Honor X9b review: A rugged yet feature-packed device; check details here
Running MagicOS 7.2 on the top of Android 13, it is powered using the Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 chipset, the Honor X9b emerges as a decent mid-range smartphone that smoothly handles everything.
- Apr 3, 2024,
- Updated Apr 3, 2024 6:40 PM IST
In today's smartphone market, consumers prioritize several key features: exceptional cameras, long-lasting batteries, powerful processors, and, increasingly, robust glass protection. After all, many devices now boast beautiful glass designs on both the front and back. However, a shattered glass back or screen can be a costly inconvenience.
This is where Honor comes in with its innovative solution, X9b. While Gorilla Glass, a popular choice for smartphone protection, offers excellent scratch and impact resistance, it isn't completely shatterproof. Honor's proprietary technology aims to surpass these limitations, providing enhanced protection against drops and accidents, ultimately saving you from the financial burden of screen or back glass replacements.
Diverging from the prevailing trend of glass backs, Honor has followed in Realme's footsteps by adopting a vegan leather rear design. This decision mitigates the risk of damage from accidental drops.
On the front, the device boasts the HONOR Ultra-Bounce Anti-Drop Display, engineered to provide comprehensive drop resistance. Honor asserts a three-tier protection system, incorporating various reinforcements for the screen, frame, and internal components.
Additionally, a novel HONOR cushioning material, featuring micron-sized pores, has been integrated to absorb impact, claiming to absorb up to 1.2 times the force of a typical drop. This innovation, touted as an industry-first, is certified by Switzerland's SGS, a renowned authority in testing, inspection, and certification. However, it's important to note that the shock-absorbing structure is effective for drops up to 1.5 meters.
In all my years of using smartphones, I've only experienced two instances of dropping my phone. The first occurred with the Google Pixel 5a, which tumbled down a flight of stairs, resulting in a shattered screen. The second incident involved the Apple iPhone 14 slipping from my grasp onto concrete as I exited my car, resulting in damage to the rear glass.
Since these two were the only real-life reference points, I tested the Honor X9b in both scenarios. The Honor X9b survived with flying colors. After testing it in both these scenarios, I thought, can the abuse be taken a step further and used it for playing hopscotch? Tossing the phone as a laggers a few times, my heart sank every time, but the phone came up scratchless each time. Next, I am thinking, can this be used as a brick for defending oneself? Additionally, it is IP53 certified for dust and water resistance, making it the rugged action cam of smartphones.
The vegan leather rear, coupled with its sleek build, evokes similarities to the recently launched Realme 12 Pro. Sporting subtle golden trims around the circular camera module, its vibrant sunrise orange colour adds a refreshing and eye-catching touch. On the front, a 6.78-inch vibrant AMOLED display takes center stage, boasting a resolution of 1200x2652 pixels, a swift 120Hz refresh rate, and an impressive peak brightness of 1,200 nits. These specifications ensure a vivid and radiant screen, even under harsh sunlight, providing smooth and fluid navigation through apps and gameplay.
Honor is placing a significant emphasis on photography, particularly with the inclusion of a 108MP camera boasting lossless capture capabilities. This primary lens is complemented by a 5MP Ultrawide lens and a 2MP macro lens on the rear. Leveraging AI, the camera intelligently recognizes scenes and subjects, adjusting colours accordingly. Whether AI is enabled or disabled, images captured exhibit brightness and vibrancy. To put this to the test, I snapped pictures of my carpet adorned with shades of bright orange, red, and green, and they appeared stunning on the screen. Similarly, shots taken during sunrise and sunset showcased impressive results.
However, in low-light conditions, some noise and loss of detail were noticeable. While the ultra-wide shots turned out decently, macro shots appeared to be just about average. Honor has also introduced some enhancements to the 16MP front camera, such as illuminating the bottom part of the screen in white to brighten selfies, especially when captured indoors. Overall, the images captured are certainly Insta-worthy.
Running MagicOS 7.2 on the top of Android 13, it is powered using the Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 chipset, the Honor X9b emerges as a decent mid-range smartphone that smoothly handles everything – from endless scrolling on social media and Chrome browser to casual gaming to multitasking without any lag or heating issues. It had 8GB RAM onboard along with 256GB of onboard storage, of which 235 GB was free.
The package is topped up with the 5800 mAh battery that lasted a day with ease with still 30% juice left. Honor claims that the battery is super durable and should stay as good as new even after three years of usage. Putting it in numbers, Honor claims that after 1000 charging and discharging cycles, the battery health level remains above 80%.
