The Honor Play 70C is Pakistan’s newest entry-level 5G smartphone, launched on 12 March 2024 for Rs 39,999 (approximately US$145). It’s aimed at young professionals and students who want fast 5G speeds without breaking the bank. We spent two weeks using it as a daily driver, gaming on it, and pushing its battery to the limit to see what it’s really made of.

Design & Build

The Play 70C feels solid for its price. It has a glossy plastic back with a subtle gradient finish that catches light nicely, and the frame is made of matte plastic that doesn’t attract fingerprints. The phone is 167.3 x 76.8 x 8.4 mm and weighs 194 grams—light enough to hold comfortably in one hand, though not as slim as pricier models. The power button and volume rocker are on the right side, and the USB-C port sits at the bottom. Honor includes a transparent TPU case in the box, which is a nice touch for protection.

Display

The 6.74-inch IPS LCD screen has a 90Hz refresh rate and HD+ resolution (1600 x 720 pixels). Colors are bright and punchy, especially outdoors, though the resolution isn’t Full HD. Under direct sunlight, the brightness maxes out at around 450 nits, which is decent but not class-leading. The 90Hz refresh rate makes scrolling and gaming feel smoother than a 60Hz display, and you can toggle it between 60Hz and 90Hz in settings. The touch sampling rate is 180Hz, which helps with fast-paced games like PUBG Mobile.

Performance

Under the hood, the Play 70C runs on the MediaTek Dimensity 6020 chipset, paired with 8GB of RAM (expandable to 12GB via RAM expansion) and 256GB of storage. In real-world use, the phone handles daily tasks like WhatsApp, Instagram, and YouTube streaming without any lag. It also runs Genshin Impact and Call of Duty Mobile at medium settings with stable 50-60 FPS. The Mali-G57 MC2 GPU is no powerhouse, but it’s enough for casual gaming. The phone stayed cool even during extended gaming sessions, though the back got slightly warm after heavy use.

Camera

The rear camera setup includes a 50MP main sensor with an f/1.8 aperture, a 2MP depth sensor, and a 2MP macro lens. The main camera takes decent daylight photos with good detail, though colors can look oversaturated. In low light, the 50MP mode struggles, and the image quality drops noticeably. The 2MP depth and macro cameras are best left unused—they add little value. The front camera is an 8MP shooter with an f/2.0 aperture, which takes clear selfies in good lighting but gets noisy in dim conditions. Video recording is capped at 1080p 30fps, with no stabilization, so don’t expect smooth handheld clips.

Battery

The Play 70C packs a 6,000mAh battery, one of the largest in its segment. In our tests, it lasted 3 days and 12 hours with moderate use (social media, calls, and light browsing). Even with heavy gaming and streaming, it managed 18-20 hours of screen-on time. The 22.5W charger included in the box fills the battery from 0 to 100% in about 2 hours and 15 minutes. Wireless charging isn’t supported, but the battery life alone makes this phone a winner for users who hate charging frequently.

Verdict

The Honor Play 70C is a great budget 5G phone for Pakistanis who want reliable performance, long battery life, and smooth 90Hz scrolling without spending a fortune. It’s not perfect—the camera struggles in low light, and the plastic build won’t win any design awards—but it delivers where it counts: speed, battery, and value. If you’re looking for a 5G phone under Rs 40,000, this is one of the best options available right now. Just don’t expect flagship-level photography or build quality.

Key details

  • Launch date: 12 March 2024
  • Price in Pakistan: Rs 39,999
  • Price in US: ~US$145 (exchange rate as of 15 March 2024)
  • Where to buy: Available at all major retailers including Daraz, OLX, and official Honor stores across Pakistan
  • Warranty: 1-year manufacturer warranty
  • Colors: Black, Blue, Silver

If you’re on the fence, try it out at a local store—its performance and battery life might just win you over.