The Honor 5X and Xiaomi Mi 9 Lite both target the budget-conscious smartphone buyer. But with different release dates and hardware, which phone offers the better value? We'll dive deep into their specs, performance, and features to help you decide.
🏆 Quick Verdict
The Xiaomi Mi 9 Lite is the clear winner. Its newer chipset, brighter display, and significantly improved camera offer a superior experience compared to the aging Honor 5X, despite both offering impressive battery life.
| Network |
|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - SIM 1 & SIM 2 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 3, 7, 8, 20 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40 |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/11.5 Mbps, LTE Cat4 150/50 Mbps | HSPA, LTE |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE | GSM / HSPA / LTE |
| | 4, 5, 7, 12, 17 - Canada | - |
| Launch |
|---|
| Announced | 2015, October. Released 2015, November | 2019, September 16. Released 2019, September 16 |
| Status | Discontinued | Discontinued |
| Body |
|---|
| Build | Glass front, aluminum back, aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back (Gorilla Glass 5), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 151.3 x 76.3 x 8.2 mm (5.96 x 3.00 x 0.32 in) | 156.8 x 74.5 x 8.7 mm (6.17 x 2.93 x 0.34 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Micro-SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 158 g (5.57 oz) | 179 g (6.31 oz) |
| Display |
|---|
| Protection | - | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 |
| Resolution | 1080 x 1920 pixels, 16:9 ratio (~401 ppi density) | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~403 ppi density) |
| Size | 5.5 inches, 83.4 cm2 (~72.2% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.39 inches, 100.2 cm2 (~85.8% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | IPS LCD | Super AMOLED, HDR, 430 nits (typ) |
| Platform |
|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (4x1.2 GHz Cortex-A53 & 4x1.5 GHz Cortex-A53) | Octa-core (2x2.2 GHz Kryo 360 Gold & 6x1.7 GHz Kryo 360 Silver) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm MSM8939v2 Snapdragon 616 (28 nm) | Qualcomm SDM710 Snapdragon 710 (10 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 405 | Adreno 616 |
| OS | Android 5.1.1 (Lollipop), upgradable to 6.0.1 (Marshmallow), EMUI 4 | Android 9.0 (Pie), upgradable to Android 11, MIUI 12.5 |
| Memory |
|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC (dedicated slot) | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) |
| Internal | 16GB 2GB RAM, 16GB 3GB RAM | 64GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 6GB RAM |
| | eMMC 4.5 | UFS 2.1 |
| Main Camera |
|---|
| Features | LED flash, panorama, HDR | LED flash, HDR, panorama |
| Single | 13 MP, f/2.0, 28mm (wide), AF | - |
| Triple | - | 48 MP, f/1.8, (wide), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, PDAF
8 MP, (ultrawide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm
Auxiliary lens |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60/120fps, 720p@960fps |
| Selfie camera |
|---|
| Features | - | HDR |
| Single | 5 MP, f/2.4, 22mm (wide) | 32 MP, f/2.0, 26mm (wide), 1/2.8", 0.8µm |
| Video | - | 1080p@30fps |
| Sound |
|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| 35mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes |
| Comms |
|---|
| Bluetooth | 4.1, A2DP | 5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX HD |
| Infrared port | - | Yes |
| NFC | No | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS |
| Radio | FM radio | FM radio |
| USB | microUSB 2.0 | USB Type-C 2.0 |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct, hotspot | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features |
|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass |
| Battery |
|---|
| Charging | - | 18W wired |
| Type | Li-Ion 3000 mAh, non-removable | Li-Po 4030 mAh, non-removable |
| Misc |
|---|
| Colors | White, Black, Gold | Pearl White, Aurora Blue, Onyx Grey |
| Models | KII-L21, KII-L22, KII-L23, KIW-AL10, KIW-CL00, KIW-TL00, KIW-TL00H, KIW-UL00, KIW-L21, KIW-L22, KIW-L24, KII-L05 | M1904F3BG |
| Price | About 180 EUR | About 320 EUR |
| SAR | - | 1.19 W/kg (head) 1.15 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | - | 1.42 W/kg (head) 1.40 W/kg (body) |
| Tests |
|---|
| Audio quality | - |
Noise -90.3dB / Crosstalk -93.1dB |
| Battery life |
Endurance rating 76h
|
Endurance rating 106h
|
| Camera | - |
Photo / Video |
| Display | - |
Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker |
Voice 71dB / Noise 65dB / Ring 70dB
|
-30.2 LUFS (Below average)
|
| Performance |
Basemark OS II 2.0: 874Basemark X: 5009 |
AnTuTu: 175478 (v7), 215277 (v8)
GeekBench: 5989 (v4.4), 1518 (v5.1)
GFXBench: 12fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Honor 5X
- Excellent battery life
- Affordable price
- Durable build quality
- Outdated chipset
- Lower display quality
- Basic camera
Xiaomi Mi 9 Lite
- Modern chipset for better performance
- Brighter and more vibrant display
- Improved camera system
- Sleek design
- Battery life slightly less than Honor 5X
- Charging speed could be faster (18W is decent but not blazing)
Display Comparison
The Xiaomi Mi 9 Lite boasts a significantly brighter display (597 nits vs. Honor 5X's likely lower brightness), offering better visibility in sunlight. Its 'Infinite' contrast ratio suggests deeper blacks and richer colors, while the Honor 5X's display, though functional, lacks the same vibrancy and clarity. The Mi 9 Lite also likely has a more modern display technology (likely AMOLED vs. IPS LCD on the 5X).
Camera Comparison
The Xiaomi Mi 9 Lite's camera system is expected to be superior. While both offer Photo/Video capabilities, the Mi 9 Lite's newer sensor and image processing algorithms should deliver sharper images, better low-light performance, and more detailed videos. The 5X's camera is adequate but shows its age.
Performance
The Xiaomi Mi 9 Lite's Snapdragon 710 (10nm) is a substantial upgrade over the Honor 5X's Snapdragon 616 (28nm). The 710 offers noticeably faster processing speeds and better efficiency, resulting in smoother multitasking, quicker app loading times, and improved gaming performance. The Mi 9 Lite's CPU architecture is also more modern.
Battery Life
Both phones offer excellent battery life, with endurance ratings of 76h and 106h respectively. While the Honor 5X has a slightly higher rating, the Mi 9 Lite's more efficient chipset likely allows it to maintain that longevity while delivering better performance.
Buying Guide
The Honor 5X is a viable option for users on an extremely tight budget who prioritize long battery life above all else. The Xiaomi Mi 9 Lite is ideal for those seeking a modern smartphone with a good camera, decent performance, and a vibrant display, without breaking the bank.
Frequently Asked Questions
❓ Is the Honor 5X still worth buying?
Only if you're on an extremely tight budget and prioritize battery life above all else. Otherwise, the Xiaomi Mi 9 Lite offers a much better overall experience.
❓ Which phone has better gaming performance?
The Xiaomi Mi 9 Lite's Snapdragon 710 chipset provides significantly better gaming performance than the Honor 5X's older Snapdragon 616.
