Honor 30S Review

• Overview
• Design and Build Quality
• Display
• Performance
• Software and User Interface
• Camera
• Battery Life
• Connectivity and Networking
• Additional Features
• Comparison with Other Related Phones
• Pros and Cons
• Conclusion

Overview

The Huawei Honor 30S is a standout smartphone that combines 5G connectivity, impressive specifications, and a reasonable price tag. Its sleek design, with a four-camera module and a 6.5-inch OGS display, is visually appealing. The device is powered by a Kirin 820 processor, 8GB of RAM, and offers up to 256GB of storage. The camera setup, led by a 64MP main sensor, captures stunning photos comparable to higher-end camera phones. With a 4000mAh battery and regular Android Q updates, the Honor 30S ensures a smooth and long-lasting user experience. While lacking a headphone jack and Google services, this smartphone offers excellent value for money.

Design and Build Quality

The Honor 30S boasts a sleek and aesthetically pleasing design that is reminiscent of previous Huawei models and the latest Samsung Galaxy devices. Its physical appearance is characterized by a four-camera module design on the back, which has become quite popular in the smartphone market. The device features a 6.5-inch OGS panel with a front-facing "island" camera, offering a modern and visually appealing look. The fingerprint scanner is conveniently placed on the metal side of the phone, ensuring easy access and enhancing the overall ergonomics.

In terms of build quality, the Honor 30S impresses with its robustness and sturdiness. The materials used in its construction are of high quality, giving it a premium look and feel. Although the device is not the lightest on the market, its weight is well-distributed, making it comfortable to hold for extended periods. The dimensions of the phone are also well-balanced, allowing for a good grip and one-handed usability.

The finishing touches on the Honor 30S are well-executed, giving it a polished and refined appearance. The buttons and controls are tactile and responsive, adding to the overall user experience. The bezels surrounding the display are minimal, maximizing the screen-to-body ratio and providing an immersive viewing experience. The frame is sturdy and durable, ensuring the device can withstand everyday wear and tear. The back panel is smooth and visually appealing, featuring a subtle texture that adds to its premium feel.

Overall, the design and build of the Honor 30S showcase a combination of aesthetics, functionality, and durability. It offers a sleek design with a premium look and feel, while also being robust and sturdy. The materials used, along with the fit and finish, contribute to its overall appeal. Additionally, the device's ergonomics and form factor enhance its usability and portability.

Display

The Huawei Honor 30S features a 6.5-inch OGS display with a full HD+ resolution, providing a crisp and clear image quality. While it would have been great to see an AMOLED panel for higher brightness and contrast, the LCD technology used in this device still offers vibrant colors and good color accuracy. The Honor 30S also comes with a front-facing "island" camera and fingerprint scanner on the metal side, adding to the visual appeal of the device.

In terms of screen protection, the Honor 30S does not specify the use of Gorilla Glass or any other specific display protection technology. However, it's always a good idea to use a screen protector to keep the display safe from scratches and smudges.

The device also offers a good level of touch responsiveness, allowing for smooth navigation and interaction with the screen. Viewing angles are decent, ensuring that the content on the screen is easily visible from different angles.

Other notable features include the option to enable an always-on display, which shows essential information even when the screen is locked. There is also a blue light filter to reduce eye strain, and adaptive brightness that automatically adjusts the screen brightness based on ambient lighting conditions.

Overall, while the Honor 30S may not have all the bells and whistles of higher-end displays, it still delivers a satisfactory viewing experience with its sizeable display, good color reproduction, and responsive touch functionality.

Performance

The Huawei Honor 30S impresses with its solid performance and seamless user experience. Powered by the Kirin 820 chipset, this device delivers commendable CPU and GPU performance. In CPU benchmarks, it showcases efficient processing capabilities that enable smooth multitasking and swift app loading speeds. The GPU benchmarks highlight its gaming prowess, with the Mali G57-MP6 video adapter providing excellent graphics scores and ensuring an immersive gaming experience.

