The smartphone market is really exhausting. There, we said it.

Almost every month, there’s a new “best camera,” the next “ultimate gaming beast,” or another “flagship killer” claiming the spotlight. From budget gaming phones to premium devices, the competition is relentless. But ever since HONOR found its rhythm in the Philippine market, it carved out a different lane—durability without sacrificing daily usability.

Last year’s HONOR X9c 5G proved there was demand for a phone that could survive real-life chaos. And now, we have its successor, the HONOR X9d 5G.

So the big question is, is this just a marketing gimmick in a crowded market, or is it actually the toughest phone worth Php18,999?

We spent nearly two months with it. We dropped it. We abused it. We used it as a daily driver. And here’s everything we could say about our experience.

Tough Doesn’t Have to Look Rugged

Let’s start with the part I genuinely appreciate the most. The HONOR X9d 5G does not look like a rugged phone. There are no rubber bumpers. No aggressive, industrial corners. No “construction site aesthetic.” Instead, what you get is a slim, flat-edged device that looks like a normal midrange smartphone, which looks premium as flagship ones.

Compared to last year’s HONOR X9c 5G, the design changes are subtle but meaningful. The biggest shift? The flat-edge frame. It instantly changes how the phone feels in the hand. The grip is more secure, especially during longer scrolling sessions or when your hands are slightly damp. It feels firmer and more stable, both when holding it and when placing it on a table.

The large circular camera island is still here, very X-series signature. However, the chromatic bezel from the X9c is gone. In its place is a thinner, ridged outline that looks cleaner and slightly more refined. The camera enclosure itself is no longer one solid slab. Instead, it now has a decorative centerpiece with some texts for branding.

Meanwhile, our unit came in Sunrise Gold color variant, which leans stylish and eye-catching. That said, if I were to choose with my own money, I’d probably go for the Reddish Brown as it looks more mature, almost flagship-like.

Despite being a large phone, weight distribution is well-balanced. Buttons feel solid. The in-display fingerprint scanner is positioned comfortably. And overall, it feels premium, not like something built purely to survive accidents.

This Thing Is Low-Key Indestructible

Okay. Let’s talk about what you’re actually here for.

The HONOR X9d 5G comes with IP66, IP68, IP69, and IP69K ratings. Yes, all of them. The “K” in IP69K means it can withstand high-pressure, high-temperature water up to 85°C. That’s industrial-level durability. Add to that a claimed drop resistance of up to 2.5 meters, and you start to understand the positioning.

Of course, there would be people saying that we shouldn’t just read the spec sheet. So, during launch activities, we smashed it. We threw it from nearly two floors high. We blasted it with water. We used it as a chopping board. And later, we put it against a Tesla Cybertruck. It survived.

WATCH OUR HONOR X9D 5G DURABILITY TEST HERE

The HONOR X9d 5G is the kind of phone that invites abuse and then keeps working like nothing happened.

And what’s impressive is that it doesn’t look like it should survive those things. On the surface, it looks like a normal, stylish midrange device. No visible reinforcement. No bulky armor.

Anyway, durability isn’t the only story this time, as it finally comes with a great display compared to last year’s HONOR X9c.

Display and Sound: Finally, it’s finally flat!

One of our favorite upgrades? It’s flat display.

The HONOR X9d 5G features a 6.79-inch Full HD+ AMOLED panel with a 120Hz refresh rate and up to 1800 nits brightness in High Brightness Mode. And yes, it’s finally flat.

Curved screens look premium, sure. But in daily life? They cause glare and accidental touches. The flat screen here eliminates both. On top of that, the bezels are impressively thin at around 1.3mm and uniform all around, which makes the phone look more expensive than it actually is.

Brightness is more than enough outdoors. Colors lean natural rather than overly saturated. Contrast is strong. Blacks look deep, thanks to OLED. Long reading sessions are comfortable, especially with the built-in eye comfort features.

