Honor Magic 9 Pro Max vs Honor Magic 8 Pro
Verdict
Honor Magic 9 Pro Max scores higher on the OH Rank (86 vs 85), winning 1 of 10 categories including Performance. Honor Magic 9 Pro Max is 2mm wider than Honor Magic 8 Pro. Honor Magic 9 Pro Max is the more recent release, from Oct 8, 2026.
Score Breakdown
Performance /15
Battery /15
Screen /15
IP Protection /15
Main Camera /15
Selfie /5
Video /5
SD Memory /5
Software /5
Desktop Replacement /5
TOTAL
86
85
Honor Magic 9 Pro Max
77mm (3.03in) · Oct 8, 2026 · Rank #1
15+13+13+12+15+4+4+0+5+5 = 86
SUPERIOR* TOP Performance* TOP Battery Endurance* TOP Camera* TOP Selfie* TOP Software* TOP Desktop Replacement
EDITORIAL: (this is a pre-test listing based on reasonable expectation of charging, screen and imaging performance) Following last year's Xiaomi lead, Honor jumped on the iPhone-copy-naming-trend and made 9 Pro Max. It is 2mm wider then previous top model and packs upgrades: chip, 1700mAh bigger battery(!), brighter screen, new 200MP main and 55MP selfie cameras - all for less then $1000.
PROs
unique camera island design with optional external 200mm zoom lens, top SD 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 (2nm) with UFS 4.1 performance, 48hr endurance from a huge 8800mAh Si-C battery with sub-90min 100W (80W wireless) charging, >1800nits bright 460ppi 120Hz LTPO OLED screen with Dolby Vision, IP69 protection, excellent 200MP 23mm OIS main + 200MP 80mm OIS periscope telephoto + 50MP 12mm ultrawide (all with PDAF) setup, very good new 55MP selfie, very good video recording, AI and other features loaded MagicOS with 7 years of OS updates iOS integration, mature desktop replacement feature, fast USB-C 3.2 port with OTG and Display Port 1.2 tech
CONs
big and 230g heavy, at 8800mAh - battery size could be an overkill, no AF on selfie for the second year, no expandable memory slot, lacks Apple's and Samsung's global distribution
Honor Magic 8 Pro
75mm (2.95in) · Oct 23, 2025 · Rank #4
13+14+13+12+15+4+4+0+5+5 = 85
SUPERIORBEST Phone Fall Winter 2025FLY* TOP Camera* TOP Selfie* TOP Software* TOP Desktop Replacement* TOP Battery Endurance
EDITORIAL: Smaller in every way then Magic 7 Pro, this phone brings the best SnapDragon chip, a significantly bigger battery, 120W charging, brighter LTPO screen and a variable apperature main camera that Magic 7 Pro dropped. This is a phone with top performance, amazing battery endurance, excellent screen and possibly the best camera in business. Honor even included a great desktop replacement feature making Magic 8 Pro incredibly hard to beat.
PROs
75mm narrow and easier to use one-hand, flagship built, top SD 8 Elite Gen 5 with UFS 4.0 performance, >40hr endurance from a 7100mAh (7200 in China, 6270mAh in EU) Si/C battery with 40min 100W charging (80W wireless), excellent >1800nits 450ppi LTPO AMOLED screen with very high frequency dimming and Dolby Vision certification, IP69 protection. top imaging from a 50MP 23mm OIS main + 200MP 85mm OIS 3.7x periscope telephoto + 50MP 12mm ultrawide (all with PDAF), very good 50MP selfie with a TOF depth sensor, up to 7 years of OS updates, advanced AI integration and a powerful desktop replacement functionality, fast USB-C 3.2 with Display Port
CONs
no AF on selfie, excellent videos come with some inconsistentcies across lenses, no expandable memory slot
Both phones here were scored by me, using the same ten categories, with no ads, sponsorships, or manufacturer relationships — this comparison is as objective and honest as it gets.
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