During gaming sessions, the Honor 30S demonstrates its gaming capabilities, effortlessly handling demanding titles without any lag or hiccups. The processor efficiency and GPU efficiency contribute to its ability to deliver high-quality graphics and maintain stable frame rates. Whether it's playing graphically intensive games or switching between multiple apps, this smartphone's performance remains consistent.

The system optimization and thermal management of the Honor 30S play a crucial role in maintaining its performance. Even during prolonged usage, the device remains cool and doesn't experience any thermal throttling. This allows users to fully enjoy their gaming experience without any performance degradation.

While benchmark tests and scores were not provided, the Honor 30S's performance metrics speak for themselves. It is evident that Huawei has focused on providing a smooth and lag-free performance with this device. The combination of the Kirin 820 chipset, GPU efficiency, and system optimization results in a device that offers excellent performance across various tasks and applications.

In conclusion, the Honor 30S delivers a commendable performance that meets the expectations of mid-range smartphone users. Its powerful chipset, efficient GPU, and smooth user experience make it a suitable choice for both gaming enthusiasts and multitasking users. Whether you're engaging in graphics-intensive gaming or juggling multiple apps, this device ensures a seamless and lag-free performance.

Software and User Interface

The Huawei Honor 30S comes with the Android 10 operating system, which is the latest version of Android at the time of its release. Huawei has customized the software with its own EMUI 10.1 user interface, adding a layer of customization and unique features.

The EMUI interface offers a clean and user-friendly experience, with easy navigation and intuitive settings. It allows for easy customization of themes, wallpapers, and app icons, giving users the freedom to personalize their device according to their preferences.

One aspect that some users may find disappointing is the presence of pre-installed apps, which can be considered bloatware. While some of these apps may be useful, others may not be relevant to every user's needs. However, most of these apps can be uninstalled or disabled, allowing users to free up storage space and have a cleaner interface.

Overall, the software experience on the Honor 30S is smooth and responsive, thanks to the powerful Kirin 820 processor and 8GB of RAM. The device handles multitasking and resource-intensive apps with ease, providing a seamless user experience.

It's important to note that due to recent changes in Huawei's relationship with Google, the Honor 30S does not come with Google Mobile Services pre-installed. This means that popular Google apps like Google Maps, YouTube, and Gmail are not available out of the box. However, Huawei offers its own alternatives through the Huawei AppGallery, and users can also download and install apps from other third-party app stores or directly from the internet.

In conclusion, the software on the Honor 30S offers a user-friendly interface with customization options, although it lacks some popular Google apps and comes with pre-installed apps that may not be necessary for every user.

Camera

The Huawei Honor 30S boasts an impressive camera setup, making it a great choice for photography enthusiasts. With a main 64MP camera, accompanied by 8MP and 2MP lenses, and led by the Sony IM686 sensor, this device captures stunning images with excellent detail and clarity. The high megapixel count ensures sharpness, while the wide aperture allows for good low-light sensitivity and depth of field control in portrait mode. The Honor 30S performs exceptionally well in daylight photography, producing natural colors and a wide dynamic range.

In terms of image stabilization, the device features electronic image stabilization (EIS), which helps reduce camera shake and enhances overall image quality. This is particularly useful during handheld video recording or capturing fast-moving subjects. Speaking of video recording, the Honor 30S supports 4K video with good clarity and detail, and the EIS also applies to videos, providing smooth and stable footage. Additionally, the device offers a slow-motion video mode and time-lapse functionality, allowing users to unleash their creativity.

With its AI scene recognition capabilities, the Honor 30S can automatically detect different scenes and adjust camera settings accordingly, resulting in optimized image quality. The device also supports various camera modes, including HDR and panorama, giving users the flexibility to capture a wide range of shots. Overall, the Honor 30S excels in its camera performance, delivering impressive results in both outdoor and indoor photography, with excellent image quality, sharpness, and low-light performance.

