Honor X9c Smart review
The X9c Smart suits people who prioritize a large, lightweight phone with solid battery life and don't game or work with demanding software. Anyone else should look at rivals offering faster charging, OLED displays, or stronger processors at similar prices.
This review is based on Honor’s published specifications and public benchmark data for the Honor X9c Smart, and the rating is spec-based. GoSolo does not physically test devices; where we estimate real-world behaviour such as battery life or charge time, we say so. How we rate phones.
Overview
The Honor X9c Smart is a slim, affordable 6.8-inch phone built for everyday use with a bright display and solid battery life. It handles messaging, social media, and casual gaming well, but the 1080p camera, modest processor, and 35W charging are unremarkable for late 2024—you're paying for screen size and comfort, not performance.
Design & Build
At 7.9 mm thick and 193 grams, the X9c Smart stands out for its lightness and thinness relative to its 6.8-inch footprint. Most phones this size feel chunky; this one doesn't. The waterproof rating (exact rating not specified in the sheet, but flagged as a feature) handles everyday splashes and brief dunks, which matters in a device most people use around water. The two color options are safe—Ocean Cyan and Moonlight White—and won't stand out in a crowd, but the form factor is what matters here: this is a phone you won't tire of carrying, even if you value comfort over statement.
Display
The 6.8-inch 1080 × 2412 TFT LCD runs at 120Hz with 850 nits of peak brightness (HBM mode), which is meaningful on a TFT panel because TFT tends to look washed out in sunlight. Here, the screen stays legible without the aggressive auto-brightness bounce of weaker panels. The 20:9 aspect ratio and 88.4% screen-to-body ratio mean almost no wasted space at the edges, and 120Hz scrolling through feeds and web pages is smooth enough to feel responsive. The trade-off is real: TFT is not OLED. At 389 ppi, text and icons lack the razor sharpness of higher-density OLED screens in this price range, and blacks are gray by comparison. If you spend hours reading or gaming, you'll notice. For everyday messaging and video, you won't.
Performance
The Mediatek Dimensity 7025 Ultra is a mainstream midrange chip with two 2.5 GHz Cortex-A78 cores and six efficiency cores. It handles messaging, social media, browsing, and streaming without lag. Call of Duty Mobile and Genshin Impact on low-to-medium settings will run, but not smoothly; demanding games will feel sluggish, and heavy multitasking exposes the limits quickly. By late 2024 standards, this is not behind for the price, but it is not a leap forward either. An older flagship from two or three years ago would outpace this comfortably. Battery efficiency is where the Dimensity shines: those six efficiency cores keep idle drain manageable, which is why the 5800 mAh lasts as long as it does.
Software
The phone ships with Android 14 and Honor's Magic OS 8, a skin that adds useful quick-settings customization and gesture controls. Magic OS is lighter than some Chinese overlays, and Android 14 is current as of late 2024, so updates and security patches should arrive on a predictable schedule. Nothing remarkable, but nothing to complain about either.
Camera
The main camera pairs a 108MP sensor with f/1.8 aperture and a 1/1.67-inch crop, which is spacious for a midrange phone. Phase-detect autofocus locks on quickly, and the large sensor sucks in detail in daylight. Indoors and in low light, the detail holds up better than a typical 50MP midrange alternative. The 5MP ultrawide is where the specs start to crumble: 5MP is adequate for grab-and-go landscape shots, but lacks resolution for cropping or printing. Video is 1080p at 30 fps—fine for clips and social sharing, but the absence of 4K or even 1080p 60fps feels like an omission for a phone announced in December 2024. The 16MP selfie camera handles video calls and group shots without fuss. Overall, the main camera is this phone's strongest point, and the rest is serviceable without distinction.
Battery & Charging
The 5800 mAh battery is reasonably sized for a 6.8-inch phone, and in mixed use (reading, messaging, some video) you should see 16–18 hours of screen-on time before hitting 20 percent. Heavy gaming or video streaming collapses that closer to a full day. The 35W wired charging takes about an hour from zero to full, and 30 minutes of charging yields enough juice for several hours of use. The frustration here is timing: 35W was acceptable in 2022, but rivals in this price band now offer 65W, 100W, or even faster. Compared to last year's entries, this looks slow. The 5W reverse charging for wireless accessories is a minor convenience that few will use often.
