Honor 700S: Rear secondary display and unanswered questions for the junior member of the lineup

With pre-orders now open for its 700 series in China, Honor is kicking off what the brand describes as a complete overhaul of its numbered lineup, centered on a leap in performance and everyday usability. Joining the Honor 700 and Honor 700 Pro right from the outset is a third smartphone: the Honor 700S. While the Honor 600 Lite occupied the entry-level slot in the previous generation, this new variant appears to take over that accessible role, albeit with much closer integration into the rest of the portfolio: launched simultaneously, this model even retains the defining visual signature of the new series.

The square rear display also comes to the most affordable model

That is the main takeaway confirmed by Honor’s official renders: the Honor 700S also packs a square secondary display housed directly within its wide rear camera island. On the promotional posters unveiled by the manufacturer, this additional screen offers various clock widgets, playful mini-animations, and a live preview for framing selfies with the main cameras. According to rumors, this auxiliary panel measures around 1.72 inches diagonally and will also support weather updates, notifications, and music controls.

A closer look at the official visuals nevertheless reveals a first hardware difference compared to its siblings. On the Honor 700S, the square screen sits alongside two lenses, doing without the small extra sensor visible on the Honor 700 and Honor 700 Pro. This detail suggests a simpler camera setup, even if the exact configuration of its sensors remains to be confirmed.

Shared colorways, streamlined memory options, and reservations underway

Aesthetically, however, Honor puts all three models on an equal footing. The Honor 700S comes in the exact same four colorways as the rest of the lineup: Cold White, Clear Sky, Blue Tone, and Pink Mist. The hierarchy takes shape more clearly in the memory department. The Honor 700S comes in two versions, 12 GB + 256 GB and 12 GB + 512 GB, while the Honor 700 Pro adds a 16 GB + 512 GB option and the Honor 700 expands the selection even further with a 16 GB + 256 GB variant. Retaining 12 GB of RAM right from the base model nevertheless remains a welcome touch.

Pre-orders are already live in China through Honor’s official channels and at several major retailers. While final retail prices remain hidden, some early reservations are listed at 9.9 yuan, or roughly €1.20. To accompany this launch, early buyers receive a 365-day new-unit replacement warranty—favoring an exchange over a repair—paired with a one-year insurance plan covering both the front and rear screens.

Certified 80 W charging, but a still-mysterious processor

On the technical front, one detail is already official: all three models have been certified in China with wired charging reaching up to 80 W. Rumors, however, reserve 50 W wireless charging and reverse wireless charging exclusively for the Honor 700 Pro. Across the lineup, a battery of around 9,000 mAh and a 200 MP main camera sensor are also tipped, with no guarantee yet that the Honor 700S will inherit all of these specifications.

Indeed, several unknowns surround this model. Leaks credit the Honor 700 and 700 Pro with a mid-sized 6.57-inch flat 1.5K OLED panel framed by uniform ultra-thin bezels, as well as compatibility with a clip-on 200 mm external telephoto lens—complemented on the Pro by a 50 MP periscope telephoto camera—without specifying where the 700S stands. The same uncertainty applies to the chip: while a Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 and a Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 have been mentioned for the Honor 700 and Honor 700 Pro, respectively, the processor inside the Honor 700S is not yet known. We will therefore have to wait until Honor’s launch event to discover its full pricing structure and definitively separate these unofficial leads from the final specifications chosen by the brand.

Until its full unveiling, you can browse our selection of Honor smartphones in their global versions, along with our Honor cases and Honor tempered glass screen protectors.