CHENNAI: HONOR has just unveiled its new sub Rs 25,000 (effective price after discounts) smartphone and it comes with a raft of interesting features. The HONOR X9b is the follow up to the HONOR 90 that we checked out towards the end of 2023 for this column. One of the standout features of this device is HONOR”s Ultra-bounce anti-drop display. HONOR claims this is a first of sorts offering 360° whole-device protection. That’s not the only reason this device deserves to be in your consideration set.
The device is available in a cool shade of Sunshine Orange (aside from a conventional Midnight Black colour way) and comes with a three-level protection system that ensures comprehensive drop resistance for the screen, frame, and internal components. HONOR claims that the X9b features an innovative airbag technology with shock-absorbing structure around the phone that provides impressive resistance to drops up to 1.5 metres. That’s not the only protection, the device also offers splash resistance aside from drop resistance, validated by a 15-second submersion test and IP53 water and dust resistance certification.
One of our favourite features of this device is a 6.78-inch curved AMOLED display (1200x2652 pixel resolution) with a 120Hz refresh rate, 1200 nits peak brightness, and an impressive 92.8% screen-to-body ratio. This display can hold its own at this price point and features support for 1.5K resolution (429PPI), 1.07 billion colours and 100% DCI-P3 for sharp visuals. This immersive display is backed by a 5800 mAh battery under the hood. The high-energy-density battery has been certified with the 5G Gold label by DXOMark for its high-capacity battery life.
The HONOR X9b also scores with a dependable camera. The versatile triple rear cam is headlined by a 108MP primary lens that combines with a 5MP ultrawide, and 2MP macro camera. It offers high-quality 4K photo and video recording. There’s also a 16MP selfie cam in the mix. At the heart of this device is a Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 Mobile Platform that combines with 8GB of RAM and 256 GB of internal storage. The HONOR X9b delivers solid value for its asking price.
(Rs 25,999)