HONOR X9c Smart 5G Review | Geek Lifestyle

After getting our hands on the phone last week, we’ve finally tested out the new HONOR X9c Smart 5G to see how capable it is as a daily driver, especially given the competitive mid-range segment.

In case you missed it, HONOR recently launched this new variant of the X9c, which itself was only released just last January. Instead of being an F, E, or Lite model, this new X9c has “Smart” in its name. So, what exactly makes it Smart?

While we thought Smart means some AI features, that’s not exactly the case as HONOR didn’t exactly tout AI capabilities during the launch event for the phone. Instead, the HONOR X9c Smart 5G is essentially a more affordable variant of the previous model; the more budget-friendly price tag might be why it’s a “Smart” option, at least for users looking to not spend too much on their next phone.

As it’s a more affordable version, there are some differences in its display, processor, and battery life. It should still offer a similar experience though, at least when it comes to longevity as the Smart version also promises to be extra-tough in that it can survive accidental drops with ease.

So, is the new X9c version a smart option worthy of its name? Find out here in our HONOR X9c Smart 5G review.

Geek-sthetic

To start, let’s look first at the new X9c Smart’s design. From the back, you can see that the Smart variant has a slightly different camera module design. While also circular, the phone’s three cameras are located on the outer rings of the module. For comparison, the previous X9c had the cameras inside the ring. We can’t say for certain what we like more as they’re not particularly big differences.

What is noticeable is the less noticeable gold-colored ring on the black colorway of the X9c Smart, making for a more subdued look. On the flip side, the Smart model does come with a lighter color variant called Ocean Cyan that features a marble-like pattern, much like the Jade Cyan version of the previous X9c.

Whichever colorway you pick, the X9c Smart 5G feels nice to hold as its matte edges make it feel grippy. Yes, even though the phone seems to have curved edges, the sides only have a soft curve, giving you more space to grip it with your fingertips.

Do note that the camera module gives the phone a sizeable bump, but because it’s a large circular module positioned on the upper-middle part of the back, it feels quite stable when you put it on a table display-side up.

Moving to the display, the phone has a 6.8-inch screen with slim edges and a small holepunch notch at the top. While this looks very much like most other Android phones available in the market right now, we do like how slim the edges are given that there are still some mid-range phones that have thicker bezels.

Binge-Watching Factor

As we mentioned above, the phone’s 6.8-inch FHD+ display is different from the previous X9c. That’s because, unlike the base X9c which has an AMOLED screen, the Smart version only has a TFT LCD display, though it at least has a 120Hz refresh rate as well. Thus, the X9c Smart won’t get as bright, nor will it have the vibrant colors and proper blacks of an AMOLED screen. Still, we found the X9c Smart to still be a nice phone for watching movies and shows while on the go. Do note that it doesn’t get as bright.

For audio, the phone has a single bottom-firing speaker which gets to a decent volume, though we don’t recommend pushing it to over 100% with its Extra Volume mode. While this is useful if you’re listening to someone talk, it makes the audio sound a bit harsh and tinny. When watching videos, you can use the speakers if you’re in a pinch, but we recommend using headphones or external speakers when watching movies/shows. Note that this phone does not have a 3.5mm headphone jack, so you’ll need a wireless audio device or a dongle.

Gaming Prowess

Moving on to its gaming performance, we were interested to see how the X9c Smart 5G performs with its Mediatek Dimensity 7025 Ultra chipset. For reference, the previous X9c packs a Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 which worked well for popular MOBAs and shooters.

The Dimensity 7025 has a higher clock speed than the Snapdragon 6 Gen 1, though it’s built on a 6nm process compared to the Snapdragon’s 4nm process. This means the Snapdragon should be more efficient, and it has better benchmark scores to boot.

In gaming though, the difference isn’t massive, at least when playing popular mobile multiplayer titles, though you may want to turn the setting down a bit. For instance, League of Legends: Wild Rift ran smoothly at 60 FPS, though we recommend setting the Graphics Quality to Medium. Meanwhile, Call of Duty: Mobile also defaulted to the Medium Graphics Quality setting. While you might be able to push settings to High in some games, you’ll want to stick to Medium if you’re planning on playing for longer.

