Honor has officially launched its new Magic 9 flagship smartphone series in China today, September 28, 2026, with the top-tier Magic 9 Pro Max model achieving a significant benchmark score. The Honor Magic 9 Pro Max recorded 5.52 million points on the AnTuTu benchmark, a score that surpasses the OnePlus 16, according to Gizmochina.
The launch marks Honor's first flagship release, excluding its 'Robot Phone' model, since the company announced its collaboration with the camera technology firm Arri, according to The Verge. The Magic 9 Pro Max introduces a redesigned aesthetic, an advanced camera system, and a substantial battery capacity.
Advanced Camera System and Arri Collaboration
The camera system of the Honor Magic 9 Pro Max showcases the influence of its partnership with Arri. The device features an Arri-inspired camera island, which draws design cues from the "three-lens turret" concept first seen in the 1937 Arriflex 35, complete with a knurled texture surrounding the main lens, The Verge reported.
Arri's contribution extends beyond design, impacting the camera's functional capabilities. The Magic 9 Pro Max supports shooting in Arri LogC3 and includes 14 preset Arri Look LUTs. Users will also have access to Arri’s broader library of official and third-party LUTs, alongside support for the APV 10-bit 4:2:2 codec, according to The Verge.
The phone's camera hardware includes a 200-megapixel main lens, which utilizes a 1/1.28-inch-type sensor. Additionally, it features a 3.5x telephoto lens with the same 200-megapixel resolution and a 1/1.4-inch sensor. A 50-megapixel ultrawide lens is also part of the setup, though this particular lens does not support all the Arri Cinema Mode features. For enhanced video recording, the device incorporates a "cinema-grade" directional microphone. A square-format selfie camera is also included, capable of capturing images in both landscape and portrait orientations, similar to Apple's Center Stage feature, The Verge stated.
Performance and Battery Life
The Honor Magic 9 Pro Max is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 processor. When questioned by The Verge about the selection of the Extreme version, given the phone does not support 8K60 or 4K240 video recording enabled by the chip, Honor responded that the choice was "about delivering a complete and consistent flagship experience, rather than pursuing a single benchmark result."
Honor has designed the wider camera island to be more space-efficient, which has allowed for the inclusion of a large 8,800mAh battery. This battery is notable for its composition, with Honor indicating it contains up to 40 percent silicon content, according to The Verge.
Availability
The Magic 9 series has launched in China today. Honor has confirmed plans for an international launch, but the specific timing for its global release has not yet been announced, The Verge reported.





