Honor’s upcoming smartphones may look like the illegitimate child of an iPhone 17 and a Pixel 10, but they may excel in ways Apple and Google could only dream of. The company has confirmed it’ll release the Honor 500 series on November 24 in China, and shortly afterward, we got details about the specs.
Both Honor 500 devices may feature 8,000 mAh batteries
The Honor 500 series will feature two devices, and prolific leaker Digital Chat Station shared (source in Chinese) their specs ahead of their launch next week. According to him, the Honor 500 Pro will feature a Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, a 200 MP main camera, a 12 MP ultra-wide, and a 50 MP 3x telephoto.While the non-Pro version may feature the same 1/1.4” type 200 MP sensor on the primary camera and the 12 MP ultra-wide camera, it may miss the telephoto shooter. That device might be powered by the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4.
Both devices may feature 6.55-inch displays with 1.5K resolution, a 120 Hz refresh rate, and 3,840 Hz PWM dimming. They’ll also share IP68, IP69, and IP69K ratings for dust and water resistance and a metal-frame design. The devices will feature 8,000 mAh batteries with support for 80W wired charging. The Honor 500 Pro will also feature 50W wireless charging support and an ultrasonic in-display fingerprint scanner.
Firmly in a new age for smartphone batteries
The Honor 500 Pro looks like a mix of a Pixel 10 and iPhone 17. | Image credit – Honor
Honor is no stranger to large-battery smartphones, but the Honor 500 series will feel far less unique once it’s launched, at least for Chinese brands. The Xiaomi 17 Pro Max features a 7,500 mAh battery, and the Vivo X300 Pro packs a 6,510 mAh unit, for example. Both are smaller than the 8,000 mAh batteries of the Honor 500 and 500 Pro, but larger than anything offered by Samsung, Apple, and Google.
More importantly, the OnePlus 15, which will be available in the US, packs a 7,300 mAh battery. That allows it to beat not only the Galaxy S25 Ultra, Pixel 10 Pro XL, and iPhone 17 Pro Max in our battery tests, but every other smartphone we have ever tested.
That should be a wake-up call
I think the leading smartphone manufacturers should get worried by devices like the Honor 500, even if they are unlikely to be available outside of China. The battery life is one of the most important aspects of a smartphone, and I wouldn’t be surprised if many people switch to a device with a bigger battery the second they get the chance.
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Ilia, a tech journalist at PhoneArena, has been covering the mobile industry since 2011, with experience at outlets like Forbes Bulgaria. Passionate about smartphones, tablets, and consumer tech, he blends deep industry knowledge with a personal fascination that began with his first Nokia and Sony Ericsson devices. Originally from Bulgaria and now based in Lima, Peru, Ilia balances his tech obsessions with walking his dog, training at the gym, and slowly mastering Spanish.
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