Thankfully, the phone didn’t get too hot while playing these games. As for more demanding games like Genshin Impact, this phone may not have enough power, though if you do want to still play while on the go, you may want to stick to the Lowest graphics preset to get a steady framerate, especially for longer sessions.

Performance aside, the X9c Smart 5G has a Game Manager which you can use to tweak various settings and turn on mistouch prevention and rotation lock. These aren’t really new features, but we did find the Game Manager menu to be responsive, so that’s a plus.

Geek Photoshoot Capabilities

For the cameras, HONOR went with a mostly similar setup as the X9c Smart 5G has a 108MP main and a 5MP ultrawide rear camera setup, along with a 16MP selfie camera. The difference with the Smart’s cameras is that the main shooter does not have OIS, plus it can’t capture 4K videos as it’s limited to 1080p@30FPS.

When taking photos outdoors or indoors with plenty of light, the X9c Smart 5G delivers some pretty nice results as photos have pretty good colors and have some good detail, though it seems that the 108MP camera isn’t being used to its fullest, especially when you crop the images. Still, the results aren’t bad at all given its price tag.

For night shots, the phone can also take nice photos when using the Night Mode. The lack of OIS does mean you’ll have to be more careful when taking Night Mode shots so images don’t turn out blurry. We also noticed that there is some inconsistency with some Night Mode photos, so you may want to take some extra photos to get the best shot.

Now, for its 5MP ultrawide, the quality is mostly similar to the base X9c. Even though it’s only a 5MP shooter, the daytime results are rather decent, though the processing can be a bit inconsistent when it comes to colors, with some shots appearing more vibrant than others when taking multiple photos. Plus, low light shots aren’t the best, which is expected given the 5MP camera.

Finally, selfies should be good enough for social media sharing, especially when taking selfies in a well-lit environment. In low light, front camera shots are still surprisingly good, though as expected, these aren’t as detailed and can be a bit blurry if your hand isn’t steady when taking the shot.

Everyday Reliability

Performance-wise, we have no complaints with the X9c Smart 5G, at least when it comes to daily use. While it may not be as powerful on paper as the base X9c, the Smart model still works well as a daily driver as it’s fast and snappy for most apps. During our time with the phone, it did not slow down or freeze.

More than performance though, the highlight of the X9c Smart is its toughness. We can confidently say that the Smart models is just as tough as the other variant as it handles actual drops on hard surfaces with no issues. Yes, the phone can survive multiple drops even without a case – great news for its longevity as it’s hard to avoid dropping your phone at some point. Of course, we do still recommend putting on the included clear case for extra protection.

HONOR also says that the phone is waterproof, though it doesn’t seem to have an IP rating. While you may want to avoid submerging this, the X9c Smart should survive accidental splashes and even drops in water, which is again another plus for its reliability.

Finally, let’s talk battery life. The X9c Smart has a 5800mAh battery which is smaller than we expected. Still, 5800mAh is quite big, so it’s no surprise that the phone can last for a day of use on a single charge with no issues. In our time with the phone, it generally lasted for around a day of heavy use, or a day-and-a-half of medium use. Your mileage may vary, but this should still be an all-day phone. For charging, the phone has 35W SuperCharge support. Not the fastest, but you should still get hours of use after charging it for 20-30 minutes.

Final Geek Lifestyle Verdict

As we mentioned above, the HONOR X9c Smart 5G is essentially a more budget-friendly version of the X9c. Is it a “smarter” choice then? Well, that depends on your budget and what you’re looking for.

The Smart is trimmed down in some ways, such as the lack of OIS, smaller battery, and different chipset. As such, the experience overall doesn’t feel as premium as the X9c. Still, the phone has reliable performance, fairly good cameras, and impressive ability to withstand drops, making it a reliable daily driver. Because of these, the X9c Smart is still worth looking at for buyers who prioritize longevity and toughness but don’t want to spend more than PHP 15k on a new phone.

HONOR X9c Smart 5G Specs: