Honor Play 60 review
The Play 60 is for buyers who value battery life and a big screen above all else and are willing to accept slow charging, soft visuals, and modest performance. Anyone expecting a sharp display, fast charging, or decent gaming should look elsewhere, even in the budget segment.
This review is based on Honor’s published specifications and public benchmark data for the Honor Play 60, and the rating is spec-based. GoSolo does not physically test devices; where we estimate real-world behaviour such as battery life or charge time, we say so. How we rate phones.
Overview
The Honor Play 60 is a straightforward budget 5G phone built for endurance rather than power, with a large 6000 mAh battery, a big-but-soft 120Hz display, and a weak main camera that shoots only 1080p video. At 140 EUR it is decent value for light users who prioritize battery life over sharpness or speed, though the 15W charging is slow and the Dimensity 6300 will struggle with any serious gaming.
Design and build
The Play 60 is a clean slab: 164 × 75.6 × 8.4 mm and 197 grams, so not light but not heavy either for a 6.61-inch screen. The frame and back are presumably plastic (build material is not stated), which is standard at this price. IP64 rating means dust is sealed out and water splashes won't kill it during casual use, but do not expect it to survive a drop in a pool or heavy rain. The dual Nano-SIM slot and headphone jack are handy if you travel or use wired earbuds. Nothing here surprises or offends; it feels like a phone designed to survive a year or two of daily use without fuss.
Display
The 6.61-inch TFT LCD runs at 120 Hz and pushes 1010 nits peak brightness, which matters in direct sunlight and keeps scrolling fluid. The problem is the 720 × 1604 resolution—266 ppi density—which makes text, app icons, and web pages look noticeably coarser than phones at twice this price with 1080p panels. Side by side with any 1080p midrange phone, the Play 60's screen reads as soft and less refined. For reading long emails or websites, you will notice the graininess. That said, the brightness headroom and 120 Hz refresh work well together for outdoor visibility and smooth casual browsing.
Performance
The MediaTek Dimensity 6300 is a mainstream entry-level chip. It handles everyday apps, social media, messaging, and light-duty tasks without stalling. Casual games like Candy Crush or puzzle titles run fine. Any serious 3D gaming, video editing, or multitasking will expose its limits: frame rates dip, temperatures climb, and the GPU (Mali-G57 MC2) throttles under sustained load. This is not a phone for mobile gamers or power users. It is adequate for someone who browses, streams video, and uses WhatsApp, but do not expect the snappy feel of a true midrange chip like a Snapdragon 7 Gen 1. For the price and year (2025), you are getting what you pay for: competent but not quick.
Software
It ships with Android 15 running under Honor's MagicOS 9. Both are current, and MagicOS is stable if occasionally bloated. System updates will likely flow for a year or so given the budget positioning. No surprises here; it works as expected and does not feel particularly slow or buggy out of the box.
Camera
The 13 MP main camera with f/1.8 aperture and LED flash captures acceptable daylight photos with HDR. Colours are natural and detail is present in good light. Move indoors or after sunset, and noise creeps in; low-light shots lose sharpness and clarity compared to even mid-tier phones. The 5 MP selfie camera is a basic utility. Video tops out at 1080p @ 30 fps, which is standard definition by modern standards—it will look soft and dated compared to 4K even on other budget phones. Do not expect this phone to impress on Instagram or for video vlogging. It is a 'document the moment' camera, not a creative tool.
Battery and charging
The 6000 mAh capacity is one of this phone's genuine strengths. With light use—browsing, texting, podcasts—it stretches comfortably to a second full day. Heavy video streaming or social media will pull that back to a single day, but that is still respectable for a phone under 150 EUR. Charging, however, is the weak spot: 15W wired power means a full charge takes roughly 2 to 2.5 hours from zero. Rivals at this price have moved to 30 W, 45 W, or even 65 W, making the Play 60's charging feel sluggish. There is no wireless charging, and no charger in the box, so you will be shopping separately for a power adapter anyway.
