Honor X9d after 6 months as my primary phone – is it still worth buying?

Alright, if you follow our blogs consistently, you might have already read our review of the Honor X9d. And if you're thinking, “Why another review?”—well, the answer is that the market has changed quite a bit in just six to seven months. (Yes, six-seven!)

Okay, jokes apart, smartphone prices have gone up across almost every segment, with even budget and lower-midrange phones becoming more expensive without necessarily bringing a meaningful improvement in specifications. The Honor X9d, however, still starts at around Rs. 55,000—the same price it launched at.

And since I've been using it as my primary phone since around mid-April, I've had enough time to see how well it has actually held up. From surviving more than a few accidental drops to comfortably getting me through two days of battery (and sometimes even more than three days on light usage), the X9d has certainly made some of its strengths clear over time.

So, after using it nearly half a year, the question isn't simply whether the X9d is a good phone. It is at around Rs. 55,000 today; would I still recommend buying it?

The X9d Hasn't Become Cheaper, But It Has Become More Interesting 

If someone had asked me before whether they should go with the Honor X9d, I might have hesitated or suggested other options. But today, I think it makes more sense than it did at launch.

The reason is simple: the X9d has stayed at the same price while several phones around it have become more expensive. For instance, below you can see how the prices of a few phones have changed from their launch prices to their current prices. 

With prices creeping up across lower segments too, its 8,300mAh battery, durable build, and display carry more weight at Rs. 54,999. The processor and cameras are still compromises, but for my usage, the processor hasn't been an issue.

The Honor X9d hasn't magically become a better phone. The market has changed—and that makes its existing strengths easier to appreciate.'

Honor X9d Specifications:

• Design, build: 161.9 × 76.1 × 7.76 mm, 193g, IP69K/IP68/IP66 rating, 2.5m drop resistant, shock-absorbing frame
• Display: 6.79-inch AMOLED, 2640 × 1200 FHD+, 120Hz adaptive, 6000 nits peak brightness, 3840Hz PWM dimming
• Chipset: Snapdragon 6 Gen 4 (4nm), Octa-core, VC Ice Cooling with 29,500 mm² surface
• Memory: 8/12GB RAM, 256/512GB storage
• Software & UI: MagicOS 9.0 based on Android 15
• Rear Camera: 108MP main (f/1.75) with OIS, 5MP ultrawide (f/2.2), 4K video, AI Star Editor tools
• Front Camera: 16MP (f/2.45), 1080p video, portrait mode, gesture control
• Security: Fingerprint sensor (in-display)
• Connectivity: 5G NR, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, NFC, USB Type-C 2.0
• Sensors: Gravity, Gyroscope, Compass, Acceleration, Ambient Light, Proximity
• Battery: 8300mAh silicon carbon, 66W wired charging, reverse charging support
• Price in Nepal: NPR 54,999 (8/256GB), NPR 59,999 (12/256GB)

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Things I Appreciate More After Six Months 

Durability: The Feature I Underestimated 

Honestly, durability wasn't something I cared much about before. When I saw IP67, IP68, or even IP69 on a spec sheet, it felt like just another specification—something nice to have, but not necessarily worth paying extra for. However, after using the X9d, I've changed my mind.

I'm naturally quite clumsy, and I've accidentally dropped the phone two or three times, including on a concrete floor and on the road. And here's the thing: I've been using it completely caseless this entire time. Yet, it still looks and works perfectly fine, without even a scratch. The vegan leather finish has also held up surprisingly well and still feels nice to the touch. So yeah, I now understand why durability can actually matter in everyday use.

Battery Life: Still One of Its Biggest Strengths

Another highlight of the Honor X9d is its battery life, and thankfully, that hasn't changed much after six months. Even with heavy usage, including gaming, streaming YouTube, and other tasks, I can get around a day and a half, while normal usage comfortably gets me two to three days. When I used the phone for around two to four hours, I even managed to stretch it beyond three days. 

For me, this remains one of its biggest advantages. I mean, yes, an 8,300mAh battery already sounds great on paper, but after using it, I really like how long it actually lasts in everyday use. There’s rarely any need to worry about the battery, even when I haven't charged it for a couple of days. 

Performance: Not the Fastest, But Enough for Me 

Next up, spec-wise, the Snapdragon 6 Gen 4 doesn't look particularly impressive for a phone at this price. But in my everyday use, it hasn't really given me a reason to complain. Most of my time goes into streaming videos, browsing the web, and scrolling through social media, and the X9d handles all of that without any noticeable issues.

I have also played Genshin Impact on it, and at low to medium settings, it handled the game quite well with minimal heating and few noticeable glitches for one or two hours. I could push the graphics higher too, but just after around half an hour, the phone started heating up, along with some slowdown and graphical issues.

So, while the Snapdragon 6 Gen 4 isn't the most impressive chip in this segment, it has been more than enough for my usage.

Camera: Not the Strongest, But Gets the Job Done 

Coming to the camera, I pretty much agree with what Pratima didi said in her Honor X9d initial review. Given the price, the camera setup isn't particularly impressive, and having used the Redmi Note 15 Pro+ before this, I definitely preferred its more natural-looking photos. The X9d's 108MP rear camera tends to make photos look a little more processed, with skin tones appearing smoother and brighter than they actually are, while greens can look a bit too strong. One time, when I sent a picture to my sister, she even laughed at how white I looked—which I definitely am not.

