Honor 9X Pro review

Today we are talking about a highly anticipated device. It is not the first smartphone from the Honor firm that we are lucky to test. And the Honor 9X Pro It is preceded by a certain expectation on the part of a large part of the users of the mid-range. A very very complete smartphone, current and that is beautiful and attractive.

Talking about Honor, as we well know, is talking about Huawei. A few days ago we learned that Huawei has reached number one among the world's best-selling mobile phone manufacturers. A milestone that practically no one would have bet on after the blockade by the Trump administration, but which is confirmed as a fact.

A “top” smartphone for less than you think

When we high-performance phones we have to know that this, as a general rule, is accompanied by a price increase. Therefore, the Honor manage to stand out from the rest of the devices. As we will tell you below, the Honor 9X Pro only has a mid-range price, and what it offers is far from what we find in other phones.

We have already analyzed several devices that we would classify in a "sub-range" that we could call premium mid-range. The Honor 9X Pro is a long way from some mid-range smartphones that tiptoe through somewhat outdated features in most cases. And although closer and closer, we recognize that they still need to rub shoulders with the most exclusive range.

We like to see how there is an intermediate point where distances are less and less noticeable in terms of performance and design. A market sector that continues to evolve and improve with each new member, and that makes us have more and more options to have a competent device without spending a fortune.

Unboxing Honor 9X Pro

As always, we review everything we find inside the box of the new Honor 9X Pro. In the first instance, we have the device itself, which at first glance seems larger than expected, but after holding it in our hands, it is compact and robust. We found the data and charging cable, with format USB Type C.

In addition, we have the Power Charger, something that until now has been basic, but it seems that very soon it will not be. There are already some manufacturers that do not incorporate a charger, and it seems that several more will join this trend that is so little liked.

Honor also joins the firms that are committed to adding a cover for their devices. In this case it is a transparent silicone sleeve that has a large opening at the top to allow movement of the Pop Up front camera. And we have an accessory that for many others is an extra, such as some headphones, something very welcome.

Design with a lot of personality

Conclusion several details that attract attention of the design of this Honor 9X Pro. Almost in all aspects we find some point that stands out or that manages to differentiate itself from the rest. From huge notch free screen who gets one record front occupation. Your cameras among which highlights, at least out of curiosity, front camera. Up to a rear built with shiny plastic materials creating eye-catching shapes.

It's really complicated that a device manages not to go unnoticed in none of its aspects. And the Honor 9X Pro has almost completely succeeded. We are going to look closely at its design and the parts of its "anatomy" that they manage to make of it. a smartphone different from the rest. If you are one of those who wants a large smartphone, buy the Honor 9X Pro now for less than you expect.

On its front we find a really big screen. We are talking about a panel with a diagonal that reaches the 6,59 inches. Something that makes us look at a really great smartphone. Positive aspect if we like large screens where it is comfortable to watch videos. But what will be impossible to manipulate using one hand. 

The Honor 9X Pro, a true all-screen

Speaking of the front of the Honor 9X Pro, we can finally say that we are facing an all screen smartphone. Using a “Pop Up” selfie camera makes panel is up to 92% occupied. A screen LCD / IPS with Full HD + 2.340 x 1.080 resolution offering up to 391 pixels per inch. Undoubtedly a screen that allows us to fully enjoy a device with a very playful purpose. 

La lower part it is full of elements. Some essential and others that we have loved to see that Honor continues to "respect". We find USB Type-C format charging connector, the microphone, the single speaker with which it has and a 3,5mm mini jack audio input port. You can connect your usual headphones, or connect your mobile to an older speaker or to the car without the need for bluetooth. 

Looking in his Right side, in addition to the classics volume controls, we again find a bet to place the fingerprint reader at this location. We could already test it in the Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro review, and the truth is that we liked it. As we said at the time, some years ago we were able to see experiments from other firms that worked for us. But when the reader is fast and effective, it is really comfortable.

Fingerprint reader on the side

It seems that several manufacturers are choosing to place their fingerprint readers on the right side. On the side where holding the phone from the front with the right hand we would naturally support the thumb. Soon we will see if it is a simple "fashion" or becomes a trend. The truth is that by not having in the back part the fingerprint reader is it is more "clean" Of elements. 

El left side of this Honor 9X Pro is completely transparent since even the SIM and memory card tray are at the top. And looking at the top of this smartphone we find one of the elements that attract the most attention. The selfie camera with "Pop Up" operation It is a real pass. A system that has detractors and fans in almost equal measure. But about the one that we cannot deny that it is "Original" and eye-catching. 

We will only have to select the front selfie camera to see how it slides up and appears above the device smoothly. We must bear in mind that this camera is not only original and It has a system that makes it hidden when we don't use it. It also has a resolution of 16 Megapixels offering uncommon quality from a front camera, and focal of 2.2.

Big screen for a big smartphone

We have started by describing the Honor 9X Pro as a smartphone big in size. We have also seen how thanks to the use of its front camera with Pop Up system we have all front panel available for display surface. If to this we add a percentage of occupation, as we have commented, which reaches an excellent 92%, it is logical that we have a large screen.

