If you’re planning on getting the HONOR X9d 5G, do me a favor: don’t throw it on purpose. Don’t drop it on the floor or in water, nor do anything reckless to it.

For one, it will void your standard warranty. The point is, you don’t need to subject the phone to those bizarre stress tests you see online.

Just know that if you’re unlucky enough at some point, it will likely survive accidental drops, splashes, and more mishaps.

Beyond all the marketing, the X9d simply works like a well-oiled machine — so far. That’s what HONOR’s latest entry to its popular and best-selling X series midrange line is meant to deliver.

And all things considered, it has the makings of a compelling all-around device in its segment. Let’s dissect further.

Tough, durable, more water-resistant

It’s only fair to get the toughness part out of the way first. On paper, the HONOR X9d 5G boasts drop resistance of up to 2.5 meters. Pretty darn good.

Our team even used the back panel as a makeshift chopping board, and it resisted scratches.

The biggest upgrade: quadruple IP66, IP68, IP69, and IP69K ratings for water and dust resistance.

This level of protection is now becoming standard across Android releases, and HONOR has kept up well.

It’s reassuring to know it can withstand spills, hot liquids, and even stronger splashes or full submersion. Again, hopefully only by accident.

Think of all this as insurance you’re paying for. If nothing bad happens during the X9d’s lifetime, then consider yourself fortunate.

Performance: No major hiccups

The HONOR X9d 5G runs on a Snapdragon 6 Gen 4 processor. It promises a “significant jump” in performance.

In the two weeks I’ve had the device, that claim felt true compared to my experience with the X9c last year.

The device just feels more responsive for swipes and touches. It loads apps quickly, and navigates smoothly overall.

I’ve already edited blogs and played back FHD videos on YouCut without issue. Rendering shortform videos for social media posting was equally seamless. Here are a few.

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Gaming wise, the device holds up well for Mobile Legends: Bang Bang and Call of Duty Mobile.

These titles aren’t only “playable” per se, but also enjoyable even at high graphics. A dedicated panel also provides quick gaming-related controls.

Particularly, in CODM, panning felt very natural, without tweaking settings. The touch response was balanced and not overly sensitive so you don’t overcompensate.

Admittedly, I didn’t push it with more demanding titles, but how well it handled editing, multitasking is clearly a legitimate strength.

The only slowdown came after taking photos continuously for about half an hour during its launch date.

But it tells you modern handsets allocate resources heavily toward camera processing.

Ample audiovisuals

What’s great about the HONOR X9d is it delivers clear and sharp visuals whether gaming, editing, filming, or simply consuming content.

It features a 6.79-inch FHD+ AMOLED display with up to 6,000 nits of brightness. But the real deal here is the 427 ppi pixel density, making visuals look even more vivid and crisp.

This display makes reviewing photos and videos convenient — useful for content creators or for quick double-checking before posting on social media.

Watching sports highlights or casual clips in between also feels more immersive with consistently high-quality visuals.

Battery life

The biggest jump from the X9c, unarguably, is the battery capacity. The X9d packs an 8,300mAh LiPo battery.

It lasts easily two days with casual at-home use. Outdoors, it still has juice by midnight for long days.

That’s with mobile data and location on, and even using the phone as hotspot for other devices. Other tasks include browsing, watching, using the camera occasionally, and editing short-form videos.

Gaming for an hour consumes just about 10% battery life, compared to 15% for most competitor devices.

The extra endurance pays off at the end of the day when you need entertainment or connectivity.

My only gripe is the device heats up significantly with hotspot turned on. Sometimes, it shuts itself off. That interrupts whatever you’re doing on connected devices.

Anyway, charging is surprisingly optimized. Despite the huge capacity, the 66W charging can refuel it back from 30% to full in just over an hour.

I do not wait for my phone to drain too much, but it should normally take just about 90 minutes from 1% to full.

Camera performance: Par for the course

Furthermore, the HONOR X9d 5G once again excels when with its camera performance.

The 108MP main camera delivers sharp and clear shots at up to 3X zoom with good lighting. Colors lean toward vivid and lively, so you don’t have to post-process a ton.

Some samples:

But for such, HONOR’s camera app includes a generous lineup of pre-built filters that are actually useful, similar to those on the 400 and 400 Pro.

Night Mode brightens scenes with its own preset, while portraits can be smooth from different focal lengths.

Video recording at 1080@60 is generally smooth with OIS. Results are vlog-ready, and parallax shots don’t experience much jitters either.

The selfie camera holds up pretty well too with detail, while portrait mode actually adds depth.

