HONOR X9d 5G launches in Australia with focus on durability

HONOR has launched the X9d 5G in Australia, expanding its mid-range X Series lineup.

The handset will sell for AUD $699 through JB Hi-Fi, Harvey Norman and The Good Guys, in stores and online. Buyers during the initial sales period will also be eligible for a bonus HONOR Watch 2 Pro, with a recommended retail price of AUD $299.

The launch adds another entrant to Australia's competitive mid-market smartphone segment, where battery life, camera quality and durability have become key selling points for buyers unwilling to pay flagship prices.

Durability focus

HONOR is placing particular emphasis on the phone's resistance to drops, water and dust. The X9d has received SGS Triple-Resistant Premium Performance Certification and SGS 5-Star Comprehensive Reliability Certification, and is designed to withstand drops from heights of up to 2.5 metres on certain surfaces.

The device also carries an IP69K water resistance rating. According to HONOR, it uses a three-layer water-resistance structure and can withstand splashes, rinsing, dirty water, short periods of high-temperature water, and high-pressure water jets under test conditions.

For use in poor weather, the model includes AI Heavy Rain Touch and AI Glove Touch, which are intended to maintain touchscreen responsiveness in wet conditions or when wearing gloves.

Battery claims

Battery capacity is another central part of the product's positioning. The X9d uses an 8300mAh silicon-carbon battery, which HONOR describes as among the largest available in the smartphone market.

HONOR says the handset can deliver up to three days of use on a single charge. Its stated figures include up to 52.5 hours of music streaming, 23.8 hours of online video playback, 16.8 hours of gaming and 12.3 hours of video chat.

The battery is also designed to operate in temperatures from -30C to 55C, supported by multi-point temperature monitoring. In low-power conditions, an ultra-power-saving mode is claimed to enable up to 60 minutes of continuous calls with 2% battery remaining.

Camera and display

For photography, the handset includes a 108MP main camera with a 1/1.67-inch sensor. HONOR says it combines optical image stabilisation and electronic image stabilisation to reduce blur and shake.

The phone also includes on-device image-editing tools, including AI Eraser, AI Cutout, and AI Outpainting. It also supports transferring HD live photos between iOS devices through HONOR Connection and creating 4K moving photo collages.

The X9d has a 6.79-inch OLED display with 1.5K resolution and support for 1.07 billion colours. HONOR says the screen reaches a peak HDR brightness of 6000 nits and includes eye-comfort features such as PWM dimming, low-blue-light settings, dynamic dimming, and a night display mode.

Hardware specs

The model runs on Qualcomm's Snapdragon 6 Gen 4 processor. HONOR says this delivers an 11% improvement in CPU performance and a 29% increase in GPU performance over the previous generation.

Memory is marketed as an effective 24GB RAM setup, combining 12GB of physical RAM with 12GB of virtual memory through the company's RAM Turbo system. The device also offers up to 256GB of internal storage.

The handset will be sold in Midnight Black, Reddish Brown and Sunrise Gold.

The launch gives HONOR another chance to build its profile in Australia's consumer electronics market, where Chinese smartphone brands continue to compete on price and specifications as they seek share from larger global rivals.

HONOR positions the X9d as a mid-range device that combines durability, long battery life and smartphone photography features.