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When a Mid-Range Phone Stops Feeling Mid: A Look Back at why the Popular HONOR X9c had the market talking

Tech news 19 January 2026

South Africa’s mid-range smartphone space has become one of the most honest battlegrounds in tech, due to the rise in consumer interest and smarter shopping trends.

This is where consumers expect proper value, where devices need to handle daily movement, shifting weather, unpredictable surfaces and long days, without turning ownership into a careful, stressful experience.

The HONOR X9c arrived at that reality and found momentum by focusing on what many people quietly prioritise. It also tuned into the voices calling for durability that feels believable, battery confidence that supports a full, unpredictable day in SA - an everyday experience that is straightforward and dependable.

For HONOR, the thinking was simple. South Africa is not one environment; it’s many. The diverse terrain changes, temperature swings across the country, stressful commutes, weekend travel, demanding work dynamics and the pressure of stretching budgets were all factored in to shape how people use their phones.

The design aim with the HONOR X9c was to make it adaptable to those conditions, while keeping pace with the country’s drive for business, innovation, culture and creativity. That toughness is not a theory; it is Mzansi-tough, ready for those everyday mishaps and eishes, a slip from a pocket on the move, a knock on the commute, or a grab-and-go moment that ends in a drop. Clearly, the HONOR X9c was designed to keep you going when life is busy and your hands are full.

HONOR CEO, Fred Zhou, mentions that “We wanted durability to feel practical in everyday South African life, not like a feature you only notice when it is too late. Value is not only about price. It’s about diversity in the options on offer, and a phone staying useful through real conditions.”

Some of the main talking points that amplified the buzz around the device were:

Mzansi-level durability and everyday confidence: less worry about normal knocks and eishes
Battery dependability: support for long routines, heavy use and busy schedules
Camera reliability: capturing moments without a steep learning curve

A simpler smart experience: practical AI features that support day-to-day use, from helping you get things done faster to making content easier to polish and share, without needing a tutorial or a premium price tag.

HONOR sent the X9c to us to test with a metal ball-bearing weighing 32g, and when I dropped it from 60cm onto the screen, it didn’t leave so much as a scuff mark, which is a tangible demonstration of how this device refuses to simply blend into the crowded mid-range market. Beyond this ruggedness and the peace of mind offered by its SGS 5-star rating, users found the most daily value in the sheer stamina of the 6,600mAh battery, which easily powered the crisp 120Hz AMOLED display for two days of moderate use. This momentum suggests a distinct shift in South African consumer expectations towards practical resilience and longevity over raw specifications in the R11,000 bracket. Looking ahead to the X9d, I hope to see this impressive toughness paired with a more powerful chipset to handle gaming loads, a cleaner software experience free of bloatware, and a more responsive camera system to truly round out the package.

Ultimately, the HONOR X9c’s run is useful to reflect on because it points to something bigger
than one device.

It reflects a market where people are increasingly clear about what they will and will not accept, where durability is not a luxury feature, and where value means a phone can keep up with real life, across a range of local conditions, without demanding constant
compromise.

After the HONOR X9c raised expectations, what will the soon-to-be-launched HONOR X9d need to deliver to earn the same kind of attention?

Written by: HONOR/Shihaam (Gabriella) Steyn - Adams.

Guzzle Media