HONOR X9c 5G Review

Rugged phones are quite nice. They offer plenty of durability features, not to mention how extensive the battery life can get. On the other hand, it’s bulky, thick, and pretty unwieldy at times that it’s kind of a challenge to whip it out in public. HONOR has been making a statement in that regard with its lineup of solidly crafted smartphones, and this time around we have the HONOR X9c 5G to put to the test.

UNBOXING

There’s nothing really fancy about the HONOR X9c 5G’s presentation here, which comes off as quite surprising given that this phone is marketed as a tough smartphone. But as the saying goes, here we don’t judge a book by its cover. 

Once you open the box, you’ll be met with the HONOR X9c 5G itself, plus a couple of inclusions such as a 66W charger, a case, some paperwork, and a SIM ejector pin. I can understand the lack of a free earphone since that’s no longer a trend nowadays, and the HONOR X9C 5G doesn’t even have a 3.5mm headphone port, so yeah.

That’s it for the unboxing experience, but do check with your local retailer or promotions should there be anything bundled with the smartphone because they always try to sweeten the deal.

DESIGN

The HONOR X9c 5G is a pretty classy handset, that you wouldn’t think of it as something that’s marketed as a “tough” smartphone. It features a marble-like texture at the back, and a curved glass panel that adds up to its premium feel. There’s a protruding camera setup here, and you can judge later on how it performs in a later part of this review. And more to that, that front panel and camera housing are both protected by a layer of Super Double Tempered Glass AGC DT star2 Plus.

Moving forward, the volume rocker and the power button are both at the right side of the device, while the USB Type-C Port together with the SIM tray are at the bottom. As mentioned, no audio jack here, so that should also lessen ways for water to enter. 

To note, there’s a fingerprint sensor at the front here, and it’s fast and accurate. Had my thumb drenched in alcohol and it still managed to read it and unlock the phone, so that’s also a point for the HONOR X9c 5G. 

As far as durability is concerned, we tried a couple of things to put it to the test. Imagine dropping your smartphone over a balcony. Not a good sight, but the HONOR X9c 5G indeed passed that with flying colors. Pun intended, too. Oh, and if you’re the type to cook and doomscroll at the same time, and you happen to mistakenly drop your phone instead of pouring over the sauce, you’re in luck. Because the HONOR X9c 5G can literally take the heat.

DISPLAY

The HONOR X9c 5G features a 6.78-inch AMOLED display with 1224 x 2700 resolution and 120Hz refresh rate, as well as 3840Hz Risk-free PWM Dimming, and it’s one of the highlights of this smartphone. Its pixel density is enough for its size, and brightness levels are quite good. The 360 Tough AMOLED Curved Screen also adds up to how premium it looks and feels.

PERFORMANCE

We’re working with a Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 here with the HONOR X9c 5G, as well as 24GB(12GB+12GB) of RAM and 256GB of storage. It features Android 14 with MagicOS 8.0. No microSD card slot here, but it should be more than enough if you’re only running one or two gacha games nowadays, and you’ll still get plenty to spare. Check below for the performance benchmarks and gameplay.

Meanwhile, here’s a gameplay test on Zenless Zone Zero running on the highest graphics settings and 60fps option, with recording done using the built-in screen recorder. So to note, not the native resolution here as it can only screen-record videos up to 720p.

CAMERA

The HONOR X9c 5G comes equipped with a 108MP camera with OIS that can deliver superb results in both daylight and lowlight conditions. See below for sample photos:

The HONOR X9c 5G is also equipped with AI features to help you elevate your photos such as the HONOR AI Motion Sensing feature that automatically identifies subtle facial expressions and activities for more vivid photos. There’s also the AI Eraser feature that saves your photos if there’s that pesky one element ruining the whole vibe. Remove that passerby photobombing your perfect photo, or remove texts that throws off your composition.

BATTERY

The HONOR X9c 5G features a very beefy 6,600mAh battery, so pretty much you’ll get a lot out of it going to and from your daily tasks. It managed to score a very strong 14 hours and 37 minutes on the PCMark Work 3.0 Battery Life Test. Should get you past the day and over on normal usage.

CONCLUSION

The HONOR X9c 5G delivers impressive performance, incredible battery life, and strong durability, making it a strong step up in the midrange phone space. No questions here, this phone can take a beating and live to tell the tale, while still looking impressively neat. Cook it, drop it, whatever. It can take it. Word of note, though. While the X9c 5G can survive what you throw at it, it’s always a good idea to keep your gadgets safe. Performance is also stellar with a smooth gaming experience like Zenless Zone Zero. Those big on mobile gaming can expect big things with the HONOR X9c 5G. Those into photography, or even not, can easily shoot beautiful looking photos and videos thanks to its 108MP camera and OIS, as well as AI Motion Sensing and AI Erase Tool to step up your photography game even further.

At Php16,999, the HONOR X9c 5G is easily one of best midrange phones to date all thanks to its strong suite of features and even stronger durability. It’s available in Titanium Purple, Jade Cyan, and Titanium Black. To sweeten it up even further, HONOR is giving those who pre-order the chance to WIN A BRAND NEW ROLEX DATEJUST until January 24th. If you’re looking for a smartphone that can withstand the daily throes of life, while also getting the chance to win a ROLEX Watch, look no further than the HONOR X9c 5G.