Earlier this month, Honor began teasing a new launch in their X series, with several leaks confirming key features of the devices. Today, they unveiled the Honor 9X and Honor 9X Pro as the latest offering in their "premium mid-range" category. These devices don't pack the same punch as Honor's high-end phones, but they still offer a compelling package for a much more affordable price tag.

Honor 9X XDA Forums / Honor 9X Pro XDA Forums

Specifications

Honor 9X

Honor 9X Pro

Dimensions and Weight

  • 163.1 x 77.2 x 8.8 mm
  • 206g
  • 163.1 x 77.2 x 8.8 mm
  • 206g

Display

  • 6.59-inches LCD
  • 2340 x 1080 resolution
  • 19.5:9 aspect ratio
  • 6.59-inches LCD
  • 2340 x 1080 resolution
  • 19.5:9 aspect ratio

SoC

HiSilicon Kirin 810:

  • 2x ARM Cortex-A76 @ 2.27GHz +
  • 6x ARM Cortex-A55 @1.55GHz;
  • 7nm fabrication process
  • Mali-G52 MP6 GPU

HiSilicon Kirin 810:

  • 2x ARM Cortex-A76 @ 2.27GHz +
  • 6x ARM Cortex-A55 @1.55GHz;
  • 7nm fabrication process
  • Mali-G52 MP6 GPU

RAM and Storage

  • 4GB + 64GB
  • 6GB + 64GB
  • 6GB + 128GB
  • 8GB + 128GB
  • 8GB + 256GB

Expandability

Up to 512GB via microSD

Up to 512GB via microSD

Battery

4000 mAh

4000mAh

Fingerprint Sensor

Yes, side mounted

Yes, side mounted

Rear Camera

  • 48MP primary sensor, f/1.8
  • 2MP, depth sensor
  • 48MP primary sensor, f/1.8
  • 8MP, ultrawide
  • 2MP, depth sensor

Front Camera

16MP, f/2.2, pop-up

16MP, f/2.2, pop-up

Connectivity

  • Dual 4G VoLTE
  • Wi-Fi 802.11 ac (2.4GHz + 5GHz)
  • Bluetooth 5.0 LE
  • GPS + GLONASS
  • USB Type-C
  • 3.5mm Headphone Jack
  • Dual 4G VoLTE
  • Wi-Fi 802.11 ac (2.4GHz + 5GHz)
  • Bluetooth 5.0 LE
  • GPS + GLONASS
  • USB Type-C
  • 3.5mm Headphone Jack

Android Version

Android 9 Pie underneath EMUI 9

Android 9 Pie underneath EMUI 9

The design of the two phones is incredibly similar. If not for a few minor differences, you may not be able to tell them apart. They both feature colorful models with an X-shaped gradient effect, very slim bezels, pop-up cameras, vertical camera arrangements, buttons in the same location, and plain "HONOR" branding on the back. It's an attractive design that is, admittedly, becoming a bit stale.

The main external feature that differentiates the Honor 9X from the 9X Pro is the camera arrangement. The Honor 9X Pro has three cameras in a stack with the flash underneath. The Honor 9X has the same vertical arrangement, but the third camera spot is occupied by the flash, since the standard variant only has two cameras.

The Honor 9X and 9X Pro will be available in a variety of color options. As mentioned, this is a really nice looking design, but we've seen it a lot. Slim bezels with eye-catching gradient colors is not as unique as it used to be. The X-shaped pattern will appeal to users who want a flashy back similar to what we saw on the Honor View 20, while the black color variant will provide a more reserved and flat look.

Moving past the design, the Honor 9X Pro is the "Pro" model largely because of the extra camera. The 9X has a 48MP main sensor and a 2MP secondary sensor. Meanwhile, the 9X Pro has the 48MP main sensor, plus 8MP and 2MP secondary sensors.

A key features on both of these new devices is the presence of the HiSilicon Kirin 810 SoC. The Kirin 810 is a big generational leap over the Kirin 710, and it claims to bring performance that is comparable to the Qualcomm Snapdragon 730, if not better. Considering how the Snapdragon 730 is said to be Qualcomm's third most powerful mobile processor, it puts into perspective how the Kirin 810 is placed. The Honor 9X Pro variant is also said to feature "liquid cooling", though this is likely be a reference to a vapor chamber-based system instead of active water cooling.

Honor 9X and Honor 9X Pro - Pricing and Availability

The Honor 9X will be available in China in Phantom Red, Phantom Blue and Magic Night Black colors, for a price of CNY 1,399 (~$203) for the 4GB/64GB variant, CNY 1599 (~$232) for the 6GB/64GB variant, and CNY 1899 (~$276) for the 6GB/128GB variant. The phone is on pre-order and will be available from July 30, 2019.

The Honor 9X Pro will be available in China from August 9, 2019, in Phantom Purple and Magic Night Black colors, for a price of CNY 2,199 (~$320) for the 8GB/128GB variant and CNY 2,399 (~$349) for the 8GB/256GB variant.

Note: Huawei/Honor has stopped providing official bootloader unlock codes for its devices. Therefore, the bootloaders can’t be unlocked, which means that users cannot root or install custom ROMs.