Chinese companies are getting pretty good at creating a smartphone which may not have the aura to pull crowd the way an iPhone or the Galaxy S can, but is dependable and is loaded with all the necessary features.

Best of all, they are doing it while keeping an eye on the price of the phone. They keep their components expenditure in check, save on the marketing budget and rarely try to run on a brand ambassador’s precarious shoulders. Result: Most of these Chinese phones pack in stellar hardware at very attractive prices.

Huawei’s Honor 6 looks like one such device. But does it perform like a champ in the real world? And more importantly, does it outclass, or at least, match what competitors can offer? We find out.

On the first glance, you can easily mistake the Honor 6 for an iPhone 4 or 4S. The phone is good-looking but seems like a replica, albeit with a bigger screen, of the Apple’s device. It boasts of a similar design texture, a chrome frame that reminded us of the iPhone’s metal frame and the glass back. If you don’t mind the similarities with the older iPhone, it is something that wouldn’t bother you. But you may get some snarky comments from your friends who use iPhones.

The phone, mostly because of its plastic-clad body, weighs just 130 grams, which is on the lighter side for a mid-range phone nowadays. It rests well in hands. The volume rocker and the power key are placed on the right and are easily accessible. Below these buttons is a lid that opens up for a micro SIM and micro SD card.

In our opinion, the plastic and glass body also makes it rather fragile. Due to its boxy design elements, it is prone to damage on the edges. So, cladding it in a case will be a must if you buy it. The phone has 3.5mm jack placed on the upper side of the screen, coupled with an IR sensor placed next to it.

The Huawei Honor is the slimmest (7.5mm) phone that packs in a 3100 mAh battery.

Overall, we feel the design is good and attractive, although it is clearly — and heavily inspired — by the iPhone 4 and the 4S design. At the same time we also feel that if the device had a metal frame, it would have looked more upmarket and premium.