Gadget review: Honor 7

With a bunch of excellent features that flagship devices offer for a higher price, the Honor 7makes for a decent budget buy

The device is sleek and has a matte finish that ensures that it looks great and offers a good grip.

At a time when top-of-the-line models from several smartphone makers breach the ₹50,000 barrier regularly, Chinese developers keep unveiling flagship devices that challenge the rules. Offering a host of features at wallet-friendly prices, a number of them have managed to catch the fancy of Indian audiences. Huawei's Honor 7, too, intends to do just that.

What's good: The device is sleek and has a matte finish that ensures that it looks great and offers a good grip. The 5.2 inch screen comes with a 1,920x1,080 pixel resolution, which is on par with the OnePlus X. This will work in the device's favour, as it also comes with a fingerprint sensor that can record up to five prints. It can be used to unlock the phone, answer calls or pay for app purchases. The fingerprint sensor was accurate, leaving no room for complaints.

The cameras are another huge plus. The Honor 7 has a 20MP primary camera with dual-tone flash, and an 8MP front camera with single-tone flash. Powerful, they work well while taking images or selfies in the day. The primary camera holds well even at night, and though selfies captured by the front camera aren't the best in low-light conditions, they aren't too bad either. But what will draw users to the device is its price. For ₹22,999, you get a phone with a bunch of features that flagships offer for double or triple the amount.

What's not: The phone runs on Android OS with Huawei's own EMUI interface on top. Though it doesn't lag in terms of performance, it cannot be compared to the Motorola or Nexus's pure Android experience. The device does not support NFC. Also, if you are a hardcore gamer, this phone is not for you. More intense games, on HD mode, got the phone heated up and its performance started to lag. But its biggest drawback is the battery. We essentially used the device to browse the web, tweet, send messages and check out videos now and then, yet we ended up having to charge it twice on most days.

Verdict: The phone is a good buy for someone who wants top-notch features. But keep the charger handy.

What: Huawei Honor 7

Quick specs: 5.2-inch screen, 20MP primary camera and 8MP front camera

Best buy: ₹22,999 (flipkart.com)

USP: Mid-budget phone with good fingerprint sensor