Honor really knows its ABCs, huh? At an event hosted in Kramerville on 29 January 2025, Honor South Africa proved as much when it debuted its latest mid-range device, the Honor X9c, a successor to the Chinese company’s previous mid-range efforts – the X9a and X9b.
Honor took its mid-range game to a whole new level with the X9b, boasting a near-indestructible screen (and similar body) that served to bolster the phone’s already decent specs. The X9c has kicked it up a notch in 2025, delivering even better specs and a shell that’s supposedly just as impervious to damage as its older sibling.
Putting your money where your mouth is
“We are incredibly proud to introduce the Honor X9c Unbreakable AI Smartphone to South Africa. This is our first mid-range device that brings flagship-level AI capabilities to the local market,” said Fred Zhou, CEO of Honor South Africa.
It’s one thing for Honor to claim it’s putting buyers’ minds at ease with a “next-gen HONOR Anti-Drop Display,” supposedly providing protection drops even 2m in height, as well as a “166% boost in reliability over its predecessor” – and another to put it to the test in the ‘real world’.
Attendees of the X9c launch were treated to a series of games designed to put Honor’s money where its mouth is – involving using the device as a literal hammer, tossing it across the room, and even performing some karate chops with the thing. And would you believe it? Not a single crack or scratch appeared on the device’s front.
But an ultra-tough smartphone is nothing without the right specs, and more importantly, the right price. Fortunately, Honor seems to have its head on straight where both are concerned. Up front, the X9c holds onto the same 6.78in AMOLED 120Hz display we saw last year, with the biggest upgrade being the claimed 4,000-nit peak brightness when it comes to consuming HDR content.
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Buried under the display is the definitively budget Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 SoC, and a choice of 8/12GB RAM with 256GB of storage. It’s clear that this is where Honor cut the costs – but that doesn’t mean it’s completely helpless. Honor’s brought along some AI smarts to the party, adding features like an AI smart eraser, and some more productivity-centric features to keep the ball rolling.
Embedded in the ultra-tough body is the X9c’s 108MP main shooter, helped along by a 5MP ultrawide sensor – while a 16MP selfie camera dominates the front.
We were already more than happy with the X9b’s 5,800mAh battery, but Honor’s upped the ante once again with the inclusion of a 6,600mAh battery and 66W charging that we can’t wait to put to the test. Honor’s gone above and beyond, coating the battery in a similarly protective coating it reckons will keep the phone going through a myriad of weather conditions.
The Honor X9c is available now for R11,000 (or less if you know where to look), with a choice of Titanium Black or Jade Cyan.