Value and verdict
At 140 EUR, the Honor Play 60 occupies a specific slot: a large, battery-first phone for budget-conscious buyers in emerging markets who need durability and screen time over performance or visual fidelity. The 6000 mAh battery and IP64 build are real assets for daily commuters and travellers. The low-resolution 720p display and weak 15W charging are genuine drawbacks. The camera is adequate but not a strength. The Dimensity 6300 is not a surprise at this price, though a slightly more capable chip would have lifted it. If you are shopping in this tier, compare it directly with other 6000 mAh phones at the same price; if endurance is your priority and you do not take photos seriously, the Play 60 makes sense. If you need a sharper display, faster charging, or occasional gaming, look at a 1080p phone with 30W+ charging at a slightly higher price point.
Verdict
The Play 60 is for buyers who value battery life and a big screen above all else and are willing to accept slow charging, soft visuals, and modest performance. Anyone expecting a sharp display, fast charging, or decent gaming should look elsewhere, even in the budget segment.
- 6000 mAh battery easily stretches to a second day with casual use, making it reliable for travellers or people away from outlets
- 120Hz TFT LCD with 1010 nits peak brightness keeps scrolling smooth and remains readable in sunlight, despite the low 720p resolution
- 5G connectivity and dual SIM for under 150 EUR, plus IP64 splash and dust resistance for reassurance in rough conditions
- Side-mounted fingerprint sensor and headphone jack preserve practical conveniences many budget phones have dropped
- 15W charging takes roughly 2.5 hours to fill from zero, forcing overnight charging habits; rivals at this price now offer 30–65W
- 720p resolution at 266 ppi means text, icons, and web pages are noticeably grainy compared to 1080p displays even in the budget class
- 13MP main camera caps out at 1080p video and will produce soft, noisy shots in low light; not suitable for content creation or keen photography
Honor Play 60 Key Specifications
The essentials at a glance. See the full spec sheet.
| Released | 2025, April 03 |
|---|---|
| Display | 6.61 inches, 105.3 cm2 (~84.9% screen-to-body ratio), TFT LCD, 120Hz, 1010 nits (peak) |
| Resolution | 720 x 1604 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~266 ppi density) |
| Chipset | Mediatek Dimensity 6300 (6 nm) |
| RAM & storage | 128GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM |
| Main camera | 13 MP, f/1.8, (wide) |
| Selfie camera | 5 MP, f/2.2, (wide) |
| Battery | 6000 mAh |
| Charging | 15W wired2.5W reverse wired |
| Software | Android 15, MagicOS 9 |
| Dimensions | 164 x 75.6 x 8.4 mm (6.46 x 2.98 x 0.33 in) |
| Weight | 197 g (6.95 oz) |
| Durability | IP64 dust tight and water resistant (water splashes) |
| Network | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / CDMA2000 / LTE / 5G |
| NFC | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG |
Honor Play 60 FAQ
Common questions, answered from the spec sheet.
Does the Play 60 support 5G?
Yes. The Play 60 supports 5G networks.
What chipset does the Play 60 use?
The Play 60 runs on the Mediatek Dimensity 6300 (6 nm).
What display does the Play 60 have?
A 6.61 inches, 105.3 cm2 (~84.9% screen-to-body ratio) TFT LCD, 120Hz, 1010 nits (peak), 720 x 1604 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~266 ppi density).
How big is the Play 60 battery?
The Play 60 has a 6000 mAh battery. Charging is rated at 15W wired2.5W reverse wired.
Does the Play 60 have NFC?
No, the Play 60 does not list NFC support.
Is the Play 60 water resistant?
The Play 60 carries a IP64 dust tight and water resistant (water splashes) rating.
Does the Play 60 support a microSD card?
No, the Play 60 does not support expandable storage.
Does the Play 60 have a headphone jack?
Yes, the Play 60 has a 3.5mm headphone jack.
Alternatives to consider
If the Play 60 isn’t quite right, these are the closest calls.
Play 60A
Play10
Play11
Play 80
Galaxy M17e
