Huawei launched yet another mid-range Dual-SIM smartphone, Honor 3C in Pakistan a week or so ago.
Honor 3C and the slightly more powerful Honor 3X are the 4th episode of Honor series and were unveiled last year in December.
Huawei has partnered with Zong to launch this smartphone in Pakistan and not only they are offering free mobile internet but customers porting to Zong can also get this handset free of cost.
We’ve got our hands on this device before the launch and have tested and used it thoroughly to give you all the pros and cons. Let’s begin with the un-boxing and quick demo of the device:
Design & Build Quality:
Honor 3C features a similar design as many other Huawei phones launched this year, but with less rounded corners and a little more flat look.
We got the white version of this device which almost looks like Ascend G700, except some minor differences. Honor 3C is 5.49 inches tall and 2.81 inches wide and its 9.2mm thick.
As you would expect from a mid-range device, the body is fully made of plastic. The front is dominated by a 5-inch LTPS IPS screen which offers a resolution of 720×1280 pixels (294ppi). Though we would’ve loved the 1080p resolution but the current configuration isn’t bad either.
The screen is sharp, clear and the colors are vivid. The viewing angles and brightness levels are also good.
I haven’t got any confirmation but it seems like the screen doesn’t have a protective layer, it does feature full lamination to reduce glare but no gorilla glass etc. So it is advised to use a screen protector or cover to avoid starches over a long period.
The placement of keys and other components is the usual; proximity sensors, ear speaker, notifications LED and secondary 5-megapixel camera above the screen and three capacitive touch keys below it.
The power/unlock key along with the volume rocker is placed on the right leaving a blank left side.
3.5mm headphones jack is one the top left and micro-USB port along with microphone are on the bottom left.
An 8-megapixel BSI camera with noise cancellation mic on top and LED flash light on its left are located at the upper back, whereas the loudspeaker is placed at the lower left.
Removing the back plate reveals two slots for micro SIM cards and a one microSD Card slot. The battery compartment is quite tall for perfect weight distribution.
This phone weighs around 140grams and feels very light in the hand.
One thing you’ll immediately notice about this phone is that it only features Honor branding, there is no Huawei icon or text on the device or inside. Even the boot up sequence shows Honor icon and not the familiar Huawei flower. This is quite strange as all the other Huawei devices I’ve reviewed so come with Huawei icon.
The Honor branding gives an impression that it is some new company but Huawei users will immediately recognize the device by its design and the proprietary EMUI.
Operating System & Interface:
Honor 3C comes with Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean and EMUI 2.0 on top of it.
This device was announced last year and at that time Mediatek hadn’t released the source code of KitKat. I hope that Huawei will soon update this device to latest flavour of Android, however the newer version of Emotion UI will cover the shortcomings for now.
For those who aren’t familiar with the term Emotion UI (EMUI), it is Huawei’s proprietary Interface, just like Samsung TouchWiz and HTC Sense. The customization of Android makes it easier for users to quickly perform routine tasks.
EMUI has no app drawer, which means all your apps on the homescreens are organized in folders. You can also add widgets, change transitions and some other gimmicky stuff.
In the previous version of EMUI we had missed the Huawei Toggles, Permissions and Power manager. Thankfully these features are now back.
The permissions and power management settings along with phone accelerator, memory cleaner and call/SMS filter are now bundled in the Phone Manager application.
Just in case you don’t want to use the EMUI, you can always install any other Android launcher and customize the things how you like them or you can switch to the “Simple Home” style which basically removes all icons and places big tiles instead.
This minimal UI would be helpful for those who find it difficult to use current Android UI.
Just for your information, this phone can be easily rooted but it is not recommended as it will void the warranty.
Hardware & Performance:
Honor 3C is packed with Mediatek MT6582 quad-core processor, clocked at the speed of 1.3GHz along with Mali-400MP2 GPU, 2GB of RAM and 8GB internal memory.
You can also use a microSD card upto 32GB with this device and can set it as your primary storage.
The real life performance as well as the benchmark scores of this device are above expectations. Usually mid-range phones are supposed to be laggy, but with Honor 3C you won’t feel any lag in the normal operation or while running resource hungry applications & games.
The call quality on cellular network as well as VoIP is very good, there is no echo and signals remain steady. The phone supports 3G on SIM 1 with HSDPA & HSUPA protocols. I’ve tested it with Ufone and the performance was top-notch.