Specifically, we have a LCD / IPS panel that reaches up to 6.59 inches. Not long ago, a 5-inch screen phone was a good size, even at first it seemed big. Now we see how we get very close to 7 inches. And although the devices inevitably grow in size, thanks to a good use of the fronts, this is possible without the phones being oversized.

The user experience is really good. A big screen and with Good resolution it is something that device seekers are increasingly taking into account. We have resolution 2.340 x 1.080 Full HD + at 391 dpi. As we have also described at the beginning, it is one of the few displays on the market today that it has no notch. Capacitive multi touch screen, borderless and with rounded glass 2.5. 

In short, a screen perfect for enjoying videos, photos or games. The experience of having a good camera improves when we have a good screen that is capable of displaying colors in a real way. And this is a clear example of a good camera with a good screen.

We look inside the Honor 9X Pro

As we have been telling you from the beginning of the post, this Honor has managed to stand out, for one thing or another, in all aspects under analysis. Its processing equipment and chips are no exception. Since we are talking about an Honor, logically we have a Kirin processor, and in this case, one with proven reliability and very good results. 

We have the Kirin 810, a chip used in Honor devices, but with which the Huawei Mate 30 Lite, and and the Huawei P40 Lite  they defend themselves wonderfully. A ARM V8 CPU that has Cortex A76 at 2,27 GHz + Cortex A55 at 1,88 GHz. Eight cores with clock frequency 2.27 GHz. 

A priori, there is no task that this Honor 9X Pro can be afraid of. We have been able to see how with multiple apps working in the background still responding fluently. Is even capable of moving games with heavy graphics, without noticing any kind of hang-up, which could even be understandable, high level of response giving everything it has. AND good graphic response from the hand of his GPU Mali G52 MP6. 

We have to highlight the data obtained in the well-known tests of Antutu by the 9X Pro. Reaching up to 298.561 points, a performance above 88% of all devices that have performed the test. It's the smartphone you were looking for, right? Get your Honor 9X Pro now on the official website at the best price.

Storage and power to spare

Storage space will not be a problem in the Honor 9X Pro. We have an internal memory of 256 GB, which could be extended with a credit card micro SD memory. One of the headaches with other devices, running out of space, in this case will allow us to enjoy taking photos and videos with the peace of mind of having plenty of space.

The power of your RAM 8GB it is noticeable in the solvency with which it faces each task and in the fluidity of its operation. There are many mid-range devices that still move with a 2 GB RAM, and this difference is something that we soon noticed in the daily operation and processing speed.

Cameras and photography on the Honor 9X Pro

As we already know, the photography section has almost become the most important aspect when buying a new smartphone. Social networks are largely to blame for "needing" a good camera. We can go through with a battered battery, with a compliant processor, even with an acceptable design, but we have to have good photos.

The Honor 9X Pro, as it does in the rest of the sections, stands out in the photography section, if we compare it with other devices that are located in the same range. In the back we find a triple camera On which we explain in detail what we have below. And one front camera with Pop Up system that has managed to attract the attention of all those who have not yet been able to try it. 

In this case we find a camera module that aligns the lenses vertically It is located on the upper left side of the back of the device. A format that we have already seen in many other devices, and that at the design level does not add anything new. It does not clash, nor does it look bad, but it is something that no longer attracts attention. Just below is the LED flash of which we can say that it complies with what we could expect.

The sensors of the Honor 9x Pro:

• Main sensor standard with resolution of 48 megapixel made by Sony, specifically the IMX582 Exmor RS type CMOS. Has opening 1.8 focal and a size of 1 / 2.25 sensor.
• Wide angle lens with resolution of 8 megapixels with a 2.4 focal length.
• Depth sensor with resolution of 2 megapixel for portrait mode with 2.4 focal aperture.

We have a camera team that ultimately defends well in virtually all situations. Also offering extras such as the wide angle and the depth effect. Aspects that other devices are capable of offering through software, the Honor dedicates two lenses exclusively for this. 

Much of the pleasant experience that we get with the cameras of this Honor 9X Pro they depend a lot on their huge screen and its excellent resolution. Still, we have to say that, as we have seen with the Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro, the section of the camera in the mid-range does not stop growing and evolving on the latest models that we have been able to test. 

The Honor 9X Pro's Pop Up front camera

Apart from the quality that the rear cameras offer us, in terms of resolution, quality and solvency, we have an extra element that in other devices goes unnoticed. Is impossible not to stop to comment on the front camera of the Honor 9X Pro. We just have to select the front camera so that the mechanism activates and pops up Selfie camera. A slightly slower process than if we change from rear to front camera in any device, but nothing alarming since it lasts barely a second.

The front camera has a 16MP resolution, much more than we could expect from the selfie camera of any mid-range device. We find, some slowness as we have commented, when activating the front camera, but we gain a clearer front on a larger screen.

