Today, we have a new budget smartphone from HONOR. What’s interesting about this device is that it comes with something we don’t usually see in this price range: a secondary display on the back.
This is the HONOR Play20A. We’ve been using it as our daily driver, and here are our thoughts.
Design and Build
Our review unit comes in the Light Blue color variant. What makes this phone stand out is its rear design. Aside from its camera module, it also features a 2-inch Smart Rear Screen, which gives it a different look compared to other budget smartphones.
You can use this secondary display to check notifications, control music playback, and view the time. One feature I particularly like is its ability to act as a viewfinder when taking selfies using the rear camera.
In terms of dimensions, the phone weighs 206.5g and measures 8.4mm thick. It feels a bit heavy, especially for an entry-level smartphone.
However, it is still comfortable to hold. The build doesn’t feel particularly premium or as sturdy as some other devices, but the overall design is interesting, mainly because of the secondary display.
Display
The HONOR Play20A features a 6.9-inch LCD with a resolution of 720 x 1600 pixels. It also supports a 90Hz refresh rate and has a peak brightness of 600 nits.
I didn’t expect much from the display, considering its HD+ resolution and large screen size. However, it gets the job done. For my usual activities, such as browsing social media and watching videos, the display quality is fairly decent. I didn’t encounter any major issues during everyday use.
However, despite having a 90Hz refresh rate, navigating the interface can still feel a bit slow. Outdoor visibility is also not ideal, as the screen can be difficult to see even under moderate sunlight.
Camera
The HONOR Play20A comes with a 13MP rear camera and a 5MP front camera.
Daylight Photography
In daylight conditions, the rear camera produces images with decent color reproduction, sharpness, and detail. Image processing also does a reasonable job of reducing noise, although some softness is visible in certain areas of the photos.
Low-Light Photography
For low-light photography, the camera does a decent job of brightening images while maintaining visible colors and details. There is some softness around the edges, but the overall output remains fairly clear.
Selfie Photography
For selfies, the 5MP front camera produces decent results. Skin tones look natural, and there is a reasonable amount of detail and sharpness. However, one downside is its handling of highlights, as some brighter areas can appear overexposed.
As for video recording, both the rear and front cameras can record at up to 1080p at 30fps.
Performance
Under the hood, the HONOR Play20A is powered by the MediaTek Helio G81 chipset. Our review unit comes with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage.
In terms of everyday performance, the chipset is capable of handling basic tasks such as browsing social media, messaging, watching videos, and doing light work. It can also handle some multitasking, although you shouldn’t expect too much from it.
For gaming, we tried playing Mobile Legends: Bang Bang. We did experience some slowdowns during our gameplay, but considering its price and hardware, the performance is still acceptable for casual gaming.
Benchmark Results
- Antutu benchmark: 386,306
- Geekbench 6: 394 / 1,225
- Geekbench OpenCL: 801
- Geekbench Vulkan: 829
- 3DMark Wildlife: 622
- PCMark battery test: 17hrs and 44 minutes
Battery and Charging
The HONOR Play20A is equipped with a 6,000mAh battery and supports 15W wired charging.
In everyday use, the battery is enough to last me through the day. During our PCMark battery test, it lasted 17 hours and 44 minutes.
However, charging is one of its downsides. With only 15W charging support, it takes quite some time to fully charge the device.
Price
The HONOR Play20A is priced at PHP 8,999 for the 4GB RAM and 64GB storage configuration.
Verdict
Overall, the HONOR Play20A is an interesting entry-level smartphone, mainly because of its 2-inch secondary display. This is not a feature we usually see in this price range.
It also comes with a large battery and a 90Hz display. However, its HD+ resolution, modest chipset performance, and slow charging are some of the compromises to consider.
The secondary display may not be particularly useful for everyone, but it does offer additional functionality. For casual users looking for a secondary phone for basic everyday tasks, the HONOR Play20A is worth considering.
That wraps up our experience with the HONOR Play20A. What do you think about this device? Let us know in the comments below.