Though video lighting can be tricky at times. After too many shots, the shutter occasionally lags too.

But overall, there isn’t anything too bad to say. The system is arguably one of the most pleasing in its class.

Especially in this segment, camera systems can make or break the midrange device’s value proposition.

I enjoyed using the device’s camera for both stills and videos. The responsiveness is straightforwardly quick for spontaneous moments too.

More photos:

Design

I’m glad HONOR ditched the curved sides in favor of a flat display with rounded corners.

Thankfully, the UI is optimized so content isn’t cut off at the corners nor seams. The razor-thin bezels keep you focused on the panel.

The backside of the Reddish Brown variant does resemble the HUAWEI Mate XT at first glance, which is understandable. But it still stands out with its own identity and style.

HONOR’s camera system retains the signature watch face look, paired with a gold plate-like logo at the bottom third.

The HONOR X9d runs on MagicOS 9.0 out of the box, and the UI looks neat overall and easy to tinker with.

There’s AI features here and there, but from the home screen, AI Suggestions actually help you pick up from where you left off.

Optimized connectivity

In relation to its aesthetic, the choice to have a plastic frame, instead of an aluminum one, benefits connectivity.

Wi-Fi connection felt more stable. On mobile data, though still signal strength-dependent, the phone can provide reliable network speeds.

Naturally, congestion and challenging spots can choke performance. Competitors do have ways of optimizing network selection better, which could be what HONOR works on next.

Is this your GadgetMatch?

The HONOR X9d 5G earns a solid Swipe Right. It’s a durable and reliable mid-ranger offered at a fair price of PhP 18,999 (12GB+256GB).

I understand why some suggest opting for cheaper, niche-specific devices, especially for gaming.

But the X9d posits itself as a formidable all-around contender, and for the most part, it checks all the right boxes.

With proper usage, maintenance, and care, it carries the aura of the device that can confidently last four to five years.

Lately, I’ve been trying to move through life with more intention.

I dress a little more thoughtfully before heading out and pay attention to how things fit together, from clothes to accessories to how my bag is packed. It makes ordinary days feel a touch more polished, even when I am rushing between errands.

That shift has changed how I consider what I bring with me every day. My smartphone is no longer something I grab as an afterthought.

It’s something I want to feel comfortable holding; something that should look at home beside a composed outfit; and something dependable when the day inevitably moves faster than planned.

It was in that season that I met the Redmi Note 15 Pro+ 5G in Mocha Brown which felt less like a piece of technology and more like an accessory chosen on purpose.

The faux leather finish feels refined and warm, with the kind of understated elegance that makes you want to build a look around it rather than hide it behind a case.

A study in texture and taste

Mocha Brown belongs in the same universe as a well-made leather bag or a dependable pair of polished loafers. It has that beautiful tension between simplicity and richness that makes fashion personal.

The faux leather back introduces texture and warmth. The clean lines and slim profile bring a sense of restraint. And then there are the gold sides and camera island — a gentle nod to discrete luxury.

Placed on a café table, held in a mirrored elevator, or tucked into a structured bag, the Redmi Note 15 Pro+ 5G looks like it belongs.

The design’s appeal doesn’t end with looks. Beneath the refined exterior is Redmi’s Titan Durability, a reinforced build that protects against drops, pressure, and everyday wear without disturbing the silhouette.

It looks elegant and feels considered rather than delicate. And it is built to last, even when life is anything but gentle.

Built like your favorite designer bag

As a lifestyle journalist, Titan Durability sounds like a clever way of making toughness chic.

As someone who also works in marketing, I appreciate messaging that distills strength and longevity into one cohesive idea.

On paper, the Redmi Note 15 Pro+ 5G carries IP66, IP68, IP69, and IP69K ratings, making it one of the most water-resistant smartphones available today. IP6X protection keeps out fine particles.

Translated into real life, it simply means peace of mind.

Fashion rarely accounts for the least glamorous moments, yet those moments make up most of our day. I bring my smartphone into the bath, to the sink while washing dishes, and to the kitchen while prepping meals.

I even bring it through mud during obstacle courses, which is my sport. Frankly, I will not deny that I am glued to my phones.

The Redmi Note 15 Pro+ 5G kept up even when my fingers were wet and soiled. The display responded and the buttons worked.

The speakers stayed clear after dealing with dirt and sand. More importantly, the charging port remained unaffected — something I wish I could say of my iPhone.

Durability also means not flinching at drops. Titan Durability includes a high-strength motherboard, a strengthened midframe, and Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on the front.