The Honor X9b stands out as a durable and reliable smartphone, boasting innovative design elements like a vegan leather rear and comprehensive drop resistance. With its impressive camera capabilities, smooth performance, and long-lasting battery, it's a solid choice for users seeking a rugged yet feature-packed device.
In today's smartphone market, consumers prioritize several key features: exceptional cameras, long-lasting batteries, powerful processors, and, increasingly, robust glass protection. After all, many devices now boast beautiful glass designs on both the front and back. However, a shattered glass back or screen can be a costly inconvenience.
This is where Honor comes in with its innovative solution, X9b. While Gorilla Glass, a popular choice for smartphone protection, offers excellent scratch and impact resistance, it isn't completely shatterproof. Honor's proprietary technology aims to surpass these limitations, providing enhanced protection against drops and accidents, ultimately saving you from the financial burden of screen or back glass replacements.
Diverging from the prevailing trend of glass backs, Honor has followed in Realme's footsteps by adopting a vegan leather rear design. This decision mitigates the risk of damage from accidental drops.
On the front, the device boasts the HONOR Ultra-Bounce Anti-Drop Display, engineered to provide comprehensive drop resistance. Honor asserts a three-tier protection system, incorporating various reinforcements for the screen, frame, and internal components.
Additionally, a novel HONOR cushioning material, featuring micron-sized pores, has been integrated to absorb impact, claiming to absorb up to 1.2 times the force of a typical drop. This innovation, touted as an industry-first, is certified by Switzerland's SGS, a renowned authority in testing, inspection, and certification. However, it's important to note that the shock-absorbing structure is effective for drops up to 1.5 meters.
In all my years of using smartphones, I've only experienced two instances of dropping my phone. The first occurred with the Google Pixel 5a, which tumbled down a flight of stairs, resulting in a shattered screen. The second incident involved the Apple iPhone 14 slipping from my grasp onto concrete as I exited my car, resulting in damage to the rear glass.
Since these two were the only real-life reference points, I tested the Honor X9b in both scenarios. The Honor X9b survived with flying colors. After testing it in both these scenarios, I thought, can the abuse be taken a step further and used it for playing hopscotch? Tossing the phone as a laggers a few times, my heart sank every time, but the phone came up scratchless each time. Next, I am thinking, can this be used as a brick for defending oneself? Additionally, it is IP53 certified for dust and water resistance, making it the rugged action cam of smartphones.
The vegan leather rear, coupled with its sleek build, evokes similarities to the recently launched Realme 12 Pro. Sporting subtle golden trims around the circular camera module, its vibrant sunrise orange colour adds a refreshing and eye-catching touch. On the front, a 6.78-inch vibrant AMOLED display takes center stage, boasting a resolution of 1200x2652 pixels, a swift 120Hz refresh rate, and an impressive peak brightness of 1,200 nits. These specifications ensure a vivid and radiant screen, even under harsh sunlight, providing smooth and fluid navigation through apps and gameplay.
Honor is placing a significant emphasis on photography, particularly with the inclusion of a 108MP camera boasting lossless capture capabilities. This primary lens is complemented by a 5MP Ultrawide lens and a 2MP macro lens on the rear. Leveraging AI, the camera intelligently recognizes scenes and subjects, adjusting colours accordingly. Whether AI is enabled or disabled, images captured exhibit brightness and vibrancy. To put this to the test, I snapped pictures of my carpet adorned with shades of bright orange, red, and green, and they appeared stunning on the screen. Similarly, shots taken during sunrise and sunset showcased impressive results.
However, in low-light conditions, some noise and loss of detail were noticeable. While the ultra-wide shots turned out decently, macro shots appeared to be just about average. Honor has also introduced some enhancements to the 16MP front camera, such as illuminating the bottom part of the screen in white to brighten selfies, especially when captured indoors. Overall, the images captured are certainly Insta-worthy.
Running MagicOS 7.2 on the top of Android 13, it is powered using the Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 chipset, the Honor X9b emerges as a decent mid-range smartphone that smoothly handles everything – from endless scrolling on social media and Chrome browser to casual gaming to multitasking without any lag or heating issues. It had 8GB RAM onboard along with 256GB of onboard storage, of which 235 GB was free.
The package is topped up with the 5800 mAh battery that lasted a day with ease with still 30% juice left. Honor claims that the battery is super durable and should stay as good as new even after three years of usage. Putting it in numbers, Honor claims that after 1000 charging and discharging cycles, the battery health level remains above 80%.
The Honor X9b stands out as a durable and reliable smartphone, boasting innovative design elements like a vegan leather rear and comprehensive drop resistance. With its impressive camera capabilities, smooth performance, and long-lasting battery, it's a solid choice for users seeking a rugged yet feature-packed device.