4 months ago, the HONOR 600 and the 600 Pro were launched in the Philippines and while it was warmly received in the tech community, the price bump did somewhat throw a wrench in the whole budget flagship identity of the HONOR number series.
Which is probably why HONOR is back yet again with a more budget-friendly option for those that want the core HONOR number series experience without the flagship price caused by the ongoing RAM crisis.
Meet the HONOR 600S 5G, the company’s take on the dying breed of mid-range phones that strike the sweet spot between price, performance, and features.
Everything You Need
Since the name of the game is prioritization, it’s understandable that HONOR went with a simple white box with a touch of gold lettering to welcome the user. Think of it more like a means to an end rather than an experience by itself.
Lifting the top part will reveal the HONOR 600S 5G itself followed by a box that contains the tinted smoked rubber case, a few documents including the quick start guide and warranty information, as well as the SIM ejector tool. Underneath that you’ll find the 45W SuperCharge power brick and a USB Type-A to Type-C charging cable.
All the things you need to get started. Nothing more, nothing less.
A Familiar Yet Refined Design
Unlike its bigger siblings, the 600 and 600 Pro, the HONOR 600S 5G borrows more of its design cues from the HONOR X series, the company’s more budget-friendly option. Instead of a camera plateau, the HONOR 600S 5G uses a more traditional square camera island.
The phone measures 8.3mm thin, which is fairly thin considering the amount of battery that it has. Although the weight is a bit on the hefty side at 216g which gives it its solid feel. There are three colors to choose from: Desert Gold, Velvet Black, and the one we’re currently holding, Misty Purple.
And in true HONOR fashion, the 600S 5G is SGS 5-Star Drop Resistance rated, meaning it can withstand falls up to 2.5 to 3 meters onto hard surfaces like granite or marble. It’s also IP68, IP69, and IP69K dust and water resistant, giving you the confidence to brave the streets of the metro.
Button-wise, you’ll find most of it located on the right side of the phone, with the exception of the dedicated AI button which you can find on the left side. You’ll find the speaker grille, Type-C port, and the SIM tray at the bottom.
Speaking of the AI button, while its default feature is to summon AI, you can also configure it to toggle different options like enabling do not disturb, turning on the flashlight, opening up the Notes app, and a lot more.
Plenty of Screen to Go Around
For an aspiring creator or anyone who likes consuming content, the HONOR 600S 5G’s 6.87-inch screen should give you plenty of space to play around. Although I wish HONOR would’ve used an IPS LCD at the very least, instead of a TFT LCD display for better viewing angles.
It’s a 720p display which can boost up to 1020 nits on High Brightness Mode giving you a clear viewing experience even on a hot summer day. Then when the sun goes down, features like DC Dimming, Low-Blue Light Mode, Dynamic Dimming, and Super Low Brightness should take care of those peepers even on an extended binge-watching bender.
And although it seems like it only has one speaker grille, it is indeed a stereo setup with the earpiece speaker serving as the second speaker grille. To top it all off, the HONOR 600S 5G comes with HONOR Sound 7.3 and the ability to boost the volume up to 400%.
Not a Gaming Phone, and That’s Okay
Under the hood of the HONOR 600S 5G is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 4 Gen 4 chipset, paired with either 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage or 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage.
Now, let’s get one thing straight, the HONOR 600S 5G is by no means a gaming phone. It will run some of the most popular games on the market like MLBB, HOK, or CODM smoothly but when it comes to a more demanding game like Genshin Impact, it tends to struggle a bit.
But if you’re mainly going to be using the HONOR 600S 5G for everyday tasks like browsing, taking photos or videos, or maybe even a little content creation on the side, then the SD 4 Gen 4 should provide you with a reliable and smooth experience.
Decent Hardware, Smarter Results
Given the HONOR number series’ heritage of delivering great camera performance for a reasonable price, there’s quite the expectation for the HONOR 600S 5G to deliver on that same promise.
