HONOR is back with another durable midrange phone, the HONOR X9d 5G . It has gained an additional durability rating from its predecessor. Apart from that, the X9d also had improvements in other areas: processor, battery capacity, and more. In our HONOR X9d full review, we’ll do a deep-dive and test every important component that this device has to see if it’s worth it, especially now that it costs Php1,000 more than its predecessor. Are the upgrades also enough? Let’s find out. HONOR X9d Specs Android 15, Magic OS 9 Dual SIM, Dual Standby 6.79-inch 2.5K AMOLED display, 2640 x 1200 pixel resolution, ~427ppi 120Hz refresh rate 3840Hz PWM dimming HDR, 6000-nit peak brightness 2.3GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 4 octa-core processor Vapor Chamber cooling Adreno 810 GPU 12GB RAM 256GB internal storage, non-expandable 16-megapixel front camera 108-megapixel (PDAF, OIS, f/1.8) + 5-megapixel (ultra-wide) rear cameras, LED flash In-display fingerprint scanner IP66/IP68/69K du...
HONOR is back with another durable midrange phone, the HONOR X9d 5G.
It has gained an additional durability rating from its predecessor. Apart from that, the X9d also had improvements in other areas: processor, battery capacity, and more.
In our HONOR X9d full review, we’ll do a deep-dive and test every important component that this device has to see if it’s worth it, especially now that it costs Php1,000 more than its predecessor. Are the upgrades also enough? Let’s find out.
HONOR X9d Specs
- Android 15, Magic OS 9
- Dual SIM, Dual Standby
- 6.79-inch 2.5K AMOLED display, 2640 x 1200 pixel resolution, ~427ppi
- 120Hz refresh rate
- 3840Hz PWM dimming
- HDR, 6000-nit peak brightness
- 2.3GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 4 octa-core processor
- Vapor Chamber cooling
- Adreno 810 GPU
- 12GB RAM
- 256GB internal storage, non-expandable
- 16-megapixel front camera
- 108-megapixel (PDAF, OIS, f/1.8) + 5-megapixel (ultra-wide) rear cameras, LED flash
- In-display fingerprint scanner
- IP66/IP68/69K dust and water resistant
- up to 2.5m drop-resistant
- Stereo speakers
- HSPA+, 4G LTE, 5G
- WiFi 6
- Bluetooth 5.2
- GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS
- NFC, USB-C
- Dimensions: 161.9 x 76.1 x 7.8mm
- Weight: 193g
- Colors: Reddish Brown, Midnight Black, Sunrise Gold
- 8,300mAh non-removable battery, 66W wired charging
Design and Build Quality
A big highlight of the HONOR X9d 5G is its durability. The X9c only had an IP65M rating and is drop-resistant by up to 2m. Now, the X9d 5G is IP66/68/69K and can survive drops from a height of up to 2.5m.
@noypigeeks Let’s test the durability of the new HONOR X9d 5G. Coming to PH this January 9. #TheToughestPhone#AllAngleUltraDefense#HONORX9d5G♬ original sound – NoypiGeeks
That’s the highest water resistance rating currently available on mainstream phones. According to the product page on HONOR‘s website, it can survive splashes, rain, and high-pressure water. It can also handle fine particles like sand and construction dust.
The X9d does feel fairly solid and should be able to withstand water exposure and accidental drops, but we don’t suggest users deliberately wrecking the device.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t use a familiar Corning Gorilla Glass, but it does come with aluminosilicate glass, which is said to also be extra durable than regular glass.
Not that it needs it, but HONOR has included a protective case in the box for you to use. Our review unit didn’t have a pre-installed screen protector.
Design is similar but has been noticeably refreshed. There’s still a large circular camera island on the back, but now with a ring-like lens with a metal on the middle. There’s a gold, ridged bezel around it, too.
The color option we have is called Reddish Brown with gold accent, and we personally like it better than the two other available colors: Midnight Black and Gold.
It uses a faux leather material on the back. It’s technically plastic, but with the elegant look and texture of leather. If you like that kind of stuff, this is a good improvement.
