Gadget of the Week
Gadget of the Week: With Honor, tough is as tough does
The new Honor X9C is as unbreakable as phones get, and you can try this at home, writes ARTHUR GOLDSTUCK.
What is it?
Once upon a time, the smartphone industry included a niche category called “the rugged phone”. led by brands like CAT, short for Caterpillar, a name most closely associated with bulldozers. If you ever wondered why these devices have all but vanished, you can blame a new kind of bulldozer.
It is called Honor, and it has redefined the concept of a rugged phone. While your grandad’s rugged phone looked like it could survive being run over by tractor tyres – and often looked like a tractor tyre – the Honor alternative is not out of place in any modern smartphone display.
The new X9C is the latest iteration of durable devices in the Honor stable but looks as good as any current Huawei or Samsung devices in its price range.
The XC9 takes the promise of durability to a new level. In a world where one careless drop can spell doom for a device, it is a battering ram in disguise. It challenges the notion that rugged phones must compromise on aesthetics, offering elegance and toughness in a sleek package.
The cornerstone of its resilience is Honor’s proprietary Anti-Drop Display, marketed as being able to survive drops from up to two meters. It combines ultra-tempered glass and advanced protective shields to absorb impacts. Honor has introduced a Cushioning Airbag Protective Case and a “Fully Wrapped Curved Screen Protection Layer”, which mean the phone bounces back from a fall without a crack or scratch.
Honor sent it to us to test with a metal ball-bearing – what marble-playing kids in South Africa used to call a “ghoen”, weighing 32g. My colleagues watched in horror as I dropped it from 60cm onto the screen of the X9C. It didn’t leave so much as a scuff mark.
Yes, you can try this at home. Or office.
The phone shrugged off everyday abuse, like scratches from keys and coins.
More practically, it is one of the few phones on the market for which one doesn’t have to buy an additional protective cover. This does raise the question of why a plastic back cover is included in the box, but I won’t look a gift case in the box.
Honor also trumpets the phone’s waterproofing, although an IP65M rating is not the cutting edge in this department. It means the device is resistant to splashes, spills, temporary submersion, jets of water, and running water. So it will survive getting caught in the rain, being dropped in a shallow pool and even the Honor-suggested test of 15 minutes in a washing machine – although they do suggest keeping it inside a pocket or other item of clothing.
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Photo courtesy Honor
Submerging the XC9 in water and using it with wet hands left the screen’s responsiveness sharp, proving its utility in less-than-ideal conditions.
A 6.78-inch OLED display with 1.5K resolution and peak HDR brightness of 4000 nits leaves the screen looking vibrant and the visuals sharp in both dim light and direct sunlight. A 120Hz refresh rate ensures smooth scrolling and seamless transitions, while Circadian Night Display and Dynamic Dimming make long hours of usage less taxing on the eyes.
What about the look and feel? An ultra-slim design, at just 7.98mm thick and 189g, ensures it’s comfortable to hold and carry. A titanium finish adds a touch of sophistication, available in Titanium Purple, Titanium Black, and Jade Cyan to suit a range of styles. During testing, slipping it into a pocket or bag proved that rugged doesn’t have to mean bulky. And keys and coins were not threat, of course.
Battery life is the true standout feature, thanks to the industry-first 6600mAh silicon-carbon Battery. The benchmarking site DXOmark rated this the Number 1 phone battery in the world.
Honor claims 48.4 hours of music streaming or 25.8 hours of video playback on a single charge, and we can confirm at least two fill days of constant use. When the battery drops to 2%, an AI SuperPower Saving Mode kicks in, enabling nearly an hour of essential calls. However, for some reason, the phone refuses to install updates when battery power is below 20%, even plugged in.
Talking of which, a 66W Honor SuperCharge brick refuels the phone rapidly, making that refusal even more puzzling.
For a solidly mid-range handset, the photography features are superb: a 108MP ultra-sensing camera features a 1/1.67-inch large sensor and 9-in-1 pixel binning technology, An aperture of f/1.75 aperture ensures optimal light intake, while OIS (Optical Image Stabilisation) minimises blurring. Three distinct modes, Environmental Portrait, Atmospheric Portrait, and Close-up Portrait, produce near-professional-grade shots, with excellent balance of light and shadow.
Of course, Honor trumpets the phone’s AI features, but most such capabilities tend to be benefits of using Android 14, with Google’s new AI capabilities built in. I had a distinct feeling of deja vu with the AI Eraser, designed to remove unwanted elements from an image. It was probably the first feature Samsung demonstrated when it launched Galaxy AI a year ago.
Honor’s own Android skin, MagicOS 8.0, features Magic Capsule for multitasking between apps. Meanwhile, Magic Portal to make navigation and content sharing fluid and natural, and Parallel Space to isolate work and personal data.
This lifts the phone’s software to the level of a flagship phone, and highlights its blend of the practical and the productive.
What does it cost?
The Honor X9C retails at a recommended retail price of R10,999.
Why does it matter?
The Honor X9C represents a shift in what consumers can expect from smartphones in terms of durability and functionality. It bridges the gap between ruggedness and sleek design, proving that robust technology need not compromise on aesthetics or usability. With its exceptional resilience, this device caters to a growing audience seeking reliability without sacrificing performance or style, at a highly competitive price.
What are the biggest negatives?
- Water resistance is limited by the IP67M rating, which is impressive but not fully waterproof.
- The AI features tend to be standard Google Android 14 capabilities.
What are the biggest positives?
- Long-lasting battery life and fast charging ensure uninterrupted use.
- Smart features like Parallel Space and Magic Capsule enhance productivity and multitasking.
- Exceptional durability, especially drop resistance, sets a new benchmark.
* Arthur Goldstuck is CEO of World Wide Worx and editor-in-chief of Gadget.co.za. Follow him on Bluesky on @art2gee.bsky.social.
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