The phone can withstand drops from up to 2.5 meters onto smooth granite and remain intact.

I saw that firsthand when we brought the Redmi Note 14 Pro+ 5G to an outdoor gym last year. It survived everything without theatrics.

A year later, and the Redmi Note 15 Pro+ 5G keeps that resilience, only this time more refined and even stronger.

With this kind of durability, you stop bracing for impact. You simply pick it up and keep going.

The luxury of not worrying about battery

With our days stitched together by notifications, playlists, messages, and endless streams of content, battery life becomes less about numbers.

The Redmi Note 15 Pro+ 5G’s 6500mAh silicon-carbon battery delivered two full days of use — impressive for someone who treats his phone as both companion and workhorse.

My morning begins with TikTok streaks and Olivia Dean on Spotify, transitions into message threads, “research” tabs, and campaign decks, and ends with Netflix and guilty-pleasure reality shows. It lasted through all of it without anxiety or the constant search for sockets.

Even a full binge-watch barely made a dent, and I finished Netflix’s Emily in Paris Season 5 without glancing at battery percentage every twenty minutes or so.

When power finally ran low, the 100W HyperCharge restored it in under an hour — 40 minutes with boost mode, to be exact.

With Xiaomi’s Surge Battery Management retaining at least 80% capacity after 1600 charge cycles, longevity extends beyond trends and seasons.

And with a battery this large, the 22.5W wired reverse charging was surprisingly useful for powering tiny accessories during long days out.

Now Playing: Emily in Paris Season 5

I have a soft spot for shows that blend glamour with a messy life, and there are few that do it as playfully as Emily in Paris.

The series feels like a whimsical mirror of my own world, not in couture or runway theatrics, but in the puzzle of pitching ideas, building campaigns, and keeping clients excited.

In my case, the settings are less Fendi and more coffee shops, restaurants, and meeting rooms, with deadlines tucked between lunch breaks and dinners that double as strategy sessions.

Season 5 charmed me with its exploration of becoming: Emily balancing ambition, romance, and her place in the world, choosing herself and her dreams with a conviction that felt quietly familiar.

Growth rarely arrives fully accessorized. It shows up in small decisions and the uncomfortable honesty of knowing what you want. It was fun to watch that unfold onscreen while trying to do the same offscreen.

The Redmi Note 15 Pro+ 5G’s All-Around Liquid Display made the experience feel indulgent. The 6.83-inch screen and 3,200 nits of peak brightness meant that Parisian drama and Roman escapades played beautifully even as I sunbathed on my balcony.

Dual stereo speakers and a 400% volume boost brought every soundtrack moment to life, though I will admit that some of Mindy Chen’s covers fall short of the earlier seasons. “Mon Soleil” is still undefeated. “Espresso” was fine, but let’s not pretend it was iconic.

If you are in your millennial era of preferring ambience over noise, the 400% boost can feel like wearing platform heels to brunch–fun in theory, aggressive in practice — though very useful when you need to drown out the world.

Tailored for the day’s demands

My unit came with 12GB of RAM and 512GB of internal storage, which meant I had more than enough room to capture photos and record videos for Instagram Reels without ever worrying about space.

Powered by Xiaomi HyperOS and the Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 mobile platform, everyday performance feels reliable and smooth.

Multitasking is easy and apps load without hesitation. Moving between work, content creation, social media, and streaming never felt taxing.

Xiaomi HyperAI adds another layer to the experience, with features like AI Writing, AI Speech Recognition, AI Interpreter, AI Search, and AI Dynamic Wallpapers.

The Dynamic Wallpapers, in particular, stood out to me. They add a sense of personality, and they make the device feel more personal when you take the time to customize it.

Well dressed, but slightly unfinished

Performance is not only about speed and capability. It’s also about how it feels to use something every day. For a phone that presents itself as a statement piece, the user experience doesn’t quite match the couture-level confidence of its exterior.

HyperOS functions well, yet it rarely feels elegant. Finding themes that feel refined requires effort, and the overall interface leans more practical than polished.

The presence of bloatware is another friction point. From the moment the phone was turned on, several pre-installed apps appeared that I didn’t need or ask for.

They weren’t disruptive enough to break the experience, though they did distract from an otherwise composed first impression.

When you decide to glow up, it should go beyond appearances. Performance is part of that transformation. The screen is what we interact with all day, not the back of the phone, and the interface plays a big role in whether a device feels joyful to use.

You enjoy something more when you genuinely like how it performs and how it presents itself.

