What comes after B? C, of course—so it’s no surprise that HONOR has released the HONOR X9c this year, after the HONOR X9b that has made waves in the smartphone industry for being virtually indestructible.
In fact, the new HONOR X9c promises even more durability, with HONOR claiming that it is 166% more reliable than its predecessor. Bold claims, but after spending time with it, I can see where they come from.
Editor
Jennifer chevron_right
Table of Contents
Design & Build
Design-wise, the HONOR X9c does not really look much different than the HONOR X9b. At only 189g, it’s lightweight and slim, and the curved display is still there, which, if you’ve been reading my other reviews, I have mixed feelings about.
While it’s visually stunning and reduces bezel interference, I don’t find it the most comfortable to hold, especially for extended use. Still, that’s a personal preference, and I know some people love the curved screen look.
The HONOR X9c 5G comes in three colours. Our review unit came in Titanium Purple, a soft, metallic hue that doesn’t quite stand out and looks easy on the eyes.
Durability
Normally, I park durability under build, but the HONOR X9c deserves a whole section on this on its own because of the sheer, well, durability it displayed. HONOR has dubbed this phone the King of Durability, and I can see why.
The phone boasts Anti-drop 3.0 technology, a fully wrapped curved screen, and a special airbag-like case structure to absorb impact. I’ve seen it dropped from 2 meters, breaking ceramic tiles and coming out perfectly fine.
If you watched our video above, it’s also been thrown around as a cat’s frisbee and come out as unperturbed as the cat was.
What’s most impressive is that it is rated IP65M for dust and water resistance—not just any water, in fact. We’ve put it into boiling water for shits and giggles as well, and everything was fine—though try this at your own risk.
In fact, HONOR’s so confident with their phone that they’re providing a Triple Assurance Program, which includes a 365-day Crack Replacement for cracked screens, a 180-day One-to-One Replacement for hardware issues if you purchase before December 16, 2024, and a 36-month Battery Assurance if the battery performance drops below 80% within that period.
Display
The HONOR X9c is equipped with a 6.78” Curved OLED display with 1.5k resolution, 120Hz refresh rate, and 437 PPI. Whether you’re gaming or streaming, the display is bright (up to 4000 nits) and offers rich, vibrant colours, thanks to the 100% DCI-P3 colour gamut. The curved screen might not be everyone’s favourite, but I have to admit, it really does create an immersive experience when watching videos.
Another bonus is the eye-comfort features—3840 Hz PWM Dimming and some AI-powered tech like AI Circadian and Dynamic Dimming, which help reduce eye strain.
For a phone under RM1,500, the display is impressive. It’s bright, the colours are balanced, and the resolution is great for watching movies or scrolling through social media.
Performance
Under the hood, the HONOR X9c 5G runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 chipset with 24GB RAM (12GB + 12GB via HONOR Turbo RAM) and up to 512GB storage.
While I was a little let down to see the same chipset as the X9b—since the Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 is a couple of years old now—it’s still decent for daily tasks. It performs smoothly for browsing, streaming, and social media, but it’s not ideal for graphics-heavy games like Genshin Impact. Still, given the price point, I can’t complain too much.
And of course, like every single phone released this year, flagship or not, the HONOR X9c has an array of AI tools built into the phone. MagicOS’s Magic Capsule and Magic Portal were especially useful for those who need to switch between apps all the time.
Camera
Equipped with a 108MP main camera with OIS, the HONOR X9c 5G does a good job in decent lighting. Unlike the X9b, there’s no macro lens this time, but honestly, I didn’t miss it—the macro feature on the X9b wasn’t all that great anyway. The images it produces are clear and detailed, definitely good enough for social media, though it’s not at flagship level.
The AI capabilities in the camera are fun to play around with, especially the AI Motion Sensing and the AI Eraser. The AI tools give a little extra polish to photos without needing a ton of editing.
Battery
With a massive 6600mAh battery, the HONOR X9c is also a beast when it comes to power. HONOR claims up to 48 hours of music streaming and over 25 hours of video playback, which isn’t far off from my experience. Plus, the AI Super Power Saving Mode is a lifesaver when the battery is running low—2% can give up to 58 minutes of calling time!
The 66W HONOR SuperCharge is also impressive, taking it from 1% to 17% in just 15 minutes and a full charge in about 73 minutes. You don’t have to wait around forever for a recharge, which is a big win if you’re always on the go.
Verdict
Overall, the HONOR X9c 5G delivers a lot of value for its price. Its durability, solid display, reliable performance, and decent camera make it a well-rounded device. While the performance isn’t groundbreaking and the curved display may not be for everyone, this phone is more than capable of handling everyday tasks and then some.
So, if you’re looking for a budget-friendly phone that’s built to last, the HONOR X9c 5G is certainly one of the best you can get at below RM1,500.