Honor Magic8 vs Huawei nova 9
The Honor Magic8 (2025) runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, while the Huawei nova 9 (2021) runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G; launch prices were $625 and $499. By overall MobileRank rating, the Honor Magic8 leads — 88/100 vs 52/100 (a 36-point difference). Key differences: the Honor Magic8 has the bigger battery (7000 mAh vs 4300); the Honor Magic8 is faster in AnTuTu (4,037,547 vs 783,606); the Huawei nova 9 is noticeably lighter (175g vs 205g).
Profile comparison
Category scores
Honor Magic8
Huawei nova 9
What makes Honor Magic8 better?
- Higher AnTuTu: 4037547 vs 783606
- Better Geekbench Single: 3639 vs 1017
- Better Geekbench Multi: 11047 vs 2943
- Bigger battery: 7000 vs 4300 mAh
- Faster charging: 90W vs 66W
- Higher performance (98/100 vs 54/100)
- Better camera (87/100 vs 40/100)
- Longer battery life (85/100 vs 38/100)
- Better display (85/100 vs 79/100)
What makes Huawei nova 9 better?
- Lighter: 175g vs 205g
- Cheaper at launch: $499 vs $625
- Better portability (76/100 vs 56/100)
Comparison verdict
Comparing the Honor Magic8 vs the Huawei nova 9, the Honor Magic8 scores 36 points higher (88/100 vs 52/100). In the "performance" category, the Honor Magic8 leads (98/100 vs 54/100). In the "camera" category, the Honor Magic8 leads (87/100 vs 40/100). In the "battery" category, the Honor Magic8 leads (85/100 vs 38/100). Value score: Honor Magic8 — 90/100, Huawei nova 9 — 26/100; it shows how far a model sits above or below the usual level for its price, and is not part of the overall rating. In the "performance" category, the Honor Magic8 significantly outperforms the Huawei nova 9 (98/100 vs 54/100). In the "display" category, the Honor Magic8 is a bit better (85/100 vs 79/100). In the "camera" category, the Honor Magic8 significantly outperforms the Huawei nova 9 (87/100 vs 40/100). In the "battery" category, the Honor Magic8 significantly outperforms the Huawei nova 9 (85/100 vs 38/100). In the "portability" category, the Huawei nova 9 notably outperforms the Honor Magic8 (76/100 vs 56/100).
Specs comparison
| Specification | Honor Magic8 | Huawei nova 9 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G | |
| AnTuTu | 4037547 | 783606 | |
| Geekbench Single | 3639 | 1017 | |
| Geekbench Multi | 11047 | 2943 | |
| Display | 6.6" Dynamic OLED | 6.6" OLED | |
| Resolution | 2760x1256 | 2340x1080 | |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz | 120 Hz | |
| Battery | 7000 mAh | 4300 mAh | |
| Charging | 90W | 66W | |
| Wireless charging | 80W | 0W | |
| Main camera | 50 MP | 50 MP | |
| Ultrawide | 50 MP | 8 MP | |
| Telephoto | 64 MP | 0 MP | |
| Front camera | 50 MP | 32 MP | |
| RAM | 12GB | 8GB | |
| Storage | 256GB | 128GB / 256GB | |
| OS | Android 16 | HarmonyOS 2.0 | |
| Brightness (peak) | 6000 nits | — | |
| NFC | yes | yes | |
| Protection | IP68 | — | |
| Dimensions | 157.1×74.0×8.0 mm | 160.0×73.7×7.8 mm | |
| Weight | 205 g | 175 g | |
| Launch price | $625 | $499 |
Camera comparison
Honor Magic8
- Main: 50MP f/1.9
- Ultrawide: 50MP
- Telephoto: 64MP
- Front: 50MP
Huawei nova 9
- Main: 50MP f/1.9
- Ultrawide: 8MP
- Front: 32MP
Display comparison
Honor Magic8
- 6.6" Dynamic OLED
- Resolution: 2760x1256
- Refresh rate: 120 Hz
Huawei nova 9
- 6.6" OLED
- Resolution: 2340x1080
- Refresh rate: 120 Hz
Battery and charging
Honor Magic8
- 7000 mAh
- Wired: 90W
- Wireless: 80W
Huawei nova 9
- 4300 mAh
- Wired: 66W
- No wireless charging
Overall performance score
We compared Honor Magic8 and Huawei nova 9, covering their specs and all relevant benchmarks.
Honor Magic8 leads Huawei nova 9 by 415.3% in our overall performance rating.
Benchmarks
Launch prices and where to check today's
Launch price difference: $126. Huawei nova 9 was $126 cheaper at launch.
Detailed category analysis
performance
In the "performance" category, the Honor Magic8 significantly outperforms the Huawei nova 9 (98/100 vs 54/100).
display
In the "display" category, the Honor Magic8 is a bit better (85/100 vs 79/100).
camera
In the "camera" category, the Honor Magic8 significantly outperforms the Huawei nova 9 (87/100 vs 40/100).
battery
In the "battery" category, the Honor Magic8 significantly outperforms the Huawei nova 9 (85/100 vs 38/100).
portability
In the "portability" category, the Huawei nova 9 notably outperforms the Honor Magic8 (76/100 vs 56/100).
Frequently asked questions
Which is better: the Honor Magic8 or the Huawei nova 9?
The Honor Magic8 significantly outperforms the Huawei nova 9 by 36 points (88/100 vs 52/100).
What is the rating of the Honor Magic8 and the Huawei nova 9?
The Honor Magic8 has a MobileRank rating of 88/100, the Huawei nova 9 — 52/100.
Which has the better camera: the Honor Magic8 or the Huawei nova 9?
The Honor Magic8 leads on camera score (87/100 vs 40/100).
Which is more powerful: the Honor Magic8 or the Huawei nova 9?
The Honor Magic8 leads on performance (98/100 vs 54/100).
Should you choose the Honor Magic8 over the Huawei nova 9?
The Honor Magic8 is a better fit for gamers and power users, mobile photography enthusiasts, those who care about battery life, budget-conscious buyers.