Since Honor moved independently from Huawei, many devices they offer in Malaysia. For this new year, Honor has become the device manufacturer that launched the first device for 2023 with the Honor X9a 5G. It's actually pretty much the same device as the Honor X9 5G that we reviewed in April last year but with a few improvements.
This time Honor is focusing on a higher quality camera, a more durable build in the same but smaller design. The question is, are these small changes capable of changing the public's perception of the Honor brand?
Specifications And Design
Honor X9a 5G
6.67″ OLED screen,
FHD+, 120Hz
Snapdragon 695 5G processor (6nm)
2 X 2.2 GHz Kryo 660 Gold Chip
6 X 1.8 GHz Kryo 660 Silver
Adreno 619 Graphics Chip
8GB RAM + 5GB Honor RAM Turbo
256GB Internal Storage
Main Camera 64+5+2 Megapixel f/1.8+f/2.2+f/2.4
Selfie Camera 16 Megapixel f/2.0
5100mAh battery
40W wired charging
SIM/Telephony Dual SIM nano / 5G
NFC Yes
No Audio Jack
Waterproof None
Scan System Under-screen fingerprint scanner
Sale Price RM 1499 (8/256GB)
The 6.67-inch screen used is smaller than the Honor X9 5G with a 6.81-inch screen. Honor also this time uses a better quality OLED panel and no longer an LCD screen. The screen used also supports 10bit color, but unfortunately there is no HDR10/HDR10+ support on Netflix. The color of the screen is undeniably more beautiful, brighter, sharper and the use under sunlight is also clearer.
The bezel of the device is also thinner with the use of a curved screen, but the chin is still thick with the illusion of trying to look even. Curved screens are not my favorite, as it is difficult to enjoy video content satisfactorily. Then the screen also has a hole for the selfie camera and also supports a refresh rate of 120Hz. But disappointingly, 120Hz on the device although it's smooth and fast – it's not consistent and often every scroll feels stuck.
The design of the Honor X9a 5G is also more premium, with a glass panel on the back that no longer feels bulky when tapped. I really appreciate the dull finish that doesn't trap fingerprint dirt and the soft color that's pleasing to the eye. This smaller design is also comfortable in the hand and easier to handle.
There is no doubt that the camera bump of this device has a large size. Thankfully it's not tall and thick and can still be placed flat on a table surface without the need for a frame. It's just that I still encourage a protective frame to be used to protect the donut-shaped camera bump, since it's a piece of glass. If broken, the tri-camera on the back of the device will no longer be protected.
The whole device is sturdier with a metal frame that doesn't bend easily. On the right side, there is a power button and a volume button. Under the device there is a SIM card slot, a USB-C port and a speaker grille. The fingerprint scanner is an under-screen type that is quite fast for a mid-range device.
Like most mid-range devices, the Honor X9a 5G also lacks any waterproof protection. But the screen of this device is protected with a durable glass which, Honor challenged me to crack a macadamia nut using this device. Not only that, the test of the device being deliberately dropped at my height was also done several times. Surprisingly there are no scratches, cracks or problems on the screen - except for the plastic screen protector that just starts to bubble. But sadly to be informed, the back panel of the device is not durable and during this test it started to crack.
Use And Software
The device runs the Magic UI 6.1.0 operating system based on Android 12. It's a bit disappointing because it's 2023, the device still doesn't support Android 13 yet. Even the newly announced Magic OS is no longer supported on this device. While devices in the same class as Samsung have already started to support it. Although this device has a more premium body, the user experience is still more or less the same as the Honor X9 5G that we reviewed in April last year.
Although Honor is its own brand, Magic UI still has a lot in common with the EMUI used on Huawei devices. The difference is, it's lighter with no features like Super Device and Magic UI fully supports GMS – meaning Google Play Store, YouTube, Gmail, Google Photos and more can be used like a regular Android device without having to install third-party apps like suspicious Lighthouse.
Magic UI on this device feels lighter, smoother and undeniably I feel comfortable using it because I miss EMUI with GMS support. But, it's been almost a year since Magic UI has no identity of its own and is obviously just a rebranding to the early version of EMUI. Another good thing about this device is that there are not many fat apps and even the pre-installed apps are many that can be removed.
