HONOR X9d: Closing the gap between budget and flagship

The smartphone market has become predictable. Flagship devices command premium prices for incremental upgrades, while budget phones require compromise across almost every category. The middle ground, devices that offer real capability without stretching into luxury pricing, has narrowed.

The HONOR X9d positions itself in that gap. After three weeks of daily use covering fieldwork, photography, extended writing sessions and the constant communication demands, the real question wasn’t whether it works. It was whether it meaningfully shifts the value equation.

The X9d feels solid without being unwieldy. The curved OLED display and metal frame give it a finish that doesn’t immediately suggest restraint. At 199g it is slightly heavier than some competitors, but the weight quickly makes sense once you consider the battery capacity.

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Durability stands out. For three weeks this phone lived in a handbag alongside keys, pens, cosmetics and everything else that tends to test glass and metal. It shows no scratches or micro-abrasions.

It has also survived accidental drops onto concrete and light rain without issue. The 2.5-metre drop resistance and IP69K rating are not abstract specifications. They translate into a device you stop worrying about.

For professionals who rely on their phones daily, that confidence matters. The 6.79-inch OLED panel with a 120Hz refresh rate is one of the X9d’s strongest features. The peak brightness makes outdoor use under harsh South African sunlight genuinely workable.

Reading long documents, reviewing notes or responding to emails outside does not require hunting for shade. Scrolling through research and lengthy text feels smooth, and the screen holds up well for reviewing photography and managing multiple apps. It is not a display designed purely for entertainment.

It functions comfortably as a work surface. The 108MP main sensor with optical image stabilisation delivers consistency. In studio settings, during interviews and while capturing behind-the-scenes moments in mixed lighting, the camera produced reliable results without excessive tweaking.

Low-light performance is good rather than exceptional. There is some visible noise in challenging conditions, and this is not flagship-level computational photography. But images remain usable for digital publication without heavy correction.

Call clarity is strong, even in noisy environments. Noise reduction works without distorting voices, which is critical during interviews. Voice recordings are clean enough for reference and transcription without requiring additional equipment. Speaker output is functional rather than immersive, but entirely adequate for calls and media playback.

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