WATCH: Is the Honor X9c a truly unbreakable AI smartphone?

When it comes to smartphones, we’re spoiled for choice, especially in the midrange segment, but many are not “unbreakable”.

Whether you want one with the best features or an impressing design, there’s a smartphone that will fit your needs and, most importantly, your pocket, which has become critical in today’s tough economic climate.

Launch

At R10 999, the Honor X9c is an entry-level to mid-range device with decent specs and aesthetics that should appeal to the younger crowd. It is what the company called an “unbreakable AI smartphone.”

The Honor X9c was officially launched in Sandton on Wednesday night with a Squid Game theme, which was a welcomed change from usual smartphone launches. However, Samsung’s launch of its S25 series at the Wits Anglo American Digital Dome in Johannesburg was awesome.

The Honor X9c has little competition besides the Samsung A55 and A56. But for under R12 000, you can also get the Oppo Reno 8, Huawei Nova 11 Pro, Xiaomi 14T, and, of course, the Samsungs.

Honor, which split from Huawei a few years ago, also has Google, which has set it apart from Huawei.

In today’s saturated market, mid-range devices have become too common. So, does this one deliver enough to stand out?

‘Unbreakable’

Honor has touted the X9C as the “unbreakable AI smartphone,” and it was put through its paces at the launch during the X Games challenge.

Guests and tech journalists used the Honor X9c to break five pieces of wood, hammer a nail into a board, and hurl the device into buckets of water to test its durability.

The Honor X9c was also put into boiling water, scraped through sand and dunked into ice to show what Honor called “truly unbreakable”.

The Honor X9c’s three-layer waterproof structure, IP65M water and dust resistance, and wet hand touch control make it a true durability champion, functioning even after five minutes underwater at 25cm.

ALSO READ: Discover the unbreakable AI smartphone that can survive almost anything

‘Fake detect’

Honor CEO Fred Zhou told The Citizen that while AI is yet to be regulated, the Honor X9c has what he called “fake detect”.

“In some countries, there are a lot of fake videos, and they use AI technology to change their face and make video phone calls to you and cheat you of money. All the current phones now do not have the fake detect technology to detect that.

“But, Honor AI functions can detect these fake videos and calls and avoid the loss to [users]. So these are the AI functions and capabilities Honor has heavily invested into the X9c,” Zhou said.

Zhou said the phone’s structure and design make it “unbreakable” for everyday use and not when deliberately damaged.

“The screen is non-scratch because we have nano-technology which makes the screen much stronger. It can withstand daily life if people don’t drop it on purpose. We are confident about the phone, that’s why we call it the unbreakable AI smartphone.

“The after-sales policy, the insurance we provide consumers is also a showcase that we have the confidence in this phone to match the name unbreakable AI smartphone,” Zhou said.

Other stuff

During his speech at the launch event, Zhou also unveiled the Honor X7c smartphone and teased the imminent arrival of the Honor Magic Book X14 laptop, the brand’s first in South Africa.

The Honor X9c builds upon the success of its predecessor, the X9b, with the same processor.

Several advancements include ultra-tough drop resistance, an expansive battery, and AI-powered photography features.

ALSO READ: Samsung unveils Galaxy S25 phones with powerful AI features [VIDEOS]

AI and features

But let’s be honest: Which smartphone doesn’t have AI these days? AI is the focus of many brands, including Samsung, Apple, Oppo, Huawei, and Vivo. I found that some brands are focusing more on AI than the device’s aesthetics.

In terms of build and design, the Honor X9c review sample I tested bears a striking resemblance to its predecessor, the Honor X9b, and has a similar width and identical 8mm thickness but is slightly shorter while being slightly heavier by 4g at 189g which reminds of the line in Back to the Future.

“Why are things so heavy in the future, is there something wrong with the earth’s gravitational pull,” Doc Brown asks Marty McFly.

It features a 6.78-inch OLED display with a 1.5K resolution and 120Hz refresh rate. The sides are slightly curved.

The device has a 108MP camera which is on par with flagship devices if not better. However, I am still waiting for the verdict from my social media followers of which takes better photos, the iPhone 16 Pro, Huawei Pura 70 Pro.

The AI Motion Sensing feature captures dynamic action shots. I tested this by photographing fast movements like jumping and running, and the AI accurately detected and focused on the subject, producing blur-free images.

Magic AI

Honor has added several Magic AI features to the firmware culled from the Magic V3 foldable.

The AI Eraser tool is a highlight, but I have seen this in the Oppo Reno 12. It seamlessly removes unwanted elements from photos and worked perfectly when removing background objects and text in multiple languages, intelligently filling in gaps for a polished result. I found it very helpful when I needed a picture for a story that I had written.

Bottom line

The Honor X9C is comprehensively durable and resistant to drops, water, and scratches. Its long-lasting, 6600mAh battery with fast-charging support is welcomed.

It has a Vibrant OLED display with eye-comfort technology, and AI features for photography and multitasking, which are also available in other brands

However, the Honor X9C’s processor performance is competitive but not flagship-level, with the same processor as the X9b.

The phones are also are limited to two colour options, black and Jade Cyan,

Those who already own its predecessor may have to mull it over as the X9C uses the same Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 chipset, but this is still more than sufficient for day-to-day use.

In any case, this is the perfect phone for the butter-fingered and those who prize durability.

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