Google’s Pixel 9a, priced at £499, has received a four-and-a-half-star rating, showcasing impressive performance. However, you can spend less on a competing Android smartphone with technically better hardware if you want the best value for your money. Introducing the Honor 400 Lite, the newest Honor phone to reach the UK market. Available in black, grey, or a stunning green, the phone boasts a larger, brighter 6.7-inch OLED screen with a smooth refresh rate of 120 Hz than the Pixel; a dual-lens setup with a 108MP primary camera; a larger 5,230mAh battery that charges at a faster rate of 35W; and a dedicated camera button that resembles the one on the more costly iPhone 16 or 16 Pro.
The latest Android phone that costs half as much as the Pixel 9a and has a better camera and battery
With features like AI Eraser for eliminating unwanted objects from photos and the “AI Camera Button” on the side that can be used to launch Google Lens—an app that can scan the scene and provide information from a Google search about what you’re looking at—Honor is also making a big push into its artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities with this phone. It can detect artwork, animals, and plants and translate text from menus and signage into over 100 languages in real time.
Additionally, Honor stated that people can use Google Lens to shop by scanning things or find answers to academic questions—it opens up a world of possibilities directly from your camera, as you could see the camera with a 108MP resolution. Megapixels do perform better than the Pixel 9a’s 48MP camera, but they aren’t the finest. We haven’t tested the Honor, so we can’t comment on its capabilities, but it would take something unique to outperform the Pixel’s cameras. We’ve seen that newer Pixel phones typically perform better than many of their rivals, and Google is well known for its superb image processing software. The Honor 400 Lite comes with Android 15, the most recent mobile operating system, similar to the Pixel, but with Honor’s own Magic OS 9 veneer installed on top.
According to Honor, it’s all seen on a screen with several eye care features to lessen eye strain and enhance viewing enjoyment. Its hardware low blue light technology reduces exposure to harmful blue light, and its 3840 Hz PWM dimming minimizes screen flicker. The Circadian Night function switches to warmer tones in the evening to promote better sleep by raising melatonin levels, and Dynamic Dimming lowers eye tiredness by adjusting brightness to replicate natural sunshine. The 400 Lite also has a dedicated e-book mode for reading via Kindle or Kobo apps, but it’s not as impressive as having an e-reader with an E Ink display, because it’s better than having an Android phone with an E Ink display.
This low-cost Android phone is 7.3 mm thin, IP64 dust- and water-resistant, and features Wet-Hand Touch technology, which reportedly keeps the screen working even after being splashed with rain. With a camera button, a large battery, a large screen, and the MediaTek Dimensity 7025-Ultra CPU, it costs £249.99, which is half as much as the £499 Google Pixel 9a.
A DOJ break could impact Android and the overall economy
Google is suing the Department of Justice over a proposed plan that would require significant changes to its operations, arguing that the suggested remedies are excessive and will hurt American consumers, Android innovation, and national security. Google has also been vocal in its condemnation of the proposed changes to its search engine as unnecessary and dangerous. The corporation asserts that consumers utilize Google’s search engine for personal reasons, not as a necessity. Blocking these arrangements would make it more difficult for customers to use their favorite services, with alternatives such as Microsoft’s Bing being pushed onto them instead.
