Honor 500 Pro Review: A Textbook Mid-Range Phone with Exceptional Feel and Battery Life
As 2025 draws to a close, the smartphone market has become more competitive than ever, a trend that extends well into the mid-range segment. Following the success of the Honor 400 series, which brought flagship features like a metal frame, a 200MP camera, and a massive 7000mAh+ battery to the mid-range market, expectations were high for its successor. After spending considerable time with the Honor 500 Pro, it's clear that it's ready to elevate the mid-range competition to a new level.
A Familiar Yet Fresh Design with a Premium Touch
The Honor 500 Pro introduces a completely revamped design language. The device feels more refined, thanks to an iPhone-like one-piece cold carving process that enhances its structural integrity. The metal, flat-edge frame is thoughtfully designed with subtle chamfers, ensuring a comfortable grip without any sharp edges. It retains the predecessor's 6.55-inch flat screen, balancing viewing experience with ease of handling. The model we reviewed, in "Moonlight Silver," showcases a beautiful interplay between silver-white and deep gray tones. The back panel and camera module are seamlessly integrated, with a glossy finish on the camera deco creating a pleasant contrast with the matte back. The horizontal camera layout is not just a design choice; it's also highly practical. Additionally, the device inherits the dedicated AI key from the Magic series and features a stunning 1.5K display with ultra-narrow 1.15mm bezels and 3840Hz zero-risk dimming. Advanced eye-care features, such as monitoring for eye distance, posture, and blink frequency, further enhance the user experience, making the Honor 500 Pro one of the best-designed mid-range phones this year.
200MP Main Camera: Where Imaging Truly Shines
High-megapixel cameras are a key trend, and the Honor 500 Pro is well-equipped. It features a triple-camera setup headlined by a 200MP Samsung HP3 AI main sensor with a large 1/1.4-inch size and CIPA 5.0 OIS. This is complemented by a 50MP telephoto lens and a 12MP ultra-wide-angle lens. The camera software offers three color profiles—Vivid, Natural, and Texture—along with various film-inspired filters that are now available in the standard photo mode. An innovative AI Color Following feature can even mimic the color style of any image you choose. In practice, the camera system delivers impressive results. Daylight shots show excellent color reproduction and detail. The 2X crop-zoom from the main sensor maintains high resolution, and the 68mm telephoto lens captures crisp details in distant objects. Night photography is another strong point, with the large sensor effectively controlling highlights while preserving details and accurate colors. The phone also includes fun AI editing tools like AI Retouch and AI Expand, making it a versatile and powerful imaging tool for its class.
Peak Performance Meets Marathon Battery Life
The Honor 500 Pro continues the series' tradition of offering robust hardware. It is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Supreme Edition mobile platform, a 3nm SoC known for its excellent performance. In AnTuTu benchmark tests, the device scored an impressive 3.1 million points. This power translates to a superb gaming experience, with games like *League of Legends: Wild Rift* running at a stable 120 fps, even during intense team fights. The horizontal camera design also benefits gamers by freeing up space for a comfortable grip and improved heat dissipation. The battery capacity has been increased to a massive 8000mAh. In a 4-hour endurance test involving video streaming, social media, and gaming, the phone was left with 73% battery. This, combined with 80W wired fast charging and 50W wireless charging, means the Honor 500 Pro can easily last for two days with moderate use. Other premium features include an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor and top-tier IP68, IP69, and IP69K dust and water resistance ratings.
The Evolved YOYO Assistant in MagicOS 10
Running on MagicOS 10.0, the Honor 500 Pro features a new "Zero-G" transparent design aesthetic across its UI, with users able to adjust the transparency level. The standout feature is the YOYO intelligent assistant, which has become more capable than ever. Voice interactions are more natural, and YOYO's semantic understanding has improved significantly, allowing it to execute complex commands like changing the theme or replacing the sky in a photo with simple voice prompts. YOYO can now also handle AI-powered photo editing, such as applying different makeup styles with a single command. Features like YOYO Memory and YOYO Vision further enhance productivity and convenience, allowing users to easily save and share information or get real-time answers about objects in their environment. YOYO is arguably one of the most intuitive and comprehensive AI assistants available, making MagicOS 10 an incredibly smart and user-centric operating system.
Conclusion: A Textbook Mid-Range Champion
The Honor 500 Pro is an exceptionally well-balanced and impressive all-rounder. With the powerful Snapdragon 8 Supreme Edition, a versatile camera system led by a 200MP sensor, and top-tier durability ratings, it sets a new standard. It's a textbook example of what a modern mid-range phone should be.
Here's a quick summary of its pros and cons:
Pros:
1. Powerful performance with the Snapdragon 8 Supreme Edition.
2. Outstanding battery life from the 8000mAh battery.
3. Fast and responsive ultrasonic fingerprint sensor.
Cons:
1. The Z-axis haptic motor provides average feedback.
2. Lack of an always-on display feature.
The Honor 500 Pro demonstrates a deep understanding of consumer needs in the mid-range segment: an attractive design, a premium feel, and a comfortable user experience backed by strong performance and an excellent camera. By managing to increase battery capacity while maintaining a sleek profile, Honor has delivered one of the most balanced and compelling choices in its price range.
