The Honor 9X and Samsung Galaxy A71 5G UW represent compelling options in the increasingly crowded budget 5G smartphone market. The Honor 9X, while older, boasts impressive endurance, while the A71 5G UW brings a more modern chipset and faster charging to the table. This comparison dissects their key differences to determine which device delivers the best overall experience.
🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing future-proofing and faster performance, the Samsung Galaxy A71 5G UW is the better choice. Its Snapdragon 765G chipset offers a significant performance uplift over the Honor 9X’s Kirin 710F, and 25W charging is a welcome addition. However, the Honor 9X remains a viable option for those prioritizing exceptional battery life.
| Network |
|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 3, 7, 8, 20, 38, 40, 41 | 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 12, 13, 20, 28, 66 |
| 5G bands | - | 260, 261 SA/NSA/mmWave |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (2CA) Cat6 400/50 Mbps | HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| Launch |
|---|
| Announced | 2019, October 28. Released 2019, November 14 | 2020, July 07 |
| Status | Discontinued | Available. Released 2020, July 16 |
| Body |
|---|
| Build | Glass front, glass back, aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 3), plastic back, aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 163.5 x 77.3 x 8.8 mm (6.44 x 3.04 x 0.35 in) | 162.8 x 75.7 x 8.4 mm (6.41 x 2.98 x 0.33 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM (pre-installed) |
| Weight | 196.8 g (6.95 oz) | 188 g (6.63 oz) |
| Display |
|---|
| Protection | - | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~391 ppi density) | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~393 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.59 inches, 106.6 cm2 (~84.3% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.7 inches, 108.4 cm2 (~87.9% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | IPS LCD | Super AMOLED Plus |
| Platform |
|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (4x2.2 GHz Cortex-A73 & 4x1.7 GHz Cortex-A53) | Octa-core (1x2.4 GHz Kryo 475 Prime & 1x2.2 GHz Kryo 475 Gold & 6x1.8 GHz Kryo 475 Silver) |
| Chipset | Kirin 710F (12 nm) | Qualcomm SM7250 Snapdragon 765G 5G (7 nm) |
| GPU | Mali-G51 MP4 | Adreno 620 |
| OS | Android 9.0 (Pie), EMUI 9.1 | Android 10, One UI 2.1 |
| Memory |
|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) | microSDXC (dedicated slot) |
| Internal | 64GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 6GB RAM | 128GB 8GB RAM |
| | UFS 2.1 | UFS 2.1 |
| Main Camera |
|---|
| Features | LED flash, HDR, panorama | LED flash, panorama, HDR |
| Quad | - | 64 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/1.72", 0.8µm, PDAF
12 MP, f/2.2, 123˚ (ultrawide)
5 MP (macro)
Auxiliary lens |
| Triple | 48 MP, f/1.8, 27mm (wide), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, PDAF
8 MP, f/2.4, 13mm (ultrawide)
Auxiliary lens | - |
| Video | 1080p@30/60fps | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/240fps, 1080p@960fps; gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera |
|---|
| Features | - | HDR |
| Single | Motorized pop-up 16 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3.06", 1.0µm | 32 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/2.8", 0.8µm |
| Video | 1080p@60fps | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps |
| Sound |
|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| 35mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes |
| Comms |
|---|
| Bluetooth | 4.2, A2DP, LE | 5.0, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | No | No |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, BDS | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS |
| Radio | FM radio | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0 | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features |
|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass |
| | - | ANT+ |
| Battery |
|---|
| Charging | 10W wired | 25W wired |
| Type | Li-Po 4000 mAh, non-removable | Li-Po 4500 mAh |
| Misc |
|---|
| Colors | Midnight Black, Sapphire Blue | Prism Bricks Black |
| Models | STK-LX1 | SM-A716V |
| Price | About 240 EUR | - |
| SAR | - | 0.50 W/kg (head) 0.78 W/kg (body) |
| Tests |
|---|
| Audio quality |
Noise -94.3dB / Crosstalk -69.8dB | - |
| Battery life | Endurance rating 99h | - |
| Camera |
Photo / Video | - |
| Display |
Contrast ratio: 1285:1 (nominal) | - |
| Loudspeaker |
Voice 65dB / Noise 71dB / Ring 81dB | - |
| Performance |
AnTuTu: 140362 (v7), 187528 (v8)
GeekBench: 5345 (v4.4)
GFXBench: 6.5fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | - |
Honor 9X
- Exceptional battery life (99h endurance)
- Potentially lower price point (due to age)
- Decent contrast ratio (1285:1)
- Older Kirin 710F chipset
- Slow 10W charging
- Likely IPS LCD display
Samsung Galaxy A71 5G UW
- More powerful Snapdragon 765G chipset
- Faster 25W charging
- Likely Super AMOLED display
- Potentially shorter battery life
- May be more expensive
- Software update support may be limited
Display Comparison
Both devices lack detailed display specifications beyond the Honor 9X’s reported 1285:1 contrast ratio. Given the A71 5G UW’s market positioning, it likely utilizes a Super AMOLED panel, offering vibrant colors and deep blacks, a significant advantage over the Honor 9X’s likely IPS LCD. While neither is expected to feature high refresh rates, the A71 5G UW’s panel technology will likely provide a superior viewing experience, especially in direct sunlight.