As for durability, the screen uses Aluminosilicate glass, offering additional scratch resistance to complement its tough body.

Meanwhile, the speakers can go up to 400% volume. And unlike some phones that distort when pushed, this one holds up. Highs are clear, mids are balanced, and bass is decent for a midrange device. It won’t replace a Bluetooth speaker, but for YouTube, Netflix or TikTok, it’s perfectly enjoyable.

Quietly Reliable

Under the hood, the HONOR X9d 5G runs on the Snapdragon 6 Gen 4, paired with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage.

On paper, that’s midrange. In real life? It’s smooth. App loading times are quick. Multitasking is fluid. Social media scrolling feels effortless thanks to the 120Hz panel. Even casual gaming runs well.

Benchmark Scores:

This isn’t a gaming powerhouse, and it doesn’t pretend to be. Instead, it delivers stable, mid-optimal performance that covers productivity, streaming, light gaming, and everyday use without drama.

On the software side, it ships with MagicOS 9 based on Android 15. The interface still carries that familiar EMUI-style design, but with improved blur effects and a cleaner look.

There’s minimal bloatware. A folder of app suggestions is included, but you can uninstall it. Beyond that, it’s relatively clean.

Now, does it have “performance-centric” software? No. But it’s stable, polished, and easy to live with.

Decent Cameras, But Not Upgraded

The camera hardware is exactly the same as last year’s model. Same 108MP main sensor with OIS. Same 5MP ultra-wide. Same 16MP selfie camera. For a new generation device, that’s a little disappointing.

However — and this is important — the main camera still performs well.

In good lighting, photos are sharp and detailed. The 108MP sensor does a good job even in default mode. Colors lean slightly vivid but remain natural. Dynamic range is decent, though highlights can clip under harsh sunlight.

Low-light performance is acceptable but not its strongest area. Night mode helps, but you’ll notice more noise and softer details.

Meanwhile, the 16MP front camera is surprisingly solid. In good lighting, selfies look clean with natural skin tones. It handles bright backgrounds reasonably well. In dimmer environments, quality drops, but it’s still perfectly fine for social media and video calls.

The ultra-wide camera is just there for convenience. Good for group shots, but noticeably less detailed than the main sensor.

Sample Photos:

So yes, we wish there was an upgrade here. But the performance itself remains reliable for the price.

Long Battery Life

The Honor X9d 5G sports a massive 8300mAh battery.

In our PCMark battery test, it lasted 18 hours and 21 minutes. But our real-world usage honestly felt longer. Heavy social media. Streaming. GPS. Messaging. Photography. It just keeps going.

We even used it to charge my other phone, because yes, reverse charging is supported.

With the included 66W charger, it goes from zero to full in under 90 minutes. It doesn’t support bypass charging, which might matter to hardcore gamers. But with battery life like this? It rarely becomes an issue.

This phone can easily last a day if you’re only using it moderately, like just casual social media browsing, calls, and some music streaming.

Verdict: More Than Just a Tough Gimmick

The HONOR X9d 5G is officially priced at Php18,999, with early promos bringing it down to Php17,999.

For that price, you get:

• Snapdragon 6 Gen 4
• 12GB RAM + 256GB storage
• 8300mAh battery
• IP69K durability
• 2.5m drop resistance
• AMOLED 120Hz display

Is it perfect? No.

The cameras could’ve used an upgrade. It’s not a performance monster. And design-wise, changes from the X9c are evolutionary, not revolutionary.

However, it delivers where it promises.

The HONOR X9d 5G isn’t trying to be the best camera phone. It’s not trying to dominate gaming charts. Instead, it’s positioning itself as the phone you don’t have to baby.

And after two months of using, dropping, and stress-testing it, we can confidently say this: it’s not just tough for marketing. It’s tough in real life. And for a lot of people — especially those tired of cracked screens and battery anxiety — that might matter more than an extra megapixel.

So, what can you say? Let us know what you think in the comments section.