The idea of the HONOR X9c Smart is very simple — it's essentially , but cheaper. As a compromise, it offers a simpler hardware platform, a camera without optical stabilization, and an LCD screen instead of AMOLED. However, the case is also protected from dust and moisture according to the IP65M standard and is very sturdy. Plus, the design is at least very close.
Let's see how critical the compromises are in this case and whether HONOR has managed to transfer the advantages of the more expensive smartphone to the cheaper one — with minimal losses.
Technical Specifications
| HONOR X9c Smart | |||||
| Display | 6.8 inches, IPS, 2412 × 1080 pixels, 389 ppi; 120 Hz | 6.78 inches, AMOLED, 2700 × 1224 pixels, 437 ppi; 120 Hz | 6.67 inches, AMOLED, 2400 × 1080 pixels, 395 ppi; 120 Hz | 6.78 inches, AMOLED, 2436 × 1080 pixels, 393 ppi; 120 Hz | 6.78 inches, AMOLED, 2436 × 1080 pixels, 393 ppi; 144 Hz |
| Protective glass | No information | No information | No information | No information | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 |
| Processor | MediaTek Dimensity 7025 Ultra: eight cores (2 × ARM Cortex-A78, frequency 2.5 GHz and 6 × ARM Cortex-A55, frequency 2.0 GHz) | Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 1: eight cores (4 × ARM Cortex-A78, frequency 2.2 GHz + 6 × ARM Cortex-A55, frequency 1.8 GHz) | MediaTek Dimensity 7300 Energy: eight cores (4 × ARM Cortex-A78, frequency 2.5 GHz and 4 × ARM Cortex-A55, frequency 2.0 GHz) | Mediatek Helio G100: eight cores (2 × Cortex-A76, frequency 2.2 GHz + 6 × Cortex-A55, frequency 2.0 GHz) | MediaTek Dimensity 8200 Ultimate: eight cores (1 × ARM Cortex-A78, frequency 3.2 GHz + 3 × ARM Cortex-A78, frequency 3.0 GHz + 4 × ARM Cortex-A55, frequency 2.0 GHz) |
| Graphics controller | IMG BXM-8-256 | Adreno 710 | Mali-G615 MC2 | ARM Mali-G57 MC2 | ARM Mali-G610 MC6 |
| Memory | 8/12 GB | 8/12 GB | 8/12 GB | 8 GB | 12 GB |
| Flash memory | 256 GB | 256/512 GB | 128/256 GB | 256 GB | 256/512 GB |
| Ports | USB Type-C | USB Type-C | USB Type-C, mini-jack (3.5 mm) | USB Type-C | USB Type-C |
| Memory card slot | No | No | Yes (hybrid slot for microSD/nano-SIM) | No | No |
| SIM cards | 2 × nano-SIM | 2 × nano-SIM | 2 × nano-SIM | 2 × nano-SIM | 2 × nano-SIM |
| 2G cellular network | GSM/GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 MHz | GSM/GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 MHz | GSM 850/900/1800/1900 MHz | GSM/GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 MHz | GSM/GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 MHz |
| 3G cellular network | HSDPA 850/900/1900/2100 MHz | HSDPA 850/900/1900/2100 MHz | WDCMA 800/850/900/1700/1900/2100 MHz | HSDPA 850/900/2100 MHz | HSDPA 850/900/1700/1900/2100 MHz |
| 4G cellular network | LTE, no information on bands | LTE, no information on bands | LTE: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 | LTE: 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41 | LTE: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 42, 66 |
| 5G cellular network | SA/NSA, no information on bands | SA/NSA, no information on bands | SA/NSA: 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 77, 78 | No | SA/NSA: 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 77, 78 |
| Wi-Fi | 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac | 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac | 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6 | 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6 | 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e |
| Bluetooth | 5.3 | 5.1 | 5.4 | 5.3 | 5.3 |
| NFC | There is | There is | There is | There is | There is |
| Navigation | GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo | GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo | GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, QZSS | GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo | GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo |
| Sensors | Light, accelerometer/gyroscope, magnetometer (digital compass), IR port | Light, accelerometer/gyroscope, magnetometer (digital compass) | Light, proximity, accelerometer/gyroscope, magnetometer (digital compass) | Light sensor, proximity, accelerometer/gyroscope, magnetometer (digital compass), IR port | Light sensor, proximity, accelerometer/gyroscope, magnetometer (digital compass), IR port |
| Fingerprint scanner | Yes, on the side button | Yes, on the screen | Yes, on the screen | Yes, on the screen | Yes, on the screen |
| Main camera | Dual module, 108 + 5 MP, ƒ/1.8 + ƒ/2.2 (wide angle + standard viewing angle), phase detection autofocus with the main module, single LED flash | Dual module, 108 + 5 MP, ƒ/1.8 + ƒ/2.2 (wide angle + standard viewing angle), phase detection autofocus with the main module, single LED flash | Triple module: 50 + 2 MP + flicker sensor, ƒ/1.8 + ƒ/2.4 (standard viewing angle + auxiliary module), phase detection autofocus and optical stabilization, ring LED flash | Triple module: 50 MP, ƒ/1.8 + 2 MP, (standard viewing angle + auxiliary camera), phase detection autofocus, optical stabilization, dual LED flash | Triple module: 108 + 50 + 2 MP, ƒ/1.8 + ƒ/2.0 + ƒ/2.4 (wide angle + standard viewing angle + auxiliary module), phase detection autofocus on two cameras, optical stabilization on the main camera, two single LED flashes |