The frame has a matching gold color. It is flat for better grip, while the four corners are curvy for better comfort. I personally like the flat frame better, but some may be disappointed with the change from the previous curved screens.
Another huge highlight of the X9d is its massive battery. Despite that, it’s still very slim. In fact, it’s one of the sleekest phones we’ve tested in this category. It’s only 7.76mm thick and weighs 193g.
The HONOR X9d 5G not only nailed the build quality but also the design. In fact, we’re more impressed by how sleek it is than by its durability.
Taking a tour, we have a 6.79-inch 2.5K AMOLED screen on the front and a punch-hole for the 16-megapixel selfie camera. We also have the fingerprint scanner on the display.
Bezels are very thin and almost unnoticeable. It looks really gorgeous for a midrange phone.
The top has the secondary speaker and the noise-isolating microphone.
Left side is empty, while the right has the volume controls and lock/power switch.
At the bottom, we have the primary loudspeaker, microphone, USB-C port, and the SIM tray. It can house two nano SIM cards, but sadly, no microSD card slot for storage expansion. But more often than not, 512GB is plenty.
On the back, we have the 108-megapixel main camera on the right, the 5-megapixel ultra-wide on the left, the LED flash on top, and the “108MP OIS” branding on the bottom.
Display and Audio
The HONOR X9d has a 6.79-inch 2.5K AMOLED screen with 2640 x 1200 pixels, ~427ppi, 120Hz adaptive refresh rate, and whopping 6000-nits of peak brightness. It also has 3840Hz PWM dimming and a hardware-level Low Blue Light solution for eye safety.
It has Widevine L1 to support FHD streaming on Netflix. HDR10 is also here.
Display quality is incredible, especially for the price. The large size makes it comfortable for gaming, movies, shows are immersive, and multitasking is a joy.
The stereo speakers are also impressive. They offer loud volume, especially with the 400% volume booster. Treble is clean, and the bass is so present you can feel the device vibrate.
Hardware and Performance
One of the criticisms people have with the HONOR X9d is its alleged underwhelming chipset of choice: the Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 4. It is paired with a 12GB of RAM, 256GB of non-expandable storage, Adreno 810 GPU, and Vapor Chamber Cooling.
HONOR X9d Benchmark Scores
The X9d doesn’t have the most powerful chipset you can get for the price. But after spending time with it, we didn’t experience any slowdowns or major hiccups.
Performance was stable and reliable when web browsing, taking pictures, video calls, and other basic tasks. Now, let’s head on to gaming.
Genshin Impact was smooth under Medium to High settings at 60 frames. But, we noticed the device started to heat up after a few minutes, so we dialed it down to 30 frames.
PUBG Mobile was seamless under HD graphics at Extreme frames, as well as Call of Duty Mobile at Very High graphics with Max frames, and Farlight84 at HD graphics with High frames.
Lighter games like Mobile Legends: Bang Bang and Asphalt Legends Unite were very smooth on their highest available settings.
The HONOR X9d 5G’s gaming performance is definitely good, not the best, but good enough for the price.
| Game | Graphics Settings |
| Genshin Impact | • Render Resolution: Medium • Visual Effects: High • SFX Quality: Medium • FPS: 30 |
| PUBG Mobile | • Graphics Quality: HD • Frame Rate: Extreme |
| Call of Duty: Mobile | • Graphics Quality: Very High • Frame Rate: Max |
| Farlight84 | • Graphics Quality: HD • Frame Rate: High |
| Mobile Legends: Bang Bang | • Resolution: HD • Frame Rate: Super |
| Asphalt Legends Unite | • Visual Quality: High Quality • Frame Rate: 60 |
Software and User Interface
The HONOR X9d 5G runs on Android 15-based MagicOS 9.0. No confirmation on how long it will receive software upgrades, but, it will most likely get at least 3 years of software updates.
We have many AI features on the X9d 5G, just like on other HONOR phones. There’s Google Gemini as the standard assistant, easily accessible by long-pressing the power button.