Honor 3C handles 1080p videos very well and you can watch your favourite movies on the default player. The speaker volume is not so loud, but the sound quality is enjoyable. You can also enhance the quality by turning DTS mode on.
Have a look at some of the benchmark results:
Battery Performance:
Honor 3C is equipped with a 2300mAh battery, which works great for this device. For normal users with Wi-Fi connectivity the battery can easily provide you a backup of 2 days. But for power users or 3G internet users you may need to charge the device within 24 hours.
There are 3 different power modes available, which help you get maximum time. The smart plan automatically adjust the CPU and network usage whereas the endurance plan kills all the background apps and limit the CPU usage to save battery.
The phone also notifies you when an application is consuming power in the background, you can also set which apps to whitelist.
With the charger provided in the box, the battery takes 2-2.5 hours to fully charge. When they battery is below 5% the notifications LED will blink red and when the phone is fully charged the notifications LED will turn green.
Camera & Video:
Honor 3C is equipped with a primary 8-megapixel BSI camera and a secondary 5-megapixel front facing camera for selfies and video calling.
The primary camera has a large f/2.0 aperture, which helps taking photos in low light and close ups. The camera is also equipped with LED flash, which doubles as an emergency light you can use from dedicated torch application.
By default the phone is set to take 6M (3328×1872) shots at 16:9 aspect ratio, which actually cuts the top and bottom of the photo, so you should change the settings to 8M (3264×2448) at 4:3 aspect ratio which is more common for printing.
The camera performance is reasonable as it handles the varying colors and different lighting conditions very well, though it struggles a bit with higher contrast.
Photos taken outdoors and in artificial lights are sharp & vivid and you can apply several built in filters to get your desired effect as well as changing the brightness and saturation settings.
The primary camera can also record Full HD 1080p vides @ 30 frames per second in 16:9 aspect ratio and also features image stabilization.
The secondary 5-megapixel camera also performs very well and you can also record 720p videos with it.
The camera application is different from the recent Ascend series smartphones, providing a simpler interface with quick controls. You can also start the camera from lock screen by swiping up from bottom right and it takes a fraction of second to launch the application.
The primary 8-megapixel camera creates an average file of 3MB and the secondary camera image size is around 1.5MB.
Sample Photos Taken by Honor 3C
Have a look at some of the sample shots. These images are untouched and are reproduced here as they were clicked by the phone.
Front Camera Shots:
Pricing & Availability:
Honor 3C is available all over Pakistan for a price of Rs. 22,500 all over Pakistan with one year warranty of M&P or Airlink Communication.
Currently this phone is sold in two colors; blackish grey & white. There’s a possibility that other colors including gold champagne will be available soon.
Zong customers will also get 1GB mobile internet every month for a year or they can get the Zong offer by porting the number.
Verdict:
Just like other Huawei smartphones, Honor 3C offers premium features at an affordable price coupled with a durable design and a decent shooter.
The real life performance of this device as well as the benchmarks easily beat the competition. Plus the battery life is also satisfactory.
This phone is very light weight and despite the big size it is actually very easy to carry around. May be some of you won’t like plasticky feel of this device but currently it is the best smartphone you can get in this price range.
Our readers had asked to compare this device with Ascend G700, which is priced slightly higher but packed with almost same specifications. You’ve to wait a little as I am working on a separate post comparing both devices and which one is my favorite and why. Expect this comparison post in a day or two.
Meanwhile you can share your opinion about Honor 3C in the comments section below and if you have any questions regarding this phone then feel free to ask us.
Front cam Shots are Good
or the photographer is :D
Both :p
Ek meri bhi photo khainch bachay :-p
pehle cigaar munh me lo ;P
“Cigaar”
“Cigaar”
Yeh lo ek tum bhi moo mein lay :)
Yeh lo ek tum bhi moo mein lay :)
How do you get the review unit :) I want to be a reviewer. :)
Me too :))
3rd class phone. i used Huawei devices. Even its so difficult to get protector from market. Instead of Huawei i would prefer the other Chinese brands.
then maybe your’e an idiot
I endorced Sudais point, I used Huawei set they are not providing accessories in market like protector, covers pads e.t.c. in market available a re not fit in it,
Yeah I’m using it, its pretty good with front camera and performance but I don’t know why I’m having problem with battery.. It doesn’t work more than 7-8 hours with wifi usage without 3g on.