Bench mark
Like the Honor X9 5G, the X9a 5G is also powered by the Snapdragon 695 5G chip. It is paired with 13GB of RAM which is a combination of 8GB of RAM and 5GB of Honor RAM Turbo virtual memory and 256GB of internal storage without micro SD card support. In the benchmark tests we performed without any cooling fan or pre-mode applied, here are the scores obtained;
Geekbench 5 – 649/1897.
Antutu 3D – 398,566.
3DMark – 1,203.
This score is actually comparable to other devices on the market that use the Snapdragon 695. It's the same as the Honor X9 5G and the Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G. The overall performance of this device is also smooth for daily use, just not consistent where the time lag occurs randomly without running a program or heavy application.
Speaking of first, the performance of this device is just average. Primers like Marvel SNAP with Medium settings and 60FPS don't run smoothly. Beginners with simple 3D graphics like Asphalt 9 have no problem playing on default settings – only the displayed graphics have a bit of a pixelated effect. High graphics games like PUBG Mobile are difficult to play and do not provide a satisfying gaming experience.
Telephony and GPS
As long as I have been using this device and at the time of writing this article, the Honor X9a 5G has not yet been listed by DNB for 5G support. But I did bring this device to Thailand and use a 5G telco there. The connection to the 5G network is quite poor with rarely receiving 5G. 5G network support is still not very stable and strong in Malaysia and the region. So we can't say the issue lies with the phone or with the 5G network itself.
For 4G, there is no problem and it is stable. I can have trouble making it a hotspot for Internet connection to three other devices. GPS has a bit of an issue where Google Maps takes a long time to track a location and find directions to a destination. This is unexpected on the X9 5G this issue does not occur when as I said before both devices have the same specifications.
Camera
The 64+5+2 MP tri-camera system on this device is a better configuration than before with ultra-wide-angle camera support as well as the same 16MP selfie camera. But unfortunately, the picture results are still not satisfactory. Colors look better, brighter and sharper – just the hand needs to be steady and even if it's steady the pictures don't have well preserved details. The photos taken, at a glance when viewed on the gallery application, look just fine and suitable for sharing on social media. But when viewed on a computer screen, it has a lot of noise and does not have good focus.
You can see a sample picture below, it looks satisfactory. But the night mode, ultra wide angle it's not pretty enough and I myself have used other RM1500 devices that have better results. Night mode when taken, post-processing is slow and results are also full of noise, faded colors and unusable.
Battery
5100mAh is the battery capacity used on this device with 40W fast charging support. In the usage experience, there is no problem to reach SOT up to 7 hours if not using heavy applications such as prema, camera or streaming.
But if the use is lighter, the device can receive 5 hours of SOT with a durability of up to 2 days. 40W charging in 2023 is slow because there are many devices supporting 65W and above in this class. The device can be charged from 0% to 100% in about an hour.
Audio
The speaker is still mono with no Dolby Atmos system support. It is placed below, and when using the device horizontally, the palm will block it. Indirectly the audio quality is disturbed. The audio produced is also normal and not very good. So, we encourage users who want to own this device to have audio accessories for a better audio experience.
In the box
Here's what you get with every device purchase in Malaysia.
1x Honor X9a 5G
1x Translucent silicone frame.
1x 40W USB-A to USB-C Charger
1x USB-A to USB-C charging cable.
1x SIM Pin.
1x Manual.
Conclusion
This Honor X9a 5G is a device that gives truth to the saying "don't judge a book by its cover". It is indeed beautiful with a finish similar to a premium device but the fact is that it is still just a basic mid-range device. The specialty of this device lies in the 120Hz OLED screen, and the durable glass that you can use as a nut peeler or onion slicer. So you don't have to worry about the screen being scratched or even cracked if dropped.
There aren't many other positive things to say about this device as the other features don't really stand out. But kudos to Honor as the device supports a 120Hz screen, a good Magic UI experience and doesn't mind giving away a 40W charger with every purchase.
If last year's Honor X9 5G we said needed factor X. This year X9a 5G also needs factor X. It's hard for us to recommend this device to all readers unless you are an active user with extreme activities or work in risky places like construction sites. The best alternative is the Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G because in our experience it provides a more satisfying overall experience and at a more affordable price.
Pro
120Hz screen with durable glass protection.
Beautiful design and comfortable in the hand.
Snapdragon 695 supports 5G.
Light and smooth Magic UI.
A 40W fast charger is provided with every purchase.
Cons
Average device performance.
The quality of the camera is not satisfactory enough.
Mono audio.
No micro SD card slot.