Honor X9b review: Premium looks and good battery life at ₹25,999

Honor X9b review: Over these past few months, we have come across several mid-range smartphones with unique designs, offerings, and performances. While Samsung, OnePlus, Realme, and other brands have dominated the market, a new smartphone by Honor is also gaining some much-required recognition. The Honor X9b was recently announced with a striking design and attractive features camera matrix, gaining much attention. The smartphone was claimed to be the most durable and reliable due to ultra-bounce anti-drop display technology and sturdy-looking design.

However, is the durability and design enough to sway smartphone buyers in a highly competitive market where we have smartphones such as the Nothing Phone 2a, Samsung Galaxy A35, Poco X6 Pro, and others? I used the smartphone for more than a week and I have a straight opinion about the smartphone. While the Honor X9b shines in various departments, it may also require some improvements to stay relevant in the mid-range segment. Check out the in-depth Honor X9b review.

Honor X9b review: Design and display

When it comes to design, the Honor X9b fits the bill perfectly as it comes in a sleek and lightweight design. The watch-inspired circular camera model with a golden ring gives it a premium look which will catch your attention the very moment you take the smartphone in your hands. It has a matte yet shiny-looking back that does not attract dust, but you may feel a bit slippery. The smartphone also looks promising when it comes to durability as the company claims to have received SGS 5-star whole-device drop resistance certification. On the front, the Honor X9b curved display with minimal and even bezels. On the centre of the display, you’ll find a punch-hole selfie camera which also looks attractive.

If we talk about the display, then the Honor X9b features a 6.78-inch AMOLED screen with 1.5k resolution and up to 120Hz refresh rate. The curved display provides a captivating viewing experience. It provides higher resolution and HD videos and Dolby Vision on several streaming platforms such as Netflix, Hotstar, YouTube, and others. Additionally, the interactions with the display are seamless and quick, making the overall experience satisfying. However, the downside of the smartphone was its sound quality as it failed to provide an immersive experience when put on speaker mode.

Honor X9b review: Camera

The Honor X9b features a triple camera setup which includes a 108MP main sensor, a 5MP ultra-wide lens and a 2MP macro lens. While the company showcased the smartphone as a camera performer, the photos fell short of expectations. The main camera sensor provided a decent image quality during natural lighting. However, its AI processing makes the image oversaturated and it ruins the entire experience. Additionally, in various instances the colours looked dull and not punchy, therefore, you may have to apply some filters to make the image promising. So, camera performance could be good for social media purposes if you like to play with filters and photo editing tools. During low light or nightograpgy, the smartphone stutters to capture clear images and it mostly appears grainy. In terms of its ultra-wide camera, it captures decent images, but again it's not a hit as expected. I was also not convinced with the portrait images as it some time for the device to bring focus to the subjects. On the other hand, the post-processing image of the portrait camera also did not entirely blur the background.

The Honor X9b also comes with a 16MP front camera which surprisingly captures decent images but they may appear unnatural. However, they are perfect for social media purposes.

Honor X9b review: Performance

The Honor X9b is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 processor, which is an older chipset. However, considering the price point the smartphone provides a smooth user experience with day-to-day tasks. Users can easily multitask and switch between apps with any stuck screen and slow opening of apps. Additionally, conducting other basic tasks such as scrolling social media, browsing, gaming, or watching content was also a breeze. I played BGMI and Call of Duty for more than an hour and I did not experience slow screen or frame drops while playing the game in a high graphic setting. However, you may experience slight heating at the camera, but it is not uncomfortable.

In terms of software, the Honor X9b runs on MagicOS 7.2 based on the Android 13 version. Honor also assures that Android 14 will be coming soon to the device. However, the user interface is quite organised. It also provided some pre-installed apps such as Honor App Market, Game Center, and the company’s Email app. The UI also provides several customization options, making the usage more personalised. Additionally, there is an AI suggestion box present on the home screen which showcases your recently opened apps.

Honor X9b review: Battery

The HonorX9b offers an exceptional battery life with a 5800mAh battery. The smartphone could last up to 2 days with medium usage such as light gaming, using social media, phone calls, texting, and more. The battery does not drain very quickly while playing games for hours or streaming content. However, I found the charging time to be slow and it took about 1 and a half hours for the device to recharge from 20 percent to 100 percent.

Honor X9b review: Verdict

In my opinion, the Honor X9b is a decent smartphone with promising performance and specification. But, does it stand out from the crowd? I don’t think so. If you are looking for a basic smartphone with greater durability in the mid-range segment then you should not think twice. The smartphone offers an attractive design, great battery life, and a compelling display. But, the camera performance could have been improved.