HONOR launches the Magic 9 Pro Max with cameras to die for

It’s tricky to make your new smartphone stand out in an era that’s less and less about hardware, but HONOR sure seems to have created nice little niche for itself when it comes to advanced photographic solutions. The gimbal-equipped Robot phone might have sounded like some kind of fever dream at first, but HONOR has actually managed to follow through on its lofty goals there, delivering a smartphone camera experience that’s quite literally like none other. Now the manufacturer is trying to capture that lightning again, with the dual-200MP Magic 9 Pro Max.

HONOR’s no stranger to high-megapixel sensors, and it’s only been a few months since we met the Magic 8 Pro with its own 200MP telephoto camera. Now the Magic 9 Pro Max pushes the company’s camera hardware to new limits, adding a 200MP ultra-night main camera to the equation.

There’s also an all-new design for the camera layout, dropping the big, central circle HONOR devices have been known for in favor of a rectangular camera plateau that cannot help but invite iPhone comparisons. HONOR tries to paint this layout as evocative of an old-timey multi-lens movie camera — which, OK. The company claims this new design frees up internal space for a larger battery.

For the Magic 9 Pro Max, HONOR gives us that 200MP main camera, with an f/1.57 aperture, 1/1.28″ sensor, and OIS with 3-degree stabilization. Then we’ve also got a 200MP telephoto lens, again with “ultra-night” sensitivity, and here with an f/2.6 aperture, 1/1.4″ sensor, and OIS. To round things out, there’s a 50MP f/2.0 ultrawide.

That’s the first stage in the pipeline that HONOR believes gives the Magic 9 its magic, but just as important is the next step, the processing phase via the company’s H1 Imaging Chip. This 6nm component uses algorithms tuned with the help of the camera professionals at ARRI.

If you need any greater flexibility out of the Magic 9’s cameras, HONOR plans to sell its G200 and G500 teleconverter kits. The custom hardware is designed to enhance zoom performance while keeping you free to use the phone’s other cameras.

Even the front-facer here is trying to stand out, with a 55MP square sensor that’s big enough to easily crop for widescreen or portrait — or just keep as-is.

Custom software completes the picture

HONOR’s plans for the Magic 9’s imaging package aren’t complete without a robust software package, and that’s just what the phone intends to deliver.

ARRI Cinema Mode is designed to give creators professional-level control over the footage they capture. There’s ARRI LogC3 support, preset Looks to choose from, and LUT import for full control over color grading. If you don’t need to go quite that level of hands-on but are still interested in trying out some sleek, pro looks for your footage, Magic Color for Video lets you try out different options in a snap. 

We also see HONOR expanding its hybrid media capture options from LivePhoto, which grabs 1.5 seconds surrounding your shutter press, to now include LiveVideo, extending for 3 seconds after.

Flagship-class hardware that can’t be ignored

Even if we ignore the cameras here, the Magic 9 Pro Max is not looking like any slouch. The phone is powered by the brand-new Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6, which HONOR pairs with either 12GB or 16GB of RAM, depending on configuration. Storage options range from 256GB up through 1TB.

HONOR is also going next-gen with its battery tech, using a silicon-carbon component with a beefy 8,800mAh capacity. That supports speedy 100w wired charging, or 80w wireless — with the right adapters, of course.

The Magic 9 Pro Max features a 6.8-inch, 1320×2868 resolution, OLED display. That’s protected with an anti-scratch, nano-crystal shield that HONOR claims offers low 1.5% reflectivity. And with 10k nits peak local brightness (2,000 nits global), you shouldn’t have any trouble making it out.

The hardware’s packed in an aluminum unibody with ratings for IP68, IP69, and IP69K ingress resistance.

HONOR will ship the phone running its MagicOS 11, based on Android 17. But, at least for now, you won’t be getting your hands on this hardware. Today, HONOR is only sharing its launch plans for the Magic 9 Pro Max when it comes to China.

Don’t count on ever seeing this model make its way to US carriers, but it’s highly likely we’ll learn of some broader global plans soon — just not today. For the moment, consider this more of a tease. Or, failing that, a challenge to other manufacturers to start stepping up their own camera games.