So how do you put the words Robot and Phone together? It was hard for me to visualize such a product, until I saw it at MWC this year. Then I was thinking, ok a prototype then. But, now it has become a mass-produced product. This is crazy! Anyway, the phone market is kind of boring these years, no matter how this phone really performs, the HONOR Robot Phone does bring a bit of interesting stuff. We just got this one, and this article is just a first impression. Stay tuned if you want to see a comparison with maybe the DJI Pocket 4P. And since this phone is not sold globally, you can buy it from Geekwills.com.
Form Factor
First, let’s talk about the form factor. There are four cameras, the main camera, also the one with the gimbal, is a 200MP, 1/1.28 inch sensor, F1.6. Then there is also 200MP telephoto lens, 50MP ultrawide, and a 50MP front camera, specs are very good.
The main camera can be used as it is, tucked in the camera module, with a lens cover to protect it. But if you do want to use it this way, you must wipe the lens cover often for sure. Then if you use it with the gimbal, you need to slide the cover to the side first, otherwise there will be a notice to remind you.
When the gimbal is fully extended, it does tip the balance over a little bit. HONOR must know it, so there is a special case, a magnetic ring and a lanyard to support a better experience. The magnetic ring is better than most out there, because it can shape into more angles.
The robot camera can also do more things, such as dance with the music, or track human movement while streaming. This unlocks a lot more potential than the pocket cameras.
Image Quality
You must be very curious about the image quality and gimbal performance, right? We did some tests, just like how we use the pocket cameras.
When I walk with the camera, the stabilization is very good. When I put it side by side with the DJI 4P, I can’t see any wobble or image shaking from HONOR. Then I run, it still performs well, only slightly less stable than the DJI.
Now when it comes to the image quality, there is a slight pity, the video specs top at 2.8K 120FPS. But if you tuck the camera away, it can shoot at 4K 120FPS. So when I compare the footage of 2.8K 30FPS and 4K 30FPS, you can clearly see the stabilization is better with the gimbal out, but the image quality and dynamic range are better from 4K 30FPS. Honestly, I wasn’t expecting this. And I hope there will be an OTA to top it up to 4K, because I see the 4K option is in gray in the settings, not completely invisible.
And since HONOR is working with ARRI on color science, there are all the cinematic tones in the collection, you can choose the best film look you want.
It’s Still A Phone
Now it is still a phone that we can use daily. In that form, it is smaller than all the Ultra and Pro-level phones. But it is indeed heavier, even heavier than the Ultra phones. With the camera module being heavier, you really have to do some brain power training.
Other than that, I still think this phone is really well built. It feels like a carefully engineered masterpiece. I think most people will like it.
Then it comes with Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen5, 12GB+512GB, or 16GB+1TB. Battery capacity 7060mAh. Despite the limited space, the battery is still big. But of course, the gimbal would consume more power, so let’s see how the battery life goes.
Summary
So this is the HONOR Robot Phone, it is truly an engineering masterpiece. There are still some limitations, but we can’t deny that it does bring some fresh stuff to the robot, pocket camera, and phone markets. We will bring you the full review soon.
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