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HONOR X9d 5G Review: Setting a New Standard for Tough Smartphones

HONOR Philippines welcomes the new year with a new smartphone, the HONOR X9d 5G, continuing to embody the bold promise of its predecessors: to be the toughest, longest-lasting, and most reliable smartphone for everyday Filipinos. Built not just for casual users, the X9d 5G also targets professionals, outdoor enthusiasts, and anyone who wants a phone that simply won’t quit.

The HONOR X9d 5G’s durability is anchored by its Ultra Bounce Anti-Drop Technology, allowing it to survive drops of up to 2.5 meters on hard surfaces such as marble or stone, thanks to a reinforced six-layer structure and blade-resistant tempered glass with a 31% deeper tempering depth for enhanced toughness. Complementing its drop resistance, the device boasts triple water- and dust-protection certifications—IP69K, IP68, and IP66—an uncommon combination even among premium smartphones. This allows the device to withstand high-pressure and high-temperature water jets, submersion up to 1.5 meters for 30 minutes, and exposure to dust-heavy environments. HONOR further enhances usability with AI Heavy Rain Touch and AI Glove Touch, ensuring the screen remains responsive even when wet or when the user is wearing gloves.

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Another standout feature of the HONOR X9d 5G is its massive 8300mAh silicon-carbon battery, capable of delivering up to 52.5 hours of music playback and as much as 23.8 hours of video playback, all while benefiting from HONOR’s self-developed anti-aging algorithm designed to preserve battery performance for up to six years. In addition, the X9d 5G supports rapid charging via 66W wired HONOR SuperCharge technology.

The HONOR X9d 5G features a 6.79-inch OLED display that delivers remarkable visual quality with its ultra-bright 6,000-nit peak brightness, smooth 120Hz refresh rate, support for 1.07 billion colors with 100% DCI-P3 coverage, and HONOR Eye Comfort Display technologies (including 3,840Hz PWM dimming, AI Circadian Night Display, AI Defocus Display, Dynamic Dimming Display, and hardware-level low blue light filtering) to reduce eye strain during prolonged use. Its slim 7.76mm profile and ultra-narrow 1.3mm bezels further elevate its premium and modern aesthetic. Available in Sunrise Gold, Midnight Black, and Reddish Brown (our review unit), the HONOR X9d blends durability with style, offering color options that feel both refined and expressive. Its IP69K-rated shell paired with a slim, streamlined frame provides a premium hand feel without the bulk typically associated with rugged phones, making it both tough and visually appealing.

On the imaging front, HONOR equips the X9d 5G with a capable dual-camera system featuring a 108MP Ultra-Sensing main camera with OIS and EIS stabilization alongside a 5MP ultra-wide lens, ensuring detailed and steady shots across various scenarios. Further enhancing the photography experience is HONOR’s AI suite, which includes tools such as AI Eraser, AI Remove Reflection, AI Outpainting, AI Upscale, AI Face Tune (Eyes Open), and Moving Photo Collage. These intelligent features make creative editing intuitive—even for beginners—transforming the X9d 5G into a mobile content powerhouse.

Powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 6 Gen 4 Mobile Platform, the HONOR X9d 5G delivers efficient everyday performance and smooth multitasking, ensuring reliable responsiveness across apps and tasks. Running on MagicOS 9.0 based on Android 15, the device incorporates a suite of intelligent features—including Magic Portal 2.0, Google Gemini integration, on-device AI Call Translation, Circle to Search, and productivity-focused tools such as AI Notes, AI Recorder, and AI Writing Tools—all of which contribute to a modern, AI-centric user experience designed to streamline daily activities. In AnTuTu Benchmark, the X9d 5G scored 998,928, placing it just below the HONOR 400 (1,092,209) and among the Top 100 smartphones in the December 2025 AnTuTu ranking.

In the Philippines, the HONOR X9d 5G has an official SRP of ₱18,999, which is among the lowest—if not the lowest—prices for the model in Southeast Asia. To sweeten the deal, the X9d 5G is available for ₱17,999 during the preorder period (until January 23), complete with freebies and a chance to win a Tesla Cybertruck worth ₱17 million through a raffle draw.

The HONOR X9d 5G stands out as one of the most well-rounded rugged smartphones in its price segment, seamlessly blending extreme durability, massive battery life, a sharp and bright OLED display, AI-powered creative tools, practical productivity features, and a modern, stylish design. For users who need a device that can survive accidental drops, withstand harsh weather, last for days on a single charge, and still deliver impressive photo quality, the HONOR X9d 5G proves to be an excellent and highly dependable choice.