The Honor Pad 9 exemplifies the significant strides made in the realm of affordable tablets. Sporting a spacious 12.1-inch display, it impresses with its comprehensive feature set, even without factoring in its affordability. From its sleek design to the smooth 120Hz display, this device exceeds expectations given its price point.
With its sleek design, commendable performance, and captivating display, the Honor Pad 9 presents an attractive option at its reasonable price. Additionally, with the resolution of past issues with Google, it emerges as a compelling and more budget-friendly alternative to the iPad, making it an easy recommendation.
Honor Pad 9 Review
Design
The device boasts an attractive and sleek design, featuring an aluminum unibody and uniform bezels surrounding the display, resulting in a clean and premium aesthetic. The centrally positioned main camera adds a futuristic touch, while the speaker grills, buttons, and ports exude solidity in both appearance and tactile feel.
Weighing in at 555 grams and measuring 12+ inches, the Honor Pad 9 is a substantial device with its aluminum chassis contributing to its weight. However, its thickness of just 6.96 mm sets it apart, being thinner than many smartphones. Sporting a 16:10 aspect ratio, it aligns with the standard for most tablets.
The positioning of both the selfie and main cameras on the longer sides implies a landscape-oriented usage. On one side, you'll find the volume rocker and lock/unlock switch, while facial recognition or a passcode replaces a fingerprint sensor. At the bottom, a USB-C port is flanked by speaker grilles.
Display Quality
At a diagonal of 12.1 inches, the resolution of 1600 x 2560 pixels results in approximately 250 pixels per inch (PPI), which, while lower compared to smartphones, still delivers a fairly crisp experience for a tablet. Honor boasts a typical brightness of 500 nits, ensuring clear visibility in various lighting conditions.
The inclusion of a 120 Hz display refresh rate enhances smoothness, complemented by advanced eye protection technology. Honor's Circadian Night Display dynamically filters blue light throughout the day, reaching its warmest setting by around 23:00.
One minor drawback, apart from the absence of OLED, is the size of the screen bezel. Though not overly large, it's noticeable enough to slightly detract from the immersive experience, particularly when watching movies.
Camera
In the realm of tablets, the camera setup typically takes a back seat and isn't a primary consideration for most buyers. It's uncommon for individuals to wield a 500 gram tablet for photography endeavors.
The Honor Pad 9 features a single 13MP rear camera, aligning with expectations for a mid-range tablet. While serviceable for basic needs, it's advisable to rely on a smartphone for more demanding tasks. Video capabilities include 4K footage at 30fps or 1080p at 60fps. On the front, an 8MP sensor with an f/2.2 aperture handles selfies.
In well-lit conditions, photos are acceptable, albeit with washed-out colors and exposure inconsistencies. However, dynamic range and detail are generally satisfactory. Unfortunately, images often suffer from blurriness, excessive noise, and underexposed subjects. The absence of a long-exposure night mode renders dusk photography impractical.
Hardware Specs and Performance
The Honor Pad 9 runs on the Snapdragon 6 Gen 1, a mid-range Qualcomm chipset released in 2022. Teaming up with 8GB of RAM, it also offers the option to expand with an additional 8GB of virtual RAM.
Despite these modest specifications, I was pleasantly surprised by the Pad 9's performance. It effortlessly handles everyday tasks like web browsing, emails, social media, and YouTube. Switching between apps or utilizing split-screen multitasking poses no challenge. Navigation feels fluid and responsive, especially with the assistance of the 120Hz screen.
During gaming sessions, the device's back may warm up noticeably, yet without impacting performance or causing discomfort. While occasional dropped frames occur, gameplay remains relatively smooth with highly responsive controls.Battery Life and Charging
The Honor Pad 9 houses a robust 8,300 mAh battery, and despite its vibrant 12.1-inch LCD screen, the tablet performs admirably in our battery assessment. Offering nearly 10 hours of browsing at 120 Hz, 8 hours of gaming, and 6 hours of YouTube streaming, it matches the endurance of other high-end tablets, ensuring prolonged usage without concerns of sudden battery depletion.
In everyday use, the Honor Pad 9 easily sustains itself for a full day of activity. However, charging speed leaves something to be desired, even with the included 35W fast charger. The sizable 8,300 mAh battery demands considerable time and energy to reach its maximum capacity.
Software
Out of the box, the Honor Pad 9 runs on Android 13 with Honor's custom MagicOS 7.2 UI layered on top. Overall, the user experience is quite satisfactory, presenting an intriguing blend reminiscent of both iPadOS and Android interfaces.
While some AI features are slated for future release, the current offerings include Magic Text, allowing users to extract text from various sources such as images and scanned documents.
Productivity is enhanced through multi-window functionality, enabling users to open up to three apps simultaneously, utilize split-view, floating windows, or access active apps via a convenient bar located at the corner of the device. Additionally, a desktop-like strip at the bottom of the interface displays recently opened apps for easy access.
Notably, the Honor Connect feature offers ecosystem-centered options, facilitating seamless integration with other Honor devices such as Magic phones or laptops. This allows for effortless device switching, synchronized notifications, and continuity of tasks across multiple devices, akin to Apple's ecosystem approach.
Speakers and Audio Quality
In terms of audio quality, there's a mix of positives and negatives to consider with the Honor Pad 9. On the bright side, the tablet boasts eight speakers that deliver impressive sound output, complemented by support for HiRes audio.
However, the absence of a 3.5 mm audio jack is a notable drawback, especially considering that space constraints can't justify this omission. Nevertheless, despite the lack of a headphone jack, the Pad 9 still offers commendable audio quality and volume through its speakers or when paired with wireless earphones.
Conclusion
The Honor Pad 9 stands out as an exceptional tablet within its price range, offering a comprehensive set of features typical of budget-friendly Android devices, alongside a generous display boasting sharp resolution.
While it lacks certain premium features found in higher-priced alternatives, such as a fingerprint reader and OLED screen technology, its performance remains adequate for everyday tasks, albeit not outstanding.
Nevertheless, considering its affordability compared to competitors, it's challenging to find fault with the Honor Pad 9. For those seeking a well-rounded Android tablet at a reasonable price, it presents excellent value for money.