Thankfully, the Redmi Note 15 Pro+ 5G is a very capable midrange smartphone at its core. Its performance is dependable and its power is, surely, unquestionable.

With a more refined user interface and fewer distractions, it would feel as elevated on the inside as it looks on the outside.

When life becomes a lookbook

The Redmi Note 15 Pro+ 5G comes with a 200-megapixel camera system supported by a 200-megapixel AI Engine, which is safe to say it’s well-suited for slice-of-life storytelling.

It turns ordinary days into scenes worth remembering, capturing meals, places, outfits, and fleeting romance with clarity that looks beautiful on Instagram Stories.

That is something Emily Cooper would appreciate: the art of noticing, and the belief that even mundane things deserve to be romanticized.

I brought the Redmi Note 15 Pro+ 5G with me through my usual rituals and a short island escape. It handled golden hour and mirror selfies with equal charm. Night time? Not so much unless you do it in Pro Mode.

Even so, details held up even when I cropped generously for Stories, and colors stayed true enough to feel editorial without being overstyled.

Is the Redmi Note 15 Pro+ 5G your GadgetMatch?

The Redmi Note 15 Pro+ 5G feels like it was made for everyday affairs and misadventures.

There’s a confidence that comes from its Titan Durability, capable cameras, and an enduring battery; you worry less about keeping your phone pristine and you focus more on living.

If there is anything that betrays the illusion of luxury, it’s the software experience, which felt less polished than the hardware deserved.

For a device styled as fashionably as the Mocha Brown edition, I found myself wishing the UI and UX felt equally couture.

Swipe Right if you want a midrange phone that understands lifestyle as much as performance and can keep pace with intentional living.

Swipe Left if you need specialized power–better cameras or serious gaming, par exemple — and cannot compromise on those fronts.

For the rest of us, who value a mix of design, durability, and everyday capability at an accessible price, it’s a Super Swipe.

Because with everything it got, the Redmi Note 15 Pro+ 5G earns the GadgetMatch Seal of Approval.

The Redmi Note 15 Pro+ 5G retails for PhP 27,999. For the online-exclusive 12GB/256GB variant, it retails for PhP 25,999.

It comes in Mocha Brown, Glacier Blue, and Black. Along with the rest of the Redmi Note 15 series, it’s currently available on mi.com and across e-commerce platforms such as Shopee, Lazada, and TikTok Shop.

Promotional offers

The Redmi Note 15 series comes with added peace of mind through a comprehensive ownership package.

Buyers receive a 4-year battery replacement warranty, 2-year liquid damage coverage, and 2-year front and back cover replacement, all covered under a 2-year overall warranty.

The Redmi Note 15 series is also available via 0% interest installment plans through Home Credit. Monthly payments start at PhP 1,199 for up to 18 months.

From January 16 to 29, buyers can enjoy PhP 2,000 off the Redmi Note 15 Pro and Pro+ 5G. It comes with a free Xiaomi Smart Band 10 and a Black Box Gift Set. From January 30 to February 8, the free gifts continue even as the cash discount ends.

Every purchase also includes three months of Spotify Premium and a three-month 100GB cloud storage plan.

The ability to be discreet is the best quality of a wearable. Whenever someone asks me what new-fangled tech I’m wearing, my heart flutters with that youthful wish to be one of the cool kids finally fulfilled. Subtle tech is always the best, so, of course, I had to take a look at the new Xiaomi Mijia Smart Audio Glasses.

As subtle as they come

The Mijia Smart Audio Glasses is something new from Xiaomi. It’s a pair of glasses (or shades) that neatly pack a couple of speakers and smart capabilities inside.

Now, lest we get carried away with the hope of finally getting an affordable pair of mixed-reality glasses, the Mijia glasses is meant only for audio. You won’t find a camera anywhere. That’s not a dig against them, though. For what it does, this pair knows how to wow.

And it all starts with the design. The Mijia glasses can disguise themselves as any other pair of glasses, albeit with slightly thicker temples. In my experience, the temple’s thickness is impressive for one that has tech inside. I’ve owned a pair of audio glasses before (specifically, the Bose Frames, which can barely hide the fact that they have speakers), and the Mijia Smart Audio Glasses is as subtle as they can come.

For me, it looks great. There’s also two versions with swappable lenses, so you can mix up your looks.

Comfort for hours

The pair is also very light. The variant I have, the Titanium, is the lightest one of the trio, coming in at only 34.4 grams. In hand, it’s easy to carry them around. They are light enough to be carried around easily in any everyday kit.

