If you are looking for a phone that is tough, looks stylish, and fits in the budget, then the Honor X9C 5G is an interesting option. The price of this phone is ₹21,999 and it is available on Amazon, but is it worth the price? This phone is making headlines for its durability, but there are some trade-offs in performance and camera. Let’s talk in detail about its design, features, and performance and see who this phone is perfect for!

Honor X9C 5G Unboxing: What’s in the Box?

In the box of Honor X9C 5G you get the phone, 66W fast charger, USB Type-C cable, silicone case, SIM ejector pin, and basic booklets. The packaging is sleek, and everything feels premium, which is quite good at this price point. The marble-like back finish and curved design of the phone grab attention instantly.

Design and Build: Tough and Stylish

The design of Honor X9C 5G is quite unique. Its back comes with a marble-textured finish, which shows different textures in lighting conditions. The curved back and curved AMOLED display give it a premium look, but the frame is made of plastic. This phone is 7.98mm thin and lightweight at 189g, which gives a comfortable grip despite such a large 6600mAh battery. The power button and volume rockers are on the right side, and the SIM tray, USB Type-C port, and speaker vents are at the bottom.

Honor calls this phone a champion of durability. It comes with an IP65M rating, which offers 360-degree water splash and dust resistance. With Honor Ultra-Bounce Anti-Drop Technology 2.0, it can survive a 2-meter drop, which is enough for real-world accidents. The phone also works in extreme temperatures from -30°C to 55°C, which is a big plus for outdoor users.

Display: Vibrant but a little lacking

The phone has a 6.78-inch curved AMOLED display with 1.5K resolution (1224×2700 pixels) and 120Hz refresh rate. The 4000 nits peak brightness makes it clear even outdoors, and the 3840Hz PWM dimming keeps eyes comfortable in low light. Colours are vibrant, and scrolling is smooth, but there is no specific screen protection (like Gorilla Glass) mentioned, which is a matter of concern. The in-display fingerprint sensor is fast and reliable.

Performance: Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 Scene

The Honor X9C 5G has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 chipset, which is built on 4nm and comes with 8GB of RAM (plus 8GB virtual Turbo RAM). Storage is 256GB (UFS 3.1 assumed) but there is no microSD slot. AnTuTu score is around 5.24 lakh, which is average at this price point.

It is smooth in casual tasks like social media, streaming, and light gaming (Honor of Kings, Honkai: Star Rail), but there can be some stuttering during heavy multitasking or video editing. This chipset is a bit old and newer chipsets like Dimensity 7025-Ultra (in X9C Smart) can offer better performance at this price point.

Camera: 108MP is great, but consistency is lacking

The camera setup has a 108MP main sensor (f/1.75, OIS+EIS) and a 5MP ultra-wide lens. There is a 16MP selfie camera on the front. The 108MP sensor delivers sharp and vibrant photos during daytime, and edge detection is good in portrait shots. AI features like AI Motion Sensing, AI Erase, and AI Outpainting are quite creative – AI Erase removes unwanted objects easily, and AI Outpainting expands the shots.

But the dynamic range and color consistency of the ultra-wide lens is a bit weak, and there is a color shift during lens switching. Low-light shots are good, but not exceptional. Video recording is up to 4K@30fps, but stabilization is a bit lacking. Check out user reviews for camera performance.

Battery: 6600mAh Powerhouse

The biggest power of the Honor X9C 5G is its 6600mAh silicon-carbon battery, which lasts comfortably for 1.5 to 2 days, even with heavy use. 66W fast charging charges from 0-100% in a little more than an hour. Battery life and charging speed stand out in this price range, and there is also a battery coating and Honor Power Management System for long-term durability.

Software: MagicOS 9 Magic

The Honor X9C 5G runs on Android 15-based MagicOS 9.0, which is smooth and feature-rich. AI features like AI Motion Sensing, AI Erase, AI Deepfake Detection, and AI Magic Portal 2.0 are quite useful. The interface is looking very clean, but Honor has promised only one or two years of major OS updates, which is a bit less.

Audio and Connectivity

Dual stereo speakers deliver immersive sound with 300% super volume. Connectivity includes 5G, dual-band Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.1, NFC, and USB Type-C. There is no 3.5mm headphone jack, but Type-C audio is supported. Dual SIM and 5G Band 40 support is perfect for Indian networks.

Specifications of Honor X9C 5G

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• 6600mAh battery with 1.5-2 day backup and 66W fast charging
• Durable build with IP65M rating and Ultra-Bounce Anti-Drop Technology 2.0
• Vibrant 6.78-inch AMOLED display with 4000 nits brightness
• AI-powered camera features like AI Erase and AI Motion Sensing
• Sleek and lightweight design despite massive battery

Cons:

• Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 chipset is a bit old, average performance in heavy tasks
• Lack of consistency and dynamic range in ultra-wide camera
• Promise of major OS updates only for 1-2 years
• No specific screen protection (like Gorilla Glass) mentioned

Conclusion

Honor X9C 5G is a phone that is a champion in durability and battery life, but compromises a bit in performance and camera. At a price of ₹21,999, it is good for casual users, outdoor enthusiasts, and people who love long battery life.

But if you are looking for heavy gaming or a top-notch camera, you can look at other options at this price. It is available on Amazon from 12th July, and if you liked it, let us know in the comments if you would like to try it!