The battery is not as good as mentioned in the review.
A Screen with NO Protective Layer?
Then Screen Would be Too Easy To Be Pressed
Well it may attract some scratches over time but if you use it carefully there’s nothing to be worried about.
I am only interested in your photographing :D
Seriously? or some pun intended?
Because I don’t want to buy a new mobile.I only click your mobile review article to see the photographing :)
How is the developer support for the phones manufactured by Huawei?
What exactly do you mean by developer support? I’ve seen some custom ROMs for previous smartphones but none for Honor 3C yet.
What exactly do you mean by developer support? I’ve seen some custom ROMs for previous smartphones but none for Honor 3C yet.
I heard about it doesn’t hve capacitive keys backlights? Confirm plzz
You are right, touch keys are not back lit. Haven’t you seen the unboxing video? its mentioned there. :(
It’s really very disappointing, :(
Totally crap
I never buy this device
It’s really very disappointing, :(
Totally crap
I never buy this device
Why so? touch keys are lit or not doesn’t make a big difference.
Iss tarh se mobile mei be loadshedding ka ehsas rahe ga :P
hahaha!
hahaha!
yeah, I mean custom ROMS, methods to root and other relevant details.
Handset looks promising will purchase it within this week.
No Huawei branding is really strange.
Waiting for comparison with G700.
No Huawei branding is really strange.
Waiting for comparison with G700.
Price?
Rs.22,500
Where to buy it?
whr do u live, i live in Karachi
Huawei isn’t mentioned anywhere except on battery & charger…strange! I have heard that this cell phone is not manufactured by Huawei but a cheap Chinese brand “Honor”, while Huawei is just selling this under their umbrella..
hahahha hilarious, HONDA selling UNIQUE motor cyle under their umbrella hahahahaha dumbo
hahahha hilarious, HONDA selling UNIQUE motor cyle under their umbrella hahahahaha dumbo
Ever seen Daihatsu coure in toyota showrooms? or Chinese FAW vehicles in Hyundai showrooms? or the chinese DYL Dhoom motorcycle being sold under the umbrella of Yamaha?????? BTW that unnecessary “hahahahaha” sounds more like a donkey bray.
This is Branding strategy it is a type of Marketing tactic. Honor 3c is Huawei’s Brand. There are many successful examples of this form of branding like 7up and lays both are made by pepsi co, but they dont read like Pepsi Lays, or Pepsi 7up, Lexus is a Toyota’s brand but no where on the car is written toyota Lexus even has its own logo, ppl who buy it know that its made by toyota and dont complain of some cheap chinese maker. Company’s name and brand are different things and does not necessarily need to be named together
Honor is a smartphone series by Huawei, but by not putting the logo the company has created a confusion for those who are not familiar with the brand.
Honor 3C 4G is good as it comes with kitkat. The one available in Pakistan and the one Zong selling is 3G and is not a good set.
Honor 3C 4G is good as it comes with kitkat. The one available in Pakistan and the one Zong selling is 3G and is not a good set.
Set is very good in its price range, although it depends on your choice which u will prefer i think Honor 3C 4G will be more than Rs.28000
Nice review i was just waiting for your words about this mobile. You have included almost everything in your review. I heard about its short battery life issue but you hav cleared that confusion. Please also mention its GPU performance. can it handle resource hungry games like need for speed, asphalt 8 without any lags?
Yes, Asphalt 8, Real Racing 3 etc are smooth and the graphics are also good.
Bro can you post Qmobile Z4 Review…
Sorry I don’t own a Z4.
Mediatex Processors Very Bad
May be you’ve a bad experience, I find them quite good.
May be you’ve a bad experience, I find them quite good.
im using G610 ye kaisa hai kya koi use ker raha hai? touch mein koi improvement hai?
Yes it is much smooth and faster than G610. Both cameras have been also improved and you’ll definitely love the new EMUI.
Thanks for reply, ap ye batain ke Samsung Galaxy Grand dual sim wala acha hai ya ye wala ? bcoz galaxy 28K or ye 22K ka hai agr mein cell change karon tu galaxy grand lon ya Huawei 3C
Depends if you are brand conscious or just need the device for its performance.
im not brand conscious, im quality conscious
Zohair, was just waiting for your review on this. Probably going to buy on weekend! Where exactly you can get this? Zong Franchises? Any other place? Mobile Market?
