Honor Magic8 vs Honor Play9C
The Honor Magic8 (2025) runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, while the Honor Play9C (2024) runs on the MediaTek Dimensity 6100+. By overall MobileRank rating, the Honor Magic8 leads — 88/100 vs 35/100 (a 53-point difference). Key differences: the Honor Magic8 has the bigger battery (7000 mAh vs 5200); the main camera is 50 MP vs 13 MP; the Honor Magic8 is faster in AnTuTu (4,037,547 vs 513,809); the Honor Magic8 has NFC for contactless payments, the Honor Play9C doesn't; the Honor Play9C is noticeably lighter (190g vs 205g).
Profile comparison
Category scores
Honor Magic8
Honor Play9C
What makes Honor Magic8 better?
- Higher AnTuTu: 4037547 vs 513809
- Better Geekbench Single: 3639 vs 688
- Better Geekbench Multi: 11047 vs 1900
- Bigger battery: 7000 vs 5200 mAh
- Faster charging: 90W vs 10W
- Better main camera: 50MP vs 13MP
- Higher refresh rate: 120Hz vs 90Hz
- Higher performance (98/100 vs 41/100)
- Better camera (87/100 vs 10/100)
- Longer battery life (85/100 vs 48/100)
- Better display (85/100 vs 44/100)
What makes Honor Play9C better?
- Lighter: 190g vs 205g
- Better portability (60/100 vs 56/100)
Comparison verdict
Comparing the Honor Magic8 vs the Honor Play9C, the Honor Magic8 scores 53 points higher (88/100 vs 35/100). In the "performance" category, the Honor Magic8 leads (98/100 vs 41/100). In the "camera" category, the Honor Magic8 leads (87/100 vs 10/100). In the "battery" category, the Honor Magic8 leads (85/100 vs 48/100). In the "performance" category, the Honor Magic8 significantly outperforms the Honor Play9C (98/100 vs 41/100). In the "display" category, the Honor Magic8 significantly outperforms the Honor Play9C (85/100 vs 44/100). In the "camera" category, the Honor Magic8 significantly outperforms the Honor Play9C (87/100 vs 10/100). In the "battery" category, the Honor Magic8 significantly outperforms the Honor Play9C (85/100 vs 48/100). In the "portability" category, the Honor Play9C and the Honor Magic8 are nearly equal (60/100 vs 56/100).
Specs comparison
| Specification | Honor Magic8 | Honor Play9C | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 | MediaTek Dimensity 6100+ | |
| AnTuTu | 4037547 | 513809 | |
| Geekbench Single | 3639 | 688 | |
| Geekbench Multi | 11047 | 1900 | |
| Display | 6.6" Dynamic OLED | 6.6" TFT LCD | |
| Resolution | 2760x1256 | 720x1612 | |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz | 90 Hz | |
| Battery | 7000 mAh | 5200 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 | 5 MP | |
| RAM | 12GB | 6GB / 8GB / 12GB | |
| Storage | 256GB | 128GB / 256GB | |
| OS | Android 16 | Android 14, Magic OS 8 | |
| Brightness (peak) | 6000 nits | 780 nits | |
| NFC | yes | no | |
| Protection | IP68 | — | |
| Dimensions | 157.1×74.0×8.0 mm | 163.6×75.3×8.4 mm | |
| Weight | 205 g | 190 g | |
| Launch price | $625 | — |
Camera comparison
Honor Magic8
- Main: 50MP f/1.9
- Ultrawide: 50MP
- Telephoto: 64MP
- Front: 50MP
Honor Play9C
- Main: 13MP f/1.8
- Front: 5MP
Display comparison
Honor Magic8
- 6.6" Dynamic OLED
- Resolution: 2760x1256
- Refresh rate: 120 Hz
Honor Play9C
- 6.6" TFT LCD
- Resolution: 720x1612
- Refresh rate: 90 Hz
Battery and charging
Honor Magic8
- 7000 mAh
- Wired: 90W
- Wireless: 80W
Honor Play9C
- 5200 mAh
- Wired: 10W
- No wireless charging
Overall performance score
We compared Honor Magic8 and Honor Play9C, covering their specs and all relevant benchmarks.
Honor Magic8 leads Honor Play9C by 685.8% in our overall performance rating.
Benchmarks
Launch prices and where to check today's
Honor Play9C
Price unknownDetailed category analysis
performance
In the "performance" category, the Honor Magic8 significantly outperforms the Honor Play9C (98/100 vs 41/100).
display
In the "display" category, the Honor Magic8 significantly outperforms the Honor Play9C (85/100 vs 44/100).
camera
In the "camera" category, the Honor Magic8 significantly outperforms the Honor Play9C (87/100 vs 10/100).
battery
In the "battery" category, the Honor Magic8 significantly outperforms the Honor Play9C (85/100 vs 48/100).
portability
In the "portability" category, the Honor Play9C and the Honor Magic8 are nearly equal (60/100 vs 56/100).
Frequently asked questions
Which is better: the Honor Magic8 or the Honor Play9C?
The Honor Magic8 significantly outperforms the Honor Play9C by 53 points (88/100 vs 35/100).
What is the rating of the Honor Magic8 and the Honor Play9C?
The Honor Magic8 has a MobileRank rating of 88/100, the Honor Play9C — 35/100.
Which has the better camera: the Honor Magic8 or the Honor Play9C?
The Honor Magic8 leads on camera score (87/100 vs 10/100).
Which is more powerful: the Honor Magic8 or the Honor Play9C?
The Honor Magic8 leads on performance (98/100 vs 41/100).
Should you choose the Honor Magic8 over the Honor Play9C?
The Honor Magic8 is a better fit for gamers and power users, mobile photography enthusiasts, those who care about battery life, budget-conscious buyers.