Honor Magic8 vs Honor Play 9A
The Honor Magic8 (2025) runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, while the Honor Play 9A (2020) runs on the MediaTek Helio P35. By overall MobileRank rating, the Honor Magic8 leads — 88/100 vs 25/100 (a 63-point difference). Key differences: the Honor Magic8 has the bigger battery (7000 mAh vs 5000); the main camera is 50 MP vs 13 MP; the Honor Magic8 is faster in AnTuTu (4,037,547 vs 199,111); the Honor Magic8 has NFC for contactless payments, the Honor Play 9A doesn't; the Honor Play 9A is noticeably lighter (185g vs 205g).
Profile comparison
Category scores
Honor Magic8
Honor Play 9A
What makes Honor Magic8 better?
- Higher AnTuTu: 4037547 vs 199111
- Better Geekbench Single: 3639 vs 476
- Better Geekbench Multi: 11047 vs 828
- Bigger battery: 7000 vs 5000 mAh
- Faster charging: 90W vs 10W
- Better main camera: 50MP vs 13MP
- Higher performance (98/100 vs 19/100)
- Better camera (87/100 vs 10/100)
- Longer battery life (85/100 vs 43/100)
- Better display (85/100 vs 40/100)
What makes Honor Play 9A better?
- Lighter: 185g vs 205g
- Better portability (57/100 vs 56/100)
Comparison verdict
Comparing the Honor Magic8 vs the Honor Play 9A, the Honor Magic8 scores 63 points higher (88/100 vs 25/100). In the "performance" category, the Honor Magic8 leads (98/100 vs 19/100). In the "camera" category, the Honor Magic8 leads (87/100 vs 10/100). In the "battery" category, the Honor Magic8 leads (85/100 vs 43/100). In the "performance" category, the Honor Magic8 significantly outperforms the Honor Play 9A (98/100 vs 19/100). In the "display" category, the Honor Magic8 significantly outperforms the Honor Play 9A (85/100 vs 40/100). In the "camera" category, the Honor Magic8 significantly outperforms the Honor Play 9A (87/100 vs 10/100). In the "battery" category, the Honor Magic8 significantly outperforms the Honor Play 9A (85/100 vs 43/100). In the "portability" category, the Honor Play 9A and the Honor Magic8 are nearly equal (57/100 vs 56/100).
Specs comparison
| Specification | Honor Magic8 | Honor Play 9A | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 | MediaTek Helio P35 | |
| AnTuTu | 4037547 | 199111 | |
| Geekbench Single | 3639 | 476 | |
| Geekbench Multi | 11047 | 828 | |
| Display | 6.6" Dynamic OLED | 6.3" IPS LCD | |
| Resolution | 2760x1256 | 720x1600 | |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz | — | |
| Battery | 7000 mAh | 5000 mAh | |
| Charging | 90W | 10W | |
| Wireless charging | 80W | 0W | |
| Main camera | 50 MP | 13 MP | |
| Ultrawide | 50 MP | 0 MP | |
| Telephoto | 64 MP | 0 MP | |
| Front camera | 50 MP | 8 MP | |
| RAM | 12GB | 4GB | |
| Storage | 256GB | 64GB / 128GB | |
| OS | Android 16 | Android 10.0 (AOSP + HMS); Magic UI 3.0 | |
| Brightness (peak) | 6000 nits | — | |
| NFC | yes | no | |
| Protection | IP68 | — | |
| Dimensions | 157.1×74.0×8.0 mm | 159.1×74.1×9.0 mm | |
| Weight | 205 g | 185 g | |
| Launch price | $625 | — |
Camera comparison
Honor Magic8
- Main: 50MP f/1.9
- Ultrawide: 50MP
- Telephoto: 64MP
- Front: 50MP
Honor Play 9A
- Main: 13MP f/1.8
- Front: 8MP
Display comparison
Honor Magic8
- 6.6" Dynamic OLED
- Resolution: 2760x1256
- Refresh rate: 120 Hz
Honor Play 9A
- 6.3" IPS LCD
- Resolution: 720x1600
- Refresh rate: —
Battery and charging
Honor Magic8
- 7000 mAh
- Wired: 90W
- Wireless: 80W
Honor Play 9A
- 5000 mAh
- Wired: 10W
- No wireless charging
Overall performance score
We compared Honor Magic8 and Honor Play 9A, covering their specs and all relevant benchmarks.
Honor Magic8 leads Honor Play 9A by 1927.8% in our overall performance rating.
Benchmarks
Launch prices and where to check today's
Honor Play 9A
Price unknownDetailed category analysis
performance
In the "performance" category, the Honor Magic8 significantly outperforms the Honor Play 9A (98/100 vs 19/100).
display
In the "display" category, the Honor Magic8 significantly outperforms the Honor Play 9A (85/100 vs 40/100).
camera
In the "camera" category, the Honor Magic8 significantly outperforms the Honor Play 9A (87/100 vs 10/100).
battery
In the "battery" category, the Honor Magic8 significantly outperforms the Honor Play 9A (85/100 vs 43/100).
portability
In the "portability" category, the Honor Play 9A and the Honor Magic8 are nearly equal (57/100 vs 56/100).
Frequently asked questions
Which is better: the Honor Magic8 or the Honor Play 9A?
The Honor Magic8 significantly outperforms the Honor Play 9A by 63 points (88/100 vs 25/100).
What is the rating of the Honor Magic8 and the Honor Play 9A?
The Honor Magic8 has a MobileRank rating of 88/100, the Honor Play 9A — 25/100.
Which has the better camera: the Honor Magic8 or the Honor Play 9A?
The Honor Magic8 leads on camera score (87/100 vs 10/100).
Which is more powerful: the Honor Magic8 or the Honor Play 9A?
The Honor Magic8 leads on performance (98/100 vs 19/100).
Should you choose the Honor Magic8 over the Honor Play 9A?
The Honor Magic8 is a better fit for gamers and power users, mobile photography enthusiasts, those who care about battery life, budget-conscious buyers.