Honor launched the 9i handset in India, the unique thing about this handset is the dual cameras on the front as well as dual cameras on the back. The price is also pretty attractive at Rs. 17,999. Here is the Honor 9i review that will help you decide.

The Honor 9i is powered by Kirin 659 octa core processor and apart from the dual cameras on back & front this handset also comes with a 5.9 inch screen with Full HD+ resolution i.e. with 18:9 aspect ratio.

The performance  is good though high end games lagged, but apart from that the camera quality is pretty impressive, both front as well as rear. This handset supports 4G with VoLTE and the battery life is decent.

Honor 9i review

Honor 9i features, specifications

Inside the box (unboxing the Honor 9i) :  Handset, user manual, SIM Tray ejector PIN, data cable (USB to Micro USB), earphone, plastic case and travel charger 5V/2A
SAR Value : highest value is 1.09
Body : It is using metal body, build and finishing very good, looks premium, comfortable to hold and use
SIM Type : Nano + Nano/  micro SD slot (hybrid)
Weight and Dimensions : 164 grams, 156.20 x 75.00 x 7.50 (mm)
Screen  :  5.9 inches, 2160 x 1080 pixels resolution, viewing angles, touch response and color reproduction are great, 2.5D curved glass, 18:9 aspect ratio
Connectivity :  4G, VoLTE, WiFi, GPS and Bluetooth
Sensors : Accelerometer, Proximity, light and magnetic, gyro sensor is missing
LED Notification : Yes
OTG : Yes supported
RAM : 4GB (about 1.82GB free on first boot)
ROM : 64GB (about 52GB free on first boot)
OS : Android Nougat 7.0 + EMUI 5.1

Honor 9i back panel

Honor 9i Performance

CPU :  HiSilicon Kirin 659 @2.3GHz, octa core 64 bit
GPU :  Mali T860
Heating : Medium
Max Battery Temperature : 38 degrees

Performance was smooth, no lags, however when it comes to heavy games / using heavy apps the handset lagged. Not for gaming users though.

Honor 9i quality

Honor 9i  Benchmark

Antutu : 61342 /9174
NenaMark3 :  59.4fps (3-2)
Multi Touch : 10 points
Disk Speed :  210 MB/s read  and 237 MB/s write

Honor 9i  Gaming Review

Played Asphalt 8 and Modern Combat 5 and both games lagged, the Asphalt 8 was playable and pretty smooth in medium quality mode whereas the Modern combat 5 game lagged.

Honor 9i  Camera  Review

Rear Camera : 16MP + 2MP, auto focus, LED flash
Front Camera : 13MP + 2MP, front flash
Video Recording : FHD resolution

Honor is well known for its camera capabilities. The dual cameras on the front as well as on the back does a really good job. Camera quality is excellent. You can get bokeh style effects from both front as well as back.

Honor 9i dual cameras on back and front

This handset can record 1920 x 1080 pixels Full HD videos, video quality is also pretty good, there is no stabilization. Check the samples below. For low lights shots use a tripod and select appropriate shooting modes. If you compare the night low light shots, shot using night mode on honor 9i, they are much better than Mi A1.

Camera Rating : 4.5 out of 5

Honor 9i camera samples

Honor 9i camera sample dual mode tree Honor 9i camera sample dual mode tree with rope Honor 9i camera sample dual mode structure Honor 9i camera sample dual mode chess Honor 9i camera sample dual mode tree Honor 9i camera sample dual mode hydrant Honor 9i camera sample dual mode hydrant Honor 9i camera sample long shot Honor 9i camera sample long shot with filter Honor 9i camera sample long shot auto mode low lightHonor 9i camera sample long shot night mode with tripod Honor 9i camera sample dual mode selfie using front camera

Download Original Image files (right click and save) (do not use it for commercial purpose, without permission of gogi.in).

Other features

Sound was loud and clear, the finger print sensor on the back is pretty fast and accurate. There is app twin option for now only two apps support facebook and whatsapp. Using the app twin option you can have 2 accounts on the respective apps.

Honor 9i side view

Honor 9i  Battery Review

Battery capacity : 3340  mAh (Non-removable)
Charging Time : Charge – 2 hours 50 minutes (6% to 100%) using the charger provided
Battery Life : 4 to 7 hours non-stop (moderate to heavy)
Daily usage battery life : One day of mixed usage and above depending on your usage

Battery Test Results

Battery Temp at idle : 31 degrees
Running Benchmark app :
 14 minutes / 3% / 35 degrees
Asphalt 8  + MC5 game play : 17 minutes / 6% / 38 degrees
FHD video playback with full brightness (WiFi /4G on) :  39 minutes / 11% / 36 degrees

Verdict

The Honor 9i comes with an impressive price tag. It can shoot professional type photos from front as well as rear cameras. Hardware is not that powerful when it comes to gaming but for normal usage this is more than enough. Battery life is decent. A very good buy if you love shooting, and selfies but not really a hardcore gaming user.

Rating : 4.4 out of 5

Honor 9i  price in India is Rs. 17,999.

By Rajeev Rana

Founder and Chief Editor - gogi.in