HONOR X9c 5G review: Top durability with better performances

This HONOR X9c 5G review is done to share my thoughts and experience of what is HONOR’s next most durable smartphone after the HONOR X9b 5G.

In case you didn’t know, the HONOR X9b 5G became Malaysia’s best selling smartphone in 2023, and this title is now up fro grabs in 2024.

To ensure HONOR would retain its durability crown, HONOR had upgraded some features in the new device which I was able to review for about a week.

If you just want to know certain specifics of my review, click on the links below for faster navigation.

Main highlights

There are four key highlights of the HONOR X9c 5G, namely its ultra-tough tripple defense, it’s large 6,600mAh battery, its flagship eye comfort display and the addition of HONOR Magic AI in this edition.

The Ultra-tough triple defense of the smartphone comes in its drop resistance, 360 degrees water-resistance and its scratch resistance, while its 6,600mAh battey provides it up to 3 days of battery life.

Aside from the two, the phone now improves on its eye comfort display by giving users a 1.5K OLED display with 4,000nits peak brightness, and 3,840Hz risk-free PWM Dimming.

Also, AI functions like the Magic Portal, AI Eraser, Magic Capsule and AI Privacy are now available with the smartphone.

Design & body

Specs: 162.8mm x 75.5mm x 7.98mm, 189g, In-screen fingerprint sensor.

The ultra-slim Titanium finish is actually very much to my liking as it is simple and does not attract fingerprints marks. It does get occasional smudges, but it overall looks nice to the eye.

The circular golden ring around the camera bump blends nicely with the titanium black I had, with the phone being just nice to hold and handle. Unlocking the phone is possible via facial recognition, passwords or pin numbers, and the in-screen fingerprint scanner.

Aside from that, the durability of the body is now improved, boasting of an IP65M Water and dust resistance, better that what the HONOR X9b 5G had.

More of my review of the physical and design of the HONOR X9c 5G can be seen in my first impression post, which you can read in the link below.

Screen & Display

Specs: 6.78 inch AMOLED Display with 90.7% screen-to-body ratio.  2700×1224 resolution, 120Hz peak refresh rate, 4000 nits maximum brightness

The screen is generally the same size with its predecessor, able to withstand hammering, drops, and even high level of water pressure.

In terms of design, the phone screen and display is curved on the sides which makes it comfortable to hold and use.

This screen is an OLED screen with over 1 billion colours and it comes with HONOR Anti-Drop Display which is the first display to gain SGS Five Star Comprehensive Realibility Certification.

Under direct sunlight, the disply and icons in the screen is viewable thanks to its peak HDR brightness of 4,000nits it has, while gaming is also smooth thanks to the 120Hz refresh rare.

The HONOR X9c 5G also gets an upgrade in terms of eye protection with it now coming 3,840Hz Risk-free PWM Dimming, double the figure in the HONOR X9b 5G.

This protection is on top of other eye protection features like Circadian Night Display Technology, and Dynamic DImming technology, which was already available in the HONOR X9b 5G.

Audio System

Specs: 300% Dual speakers

HONOR had also improved the audio system in the HONOR X9c, giving the phone a dual speaker experience.

This upgrade is much welcomed especially when watching movies or Youtube videos because now the sound is more elaborate, and surround.

The audio produced is loud but does feel rather loose at some point, although this is something many wouldn’t mind.

Processor, RAM & Storage

Specs: 12 GB RAM, 256GB storage space, Qualcomm SM6450 Snapdragon 6 Gen 1

The HONOR X9c 5G I was given for this review was the 12GB RAM with 256GB storage space variant which is the smaller storage and RAM configuration for the device.

The RAM can be bumped up to 24GB with HONOR Turbo RAM if needed.

Inside, the Qualcomm SM6450 Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 is the same capable processor powering the HONOR X9b.

This processor can support games like PUBG, COD, EAFC and more without much problems. When running the 3D Mark Wilf Life test, the phone scored …>XX

Overall, the phone performs task as it should without much fuss although I would easily get the bigger storage model of the phone if given a choice.

Software

Specs: MagicOS 8.0 (Based on Android 14)

MagicOS 8.0 comes with quite a number of AI functions which make the HONOR X9c an AI powered smartphone.

AI functions like AI Eraser, AI Motion Sensing, Magic Capsule, Magic Portal, Parallel Space and AI Privacy are all included in the MagicOS 8.0.

AI Eraser allows me to erase unwanted elements in a photo to make it look more focused, a feat which makes photos turn out cleaner and more focused as you can see below.

HONOR AI Motion Sensing allows me to capture action scenes automatically clearly, enabling me not to miss out any key moments especially when things are going fast.

This feature is perfect for sports related scenes where there’s way too many movements to capture.

In addition, the MagicOS 8.0 also brings along the Magic Capsule which allows me to see certain notifications easily, while Magic Portal allows me to easily pull out apps which I frequently use for faster usage and access.

In general, the MagicOS 8.0 is snappy and responsive, minus too many bloatware apps like some other operating systems out there.

Camera

Specs: 16MP front camera, 108MP main rear camera with OIS, 5MP wide-angle camera

Major improvements in the camera section for the HONOR X9c 5G is noticeable with the phone coming with OIS for its main 108MP camera, hence improving videography quality.

The ultra wide camera has also been improved to feature a 5MP sensor.

Photography

The quality of photos taken between the HONOR X9b 5G and this new HONOR X9c 5G aren’t much different althought those taken with wide angle to seem more detailed.

Below are some photos taken using the the HONOR X9c 5G in good lighting scenarios.

The phone’s main camera can only go up to 10X zoom, but photos are best taken with the wide 0.6x to 2x zoom.

When it comes to night photography, the HONOR X9c 5G is so much better than its predecessor with photos turning out really vivid, clear and sharp as seen below.

Selfies with this durable HONOR smartphone are okay with the bokeh sometimes ‘a hit and miss’ thing as you can see below.

Portrait shows have three different zooms and capture better detail than the 16MP front camera as seen below.

Food photos also really pop-out and had nice details to it as seen in the images below.

Videography

The inclusion of OIS (Image stablisation) means videos are so much better when taken with the HONOR X9c.

Just to give you a hint of what to expect from this particular smartphone in terms of video taking, check out the video below.

Battery performance

Specs: 6,600mAh battery with 66W

The massive 6,600mAh battery of the HONOR X9c 5G is another upgrade from its predecessors, allowing for it to last over 2 full days on constant use. This battery is the industry’s first silicon-carbon battery, and is larger that the one powering the HONOR X9b 5G.

I can’t use the phone for two days straight, but on my typical usage with some games, some social media, and some video watching, I realized that after more than two days, I could still use the phone for another few more hours.

If needed, I can further use the AI Super Power Saving Mode which pushes the battery to an impressive 58 minutes with just 2% left.

To speed up charging, the phone now supports 66W HONOR SuperCharge which juices up the phone by 65% to 80% in 10 minutes.

Durability

Specs: IP64 rated, Drop to concrete resistance

As mentioned above, the HONOR X9c 5G has ultra-tough tripple defense which makes it the most durable smartphone in the market at the moment.

This ultra-tough tripple defense includes the Anti-Drop 3.0 which means it can withstand a drop from over 2 meters on hard surfaces like marble, cobblestone, asphalt and more.

I did drop the phone a couple of times from a height of less thann 2 meters, and the phone stayed scratchless and was fully functioning.

In addition, the phone also comes with the Industry’s first Fully Wrapped Curved Screen Protection Layer and the industry’s first Cushioning Airbag Protective Case which absorbs shock and further reducing crcked screens and damage.

As a sign of confidence, HONOR is also offering a 365-day front and back crack protection, 36 month battery assurance and 180-day one to one replacements.

The durability of the phone doesn’t stop there with it also being IP65M rated.

HONOR says this is possible since the phone is also equipped with an innovative-layer waterproof structure which delivers 360 degrees protection against water exposure.

HONOR explains that the three layers include a specialized waterproof design for the outer ring of the phone, enhanced sealing for the phone’s sensitive internal parts, and a robust shieding cover that ensures high sealing protection on core components of the device.

In our daily use, its unlikely for the phone to go through such harsh conditions, so I just tested if the phone was waterproof by running it under water and dropping it several times.

The results of my test showed that the phone withstood all the drops and the direct pouring of water to its gaps and holes.

It was also still usable even when wet with the device’s ‘wet hand touch control’.

HONOR X9c 5G review verdict & availability

That said, I do not think HONOR will have any problems retaining the ‘Most durable smartphone’ crown this year.

The HONOR X9c 5G is indeed a more polished device as compared to the HONOR X9b 5G, and the additions in camera stability, battery as well as AI do make it a rather complete phone most people.

The improved camera capabilities is a huge plus point in my opinion and the strength of the phone means one does not need to bulk up their devices with ugly and thick casses for protection.

Those interested to buy the phone can do so now, with the phone being priced from RM1,499.

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