Its available in the market or you can get it from Zong CSC if you are willing to get the port in 33000 Rs. offer
nopes, market is fine. Thanks for replying :-)
Bought it last weekend from Saddar mobile market, in 20.3k with 1 year warranty.
handset is free on 33k recharge from zong
another great phone from huawei ! , huawei is a name of quality . its a dheet set , i have been using huawei phones since one and half year and i never ever got any problem alhamdoLILLAH . good going huawei . Keep it up .
Can anyone compare it with QMobile Z4… Which 1 is better?
Haven’t used Z4, but I would go for Honor 3C without having a second thought.
Haven’t used Z4, but I would go for Honor 3C without having a second thought.
Have you seen the specifications of Z4?
Have a look…
Have a Look at this…
H3C is awesome handset with extremely good features and nice battery backup……..highly recommended for all budget conscious Executives……….
Why This Set is not on Huawei website
where are the settings for touch keys… Please guide
What do you mean by settings? There are 3 keys as usual; back, home and menu.
is video call is not possible on this phone kindly tell me
erm … is it i need to charge about 8 hour when first i unboxing the huawei honor 3C ??
It is preferred to charge the battery up to 100% before first use. That should be in 2-3 hours.
Zohair bhai, I was really expecting u to give us a good comparison video of Honor 3C and Ascend G-700. U should have really done that. Because a lot of people including me are questioning its low price compared to G-700 despite it being a newer model. and have u contacted Huawei Pakistan? have they given any reason for its ” non- Huawei” branding?
Also, in video, u said that warranty card and manual book come in Chinese books? Why so? Aren’t M&P and Airlink communications importing it in Pakistan?
Please reply if.
will this fone be availed to african countries too….
coz i nid it
Can’t say, Huawei mostly launches these budget devices in Europe and Asia only.
A extra great performance i bought this phone before 15 days ago.. i use HTC and Samsung but i never seen this great features in middle arrange price. Huawei skywei feature is top of tops best feature in the world.And Huawei ICloud.
I purchased this set, everything is nice except gynoscope feature has stopped working and I am unable to find settings to enable/disable it. I am unable to play games and can’t move my playing characters, applications are not auto rotated when I try to change orientation. Auto Rotate feature is ON too. Zohair can you help ?
Strange to see that the device has no Huawei logo except on the battery
good phone but i cant connect it with laptop useing mobogenie
Can that sets (honor 3c) accessories easily available in Pakistan market like screen protector and flip cover etc….
which warranty is best airlink or m&p for honor 3c.. which company gives you original battery and other equipment for honor 3c ??
I use wifi for 6 hours and my battery become 100% to 0% ¿ Is it normal?
Is that Waqas Nasir in blue shirt
Can I make a 3g video cal with honor 3c and when kitkat and emu 2.3 relesed for this
I don’t have option to choose 3G like WCDMA/GSM. I only have one option “Only use 2G mode”. Can you help me?
can you plz tell me Samsung galaxy s3 aur is ki screen ka difference in sharpness kaun sa behtar hai ………..???
over all the set is very excellent but one thing Huawei missed is lights on its lower keys that should have been btw it’s not a big problem.
Awesome Handsets in this price you wont get any better this smartphone has to offer.I would say go for it you wont regret your purchase it is awesome.
Bought in april, amazing set for the price. Very detailed review.just wanted to add a couple of things that there are two honor 3c h30_u10 out there. One uses Chinese firmware the other Taiwanese. I got chinese which got kitkat update already and also easy to install cwm recovery on it.
But china version u can get only directly bought sets from china.
Thanks, great review :) I’m going to buy it tomorrow IA :P
Please guide how can configure the sms forwarding?
Thanks bro/sis. Seems like you have worked very hard to write this article. you have solved my problem.
Are the flip covers of Huwaei honor 3c available in the markets of Pakistan? Specially Lahore because I also live in Lahore :) So can we get its flip cover from Hafeez Center? And how much would it cost? Ty
i am mohsin rasool ma ap say yeh pouchna chata hn kay is phone ma jub cal ati hy phone ko kan kay sath lgao to wo recive ho skti hy aise koi option hy is phone ma bagiar touch kiye………….
Please compare it with huawei g700 i am waiting desperately.
How do you differentiate the chinese and taiwanese version of Huawei Honor 3C ,waiting for the reply.