Battery Life

The Huawei Honor 30S comes equipped with a 4000mAh battery, providing users with a decent amount of battery backup. With this capacity, the device is capable of delivering over ten hours of active screen time, ensuring that you won't have to constantly reach for a power outlet or carry around a power bank. The battery performance is further enhanced by the power efficiency and optimization features of the device, which help to maximize the battery life. Additionally, the Honor 30S supports fast charging technology, allowing you to quickly recharge your device when needed. However, it's important to note that the device does not offer wireless charging options. Overall, the battery of the Huawei Honor 30S offers a satisfactory performance, ensuring that you can use your device for extended periods without worrying about running out of power.

Connectivity and Networking

The Huawei Honor 30S offers a wide range of connectivity options, making it a versatile device for users. With its 5G connectivity, users can experience lightning-fast data speeds and enjoy seamless browsing, streaming, and gaming experiences. The device also supports dual SIM functionality, allowing users to switch between different networks effortlessly. In terms of wireless connectivity, the Honor 30S supports Wi-Fi standards, ensuring a stable and reliable connection for internet browsing and online activities. Bluetooth version is also up to date, enabling users to connect their devices and accessories wirelessly. Additionally, the device features NFC technology, which allows for convenient and secure transactions and data sharing. The Honor 30S also comes with a USB-C port, providing fast charging and data transfer capabilities. With its mobile hotspot feature, users can easily share their internet connection with other devices. The device is also equipped with GPS for accurate navigation and location tracking. Overall, the Huawei Honor 30S offers a comprehensive range of connectivity options to meet the needs of modern users.

Additional Features

Comparison with Other Related Phones

When comparing the Honor 30S to other related gadgets in the market, it becomes evident that this device offers a competitive edge in terms of both features and pricing. Let's take a closer look at how it stacks up against its competitors.

In terms of design, the Honor 30S shares similarities with previous Huawei models and the latest Samsung Galaxy devices, sporting a sleek four-camera module design. This design choice gives it a modern and premium look that is comparable to other flagship smartphones in the market.

When it comes to display, the Honor 30S boasts a 6.5-inch OGS panel with a front-facing "island" camera and a fingerprint scanner on the metal side. While it offers a full HD+ resolution display, it falls short of using an AMOLED panel, which would have provided higher brightness and contrast.

Under the hood, the Honor 30S packs impressive specifications. With a Kirin 820 processor, 8GB of RAM, and a Mali G57-MP6 video adapter, it delivers smooth performance even when handling demanding games and applications. This puts it on par with other mid-range smartphones in terms of processing power.

In terms of camera capabilities, the Honor 30S shines with its main 64MP, 8MP, and 2MP cameras, led by the Sony IM686 sensor. The resulting photographs are comparable to those produced by full-fledged camera phones in the mid-range segment. Additionally, the 16MP front camera captures impressive selfies.

Battery life is another area where the Honor 30S stands out. With its 4000mAh battery, it offers more than ten hours of active screen time, eliminating the need for frequent recharging or carrying around power banks.

However, it's worth noting that the Honor 30S lacks a separate headphone jack, Google services, and NFC, which may be considered drawbacks for some users who heavily rely on these features.

Overall, the Honor 30S positions itself as a strong competitor in the market by offering a balance of performance and affordability. Its specifications, camera capabilities, and battery life make it a compelling option for consumers looking for a value-for-money device. The competitive landscape sees the Honor 30S going head-to-head with other mid-range smartphones from brands like Samsung, Xiaomi, and Oppo, but its strong performance, sleek design, and competitive pricing give it a unique selling point and a competitive advantage.

Pros and Cons

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Huawei Honor 30S offers an impressive combination of features and affordability, making it a strong contender in the mid-range smartphone market. With its 5G connectivity, powerful Kirin 820 processor, and ample RAM, this device provides smooth performance for multitasking and gaming. The camera capabilities are also commendable, delivering excellent photo quality comparable to higher-priced phones. The battery life is impressive, and the regular updates for Android Q ensure a seamless user experience. While the absence of a headphone jack, Google services, and NFC may disappoint some users, the Honor 30S still offers great value for its price. Overall, it is a reliable and feature-packed smartphone that won't break the bank.