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Is the HONOR View20 the first flagship killer of 2019?
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Is the HONOR View20 the first flagship killer of 2019?

by Vyncent ChanFebruary 16, 2019
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We loved the HONOR View20 when we reviewed it. Aside from its beautiful back, the HONOR View20 is overall a pretty refined device, with a number of flagship-class features like the Kirin 980 and also the impressive 48MP f/1.8 rear camera. And most importantly, delivers all of that without breaking the RM2000 mark. Does that allow the HONOR View20 qualify for the vaunted “flagship killer” title though? With so many devices claiming themselves to be flagship killers and just simply falling short, lets take a closer look at the HONOR View20 to see whether it deserves the title.

7nm goodness with Kirin 980

The Kirin 980 is the newest processor when compared against the other devices we are discussing today, and thus enjoys the latest process node offered by the fabs at that point. You will see the HONOR View20 does great in the CPU benchmarks, and also delivers an excellent showing when we tested its battery life.

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There are a number of reasons why a smaller process node is important. For starters, it translates to higher efficiency. Less power is wasted with smaller process nodes, and with less waste power, you gain better battery life and also cooler operating temperatures.

48MP to #SeeTheUnseen!

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One of the highlights of the HONOR View20 is its 48MP f/1.8 rear camera. But an important thing to note is that the HONOR View20 defaults to shooting 12MP images. Why would they use a 48MP sensor to shoot 12MP shots? Well, there are benefits to that.

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The 48MP Sony IMX568 sensor does have 48 million pixels. Each pixel measures just 0.8μm, despite the large-ish ½” sensor size. That’s really tiny, and is generally unsuitable for high-quality images. However the Quad Bayer color filter lets the HONOR View20 to combine four adjacent pixels on the sensor to deliver superb 12MP images, with each of the 12 million pixels sporting an effective pixel size of 1.6μm.

You can shoot 48MP shots if you want to too. The 48MP AI Super Clarity Mode, which delivered the best image quality we have seen in recent times. This is where the HONOR View20 really shows the advantage of having a 48MP sensor. We have discussed more about the camera features of the HONOR View20 in our more in-depth look at the HONOR View20’s camera so you can check that out as well.

All-View no notch!

The HONOR View20 definitely separates itself from the crowd with its in-screen camera. There are a number of names for this in-screen camera design. HONOR calls it their All-View display, HUAWEI calls it their Punch FullView display, and Samsung calls it their Infinity-O display. In the end, it’s a hole in the screen, but HONOR did it first, and they probably did it best, so far.

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HONOR maximized the 6.4″ display, with the 25MP selfie camera pushed as far to the sides as possible. They then shrank the hole to a minimal 4.5mm. All to deliver the awe-inspiring 91.82% screen-to-body ratio. To put that into perspective, the first-generation vivo NEX which had to settle for a motorized selfie camera mechanism only touts a 91.24% screen-to-body ratio. If that’s not awesome, I don’t know what is.

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And best of all is that it does not affect your user experience at all. Whether you are coming from those old 18:9 screens without notches, or from a more recent devices with notches, you are in for a treat. In gaming or in general usage, it stays out of the way. In fact the most welcome change coming from notched smartphones is the ability to see all your notification icons.

The verdict…?

There really isn’t anything holding back the HONOR View20 from claiming the title of “flagship killer”. It definitely offers top-of-the-line features — namely a 48MP camera, latest Kirin 980 chipset and liquid cooling, among others — without breaking the bank . The HONOR View20 is offered from just RM1999, and so far there isn’t any competition offering a similar package at this price range. Most of the player in the flagship arena has moved up beyond the RM2000 mark, but it is good to see HONOR still holding on in this price range. HONOR definitely knows their target market, and they are definitely serving them well with the HONOR View20.

About The Author
Vyncent Chan
Technology enthusiast, casual gamer, pharmacy graduate. Strongly opposes proprietary standards and always on the look out for incredible bang-for-buck.

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