We obtain selfie photos with very good quality when we have good natural light conditions. The colors and shapes are perfect. What's more we can use portrait mode with the front camera, something that other devices do not allow. And we can even shoot photos with the front camera in HDR format, which achieves substantial improvements in captures with some deficiency in color or definition. 

Various examples of photos

Zoom

The Honor 9X Pro does not have optical zoom like some recent high-end smartphones. But software strip to offer digital zoom that really amazed us. We see how focusing the same objective with without using the zoom, with it at 50% and with 100%, we obtain really good results, with the logical loss of definition and quality.

Detail

In a shot full of nuances, shapes, colors and textures, we see how the Honor 9X Pro camera defends itself more than anything. True colors, depth, and very good shape definition.

Low light photo

In this photograph, taken with little natural light, at sunset hours when it begins to get dark, to obtain the colors, the camera thanks to AI is able to reproduce them very realistically.

The Honor camera app, sober but functional

As well as experience with virtually all photos taken, within the possibilities offered by a device in this range and at this price, it has been satisfactory. It has not been so much with the interface of the camera application. We find a somewhat basic application, not very visual and unappealing. We must touch several times to access the configuration called "pro" where if we have advanced configuration.

But as for functionality we liked it, we found options of snapshots and photo customization which other manufacturers do not have. An example is the mode named "Painting with light" with the  that we can take photos with striking light trails, light graffiti or moving images.

In addition, as extras we also find slow motion or fast motion videos. Photo panorama, moving photo or HDR. Counting on the shortcuts for night photo, with large focal aperture, portrait mode and standard photo or video. The portrait effect, one of the most demanded today offers really good results, which get slightly worse with poorer light conditions.

If the camera matters to you and you are tired of seeing that the photos of your current smartphone do not "measure up", this smartphone is an interesting alternative. You will have a camera that handles well in almost any situation.

The drums his Achilles heel

We have been counting throughout the post that the Honor 9X Pro stands out in practically all aspects. We have been pleasantly surprised by sections such as the one on the screen, or the photography. And has been a surprise, in this case for the worse, the battery with which Honor has decided to equip its 9X Pro. It is even strange that in a device so large and with so much screen, the battery is so short.

The Honor 9X Pro has a 4.000 mAh battery, well below what we are seeing lately in smartphones of the same range, such as the one we have recently been able to test, the Xiaomi Remi Note 9 Pro, which has a 5.020 mAh battery. It is true that a larger battery makes the device heavier, but most users are willing to sacrifice portability for autonomy.

We have already commented on several occasions that batteries do not develop at the same speed as other components of mobile phones. And the devices have gained in energy efficiency, screens the size of this and with the resolution they offer, they do not help the mAh to stretch beyond what they can offer.  

Security and unlocking

It seems that definitely it is becoming a trend to locate the fingerprint reader on the side of the device. Were the rear fingerprint readers left behind to identify us with the index finger? There are already several manufacturers that have chosen to place their fingerprint readers on one side, leaving the back of the devices free. So that now it is the thumb, by ergonomic placement of the hand, who identifies us in order to unlock the phone. 

The Honor 9X Pro, in addition to having the fingerprint reader in its new location, it is also equipped with facial recognition technology. An extra identification to the already useful and effective fingerprint reader. We can also implement security capabilities by adding an unlock code. 

Placing the fingerprint reader in a location other than the back makes the device gain in "cleaning" elements. Especially if at the same time, the fingerprint reader itself also acts as a lock button. It's okay to have buttons and items that offer "2 x 1" functionality.

Honor = Huawei = Not Google

One of the cons that a priori we find in the Honor comes at limitations that we have found in your operating system. Not as for functionality of the sameFar from it, the Android version, including its classic customization layer EMUI, it flows wonderfully on the phone. Everything works fine, but we do not have Google services.

The truth is that it is very very strange to start a device without authenticating with our Google account. The big “G” company may be criticized for countless things, bad practices, dubious management of the protection of our data. But no one can deny the usefulness of their Apps and the easy ones that do us many tasks.

This is something we don't miss until we come across a device that doesn't have them, as it happens with this Honor. The simple fact of not having the photos by default in the Google Photos App to be able to view or edit them on the computer is already strange. It is even difficult, for example, to be able to transfer your photos to your computer if you do not have bluetooth or Huawei connectivity.

Still we have to recognize that Huawei has done a good job with its own app store and we have practically everything we could need. If you are one of those who depends on Google to carry out your daily tasks or you use some of its tools on a regular basis, you will have no choice but to install the Google Play Store through APKs. 

Honor 9X Pro Specifications Table

Pros and Cons of the Honor 9X Pro

Pros

La Screen resolution and size make it an ideal device to enjoy multimedia content.

Your ability to 256GB storage It is an added extra that makes us not have to worry about memory.

All the cameraTogether, they offer good results in almost all situations.

Cons

La battery capacity it has fallen short in relation to the rest of the device's features. 

La pop up camera, which for many is a positive thing, could be damaged if the phone is filled with dust or sand, not to mention the extra time it takes to activate compared to a conventional one. 

Editor's opinion