Last night, at the iconic Kyalami Grand Prix circuit, HONOR turned heads with the unveiling of its latest smartphones — the HONOR 400 and HONOR 400 Pro. This wasn’t just a phone launch though, it had all the hallmarks of a brand making a statement. Glitzy event, sure. Cocktail crowd, absolutely. But beneath the glam and live performances and fancy canapés was a clear subtext: HONOR is coming for the throne.
With nearly 1,000 people in attendance — tech media, channel partners, influencers, and even the CEO of SAFA, this wasn’t your typical product showcase. This was Honor flexing. A brand that’s grown into South Africa’s number two smartphone spot, now publicly gunning for Samsung’s crown.
From Underdog to Contender
HONOR’s journey has been anything but ordinary. Spun out of Huawei’s shadow, they’ve rebuilt credibility, and have rocketed up the local smartphone scene. Last night felt like the culmination of that momentum. Fred Zhou, Honor South Africa CEO, didn’t mince words: HONOR’s eye is firmly on the number one position. And judging by what they unveiled, it’s not just talk.
Enter the new kids on the block, the HONOR 400 and the HONOR 400 Pro.
So, What Are We Looking At?
Let’s start with price:
- HONOR 400: R12,999
- HONOR 400 Pro: R17,999
That’s not pocket change, but context matters. For that price, you’re getting a 200MP camera (yes, two hundred), OLED displays that peak at 5,000 nits of brightness and the kind of build quality you usually see on phones north of 20K. Add in a free smartwatch, earbuds, and a powerbank and suddenly, that pricing hits different.
The AI Angle (And Why It Matters)
What makes these phones special isn’t just the specs but it’s how they think. HONOR is going all in on AI, but not in a gimmicky, buzzwordy kind of way. The 400 series introduces tools like Image-to-Video (a wild concept that turns stills into mini-movies), AI erasers, and live scene recognition that actually feels smart.
This isn’t AI for the sake of AI. It’s creative utility, the kind that feels like it was designed for people who actually use their phones for storytelling. For creating, not just consuming.
Battery, Brightness, and Brains
Let’s talk durability and endurance, because this is where things get quietly impressive.
Both phones pack a 6,000mAh silicon-carbon battery (a fancy way of saying they’ll age better and last longer), with fast charging that feels effortless. The Pro even supports 100W wired and 50W wireless charging, the kind of stuff you usually need a flagship and a fire extinguisher for.
The displays are absolutely beautiful. OLED panels that hit insane brightness levels, with deep blacks and smooth refresh rates. Even outdoors, under the harshest South African sun, these screens hold their own.
Add in an IP66 rating on the 400, IP68/IP69 on the Pro, and drop resistance certified by SGS, and you’ve got devices built for the real world, not just tech reviewers’ desks.
OS updates
Forget megapixels and chipsets for a second. HONOR’s committing to six years of updates, four major OS upgrades and two years of security patches beyond that. It changes how we should think about value.
Read: Honor Magic7 Pro Review: One Month In
So, What’s the Vibe?
If I had to sum it up, I’d say this: the HONOR 400 series is less about specs and more about intent. It’s the phone version of an underdog walking into the ring, not with a chip on its shoulder, but with quiet confidence. It knows it’s ready.
It’s not trying to reinvent the wheel. It’s just doing its own thing and improving on stuff that already works – smarter AI, longer battery life, a clean software experience, and a focus on things people actually care about. And it’s all wrapped up in bold design and real-world durability. But as always, we will wait to conduct a full in-depth review before we issue our final verdict.
Final Word
Last night at Kyalami, I didn’t just see a phone launch. I saw a serious shift in energy. HONOR isn’t knocking on doors and asking for permission anymore, they’re claiming their place. And if Samsung isn’t watching closely, they might just get overtaken on the inside lane.
