HONOR’s been on a roll with smartphone after smartphone, from premium mid-ranges to even affordable ones. Now, it’s the time to bring out the X series, which could be considered to be in the affordable mid-range category.
The X9 on paper looked impressive, and it has it’s own unique twist to things. from a good display to a unique design that even stretches to the camera module. Let’s take a look.
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 5G Processor |
| RAM & Storage | 6GB+128GB / 8GB+128GB |
| Display | 6.81-inch FHD+ HONOR FullView 120Hz IPS Display (240Hz tough sampling) |
| Cameras | 48MP f/1.8 (Main) 2MP f/2.4 (Depth) 2MP f/2.4 (Macro) 16MP f/2.45 (wide-selfie) |
| Battery | 4800 mAh 66W Fast Charging |
| Price | TBA |
| Colors | Titanium Silver/Ocean Blue/Midnight Black |
Promising Spec Sheet
The HONOR X9 comes with a strong spec sheet. From what I see, it aims to be an affordable device with 5G capabilities and some flagship worthy features to sweeten the deal. The highest variant bags you 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage space on top of a 5G ready Snapdragon 695 chipset which should perform adequately well in the lower – mid range category.
The chipset also focuses on energy efficiency , and coupled with 4800 mAh of battery that’s charged back up with 66W of SuperCharge, it should lead to near 2-day battery life with quick top-ups to get up and going again.
The odd-ball would be the camera setup here. It seems to focus only on the 48MP main shooter with 2 accompanying macro and depth sensors to assist it. This gave me a rough idea on price, and how it might be a good decision to focus on one good sensor than forcing other cheaper and unusable sensors onto the module just to keep the number of sensors high. This is a HUGE marketing mistake that hurts consumers, and I was glad to see that HONOR took the opposite approach to keep it real.
Design
Finally, more matte phones are coming back into circulation. The HONOR X9 feels great on my hand thanks to a smooth matte finish that’s more on the pearlescent side of things. It’s not every day we get to see a lustre like this that’s absolutely beautiful and comfy to hold. I could comfortably hold it without worrying about fingerprints which is a big plus.
The camera module is a big part of the design, being a huge round module housing 3 sensors and the flash. As usual HONOR gives us the FullView privilege in the front, with the selfie camera being just a little dot in the center of the screen.
Sharp and Pretty Screen
- 6.81″ FullView Display
- FHD+ resolution
- 120Hz refresh rate with 240Hz touch sampling
- IPS Panel
- TÜV Rheinland Low Blue Light Certification
What caught me by surprise here on the HONOR X9 would be the screen. I know we’re spoiled with AMOLED these days but somehow this IPS panel managed to impress me on a sharpness and color level. The colors are vivid and well represented here, while the little things like icons and status bar looked absolutely crispy. It’s both the work of hardware and software, and this is already a good sign since we usually don’t get such displays in this price tier.
The refresh rate is smooth, going up to 120Hz and then 240Hz in touch sampling. This makes standard navigation and daily task a breeze, while still being able to provide some headroom for those seeking to get this device to play video games.
What Does Zen Think About This?
As of now, the review’s underway, and what Zen has to say is that it’s been pretty impressive so far. The HONOR X9 surpassed the ‘on-paper’ phase in terms of specs and what it can give the consumer, and we’re going to have to dive into the review a little bit more to see if it can walk the talk well. Stay tuned and watch this space if you’ve been eye-ing on the HONOR X9 for a long time!
