In global market, this phone was named Honor Magic3 Pro+. But
since I got a Chinese variant (with
limited services and warranty in the Philippines), I will stick with Zhen Edition.
Honestly, I picked this phone to troll myself. ☻ I was looking for a
phone that has characteristics that I do not prefer – 1) rounded display, and
this is one of the phones that has extreme curved display, 2) display cut-out,
worst yet, a pill-shaped punched hole, 3) known inefficient SoC, the SD888,
overclock that, and we might have a built-in flat iron, 4) non-expandable
storage, and 5) no 3.5mm audio port.
With those, expect a generally negative review about the
phone. I will mention how these compromises affect the use cases I included
during the battery test. Though, this is not to complain, since I bought the
phone with the above-mentioned purpose. It will be just to assess myself
regarding the preferences I have – whether I can live with some compromises or
not. As some of us know, some of those characteristics I mentioned are present in
almost all smartphone brands. So, I might live with it anyway when the few ones
will start to adapt them as well. Hopefully, not.
Like my previous tests, this review will comprise 6 tasks –
music playback in 20 minutes, web browsing in 10 minutes, simple gaming in 10
minutes, 15 photo shots in 5 minutes, almost 5 minutes of video recording, and
the last 10 minutes for video playback. Drain test will start with the phone
fully charged – right after battery charging test. The daily schedule will be
as follows -
|
Charging |
(time dependent on charging period) |
|
First test of the day |
(1 hour) |
|
Idle |
(1 hour) |
|
Second test of the day |
(1 hour) |
|
Idle |
(1 hour) |
|
Third test of the day |
(1 hour) |
|
Idle |
(1 hour) |
|
Fourth test of the day |
(1 hour) |
|
Longer idle period |
(16 hours) |
|
Fifth test (undertake on the next day) |
(1 hour) hour before the first test of the second day |
The test will go on repeatedly on the next days, as long as battery holds.
Task 1 – Music Play
Zhen edition was able to play hi-fi flac files aside from
the compressed mp3 and m4a. The loudspeaker was really loud. It is similar to
my Asus Fonepad Note FHD6, but Zhen has better quality. In equal loudness, it
almost surpassed the audio quality of my Sony Xperia 1 II. But, considering
everything, including loudness and bass, Sony Xperia 1 II losses. The latter is
just quite balanced. Perhaps, it has something to do with the design. The left
channel is not really blasting on the upfiring loudspeaker. Instead, it uses
the earpiece. There is a sound leak on the upfiring loudspeaker, though. I
guess, the speaker grill was made for aesthetics, and it does looks good.
Overall, the loudspeaker of the Zhen is excellent.
As the phone has no 3.5mm audio port, I have two choices in
using my existing earphones and headsets – USB type C dongle and Bluetooth.
There is no dongle on the box, but a USB type C earphones. Besides, I already
have such dongle as I have some phones without 3.5mm audio port. I still find
it inconvenient, though.
In addition on this task, I also find the lack of microSD
card slot inconvenient. I have some microSD cards with flac files and movies,
and it would be nice if I can just insert it on a slot. With Zhen lacking such
slot, I have to copy the same files using PC. Do not even suggest wireless data
transfer as it will take significant amount of time. It will also consume the
internal storage, instead of using a slot where I can just insert the card when
I want to use the contents, then get it back when I need to use the same
contents on another device. But, that is just how it is.
Lastly, the music app restarts after not being opened for
more than 16 hours. This never happened with my Sony Xperia 1 II, Xperia music
app always brings me to the last song I played and exactly where I paused that
certain song. It is just weird that it has larger RAM to keep it, or a large
storage to place the temporary files if it decides to make the RAM ready for other
apps.
Task 2 – Web Browsing
Web browsing on Zhen is a usual affair except for some
display irregularities – cut-out and rounded. Zhen is capable to show sharp
texts and images and is large enough to enjoy usual web browsing. Though at
times, my attention is drawn towards the pill-shaped punched hole and that the
rounded side of the display distorts some elements. That is aside from the
green tint on the curve part. The good thing is, Honor made some solutions to
minimize the inconveniences these bring. The pill-shaped punched hole can be
hidden with a black bar. Same is done on the rounded sides. Sure, black bars on
the sides does not cover the entire curvature since there is still noticeable
curve on the usable display. However, it became less prominent and is already
comparable to the curves of LG Wing. It still reflects light when you have some
bright light sources around you, though. And that cannot be fixed by a software
solution. I am impressed on the palm rejection on the rounded part. I never
accidentally activated anything while holding the phone while touching those
curves. Lastly, I like their implementation of one-handed mode which is similar
to my Sony Xperia XZ2 Compact, which I hoped they maintained such on Sony Xperia 1 II.
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Task 3 – Subway
Surfer
The bad of pill-shaped punched hole and rounded side of the
display, and solutions they made is also felt here. Being an undemanding game,
subway surfer can run smoothly and it is enjoyable. I just found a scenario
where it is not. When this task comes after web browsing, there is a slightly
noticeable drop in refresh rate. I used a dynamic setting for high refresh rate
and this phone can max out at 120hz. However, the game feels like it is running
even below 60hz at the beginning of the game. After some time, it goes back to
its usual smoothness. I never experience such drops on other occasions. So, if
you decide on playing games on this phone, do it first before anything else,
especially before web browsing.