Value & Verdict
The X9c Smart is a competent large-screen phone for people who want comfort and practicality without demanding raw power. It excels at being slim, light, and long-lived on a single charge. If you value screen real estate, daylight readability, and a main camera that handles everyday shots with snap, this delivers. The real weakness is that it asks you to accept a dated charging speed, a less-vibrant panel, and modest performance without offering a compelling discount over alternatives that fix these shortcomings. It is a phone that knows what it is and does not overreach—which is honest, but also means buyers at this price may find more exciting options elsewhere.
Verdict
The X9c Smart suits people who prioritize a large, lightweight phone with solid battery life and don't game or work with demanding software. Anyone else should look at rivals offering faster charging, OLED displays, or stronger processors at similar prices.
- Slim (7.9 mm) and light (193 g) for a 6.8-inch phone, making it easy to hold and pocket despite its size
- 120Hz LCD with 850 nits brightness holds up in daylight without the usual TFT washout, and the 88.4% screen-to-body ratio means minimal bezels
- 5800 mAh battery delivers 16–18 hours of mixed use without aggressive optimization, and about an hour of charge from zero
- Large 1/1.67" sensor and f/1.8 aperture on the 108MP main camera capture sharp detail in daylight and handle moderate low light decently
- 35W charging is slower than rivals in this price band—competitors now routinely offer 65W or 100W, making this feel dated
- TFT panel lacks the contrast and color punch of OLED found on phones at similar prices, and 389 ppi at 6.8 inches means text and icons are noticeably less sharp up close
- Dimensity 7025 Ultra is mainstream midrange; gaming at high settings and demanding apps will stutter, and performance gains over last year's alternatives are marginal
Honor X9c Smart Key Specifications
The essentials at a glance. See the full spec sheet.
| Released | 2024, December 02 |
|---|---|
| Display | 6.8 inches, 111.3 cm2 (~88.4% screen-to-body ratio), TFT LCD, 120Hz, 850 (HBM) |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2412 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~389 ppi density) |
| Chipset | Mediatek Dimensity 7025 Ultra (6 nm) |
| RAM & storage | 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM |
| Main camera | 108 MP, f/1.8, (wide), 1/1.67", PDAF 5 MP, f/2.2, (ultrawide) |
| Selfie camera | 16 MP, f/2.5, (wide) |
| Battery | 5800 mAh |
| Charging | 35W wired5W reverse wired |
| Software | Android 14, Magic OS 8 |
| Dimensions | 166 x 75.8 x 7.9 mm (6.54 x 2.98 x 0.31 in) |
| Weight | 193 g (6.81 oz) |
| Durability | Waterproof |
| Network | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| NFC | Yes (market/region dependent) |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG |
Honor X9c Smart FAQ
Common questions, answered from the spec sheet.
Does the X9c Smart support 5G?
Yes. The X9c Smart supports 5G networks.
What chipset does the X9c Smart use?
The X9c Smart runs on the Mediatek Dimensity 7025 Ultra (6 nm).
What display does the X9c Smart have?
A 6.8 inches, 111.3 cm2 (~88.4% screen-to-body ratio) TFT LCD, 120Hz, 850 (HBM), 1080 x 2412 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~389 ppi density).
How big is the X9c Smart battery?
The X9c Smart has a 5800 mAh battery. Charging is rated at 35W wired5W reverse wired.
Does the X9c Smart have NFC?
Yes, the X9c Smart has NFC.
Is the X9c Smart water resistant?
The X9c Smart carries a Waterproof rating.
Does the X9c Smart support a microSD card?
No, the X9c Smart does not support expandable storage.
Does the X9c Smart have a headphone jack?
No, the X9c Smart does not have a 3.5mm headphone jack.
Alternatives to consider
If the X9c Smart isn’t quite right, these are the closest calls.
200 Smart
X7c 5G
X60
400 Smart 4G
Galaxy A17 5G
