Honor Magic8 vs Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer
The Honor Magic8 (2025) runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, while the Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer (2019) runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855. By overall MobileRank rating, the Honor Magic8 leads — 88/100 vs 54/100 (a 34-point difference). Key differences: the Honor Magic8 has the bigger battery (7000 mAh vs 3300); the Honor Magic8 is faster in AnTuTu (4,037,547 vs 824,513); the Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer is noticeably lighter (173g vs 205g).
Profile comparison
Category scores
Honor Magic8
Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer
What makes Honor Magic8 better?
- Higher AnTuTu: 4037547 vs 824513
- Better Geekbench Single: 3639 vs 968
- Better Geekbench Multi: 11047 vs 2731
- Bigger battery: 7000 vs 3300 mAh
- Faster charging: 90W vs 27W
- Faster wireless charging: 80W vs 20W
- Higher performance (98/100 vs 54/100)
- Longer battery life (85/100 vs 22/100)
- Better display (85/100 vs 83/100)
What makes Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer better?
- Lighter: 173g vs 205g
- Better portability (79/100 vs 56/100)
Comparison verdict
Comparing the Honor Magic8 vs the Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer, the Honor Magic8 scores 34 points higher (88/100 vs 54/100). In the "performance" category, the Honor Magic8 leads (98/100 vs 54/100). In the "battery" category, the Honor Magic8 leads (85/100 vs 22/100). In the "performance" category, the Honor Magic8 significantly outperforms the Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer (98/100 vs 54/100). In the "display" category, the Honor Magic8 and the Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer are nearly equal (85/100 vs 83/100). In the "battery" category, the Honor Magic8 significantly outperforms the Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer (85/100 vs 22/100). In the "portability" category, the Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer notably outperforms the Honor Magic8 (79/100 vs 56/100).
Specs comparison
| Specification | Honor Magic8 | Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 | |
| AnTuTu | 4037547 | 824513 | |
| Geekbench Single | 3639 | 968 | |
| Geekbench Multi | 11047 | 2731 | |
| Display | 6.6" Dynamic OLED | 6.4" Super AMOLED | |
| Resolution | 2760x1256 | 1080x2340 | |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz | — | |
| Battery | 7000 mAh | 3300 mAh | |
| Charging | 90W | 27W | |
| Wireless charging | 80W | 20W | |
| Main camera | 50 MP | — | |
| Ultrawide | 50 MP | 48 MP | |
| Telephoto | 64 MP | 0 MP | |
| Front camera | 50 MP | 20 MP | |
| RAM | 12GB | 12GB | |
| Storage | 256GB | 256GB | |
| OS | Android 16 | Android 9.0 (Pie); MIUI 10 | |
| Brightness (peak) | 6000 nits | — | |
| NFC | yes | yes | |
| Protection | IP68 | — | |
| Dimensions | 157.1×74.0×8.0 mm | 157.5×74.7×7.6 mm | |
| Weight | 205 g | 173 g | |
| Launch price | $625 | — |
Camera comparison
Honor Magic8
- Main: 50MP f/1.9
- Ultrawide: 50MP
- Telephoto: 64MP
- Front: 50MP
Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer
- Main: —
- Ultrawide: 48MP
- Front: 20MP
Display comparison
Honor Magic8
- 6.6" Dynamic OLED
- Resolution: 2760x1256
- Refresh rate: 120 Hz
Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer
- 6.4" Super AMOLED
- Resolution: 1080x2340
- Refresh rate: —
Battery and charging
Honor Magic8
- 7000 mAh
- Wired: 90W
- Wireless: 80W
Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer
- 3300 mAh
- Wired: 27W
- Wireless: 20W
Overall performance score
We compared Honor Magic8 and Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer, covering their specs and all relevant benchmarks.
Honor Magic8 leads Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer by 389.7% in our overall performance rating.
Benchmarks
Launch prices and where to check today's
Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer
Price unknownDetailed category analysis
performance
In the "performance" category, the Honor Magic8 significantly outperforms the Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer (98/100 vs 54/100).
display
In the "display" category, the Honor Magic8 and the Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer are nearly equal (85/100 vs 83/100).
battery
In the "battery" category, the Honor Magic8 significantly outperforms the Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer (85/100 vs 22/100).
portability
In the "portability" category, the Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer notably outperforms the Honor Magic8 (79/100 vs 56/100).
Frequently asked questions
Which is better: the Honor Magic8 or the Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer?
The Honor Magic8 significantly outperforms the Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer by 34 points (88/100 vs 54/100).
What is the rating of the Honor Magic8 and the Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer?
The Honor Magic8 has a MobileRank rating of 88/100, the Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer — 54/100.
Which is more powerful: the Honor Magic8 or the Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer?
The Honor Magic8 leads on performance (98/100 vs 54/100).
Should you choose the Honor Magic8 over the Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer?
The Honor Magic8 is a better fit for gamers and power users, mobile photography enthusiasts, those who care about battery life, budget-conscious buyers.