Honor 9C vs Honor Magic9
The Honor 9C (2020) runs on the HiSilicon Kirin 710A, while the Honor Magic9 (2026) runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5. By overall MobileRank rating, the Honor Magic9 leads — 92/100 vs 32/100 (a 60-point difference). Key differences: the Honor Magic9 has the bigger battery (8000 mAh vs 4000); the main camera is 48 MP vs 200 MP; the Honor Magic9 is faster in AnTuTu (4,288,382 vs 343,622); the Honor Magic9 has NFC for contactless payments, the Honor 9C doesn't; the Honor 9C is noticeably lighter (176g vs 209g).
Profile comparison
Category scores
Honor 9C
Honor Magic9
What makes Honor 9C better?
- Lighter: 176g vs 209g
- Better portability (72/100 vs 48/100)
What makes Honor Magic9 better?
- Higher AnTuTu: 4288382 vs 343622
- Better Geekbench Single: 3639 vs 318
- Better Geekbench Multi: 11047 vs 1201
- Bigger battery: 8000 vs 4000 mAh
- Better main camera: 200MP vs 48MP
- Higher performance (99/100 vs 25/100)
- Better camera (100/100 vs 32/100)
- Longer battery life (86/100 vs 32/100)
- Better display (85/100 vs 39/100)
Comparison verdict
Comparing the Honor 9C vs the Honor Magic9, the Honor Magic9 scores 60 points higher (92/100 vs 32/100). In the "performance" category, the Honor Magic9 leads (99/100 vs 25/100). In the "camera" category, the Honor Magic9 leads (100/100 vs 32/100). In the "battery" category, the Honor Magic9 leads (86/100 vs 32/100). In the "performance" category, the Honor Magic9 significantly outperforms the Honor 9C (99/100 vs 25/100). In the "display" category, the Honor Magic9 significantly outperforms the Honor 9C (85/100 vs 39/100). In the "camera" category, the Honor Magic9 significantly outperforms the Honor 9C (100/100 vs 32/100). In the "battery" category, the Honor Magic9 significantly outperforms the Honor 9C (86/100 vs 32/100). In the "portability" category, the Honor 9C notably outperforms the Honor Magic9 (72/100 vs 48/100).
Specs comparison
| Specification | Honor 9C | Honor Magic9 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Processor | HiSilicon Kirin 710A | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 | |
| AnTuTu | 343622 | 4288382 | |
| Geekbench Single | 318 | 3639 | |
| Geekbench Multi | 1201 | 11047 | |
| Display | 6.4" IPS LCD | 6.4" OLED | |
| Resolution | 720x1560 | 1236x2664 | |
| Refresh rate | — | 120 Hz | |
| Battery | 4000 mAh | 8000 mAh | |
| Charging | — | 80W | |
| Wireless charging | — | 50W | |
| Main camera | 48 MP | 200 MP | |
| Ultrawide | 8 MP | 50 MP | |
| Telephoto | 0 MP | 200 MP | |
| Front camera | 8 MP | 55 MP | |
| RAM | 4GB | 12GB / 16GB | |
| Storage | 64GB | 256GB / 512GB / 1TB | |
| OS | Android 10; EMUI 10.1, no Google Play Services | Android 17 | |
| Brightness (peak) | — | 10000 nits | |
| NFC | no | yes | |
| Protection | — | IP68/IP69K | |
| Dimensions | 159.8×76.1×8.1 mm | 151.0×72.3×8.5 mm | |
| Weight | 176 g | 209 g | |
| Launch price | — | — |
Camera comparison
Honor 9C
- Main: 48MP f/1.8
- Ultrawide: 8MP
- Front: 8MP
Honor Magic9
- Main: 200MP f/1.9
- Ultrawide: 50MP
- Telephoto: 200MP
- Front: 55MP
Display comparison
Honor 9C
- 6.4" IPS LCD
- Resolution: 720x1560
- Refresh rate: —
Honor Magic9
- 6.4" OLED
- Resolution: 1236x2664
- Refresh rate: 120 Hz
Battery and charging
Honor 9C
- 4000 mAh
- Wireless charging: no data
Honor Magic9
- 8000 mAh
- Wired: 80W
- Wireless: 50W
Overall performance score
We compared Honor 9C and Honor Magic9, covering their specs and all relevant benchmarks.
Honor Magic9 leads Honor 9C by 92.0% in our overall performance rating.
Benchmarks
Detailed category analysis
performance
In the "performance" category, the Honor Magic9 significantly outperforms the Honor 9C (99/100 vs 25/100).
display
In the "display" category, the Honor Magic9 significantly outperforms the Honor 9C (85/100 vs 39/100).
camera
In the "camera" category, the Honor Magic9 significantly outperforms the Honor 9C (100/100 vs 32/100).
battery
In the "battery" category, the Honor Magic9 significantly outperforms the Honor 9C (86/100 vs 32/100).
portability
In the "portability" category, the Honor 9C notably outperforms the Honor Magic9 (72/100 vs 48/100).
Frequently asked questions
Which is better: the Honor 9C or the Honor Magic9?
The Honor Magic9 significantly outperforms the Honor 9C by 60 points (92/100 vs 32/100).
What is the rating of the Honor 9C and the Honor Magic9?
The Honor 9C has a MobileRank rating of 32/100, the Honor Magic9 — 92/100.
Which has the better camera: the Honor 9C or the Honor Magic9?
The Honor Magic9 leads on camera score (100/100 vs 32/100).
Which is more powerful: the Honor 9C or the Honor Magic9?
The Honor Magic9 leads on performance (99/100 vs 25/100).
Should you choose the Honor 9C over the Honor Magic9?
The Honor Magic9 is a better fit for gamers and power users, mobile photography enthusiasts, those who care about battery life.