed over the wire makes up for that.
The 5000 mAh 11T smartphone battery discharge graph is about the same. With a refresh rate of 60 Hz, the device works without recharging for up to two days. The 120 Hz mode reduces the time, but is not critical. Charger included – 67 watts. A full charge cycle from 0 to 100% takes approximately 40 minutes. There is no wireless technology.
Reducing the screen refresh rate will increase the battery life of both smartphones. Photo: tehnobzor.ruOperating system
Honor 50 is based on Android 11 with a proprietary Honor Magic shell. All Google apps and services are supported, including Maps, Google Pay, Play Store. Honor Magic has an interesting cartoon-style design with large icons and bright colors. Honor 50 users are divided into two camps: some are delighted with the shell, others dream of pure Android.
Operating system capabilities are slightly limited. There are no settings for screen shades, equalizer. But in terms of performance and comfort, the Honor 50 OS is not satisfactory. The interface is optimized, the animations are fast and pleasing to the eye. The system gives practical recommendations for increasing autonomy: it advises which applications can be closed.
The interface style of the Honor 50 takes some getting used to. Photo: tech.onliner.byXiaomi 11T has everything standard: Android 12 with MIUI 13 shell. The proprietary interface can confuse fans of pure Android. The notification shade and the settings panel open with the same gesture – a swipe from the top. But what exactly opens depends on the initial position of the finger. A swipe from the top left of the screen expands notifications, from the right – settings. This is often confusing.
Another flaw is a few pre-installed applications that cannot be removed without root rights. Otherwise, MIUI is a convenient shell with unlimited options for customizing your phone.
Camera
The main camera of Honor 50 at 108 MP in the standard mode takes 12 MP pictures. Autofocus works well even in low light, and photo detail is decent for a mid-range model. Honor 50 uses AI to optimize images.
An 8 MP ultra-wide-angle camera and a 2 MP macro camera in a smartphone are rather for quantity. Photos with the ultra wide-angle lens are soft, but the dynamic range is average, there is blurring of the frame and loss of small details. Macro shots lack sharpness.
The overall assessment is positive, if we take as a basis the photo from the main camera in day and night modes. The selfie camera does not add 11T points. The detail of the pictures is average, the color reproduction is muted. Shadows don’t look good. For household shooting – enough. But not more.
For amateur shooting without frills, the Honor 50 camera is enough. Photo: www.gsmarena.comThe 11T has a main camera with similar specifications: 108 MP, f/1.75 aperture. The quality of the lens is added by the Samsung ISOCELL HM2 sensor, which is installed in the older model – 11T Pro. Pictures from the camera are clear, with a realistic palette of colors, without pop effects. Indoors, the photo quality drops a little, but this is a given for mid-range smartphones. In professional editing mode – access to all cameras and fine-tuning.
When the light level decreases, the smartphone activates the night mode on the main and ultra wide-angle cameras by default. The function improves the saturation of colors and works out the shaded details well. There are no problems with white balance.
Photos on the ultra-wide-angle (8 MP) and macro (5 MP) lenses outperform the Honor 50. In the macro mode, it is possible to catch good close-ups with excellent detail and color reproduction. Photos in wide-angle mode – with minimal noise, good detail transmission. The selfie camera does not cause any complaints. The pictures are clear and the subject is well exposed. The lens copes even when working in conditions of not the best lighting. Focus occasionally disappears, but this only appears in complex scenes.
With the 11T, shooting is not limited to one format. Photo: www.gsmarena.comconclusions
| Honor 50 | Xiaomi 11T | |
| release date | November 2021 | September 2021 |
| CPU | Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G 5G 4 x 1.9GHz, 3 x 2.2GHz, 1 x 2.4GHz | MediaTek Dimensity 12004 x 2.0GHz, 3 x 2.6GHz, 1 x 3.0GHz |
| Screen | 6.57″ FHD+ OLED 120Hz | 6.67″ FHD+ AMOLED 120Hz |
| RAM | 8 GB | 8 GB |
| Battery | 4300 mAh | 5000 mAh |
| Operating system | Android 11, Magic UI 4.2 | Android 12, MIUI 13 |
| Camera | Primary 108 MP f/1.9 Ultra wide 8 MP f/2.4 Macro 2 MP f/2.4 | Primary 108 MP f/1.75 Ultra wide 8 MP f/2.2 Macro 5 MP f/2.4 |
| The weight | 175 g | 203 g |
| Average price in Russia | 40000 rubles | 36000 rubles |
Honor 50 is as close as possible to the level of the top smartphone in the low-cost segment. A beautiful screen, good autonomy, a night camera mode and good performance are points for the Honor 50. The model lacks only a conceptual accent. The Honor 50 is a versatile device, not a camera phone, a fashion accessory with a premium design, or a gaming platform. If the user’s priorities are general, and not subject, Honor 50 will be a good purchase.
Xiaomi 11T wins over the competitor with more productive stuffing, camera quality, battery capacity, IP53 protection and price. If you close your eyes to the “heaviness” of the shell and weight, 11T is a contender for the title of “people’s flagship” without obvious weaknesses.
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