Sometimes it might seem impossible to find a high-quality smartphone that won’t break the bank. Honor Phones, however, is set to change that with the Huawei Honor View 20. This phone performs crazy-fast and has a battery life that runs circles around anything from Apple or Samsung. Not to mention, it has a stellar hole-punch display that’s sure to set the standard as those become more prominent. This phone isn’t without its issues, perhaps the most prominent being it’s near-unavailability in the US, and therefore isn’t on the top of our lists for the best low light camera phone or best Chinese smartphone, but, if you can get your hands on one, it’s absolutely worth considering. And, if you want even more recommendations, check out our best smartphone list.
Why We Like It – Huawei Honor View 20
No one would blame you if you’d never heard of the Huawei Honor View 20, particularly if you live in the US. Anyone familiar with it, though, could tell you this phone performs on par with phones that cost twice as much, its battery life is phenomenal, and it has one of the best uses of a hole-punch display to date.
- Fantastic battery life
- Hole punch front camera display looks excellent
- Superfast performance
- Crummy EMUI replacement, Magic UI
- So-so screen and camera performance
- Difficult to find and us in the US
Overall Performance
Reviews for the Huawei Honor View 20 are nigh-unanimous: this phone is fast. Even with several apps running simultaneously, this phone keeps going with little-to-no slowdown. When testing with games like Fortnight and Ark: Survival Evolved, reviewers noticed zero lag or frame drops. The wi fi here works equally well, and the Honor View 20 can even be used as a mobile hotspot. Unfortunately, this stellar performance is hindered by the new Magic UI 2, a near-identical version of the oft-maligned EMUI on other Huawei phones. While some reviewers don’t have many issues with Magic UI, the vast majority recommend swapping it for a more friendly user interface ASAP. Reviews are more middling regarding the camera on the Honor View 20, with reviewers finding photos to be anywhere from good to great. The Ultra Clarity mode earns this phone high praise for its ability to stitch together multiple photos in seconds to create a high-resolution shot.
Related: Check out our Huawei Honor 10 review
Battery Life
This phone boasts a highly-impressive battery life that dwarfs that of competition like the Apple iPhone 11, Apple iPhone 11 Pro, and Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra. The battery on the Huawei Honor View 20 lasts approximately 31 hours between charges, and charging it fully only takes about 2 hours. Fast charge is also implemented on this phone, meaning it can reach 60% power in just 30 minutes. Depending on how you use your phone, this means you shouldn’t have any worries about being stranded without a functional phone ever again.
Display
There’s nothing groundbreaking about the Honor View 20 ISP LCD display, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t still manage to look good. What makes this display stand out from the competition isn’t a matter of resolution or size, but rather the new hole-punch display. This display, which, as the name suggests, consists of a small hole for the front-facing camera, minimizing the intrusion of larger bezels. The hole punch is one of the most minimalist out there, maximizing the usable screen. And, even if that small black dot bothers you, it’s incredibly simple and effective to hide it with a darker color banner or background.
Related: See our Huawei Mate 20 Pro review
Durability
Honor phones are in a mid-tier price range, so it’s not surprising that the Honor View 20 isn’t as highly rated for its durability. While some other phones are IP certified for waterproofing and such, this phone is not: users should be wary about keeping their phone protected. When it comes to build, though, this phone does a solid job of standing up to everyday bumps and scrapes. It’s a good thing, too, because it would be a shame for the Sapphire blue, phantom blue, red, or black cases to get marred with scratches. Like with most phones in this category, it’s a good idea to install a screen protector in order to reduce micro-scratches in the screen.
Value
The Huawei Honor View 20 is another great value phone from Honor Phones. It performs better than many of its competitors for about half the price. All the features packed in this phone, like the fabulous battery life and great camera lend to a solid user experience that, for some, truly outdoes the offerings from Apple and Samsung. This phone won’t be for everyone; in fact, it can’t be. US users will have a harder time finding this phone, as well as a network provider that will support it. Anyone in somewhere like India or the United Kingdom, however, should have an easy enough time.
Huawei Honor View 20 Wrap Up
The Huawei Honor View 20 is a great phone at an even better price, but US users will have a difficult time if they want to try one out for themselves. Anyone who does is likely to experience frustration with the Magic UI, and may be disappointed by the average screen resolution. These flaws are minor, though, when compared to the slew of great things about this phone, namely the hole-punch display, stellar battery life, and superb all-around performance.
