Honor Play4 InDepth Look at Specs Pricing & Performance

Design and Build Quality

The Honor Play4 presents a sleek and modern design with its dimensions of 170 x 78.5 x 8.9 mm and a weight of 213 grams, making it a comfortable fit in the hands. The device is equipped with a Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by) feature, which adds convenience for those who need to use two numbers simultaneously.

Available in three colors — Black, Blue, and Light Blue — the Honor Play4 caters to a diverse range of style preferences. The build quality feels robust in hand, offering a decent level of durability despite the absence of more premium materials like glass or metal. The placement of the side-mounted fingerprint sensor ensures easy access and quick unlocking, a practical choice for daily use.

Display Features

The Honor Play4 is equipped with a 6.81-inch IPS LCD display with a resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels. This results in a crisp and clear viewing experience thanks to the pixel density of approximately 386 ppi. The screen-to-body ratio is notable at ~83.9%, offering an immersive viewing experience suited to media consumption, gaming, and everyday tasks.

The 20:9 aspect ratio complements the large display, making it ideal for watching videos or playing games. Although it lacks the deep blacks and high contrast ratios of OLED panels, the IPS LCD offers vibrant colors and good viewing angles, ensuring visibility in most lighting conditions.

Performance and Hardware

The Honor Play4 is powered by the Mediatek Dimensity 800 chipset, built on a 7nm process, making it energy-efficient and capable of handling demanding applications. The octa-core CPU is divided into four high-performance Cortex-A76 cores clocked at 2.0 GHz and four Cortex-A55 cores also at 2.0 GHz, delivering balanced performance for multitasking and power efficiency.

Aided by the Mali-G57MP4 GPU, the Honor Play4 handles graphic-intensive games and applications smoothly without significant lag or stutter. With 8GB of RAM, the device ensures that multiple apps can run concurrently without performance degradation, offering a seamless multitasking experience.

Storage Options

The device provides a generous internal storage of 128GB, which is ample for storing apps, photos, videos, and more. Additionally, it supports expandability via a microSDXC slot, offering flexibility for users who may require additional space for their media and content needs.

Camera Systems

On the camera front, the Honor Play4 is equipped with a quad-camera setup. The primary 64 MP wide camera, with an aperture of f/1.9, ensures excellent detail and color accuracy, producing great photos in various lighting conditions. The 8 MP ultrawide camera, with an aperture of f/2.2, is ideal for capturing expansive landscapes and group shots.

The 2 MP macro and 2 MP depth sensors, both with f/2.4, enhance close-up photography and portrait shots by adding depth and detail. The camera system supports features like Dual-LED flash, HDR, and panorama, empowering users to capture diverse scenes effectively. For video recording, the main camera supports 4K@30fps and 1080p@30fps with gyro-EIS for stabilized footage.

The 16 MP front-facing camera caters to selfie enthusiasts, providing features like 1080p video recording at 30fps, allowing for clear and sharp video calls and self-portraits.

Battery Life and Charging

One of the highlights of the Honor Play4 is its battery life, with a non-removable 4300 mAh Li-Po battery. This capacity ensures that users can go through an entire day of regular usage without the need to recharge frequently. The device supports 22.5W fast charging, enabling quick recharges, reaching 70% battery life within just 30 minutes, according to the manufacturer.

Software and User Interface

The Honor Play4 runs on Android 10 with Magic UI 3.1, though it doesn’t come with Google Play Services. This may present a challenge for users who are reliant on Google apps and services. However, the Magic UI offers a smooth and intuitive user experience with its custom enhancements and features that cater to personalization and ease of use.

Network and Connectivity

The device supports a wide range of network technologies, including GSM, CDMA, HSPA, LTE, and 5G, ensuring compatibility with a vast range of carriers worldwide. It offers dual-band Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.1, and USB Type-C 2.0, which are essential for daily connectivity and data transfer needs. However, it lacks NFC, which may be a downside for users who rely on tap-and-go services.

Sound and Multimedia

The Honor Play4 includes a standard loudspeaker and a 3.5mm headphone jack, which is increasingly becoming rare in modern smartphones. This feature offers users the flexibility to use traditional wired audio devices without the need for adapters, enhancing the multimedia experience.

Sensors and Extras

In terms of sensors, the Honor Play4 includes a side-mounted fingerprint sensor, accelerometer, gyro, proximity sensor, and compass. These help in delivering a user-friendly experience through enhanced security, efficient navigation, and more responsive interaction with applications. The inclusion of an FM radio can also be a bonus for users who enjoy radio on-the-go.

Final Thoughts

The Honor Play4 offers a comprehensive package with its competitive specifications and features. From a large immersive display to robust performance courtesy of the Dimensity 800 chipset, it stands as a solid option in its segment. While the lack of Google Play Services could be a possible drawback for some users, the device compensates with its camera versatility, battery longevity, and expandability options. Overall, it caters well to users looking for a mid-range smartphone that doesn’t compromise on essential features.