The same limitations become more noticeable when the lighting isn't great. In darker scenes, the camera struggles to capture the subject properly, and details can get lost in the shadows. It's not unusable, but low-light photography is certainly not its strength.

That said, the camera is still decent for casual shots and social media, and it shouldn't be a deal-breaker unless you're looking for more serious photography.

Things I Think Could Be Better

Bloatware: An Annoying Experience 

One thing I still don't particularly like about the X9d is how much bloatware comes preinstalled. Along with Honor's own apps such as Honor App Market and Themes, apps from Booking.com, shopping platforms, and even a few games. It also comes with folders like “Suggestions” and “Popular Apps” that take up space on the home screen.

To be fair, some of these apps can be uninstalled, and some of the folders can be hidden through the settings. But as someone who prefers a clean UI, having to go through all of that in the first place feels like unnecessary work.

Android 16: Nothing Major So Far

The X9d has recently moved from MagicOS 9.0 based on Android 15 to MagicOS 10 based on Android 16. However, since I've only been using the new version since around mid-July, I don't think it's fair to give a long-term verdict on the update just yet. However, if you want to learn more about MagicOS 10, you can check out Rohan's Honor Magic 8 Pro review. 

According to Honor, the update brings several new features and AI-focused additions, but I haven't really explored them enough to comment on them in detail. In my everyday use, the experience has largely remained the same, whether I'm browsing, scrolling through social media, streaming videos, or doing other regular tasks.

So far, Android 16 hasn't made the X9d feel like a different phone, but it's good to see Honor continuing to update the device.

What Still Holds Up After Six Months?

Display: A Pleasure to Use 

Watching videos and movies has remained one of the more enjoyable things to do on the Honor X9d. The display gets bright enough to stay easily visible outdoors, while the colors and overall viewing experience work well for content consumption. I also noticed that darker scenes are easier to make out, although I wouldn't call it exceptional—just good enough for a comfortable viewing experience.

The stereo speakers complement the display nicely too. They're loud and clear enough for watching YouTube or streaming movies without immediately reaching for headphones. Overall, the combination of the display and stereo speakers has made content consumption a genuinely enjoyable part of using the phone.

Charging: Still Convenient

The 66W charger included in the box is also good to see, especially at a time when more brands are leaving chargers out. It can also charge the 8,300mAh battery fairly quickly, taking around an hour and a half to reach a full charge, which was fast enough that I rarely felt like I was waiting around for it. And I haven't noticed any major drop in battery endurance compared to when I first started using it. 

Would I Still Recommend the Honor X9d?

After living with the X9d as my primary phone, I think I would. Not because it suddenly became a better phone in comparison to everything else in the market, but because I now have a better understanding of what its compromises mean in everyday use.

The cameras and processor are still not its strongest points, but neither has been a major problem for the way I use the phone. What has stood out more is how consistently the things I value—battery life, durability, the display, and the overall day-to-day experience have held up.

And with the Honor X9d still sitting at Rs. 54,999 while several alternatives have become more expensive, I find it easier to recommend today than I did at launch. Six months ago, I could point out plenty of alternatives before recommending it. Today, I don't think I would hesitate as much.

That said, if your priorities are similar to mine, the phone makes a lot of sense at around 55K. However, if those aren't your priorities, especially if you're willing to spend more for stronger performance or cameras, then the compromises become harder to justify. 

What Honor Needs to Improve in the X9d’s Successor

The X9d has worked well for me, but if Honor wants the next generation to be a more complete package, there are a few areas where I'd like to see meaningful upgrades.

• A More Powerful Chipset: Moving beyond the Snapdragon 6 Gen 4 to something from the Snapdragon 7 series or a comparable higher-tier MediaTek Dimensity chip would give the successor more headroom for heavier gaming and demanding tasks. The current chip has been enough for my usage, but a stronger one would make the phone feel more future-proof.
• A Proper Camera Upgrade: The camera setup is another area that deserves a bigger step forward. A telephoto lens would be nice to have, but I wouldn't want it to come at the cost of a significant price increase. Replacing the 5MP ultrawide with at least an 8MP or 12MP sensor, along with adding OIS to the main camera, would already make a noticeable difference. More natural image processing would be another welcome improvement.
• Cleaner Software Out of the Box: MagicOS could also benefit from a cleaner start. Fewer third-party apps, games, and unnecessary folders would make the next X9d feel more polished from the moment you turn it on, rather than requiring users to spend time cleaning things up themselves.
• An Ultrasonic Fingerprint Sensor: The optical fingerprint sensor does the job, but an ultrasonic one would be a nice upgrade for the next generation. It isn't something that has bothered me during everyday use, but it would add another small touch of premium feel to the phone.

Final Thought

Like I said from the start, the Honor X9d hasn't turned out to be a perfect phone, but it has proven to be one I can comfortably live with. Of course, whether it makes sense for you will still depend on your priorities and usage. But at its current price, I think having a phone that does most things well without asking you to compromise too much is more important than having the best specifications in every category.