The HONOR X9c 5G about to be dunked in boiling water.
HONOR has mastered bold marketing for its X-series, and the HONOR X9c 5G is no exception. The company even encouraged daring tests such as boiling the phone in water to showcase its resilience.
Beyond the marketing stunts, however, does this smartphone deliver in key areas like performance, cameras, battery life, and value for money? Here’s my detailed review.
The HONOR X9c 5G arrives in a minimalist white box featuring a picture of the phone. Inside, you’ll find the essentials, including the device itself, a transparent case, a USB Type-C cable, and a 66W charger with three prongs. A quick start guide and a SIM ejector pin are also included.
It’s worth noting that the three-pronged charger requires an adapter for most outlets in the Philippines, which could be inconvenient for some users.
The HONOR X9c 5G is available in three colors: Jade Cyan, Titanium Purple, and Titanium Black. The Jade Cyan variant stands out with its marble-like pattern, while the other two options offer simpler aesthetics. Although I’m personally not a fan of large circular camera modules, the golden ring surrounding the camera array on the black model adds a touch of sophistication.
The phone feels comfortable to hold thanks to its curved edges, which make the device seem slimmer and more ergonomic. Durability is the standout feature here. HONOR claims the phone is water-resistant, heat-resistant, and drop-resistant, backed by IP65M certification and SGS Comprehensive Reliability ratings.
In testing, the phone survived extreme conditions, including being submerged in boiling water, sprayed with water, and dropped onto hard floors.
While the device remained functional after the drop test, a few dead pixels appeared on the bottom left corner of the display. Despite this minor issue, the phone’s durability is impressive, and it has even earned a Guinness World Record for the largest smartphone drop test event.
This durability is undeniably a selling point, though it’s important to remember that these tests you see in social media are not fully scientific.
The HONOR X9c 5G features a large 6.78-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 1.5K and a 120Hz refresh rate. The screen is sharp and vibrant, offering customizable color settings and eye-care features like high-frequency PWM dimming. With a peak brightness of 4,000 nits, the display performs well even under direct sunlight, though it lacks HDR playback support for streaming apps like Netflix, which could be a drawback for some users.
The curved-edge design is a matter of preference. While some may appreciate the premium feel, others might prefer the growing trend of flat screens.
For audio, the phone has stereo speakers that deliver decent volume but lack depth, particularly in the bass. The maximum volume reaches 300%, but distortion becomes noticeable at higher levels.
The HONOR X9c 5G is equipped with a 108-megapixel main camera, a 5-megapixel ultra-wide camera, and a 16-megapixel front camera. In well-lit conditions, the main camera captures vibrant and detailed images with good dynamic range. Its 3x zoom capability is impressive, producing minimal quality loss thanks to the optical image stabilization on the main sensor.
Low-light performance is less consistent, with grainy and softer images, though the Night Mode significantly enhances quality when given a few extra seconds to process. The ultra-wide camera, on the other hand, struggles in low light and is best reserved for brightly lit scenarios.
The selfie camera performs well, producing sharp images with natural skin tones. While the built-in beautification feature can be overly aggressive, it’s easy to adjust the settings. Low-light selfies are decent, particularly with the screen flash enabled.
For video, the rear camera records in 4K while the front camera is limited to 1080p. Colors and details are respectable, though the lack of stabilization can result in shaky footage.
Powered by the Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 chipset, the HONOR X9c 5G is paired with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage. While the processor delivers reliable performance for daily tasks such as social media browsing, app switching, and web use, it feels underwhelming considering it’s the same chip used in its predecessor, the HONOR X9b 5G.
In terms of gaming, the phone handles titles like Mobile Legends smoothly at high settings, but performance falters with frame drops when pushed to ultra settings. More demanding games such as Call of Duty perform adequately at high settings, while Genshin Impact requires lower settings to remain playable.
Benchmark tests reflect these capabilities, with the device scoring 907 in single-core and 2,626 in multi-core Geekbench tests. It also achieved an Antutu score of 589,154. These results place it solidly in the midrange category, but an upgraded chipset would have made the device more competitive.
The HONOR X9c 5G runs Android 14 with MagicOS 8.0. The user interface is clean and includes practical features like Magic Portal for seamless file sharing, Magic Capsule for dynamic notifications, and Parallel Space for privacy-focused app cloning.
Out of the box, the phone comes with Google apps such as Gmail and YouTube, along with a few third-party apps like Facebook, TikTok, and WPS Office. Thankfully, any unnecessary apps can be easily uninstalled.
This dual-SIM smartphone supports 5G connectivity, dual-band Wi-Fi, and USB-C for charging and audio, though it lacks e-SIM functionality and a 3.5mm headphone jack.
For security, the under-display fingerprint sensor is usually quick but can occasionally be picky with finger positioning. The face unlock feature, which uses the front camera, provides a more seamless experience.
The HONOR X9c 5G boasts a large 6,600mAh battery using Silicon-Carbon technology. With moderate use, the phone easily lasts two days, and it offers about 10 to 11 hours of continuous gaming.
Charging with the included 66W fast charger takes approximately one hour and 40 minutes, which is reasonable given the size of the battery.
Priced at ₱16,999, the HONOR X9c 5G offers excellent value as a midrange smartphone. Its durability sets it apart, and the phone delivers solid performance in key areas like display quality, battery life, and camera capabilities.
Although gaming performance is modest, the HONOR X9c 5G remains a well-rounded option for users seeking reliability and long-term use.
HONOR’s marketing stunts emphasize its toughness, but the X9c 5G proves itself as more than a durable device. It’s a versatile and capable smartphone worth considering for its price.