Task 4 – Photo Shoots
The camera UI is a usual set-up as LG and other smartphone
camera UIs – just different from Xperia camera apps, the pro apps. Changing
modes is just a swipe away.
The photos it outputs are, of course, too processed for my
liking – as this is also one of the compromises I considered in buying this
phone. The saturation and sharpening is not as bad as others, though. At times,
it is pleasing. HDR is quite aggressive, that even in good ambient light,
moving objects are distorted. There are several camera modes that are useful in
some scenarios, too. There is also a pro mode, where you can manually adjust
camera settings – focus, white balance, ISO, shutter speed. This is a great
option for those who wants to be more creative. Use the auto mode for usual
shots, night mode when you want to overexpose lowlight scene, etc. Which is
also the ideal use on most smartphones today.
Task 5 – Video
Recording
There are also some camera modes for video recording, which
shares the same app with other camera modes – so you do not have to leave the
app when you decide to record videos. Video mode lets me record continuously
between the ultrawide, main wide, and telephoto lenses. Image quality on this
mode is similar to photos. Movie mode lets me record at a cinematic ratio of
21:9 with a handful of color-grading, similar to Cinema pro app of Sony Xperia.
There is also an option to record HDR at 4K resolution. Just a caveat, it only
uses the main wide lens. Multivideo mode lets you record videos using the front
camera and the main wide lens simultaneously. Or, instead of the front camera,
the main wide lens can be paired with the ultrawide lens. There is also a
guided video recording for a social media-ready footage, called Story mode.
Finally, it also has Time-lapse and Slow-mo modes. The latter can produce a 4x
and 8x slower video, though some frame drops are noticeable on the resulting
video.
Task 6 – Video
Playback
Again, rounded side and pill-shaped punched hole of the
display makes this use case less ideal. On the other hand, Zhen is HDR-capable
and colors can be manually modified. The default colors are quite warm, but not
that much that you can leave it as it is and enjoy your content. In addition,
the stereo loudspeakers make the experience great. Overall, video playback is
excellent if you get pass those two display irregularities, or if you prefer
those.
Highlights on
Compromises
Here is my short self-assessment with the considered
compromises (on my preferences) this phone has -
Rounded display or curves.
I still find it as a flaw. Using it outdoors with lights reflecting on the
sides is quite annoying. And despite having a black bars on the side when
enabled, there is still a part of the curved being noticeable and slightly
distorts whatever is on your display. Add to that the green tint on such curve.
Though, I must commend Honor of such black bars to minimize the curve of the
viewable area and how they handled palm rejections. I am so impressed with the
latter. This is just me, as I do not
prefer rounded display.
Pill-shaped punch
hole. One common justification of some, when using a phone with a cut-out,
is that – you are not focused on it anyway, you usually look at the center when
watching movies. However, every time I use the phone without hiding such
cut-out, my eyes are drawn to it – ye, we have what we call peripheral vision.
It feels like there is something stuck on my eye while watch videos, even for
just a couple of minutes. But, again, there is a way to hide it, just think
that there is a large bezel on the forehead – something that some are avoiding,
but results to implementing display cut-outs. Besides, this is just me and my preference.
No microSD card slot.
Inserting a storage device among your digital devices is just convenient.
Sharing such among my digital devices is part of the freedom I get with microSD
card. What if the phone has empty battery? But you need to play music? Transfer
the microSD card to your speakers. But your digital camera does not have
Bluetooth? Just transfer the microSD card slot. You want to play some favorite
tunes that is in your microSD card from your dedicated music player to your
phone? Insert the microSD card without the need to copy those files on the
phone. Want to play some of your movie collections saved on microSD card? Just
insert it on the deym phone. But, this is
just me. So, if you are not me, not having this feature is fine. J
No headphone jack.
This is similar to the previous one. 3.5mm audio port is still useful,
especially if you have other digital devices and you care about good wired
audio that the USB type C still cannot provide. Yes, most phones have Bluetooth
connectivity. But having that headphone jack does not prevent anyone to use
Bluetooth connectivity. Riiight? TBH, I still can not understand why most phone
makers are removing such part, as if it occupies a lot of space, big matter. J It is good to enjoy
both worlds – the wired and wireless. But,
again, that is just me and my preference.
No GMS out of the box.
Zhen, being a Chinese variant, does not have GMS out of the box and I have not
tried installing it, yet. It is not a deal breaker for the use cases I throw on
the phone. But, this is a requirement, not just a preference, when I have to
use this for work.
Hot and battery
hungry SD888+. The phone gets noticeably warmer than any of my modern
smartphones. But, not as warm (or even hot) as my LG G4, Sony Xperia Z5
Premium, or Firefly Mobile Aurii Secret 4G (arranged from warmer to warmest).
