Honor’s new phones are gunning hard for the Galaxy S25 FE

At a glance:

• Honor launches the 600 and 600 Pro mid‑range phones, targeting Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy S25 FE.
• The 600 Pro uses Snapdragon 8 Elite, a 50 MP 3.5× periscope camera and 50 W wireless charging; the standard 600 runs Snapdragon 7 Gen 4.
• Prices start at €500‑€550 in Europe and 2,599 MYR (≈$657) for the 600, 3,099 MYR (≈$784) for the 600 Pro in Malaysia.

What honor announced

Honor unveiled two new upper‑mid‑range smartphones on Thursday: the Honor 600 and Honor 600 Pro. Both devices share a 6.57‑inch 120 Hz OLED panel that can peak at 8,000 nits and uses 3,840 Hz PWM dimming for reduced flicker. The phones also come with a massive 7,000 mAh silicon‑carbon battery, 80 W wired charging, a matte metal frame and an IP68/69/69K water‑dust rating.

The launch continues Honor’s strategy of offering high‑spec devices at a lower price point than flagship competitors. The company highlights AI Image‑to‑Video 2.0, an upgrade to the feature first seen on the Honor 400 series, which can stitch up to three photos into a 3‑5 second AI‑generated video. This capability is positioned as a differentiator for content‑focused users.

Specs and differences

The most visible hardware split lies in the chipset. The Honor 600 is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 7 Gen 4, while the Honor 600 Pro steps up to the Snapdragon 8 Elite SoC, promising better performance for future‑heavy workloads such as AI‑enhanced photography and gaming. Both phones sport a 200 MP 1/1.4‑inch main sensor paired with a 12 MP ultrawide lens, but only the Pro model adds a 50 MP 3.5× periscope telephoto shooter.

Camera stabilization also diverges: the standard model uses CIPA 6.0 optical image stabilization, whereas the Pro’s primary shooter benefits from CIPA 6.5. Both devices include a 50 MP front‑facing camera. Battery capacity is listed as 7,000 mAh globally, but Honor notes a 6,400 mAh variant for European units, though it is unclear if this applies to both models. Wireless charging is exclusive to the Pro, supporting 50 W, while the base 600 lacks any wireless charging capability.

Pricing and market positioning

Honor has not disclosed official EU or UK pricing, but the company estimates the standard 600 will retail between €500 and €550 (approximately $587‑$646). In Malaysia, the 600 starts at 2,599 MYR for the 12 GB/512 GB configuration, while the 600 Pro begins at 3,099 MYR for the 12 GB/256 GB variant. Saudi Arabian markets see additional SKUs with 8 GB/256 GB and 12 GB/256 GB options, indicating a flexible tiered approach to meet regional demand.

By positioning the Honor 600 series against Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy S25 FE, the brand aims to capture consumers who want a more modern display, higher‑resolution main camera, superior IP rating and faster wired charging—all at a lower price point. The trade‑offs are the lack of wireless charging on the base model and the absence of a telephoto lens, features that Samsung’s FE variant retains.

How it stacks against galaxy s25 fe

Samsung’s Galaxy S25 FE is expected to ship with an older flagship chipset, likely from the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 family, which still outperforms Honor’s mid‑range Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 but may lag behind the 8 Elite in raw AI and graphics tasks. The Honor 600 series offers a brighter, higher‑refresh‑rate OLED screen and a larger battery, while Samsung is anticipated to provide wireless charging and a dedicated telephoto lens that the standard 600 lacks.

Both manufacturers claim IP68/69K protection, but Honor’s matte metal frame and 200 MP main sensor give it a premium feel in the mid‑range segment. Pricing will be the decisive factor; if Honor’s European price stays near €500, it could undercut the S25 FE by a significant margin, potentially swaying cost‑conscious buyers toward the Chinese brand.

Future outlook

The introduction of AI Image‑to‑Video 2.0 suggests Honor is betting on AI‑driven media creation as a key selling point for the next generation of smartphones. Coupled with the Snapdragon 8 Elite in the Pro model, the company appears ready to blur the line between flagship and mid‑range performance.

Analysts will watch how Samsung responds with the S25 FE’s final specifications and price. If Samsung maintains a premium price despite using an older chipset, Honor could capture a sizable slice of the upper‑mid‑range market, especially in emerging regions where price elasticity is high. The competition may also push other OEMs to accelerate AI‑centric features and higher‑resolution sensors in their own mid‑range line‑ups.