HONOR 20: On Target FPS Gaming

Above all else, I love first person shooters, and more specifically, sniper games. The thrill of hitting the target square on, after meticulous preparation, is like no other. The cat and mouse process of scanning, finding and shooting, is much more fun to me, than the nonstop action in a racing or MOBA game.

Because a sniper game is such a simple setup that there's a high premium on audio-visual-haptic synergy. The entire process, from spotting the target, zooming in on it, pulling the trigger, to hearing and perceiving the recoil, must be seamless.

But as you might have guessed from the fact that I used the same phone for six years, I'm a cheapskate. When a friend recommended HONOR phones, and I got a look at the price for the most recent release, I jumped at the opportunity. Two months in, I've been blown away by the FPS gaming on the HONOR 20, and regret waiting so long to take the plunge.

Naturally, the big screen and surround sound in my living room remain my favorite medium for console FPS games like Call of Duty or Halo, but the HONOR 20 functions almost like a handheld console, with integrated effects that are incredibly immersive pound-for-pound.

FPS Sniper is how I now enjoy quality down time at work. After lunch, I simply put on my headset and zone out for a while. Before I know it, half an hour has gone by.

It might not be evident from the screenshot below, but the graphics are pristine when held right in front of me. The 19.5:9 display gives a true panoramic feel to the rooftop vantage point and broad cityscape.

Then there's the actual gameplay itself, which never seems to lag, nor does the phone overheat. Zooming in or out is silky and effortless.

I can't show you – but take my word it – the audio effects are suburb. There's a highly believable "pop" from the sniper rifle, a split second of anticipation, and then a lifelike recoiling and reloading sound and sensation.

I actually perceive myself as standing there, scanning the surroundings, and sensing the "kick" of the gun. In a distraction-free setting, like the empty break room at my office, I can completely absorb myself in the game, something that I didn't think was possible on a phone.

I was moved to purchase the HONOR 20 after visiting a Huawei store, and learning that it comes with the latest version of GPU Turbo, a proprietary graphics technology, which accounts for the terrific graphics and highly-synced audio. Conveniently, GPU Turbo is activated by default, which means that I don't have to fiddle around with various settings to optimize gameplay.

My praise for mobile gaming on the HONOR 20 might very well apply to a bunch of other phones with advanced gaming, and a taller display (please let me know in the comments if there are mid-range models that offer similarly great gaming). All I know for sure, is that after switching to my HONOR, for the first time ever, I've been able to carry around my favorite hobby in my pocket.