Higher temperature usually happens when I am recording videos, since I only
played undemanding game. I did not experienced the camera exiting due to high
temperature, though, since I only record videos up to 5 minutes and only used
the camera app continuously for about 10 minutes.
Oh, but I like these
Inclusions. Zhen
came with a screen protector pre-applied and it was of good quality, which
until now looks flawless. It also came with a premium case – sturdy and I like
the satin feel on it. Charging brick and cable that came with it matched the
maximum charging speed of the phone. My Sony Xperia 1 II came with an 18-watt
charger, but supports up to 21 watts. Worst is, Sony no longer includes charging
brick and cable with most packages, if not all. Then, there is a USB type C
earphones as well. All these packed on a nice black box. I want to discuss more
about this environmental initiatives of some phone makers, as I understand half
of it. J
But, I digress.
Software Support. It is not as extensive or even clear as Apple iPhones, Samsung Galaxies, or Google Pixels. Sony Xperias even have clearer policy – 2 years of major software updates and 3 years of security updates. But, the fact that I still get updates on MagicUI 6 until right before testing Zhen, is already a good gesture. It would be nice if Honor Magic3 Zhen Edition gets MagicOS 7. As Honor is claiming that it is something revolutionary. Okay, let us revolt! J K
Secured face ID.
Like LG G8, Huawei Mates and iPhones, Zhen uses ToF sensor for secured face
unlocking. It stores 3D map of the user’s face and use such data to unlock the
phone. So, a photo of my face does not unlock the phone. Also, this type of
face unlock can work in dark environments. What I find it better here than G8, is the wider field of view. Likewise, it is possible to unlock the Magic3
Zhen in any orientation. LG G8 seems limited, you have to hold it upright and
straight through your face.
Battery Test Results
|
Honor
Magic3 Zhen Edition |
|||
|
Charging
Start |
9/19/2022
07:00 |
Charging
Finish |
9/19/2022
08:00 |
|
Charging
Duration |
01:00:00 |
Battery
Life |
01
04:47 |
|
|
Starting Battery |
Ending Battery |
Consumed Battery |
|
Test 1Hr |
100% |
93% |
-7% |
|
Rest 1Hr |
93% |
93% |
0% |
|
Test 1Hr |
93% |
82% |
-11% |
|
Rest 1Hr |
82% |
81% |
-1% |
|
Test 1Hr |
81% |
72% |
-9% |
|
Rest 1Hr |
72% |
71% |
-1% |
|
Test 1Hr |
71% |
59% |
-12% |
|
Rest 16Hr |
59% |
53% |
-6% |
|
Test 1Hr |
53% |
41% |
-12% |
|
Test 1Hr |
41% |
29% |
-12% |
|
Rest 1Hr |
29% |
26% |
-3% |
|
Test 1Hr |
26% |
14% |
-12% |
|
Rest 1Hr |
14% |
12% |
-2% |
|
Test (47/60)Hr |
12% |
0% |
-12% |
Battery test timeline is on the table above. It is fully
charged for exactly an hour. I expected it to be full before an hour, but
charging was not as fast on the later minutes. This is almost an hour faster
than Sony Xperia 1 II, which is normal since the latter used 18-watt charging
brick, while Zhen uses a 66-watt charger. Besides, Zhen has the fastest
charging duration among my phones with good battery. The Z1 Compact duo [Z1 Compact (b)] have
faulty battery, so they charge faster. Zhen gets slightly warmer than Xperia 1 II while charging. Each hour of drain testing consumes 9%-12% of the
battery, while on idle hours, 0%-3%, except for the 16-hour idle time, which
consumes 6% of the battery capacity. The total battery life results to a day, 4
hours and 47 minutes – longer than 15 of my tested phones, but shorter than 10
of them. For instance, Sony Xperia 1 II lasts for a day, 22 hours and 27
minutes. Overall, it still has a good balance of battery life and charging
duration. Daily charging is needed if I do not want it to be empty before the
second day ends. Besides, I can always tap up the juice for 30 minutes every
morning and I will get about 50% on top of the remaining battery percentage
from the previous day.
Conclusion
For my work phone, Honor Magic3 Zhen Edition is not
appropriate. Aside from the absence of GMS out of the box, there are display
irregularities and the lack of connection versatilities with other devices
(lack of microSD slot and headphone jack). I may end up irritated. It is my
adage that tools like smartphones should not be a source of annoyance in the
work place, since there are already a lot of sources there. J
This will not also replace my current personal phone, Xperia XZ2 Compact. It is too large and handling is quite foreign to meJ. I may not enjoy
content consumption on the phone. But I have no problem with the lack of GMS
(again, as a personal phone). SD888+ is not a major problem here as well.
Again, this is a self-assessment, not really to dismiss whether the phone is good or not. For sure, Honor Magic3 Zhen Edition will be the best phone for certain people. Zhen is even better than other smartphones in some areas. Consider the loudspeaker that has a high rating from DXOMark, though I am not a believer of their testing parameters, especially on camera testing. Also, the face ID is impressive. If you like heavier UI and comprehensive features of it, you will love this phone. It might fit your preference, like magic.
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