We also have AI Writing Tools like text generators, text summary, proofreader, dictations, translator, and format checker. HONOR’s signature Magic Portal is also here, allowing you to extract texts and files from one app and seamlessly transfer them to another.
The rest of the interface looks as clean and intuitive as before. Plus, you get connectivity features like NFC, HONOR Share (seamless sharing with HONOR phones, tablets, etc.), Wireless Projection, Link To Windows, and Android Auto.
For security, the HONOR X9d has an under-display fingerprint scanner and face unlock, which both worked with no issues during our tests.
Cameras
The HONOR X9d 5G has the same set of cameras as before. While we’re fine with the optically stabilized 108-megapixel main camera, the 5-megapixel ultra-wide desperately needs a sensor upgrade. The same 16-megapixel selfie camera is on the front.
Here are the shooting modes for the rear cameras: 720p@30fps (16:9, 21:9), 1080p@30fps (16:9, 21:9), 1080p@60fps (16:9, 21:9), and 4K@30fps (30fps).
The selfie camera can record in 720p@30fps (16:9, 21:9) and 1080p@30fps (16:9, 21:9).
Like the camera on the X9c, the one on the X9d suffers from the same underwhelming colors and contrast. Details are okay but overly processed at times.
Low-light performance is decent. While they are usable, they are just disappointing for the price. Most of them are good enough for social media platforms, though.
As said earlier, the 5-megapixel ultra-wide camera desperately needs an upgrade, as evident by the sample shots below. Details are terrible, colors are washed out, and the dynamic range is bad.
The 16-megapixel front-facing camera takes better photos than the other two. It is more than enough for selfies as it captures details with clarity, has accurate skin tones, and decent low-light performance.
While the rear cameras on the HONOR X9d 5G are usable, they barely meet our expectations for a smartphone at this price point. That’s not to say it’s bad, it’s plenty usable in most scenarios, but others are just a bit better.
Battery and Charging
One of the biggest highlights of the HONOR X9d 5G is its enormous 8,300mAh silicon-carbon battery. That’s bigger than its predecessor, but uses the same 66W charger, which is still impressive for the price.
It lasts significantly longer than the HONOR X9c in our synthetic PCMark battery test. However, it seems to lag behind competing devices from other brands that have smaller battery capacity — hinting that HONOR could do more to make the X9d more efficient.
Still, having a massive battery hardware gives it an edge and better potential than everybody else.
As for charging, the 66W adapter provides a full charge in under an hour and a half, which is really impressive considering how big the battery is. See the full charging test below:
- 15mins: 0-24%
- 30mins: 42%
- 45mins: 58%
- 1hr: 75%
- 1hr 15mins: 92%
- 1hr 26mins: FULL
Verdict
The HONOR X9d has plenty of strengths, but there’s no denying that smartphones at its price point still have some compromises.
Its enormous battery is a welcome upgrade from its predecessor. It offers good longevity and even lets you use it like a power bank to power your other devices.
We also appreciate how the build quality is now more durable. Plus, we like how handy the fast charger is, how large and bright the display is, how surprisingly good the speakers are, and how smooth the performance is for daily use.
However, the minimal chipset upgrade can be a big disappointment to some. The cameras also need a lot of work, and the lack of a storage expansion option is discouraging.
The HONOR X9d is a great device, especially if, say, you’re a motorcycle rider who would really appreciate its big battery and durability. But for everyone else, there might be better options out there.
HONOR X9d pricing and availability in the Philippines
The HONOR X9d 5G is now in the Philippines for Php17,999. You can get it at HONOR stores nationwide, partner retailers, and online via Shopee, Lazada, and TikTok Shop.
Pros
- Improved durability
- Huge 8,300mAh battery
- Good performance
- Large, bright display
Cons
- Underwhelming choice of chipset
- So-so cameras
This article, HONOR X9d Review, was originally published at NoypiGeeks | Philippines Technology News, Reviews and How to's.
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