Last night saw Honor launching the X9c in South Africa at an action-packed function held in Kramerville, Johannesburg. Showcasing the strength and durability of the 5G-enabled X9c through a number of Squid Game-like events, including using the device to hammer in nails, chop through chipboard and submerging it in water, Honor did well to sell this “unbreakable” device to all in attendance. 

In regards to its durability, Honor believes the X9c is 2 m drop-resistant (even on rough surface), and will work in temperatures between -30°C to up to 55°C. Demonstrating this, Honor encased X9c models in ice as well as placing it in heated water, without it affecting the useability. 

Talking of being submerged, the phone is IP65M water and dust resistant and also protected against flowing water. It will still function after five minutes underwater at 25 cm, and can be used with wet hands, Honor states. Despite all the protective features, the X9c is no larger than any other smartphone, coming in at 189 g and measuring 7.98 mm.

But, as impressive as its durability is the X9c 5G’s price, coming in at R11k. For this you get a number of interesting features, starting with a 6600mAh Silicon-carbon battery, noted by Honor to last up to three days. 

There is also the main 108 MP camera which is optically stabilised, allowing for better low-light images. Included is a 5 MP wide-angle camera, with a 16 MP front facing one. HONOR adds AI photography features, including AI Motion Sensing and AI Eraser for photo editing. 

Users will be viewing photos or movies on the unit’s 6.78-inch AMOLED screen, with a resolution of 2700x1224 pixels. Add to this a 120Hz refresh rate, eye comfort and great 4000 Nits peak brightness, and you have yourself an impressive display.

Powering the device is Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 6 Gen 1, which is perhaps not the latest and greatest but still a good prospect at this price. 12 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage, rounds off this solid mid-range unit.

The Honor X9c is officially available at the start of February, although it was mentioned that certain shops should have stock already. It comes in two colourways, Titanium Black and our favourite, Jade Cyan. The Honor X9c 5G’s RRP starts at  R10 999 with its lesser-specced brother, the X7c at R5 999.