Honor Pad 9 vs. Honor Pad 8 Comparison: What’s The Difference?

Honor continues to make its presence stronger in the Android tablet market with new releases. Today, we’re pitting the Honor Pad 9 against its predecessor, the Honor Pad 8, to see how the newer model stacks up. We have already reviewed the Honor Pad 8 and we will now be comparing the two tablets based on the improvements in the specification and features on the newer version. Let’s dive into the Honor Pad 9 vs Honor Pad 8 comparison. 

Honor Pad 9 vs. Honor Pad 8 Comparison: Quick Overview 

Read More: Android Tablets With The Best Battery Life

Display and Design

The battle begins with the displays. The Honor Pad 9 boasts a stunning 12.1-inch WQXGA TFT LCD screen, showcasing a remarkable resolution of 2560 x 1600. The colors pop with 1.07 billion hues, and the soft light matte screen enhances the viewing experience. In the other corner, the Honor Pad 8 features a slightly smaller 12-inch 2K display with 2000 x 1200 pixels. While the Pad 9 takes the lead in resolution and brightness, the Pad 8 doesn’t lag far behind with its TUV Rheinland low blue light certification.

In our HonorPad 8 review, we applauded the premium feel of its metal body. The Pad 9 maintains this trend with a sleek design, albeit slightly thicker. If you appreciated the Pad 8’s build quality, the Pad 9 is likely to meet your expectations.

The Pad 9 maintains a sleek profile with dimensions of 278.27 x 180.11 x 6.96mm and a weight ranging from 555g to 559g. The Pad 8, though marginally lighter at 520g, is slightly thicker at 6.9mm. The choice comes down to personal preference—slightly slimmer or a tad lighter.

Performance and Software

Under the hood, the Pad 9 comes powered by the Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 4nm Mobile Platform, housing octa-core Kryo CPUs. The Pad 8, on the other hand, opts for the Snapdragon 680 6nm Mobile Platform. The Pad 9 takes a step further with 8GB/12GB RAM configurations, leaving the Pad 8 with 4GB/6GB options. 

In our Honor Pad 8 review noted the Pad 8’s competent performance for everyday apps but highlighted its limitations in graphics-heavy tasks. The Pad 9, with its advanced chipset, appears to be better at tackling more demanding tasks.

The Pad 9 runs on MagicOS 7.2 based on Android 13, providing the latest software experience. The Pad 8 keeps pace with Android 12 and Magic UI 6.1.

Also Read: Honor Pad 8 Review

Camera, Audio, and Battery

In the camera department, the Pad 9 introduces a 13MP rear camera with 4K video recording, outshining the Pad 8’s 5MP rear shooter. The front cameras are comparable, but the Pad 9 rolls ahead with its 8MP lens.

Building on my Pad 8 review’s praise for the Pad 8’s audio capabilities, both tablets continue to prioritize sound quality with 8 speakers. The Pad 9 introduces dual microphones, which might contribute to an even more immersive audio experience.

Talking about the battery, while the Pad 9’s 8300mAh battery dwarfs the Pad 8’s 7250mAh, both support fast charging, with the Pad 9 claiming a 35W speed compared to the Pad 8’s 22.5W. In our review, the Honor Pad 8 managed to provide a commendable runtime of 6.5 hours. In our battery test we looped HD YouTube videos at maximum brightness. With higher battery capacity, Honor Pad 9 is expected to last longer. 

Additionally, the Honor Pad 9’s charging capabilities suggest a faster turnaround, catering to users who prioritize quick charging for on-the-go usage.

Pricing

Launched back in 2022, the Honor Pad 8 carried a starting price of $299. On the other hand, the Honor Pad 9 debuted in December 2023 in China at CNY1599, which is around $224. The tablet is yet to launch in markets outside China but we think it will make an entry soon. 

Conclusion

In the end, choosing between the Honor Pad 9 and the Honor Pad 8 boils down to your specific needs. The Honor Pad 9 builds upon the foundation of the previous generation Honor Pad 8, offering a better overall package with improved specs. 

The Honor Pad 9 emerges as the clear winner with a better processor, bigger battery and faster charging support. However, if you’re after a more budget-friendly option with decent features, the Pad 8 still holds its ground to some extent. Also, the Honor Pad 9 is yet to make a debut in regions outside China so if you are in a hurry to buy an Android tablet, better to look at other tablets in the price range. We won’t recommend buying the Honor Pad 8 as it is more than an year old now and there are better tablets available from other brands. 

Or maybe… what you need is a Honor Pad X9?

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Honor Pad 8

Read now: Our Honor Pad 8 Review

The Honor Pad 8 is a great choice if you're looking for an affordable entertainment tablet with a 12-inch display and great speakers. It's not perfect, however. The resolution is quite low and the processor performance is weak. On a positive note, we get lots of storage, a large RAM, Android 12, and a premium-feeling metal body.

Positive

• Affordable large display
• Premium design
• Very good speakers
• Large internal storage
• Lots of RAM
• Android 12

Negative

• Full HD resolution only
• Weak processor
• Updates unsure

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• Honor Pad 9 vs. Honor Pad 8 Comparison: What’s The Difference?
• Honor Pad 8 Review: Should You Get A Cheap 12-Inch Tablet?