To help make that a reality, the HONOR 600S 5G employs a dual camera system made up of a 50 MP f/1.8 main camera and an f/3.0 auxiliary lens camera, plus a 5 MP f/2.2 camera for your selfie needs. It has a single rear LED flash and a couple of modes to choose from.
Video-wise, the HONOR 600S 5G can record up to 1080p videos at 30fps, both with the rear and front-facing camera.
It may not sound as impressive on paper but that’s because HONOR’s ace is hidden within the software. Still, the phone takes decent shots even without all the AI enhancements which we’ll talk more about in a second.
Where the “S” Gets Smart
Did you know that the S in the 600S stands for “Smart”? Well, it is, but it doesn’t refer to a certain telco giant here in the Philippines. Instead, it refers to how smart the HONOR 600S 5G is with all the AI features that it comes with, all within MagicOS 10.
Let’s start with the biggest one, AI Image-to-Video 2.0. If a picture paints a thousand words, what more if it actually moves? To try it for yourself, you can either go to the Gallery, click the create button and then choose Image to Video or you can use the dedicated AI button and click the Image to Video option.
You can edit a single image, or you can weave a story by using up to three images then you can leave the AI to do all the editing or have a hand in the result by typing in prompts and controlling the transition between the different images.
Then there’s AI Magic Color. Say you liked a photo that you saw but don’t really know how to replicate it, AI Magic Color analyzes the way the photo is shown then creates a reusable preset that you can then adjust to your liking.
Another is the AI Magic Pose which I find very useful, especially for someone like me that doesn’t quite know how to pose for a photo. The way it works is that the AI automatically scans the environment then shows guides on how to pose or how to angle your photo.
That’s only a few of the more creative AI features but there’s still a lot more to cover but we’ll leave the rest to the users, just to give them something to look forward to.
Power That Goes the Distance
Remember what I’ve said about the 8.3mm thickness being an impressive feat of the HONOR 600S 5G? Well, that’s because underneath that exterior is an 8100 mAh Li-Ion battery which could very well last you a whole day, maybe more in a single charge.
And it isn’t just durable today or tomorrow, HONOR says it’ll last 6 years with more than 80% battery health left in it. With the way these tech prices are going, a phone that’ll last you more than two to three years is in my opinion worth investing in.
When it comes to charging, it may not be the fastest, but it isn’t the slowest either. The HONOR 600S 5G supports 45W fast charging with HONOR’s SuperCharge technology. Since the phone already lasts you the whole day, you’ll barely notice how long it charges because you can just plug it in before you sleep and then wake up with a full battery.
Final Thoughts
In an era where the idea of a mid-range phone is slowly fading into obscurity, the HONOR 600S 5G represents a push to keep that idea alive by offering a phone that delivers on the features that matter most to everyday users without breaking the bank.
Of course, every phone has its compromises. For one, HONOR could’ve used a better display for the 600S 5G but hey, at least you’ll have space for all your activities. Second, the Snapdragon 4 Gen 4 isn’t going to wow gamers but then again, the HONOR 600S 5G wasn’t made for those users.
In exchange for those sacrifices, you get an 8100 mAh battery, IP68/IP69/IP69K dust and water resistance rating and an SGS 5-Star Drop Resistance rating, and a suite of useful AI features baked directly into MagicOS 10.
So, if you’re looking for a reliable daily driver that doesn’t break the bank, then HONOR 600S 5G might just be the one for you.
Price & Availability
Starting today until the 9th, the HONOR 600S 5G is available for pre-order. There are two options to choose from: 6/128GB that retails for ₱18,999 and an 8/256GB variant that goes for ₱19,999. Although take note that the 6/128GB variant is available exclusively on HONOR’s online stores.
If you do pre-order one, you’ll receive either an HONOR Bluetooth Speaker II for the 256GB variant or an HONOR Choice Watch 2i for the 128GB version. And it doesn’t end there, you’ll also have the chance to win ₱1 million worth of shopping spree when you buy the HONOR 600S 5G.
So, what are you waiting for? Visit your nearest HONOR physical store or get one from HONOR’s official online stores on Shopee, Lazada, and TikTok Shop.