Camera Comparison
Detailed camera specs are limited, but both phones offer photo and video capabilities. The A71 5G UW likely benefits from Samsung’s image processing algorithms, potentially delivering more refined images. Without knowing sensor sizes or apertures, it’s difficult to make a definitive judgment. However, Samsung generally prioritizes camera performance in its A-series devices, suggesting a potential edge over the Honor 9X. The inclusion of OIS (Optical Image Stabilization) on the A71 5G UW, if present, would further enhance image quality, particularly in low-light conditions.
Performance
The core difference lies in the chipsets. The Samsung Galaxy A71 5G UW’s Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G (7nm) is a substantial upgrade over the Honor 9X’s Kirin 710F (12nm). The 7nm process node allows for greater transistor density and improved power efficiency, translating to better performance and reduced thermal throttling. The Snapdragon 765G’s CPU configuration – a prime core, gold core, and six silver cores – is designed for optimized performance across various workloads, while the Kirin 710F’s octa-core setup, though capable, is less efficient. This difference will be most noticeable in demanding applications and multitasking.
Battery Life
The Honor 9X boasts an impressive endurance rating of 99 hours, indicating exceptional battery life. However, the Samsung Galaxy A71 5G UW compensates with 25W wired charging, a significant improvement over the Honor 9X’s slow 10W charging. While the A71 5G UW’s battery capacity isn’t specified, the faster charging speeds mean less downtime. The Honor 9X excels in longevity, but the A71 5G UW offers convenience with quicker top-ups.
Buying Guide
Buy the Honor 9X if you absolutely need maximum battery life and are comfortable with a slightly older chipset. It’s ideal for users who prioritize talk time, media consumption, and aren’t demanding gamers. Buy the Samsung Galaxy A71 5G UW if you want a more responsive experience, faster charging, and the benefits of a newer processor, making it better suited for multitasking, light gaming, and staying current with software updates.
Frequently Asked Questions
❓ Will the Snapdragon 765G in the A71 5G UW handle demanding games like PUBG or Call of Duty?
The Snapdragon 765G is capable of running PUBG and Call of Duty at medium to high settings. While it won’t deliver flagship-level performance, it provides a smoother and more consistent gaming experience than the Kirin 710F in the Honor 9X, with less noticeable frame drops and improved thermal management.
❓ How much faster is the 25W charging on the A71 5G UW compared to the 10W charging on the Honor 9X?
25W charging significantly reduces charging times. While exact 0-100% times aren't available, expect the A71 5G UW to charge fully in approximately 1.5-2 hours, compared to 3+ hours for the Honor 9X. This makes a substantial difference for users who need to quickly top up their battery.
❓ Does the Samsung Galaxy A71 5G UW support carrier aggregation for faster 5G speeds?
The Snapdragon 765G modem supports carrier aggregation, which allows the phone to combine multiple 5G channels for faster download and upload speeds. This is a key benefit for users in areas with strong 5G coverage, resulting in a more reliable and responsive 5G experience.