Perched on my head, the Mijia Smart Audio Glasses are barely a bother. They flex enough so as not to put pressure on the side of my head. Most of the weight is also concentrated on the ears, rather than the nose, so it doesn’t cause too much headache.

However, if you don’t wear glasses, you might feel the pressure after a few hours. As someone who doesn’t need a pair to see, I can withstand only one- or two-hour stints wearing anything on my head. After two hours with the Mijia, I can definitely feel pressure over my ears, but not to an uncomfortable extent.

And whenever I do feel too much pressure, the glasses can perch easily on the top of my head. The speakers can still work in this way.

Overall, the smart glasses are light enough to be worn comfortably throughout the day. If, like me, you aren’t used to wearing glasses all day, it’s easy to get used to them and, if need be, to be worn over your head.

Now this is surround sound

A pair of audio glasses can offer one of the most unique ways to listen to music. The Mijia is no different.

Most wearable audio products block your surroundings so you can focus on the music. Even when using transparency modes, it’s still clear that something external is playing the music.

With the Mijia Smart Audio Glasses, it feels like I’m right there with the music. The audio does not want to clash with your surroundings. Instead, it lays over your ears like a comfy blanket. It’s one of the most immersive auditory experiences you can try.

That said, audio quality can use a tune-up. The sound coming from the pair focuses almost exclusively on treble. The bass is practically non-existent, but that’s what you’re trading for a compact form factor.

Because of how the audio profile leans, the glasses pair well with softer music like lo-fi and smooth jazz. Bass-heavy metal and rock can work, but you’ll be missing the hearty thrums of the genre. Pop listeners, unfortunately, might run into issues. On higher volumes, belting vocals and certain instruments (a saxophone, in my case) can sound too shrill.

Alternatively, the glasses work perfectly with podcasts, audiobooks, and voice calls. If you’re a fan of listening to chatter on your commute, the Mijia Smart Audio Glasses might just be a perfect match for you.

Finally, the glasses have a feature called privacy mode. By default, this pair is very leaky. If you’re in a quiet room, someone in the same room can hear what you’re listening to. Privacy mode muffles the audio from leaking but sacrifices audio quality. It’s particularly useful for audio calls.

How smart is smart?

As in the name, the Mijia Smart Audio Glasses does have smart functionalities. It connects to a voice assistant, have gesture controls, and record conversations.

Normally, I don’t use voice assistants, so the glasses’ voice-controlled functions are a bit lost on me. However, when I did try the feature out, I found that the assistant was responsive enough for easy handsfree use. The microphones are strong enough to pick up your voice when out and about. This makes it great for voice calls, too.

Because of the microphones, the Mijia’s recording functions are actually helpful, especially in my line of work. If you don’t need to record interviews, the feature also has the ability to record phone conversations.

Outside of the audio functions, the gestures are remarkably smooth. Usually, gesture-based controls infuriate me because of how finicky they can get based on where and how hard you touch them. The Mijia glasses work so well that I love using them with gestures.

The gestures are pretty simple. Both temples can be tapped twice or swiped left and right. They can attach to audio control or another one of the smart functions. From experience, they aren’t finicky with where you touch them. You don’t need a forceful tap, either.

A sizable battery

Xiaomi notes that the Mijia glasses can last 12 to 13 hours on a single charge. This is based on continuous playback, though. As someone who doesn’t use glasses, I wanted to test the Mijia’s battery based on how I used the pair: one- or two-hour listening sessions.

The glasses lasted for around three to four days on a single charge with an average of two sessions per day. Each session knocks off around 10 to 15 percent of battery life, depending on how you use them. Overall, the estimate of 13 hours is fairly accurate, but it heavily depends on your own usage and how comfortable you are with glasses.

The glasses use a unique charging cable: a two-pronged cable that connects to both tips of the temples. It can charge to full in around an hour.

The charging time isn’t really an issue. But I’m worried about the unique cable. Unfortunately, wearables still haven’t found a universal standard. If you break one, you might be out of luck without support from the brand.

Is the Mijia Smart Audio Glasses your GadgetMatch?

For me, the Mijia Smart Audio Glasses is a Super Swipe. Compared to other audio-based devices, the Mijia Smart Audio Glasses offers the most comfort and the most immersive sound. It’s a lot better than sticking something in your ears for hours on end. The unique sound profile is also an experience.

In my opinion, there’s still some work that can be done to improve audio quality. But for what you’re getting, the Smart Audio Glasses does what it does almost perfectly. If you’re looking for an unconventional way to listen to music, this pair is a match for you, too.