| Front camera | 16 MP, ƒ/2.5, no autofocus, no flash | 16 MP, ƒ/2.5, no autofocus, no flash | 16 MP, ƒ/2.4, no autofocus, no flash | 50 MP, ƒ/2.5, with autofocus, with flash | 50 MP, ƒ/2.5, with autofocus, with flash |
| Power | Non-removable battery: 22.04 Wh (5800 mAh, 3.8 V); charge power up to 35 W | Non-removable battery: 25.08 Wh (6600 mAh, 3.8 V); charge power up to 66 W | Non-removable battery: 19 Wh (5000 mAh, 3.8 V); charge power up to 80 W | Non-removable battery: 19 Wh (5000 mAh, 3.8 V); charge power up to 45 W | Non-removable battery: 19 Wh (5000 mAh, 3.8 V); charge power up to 45 W |
| Size | 166 × 75.8 × 7.9 mm | 162.8 × 75.5 × 8 mm | 161.7 × 74.7 × 7.6 mm | 164.6 × 74.6 × 7.7 mm | 164.3 × 74.8 × 7.9 mm |
| Weight | 193 grams | 189 grams | 185 grams | 180 grams | 195 grams |
| Water and dust protection | IP65M | IP65M | IP65 | IP54 | IP54 |
| Operating system | Android 14, MagicOS 8 shell | Android 14, MagicOS 8 shell | Android 14, realme UI 5.0 shell | Android 14, HiOS 14 shell | Android 14, HiOS 14 shell |
| Current price | Starting from 27,990 rubles | Starting from 34,990 rubles | Starting from 24,999 rubles | Starting from 24,999 rubles | Starting from 29,990 rubles |
Design
Externally, the HONOR X9c and HONOR X9c Smart are very similar, but not identical. The Smart version's look resembles last year's – at least the camera block is exactly the same, just a bit simpler, without chrome edging.
Moreover, this ‘we take familiar solutions but simplify them’ applies to much of the smartphone's appearance. Instead of an artificial leather covering on the back (like the X9b) – plastic, while having an interesting texture, marble-pattern.
The edges on the back are beveled, making it quite comfortable to hold a large smartphone. Meanwhile, the front edges are standard rather than curved, as seen on the X9c or X9b; this is a simplification not only compared to last year's smartphone in the series but also in relation to this year's older sibling. Notably, there is an advantage in comparison— the front camera here is singular, without additional sensors, and consequently, it is placed in an individual round hole and takes up less space.
The third aspect that highlights the Smart as a more affordable device against a uniform backdrop is the side power button. It incorporates a fingerprint sensor here, whereas on the X9b and X9c, we saw on-screen sensors. However, considering that mid-range smartphones generally have subpar on-screen sensors (optical, slow, positioned too close to the bottom edge of the screen), this can also be seen as a plus, even despite the traditionally small area of such a sensor.
The dimensions of the HONOR X9c Smart are quite substantial. It even turned out to be slightly (barely "slightly") thinner than its older sibling—7.9 mm compared to 8 mm. However, it is heavier—193 grams versus 189. The screen, on the other hand, is even larger—6.8 inches. The body protection is identical. The IP65M rating provides the device with resistance against jets of water under pressure (but it is not suitable for immersion). The tempered glass screen and protective coating on the back, according to the manufacturer, can withstand falls from up to 2 meters (I tested it, and when dropped from my height, the smartphone did not break); it should also not scratch excessively. However, in terms of resistance to temperature impacts, the Smart falls short of its older sibling— the latter's achievements were attributed to using a silicon-carbon battery, while here a traditional lithium-polymer battery is installed.
The HONOR X9c Smart comes in three color variations: lunar white, midnight black, and ocean blue. We had the latest version with us.
Standard functional elements: the mini-jack is missing, and I've already mentioned the power button with a fingerprint sensor. At the top, we see an IR sensor, but there is no speaker grille on the top edge — this speaker is actually monophonic.
The HONOR X9c Smart comes with both a power adapter and a case, which is made of transparent silicone in this case.
Software
The HONOR X9c Smart runs on Android 14 with the MagicOS 8.0 interface. It's surprising that it uses last year's interface version, whereas even the lower model () already has MagicOS 9, but it should be noted that the X9c Smart was introduced in China back in December 2024, alongside the 'regular' X9c.
Naturally, we are quite familiar with the interface, but there are variations — usually related to the number of built-in AI features. Here, there are still fewer than on the HONOR X9c — there’s a smart app recommendation system based on your preferences, a quick data transfer service between apps via the side panel (Magic Portal), and the ability to erase objects from photos using the 'AI eraser' (the smartphone does this imperfectly, but for a device in the price category up to 30,000 rubles, it's still a very interesting option).
Source: 3dnews.ru
