Honor X9 review
The Honor X9 is a mid-range smartphone that boasts an impressive set of features. The device comes with a 120Hz display, triple camera setup, fast charging support, and a Snapdragon 5G chipset. The phone's design is sleek and familiar, with a titanium silver color that does some cool tricks with the lighting on the back. One of the standout features of the Honor X9 is its front display, which offers an immersive experience with a 94% screen-to-body ratio. The display also supports a 120Hz refresh rate and has good contrast and punchiness. However, in bright outside lighting conditions, the screen could be brighter. The camera setup on the Honor X9 includes a 48MP main camera, 2MP bokeh lens, and 2MP macro camera, but lacks an ultra-wide-angle lens. While portrait shots look great, zooming beyond 3x results in over-saturated images. The phone's video recording capabilities are decent, with no 4K filming available. In terms of performance, the Honor X9 packs a Snapdragon 695G chipset paired with 8GB of RAM and supports 5G connectivity. The device also comes with Android 11 and Honor's Magic UI 4.2 out of the box. Overall, the Honor X9 offers decent performance and features for its price, making it a good option for those looking for a mid-range smartphone. However, its camera capabilities and lack of ultra-wide-angle lens may be a letdown for some users.
Build Quality and Design
The Honor X9 boasts an impressive build quality that justifies its mid-range price tag. The phone's design is a masterclass in understated elegance, with a Titanium Silver finish that exudes sophistication. The back panel's unique matrix camera arrangement catches the light, adding a touch of visual flair to the overall aesthetic. In-hand, the X9 feels surprisingly lightweight for its size, making it comfortable to hold and use for extended periods. The side-mounted fingerprint scanner doubles as the power button, positioned conveniently below the volume rocker. This placement is both functional and intuitive, allowing users to quickly access their device without fuss. One of the standout features of the X9's design is its 94 screen-to-body ratio, which provides an immersive viewing experience. The IPS LCD display is a notable upgrade from previous generations, offering good contrast and punchiness. While it may not be an AMOLED display, it still does justice to multimedia content and gaming sessions. The phone's dimensions are substantial, but the lightweight build quality ensures that the X9 doesn't feel cumbersome in the hand. The addition of a 120Hz refresh rate further enhances the overall experience, making navigation and scrolling seamless. While some may find the lack of ultra-wide camera disappointing, the Honor X9's design more than makes up for it with its striking color scheme and premium build quality. In terms of aesthetics alone, this phone is certainly worth considering as a mid-range option.
Battery Life
One of the standout features of the Honor X9 is its impressive battery life. The device comes with a 120Hz display and supports fast charging up to 66W. In our testing, we found that the battery remains relatively cool to the touch during charging, which is a great sign for minimizing damage to the overall battery health. With regular use, the Honor X9 managed to last around a day and a half with moderate usage, including gaming, browsing, and video streaming. However, in intense usage scenarios, such as prolonged gaming or video editing, the battery life may vary. One notable feature of the Honor X9 is its "Ram Turbo" technology, which essentially harnesses the ROM to provide an additional 2GB of RAM support. This results in smooth app transitions and background performance, reducing the need for frequent reboots. Our testing showed that a full charge took around 40-45 minutes with the provided 66W charger, and we were able to achieve up to 50% battery life within just 10 minutes of charging. While not the longest-lasting battery on the market, the Honor X9's battery performance is certainly impressive considering its affordable price tag. Overall, the Honor X9's battery life is a notable highlight, offering reliable performance without excessive heat generation during charging.
Display
The Honor X9 boasts an impressive display that packs quite a punch, despite being an IPS LCD screen rather than an AMOLED one. The 120Hz refresh rate is a significant upgrade over the standard 60Hz, making for smoother and more responsive visuals while gaming or watching videos. The Full View Display offers an immersive experience with a 94% screen-to-body ratio, drawing you in with its vibrant colors and decent contrast. I found that small features like TUV i Comfort Mode help reduce eye strain during extended use. One of my only gripes is that the display could have been brighter in bright outdoor lighting conditions. While it's not unusable, some may find it a minor inconvenience. The camera arrangement on the back doesn't distract from the overall display experience. However, I was surprised to see no ultra-wide-angle lens, which is becoming increasingly common at this price point. In terms of display quality, the Honor X9 delivers decent results, especially when considering its mid-range pricing. The screen's responsiveness and smooth performance are notable, making it a solid choice for those seeking an excellent viewing experience on-the-go. Overall, I'd give the Honor X9's display a score of 7.5 out of 10. While not perfect, it's still a compelling feature that enhances your overall smartphone experience, especially considering its price point.
Camera
One of the key features that caught my attention when I first laid eyes on the Honor X9 was its camera setup. With a 48-megapixel main camera, paired with 2-megapixel bokeh and 2-megapixel macro cameras, it seemed like a promising photography experience. However, as I delved deeper into testing the device, I found that while the camera is decent, it falls short of being exceptional in certain areas. The main camera produces good results, but tends to get over-saturated after around 3x zoom. This can lead to an unnatural look in images. On the other hand, portrait shots taken with the front selfie 16-megapixel f/2.5 shooter are quite impressive, capturing cool moments with ease. Unfortunately, the absence of ultra-wide capabilities and a better quality zoom feature is a notable letdown. The camera's ability to film up to 8x zoom in video mode is a plus, but it can get shaky, particularly when moving around. One unique feature that caught my attention was the "dual view" capability, which allows users to film both with the front-facing and rear cameras simultaneously. This could be incredibly useful for vloggers or those who want to provide context in their videos. * : The Honor X9's camera produces good results, but tends to get over-saturated after around 3x zoom. * : Captures cool moments with ease and produces natural-looking images. * : Offers decent close-up shots, but is limited in its capabilities. * : Capable of filming up to 8x zoom, but can get shaky when moving around. In conclusion, while the Honor X9's camera is not exceptional, it gets the job done. The lack of ultra-wide capabilities and a better quality zoom feature is noticeable, but the dual view capability is an interesting addition that could be useful for certain users.
Price and Value
The Honor X9 is the brand new smartphone that's making waves in the mid-range market. With its impressive specs sheet, this device promises to deliver a top-notch user experience. But what about its price and value? That's exactly what we'll be discussing in this review. The Honor X9 starts at around $250-$300 (depending on the region) for the base model with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. Considering its features, this is a relatively affordable price point. However, to get the higher-end variant with more storage, you'll need to shell out a bit more. So, what do you get for your money? The Honor X9 boasts a sleek design, a 120Hz display, triple cameras, fast charging, and support for Google Mobile Services (GMS) right out of the box. These features are usually reserved for flagship devices, making the X9 a compelling option for those on a budget. While some might argue that the camera could be better or that the processor isn't as powerful as others in its class, the Honor X9 still offers an excellent package considering its price. The phone's performance is snappy, and the display is vibrant and responsive. In conclusion, the Honor X9 is a solid mid-range smartphone that offers great value for its price. With its impressive specs sheet and affordable price point, it's definitely worth considering if you're in the market for a new device. While there might be some trade-offs compared to higher-end devices, the X9 delivers an exceptional user experience at a fraction of the cost. Overall, we'd give the Honor X9 a solid 4 out of 5 stars for its price and value. It's an excellent choice for those looking for a reliable mid-range smartphone without breaking the bank.
Performance
The Honor X9's performance is one of its standout features. Powered by the Snapdragon 695G chipset, this mid-range smartphone delivers smooth and efficient performance. One of the key highlights is the support for 5G connectivity, which ensures seamless communication with your network provider. The phone also boasts 8GB of RAM, making multitasking a breeze. Honor's Ram Turbo feature, which adds an additional 2GB of virtual RAM, further enhances the user experience by allowing apps to run smoothly in the background and switch between them without any lag. Gaming on the X9 is also a treat, with decent frame rates and minimal lag. The GPU turbo feature helps to maintain smooth gaming experiences, even during prolonged use. However, it's worth noting that some games may not take full advantage of the high screen refresh rate. In terms of performance metrics, the Honor X9 consistently delivered fast app launching times and responsive touch inputs. I was able to navigate through menus and apps with ease, without any noticeable delays or stutters. Overall, the Honor X9's performance is impressive for a mid-range smartphone. The Snapdragon 695G chipset provides more than enough power for everyday tasks, while the additional RAM and GPU turbo features make it suitable for casual gaming and multitasking. If you're in the market for a reliable and efficient smartphone, the X9 is definitely worth considering.
Pros
1. The Honor X9 has a sleek and familiar design, with a Titanium Silver color that turns heads.
2. The phone features an immersive Onyx display with a 94% screen-to-body ratio, support for 120Hz refresh rate, and TUV i Comfort Mode to reduce eye strain.
3. The camera setup includes a 48MP main camera, 2MP bokeh camera, and 2MP macro camera, with LED flash.
4. The phone supports fast charging with a 66W charger, getting up to 50% in just 50 minutes and a full charge in around 40-45 minutes.
5. The Honor X9 comes with 8GB of RAM, Magic UI 4.2 skin on top of Android 11, and support for Google mobile services and Google app store.
6. The phone has decent frame rates during gaming experiences, thanks to the GPU Turbo feature.
7. The Honor X9 starts at a reasonable price of just over a thousand dirhams with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage, plus a free gift.
Cons
1. The camera is missing an ultra-wide lens and has limited zoom capabilities, resulting in over-saturated images.
2. There's no 4K video recording capability on the Honor X9, only 1080p at 30fps.
3. The phone can get hot during long use, especially when gaming or watching videos.