Impressive enough? Taipei night shots with HONOR X9d 5G

The new HONOR X9d 5G (PHP 18,999 SRP) is one of the hottest new mid-range phones of 2026 in the Philippines, thanks to its very impressive durability feats, extra-long battery capacity, and improved performance coming from its predecessor.

HONOR X9d 5G for low light shots? Why not.

On paper, the camera remains unchanged in terms of sensor size and megapixel count. Yet in our early tests, the overall shooting experience feels noticeably improved.

The camera interface

It still has the dual-camera configuration featuring a 108MP f/1.75 main shooter with OIS and PDAF focus, paired with a 5MP f/2.2 ultra-wide camera.

The difference? Its upgraded Snapdragon 6 Gen 4 processor features an improved Qualcomm Spectra Triple ISP with Snapdragon Low Light Vision (LLV) technology.

To put it to the test, I brought the HONOR X9d 5G on our trip to the vibrant city of Taipei in Taiwan. Have a look at our Taipei night shots.

HONOR X9d 5G Taipei, Taiwan Night Shots

Train station near Taipei Zoo

MRT station entrance Ximending

Xinyi District Taipei

With its 108MP shooter, the HONOR X9d 5G was able to deliver respectable night shots with crisp sharpness and minimal noise. Color accuracy is also decent, reasonably balanced, and not overly saturated. Highlights aren't blown out due to its decent HDR tuning.

Dynamic range and exposure could be a bit brighter, and there is minimal lens flare in some light sources.

It will also struggle with fast-moving subjects, as shown in the train station shot above, but that could also create a visual narrative showing the speed of the train without needing video.

Low light 2x Portrait

2x Portrait at night

1x, 3x zoom in low light

For low light Portraits, it is a hit or miss. The indoor Portrait shot I took inside a dim Izakaya restaurant in Taipei has minimal noise and plenty of details, particularly in the hair. Even the colors are generally on point and vibrant enough without oversaturation. The edge detection is also an upgrade over older HONOR X9 Series phones we have tried.

In one of our outdoor Portrait snaps somewhere in Ximending, there is some overexposure and evident whitewashing. I suggest that you lower the exposure before snapping. Otherwise, it is an eye-catching, social media-ready photo.

In food shots at the Raohe night market, I was surprised that it was able to capture decent 3x zoom shots without noticeable loss of details to the naked eye.

One of my main criticisms of the HONOR X9d 5G is why it retains a 5MP ultra-wide shooter?

Thankfully, while it took images that are slightly softer in detail and weaker in dynamic range with slightly blown out highlights, its ultra-wide sensor still did a commendable job in keeping the noise levels low while providing decent color tuning in low light shots.

As you can see, Taipei 101 remains recognizable with good color pop in the overall shot—good enough for casual documentation.

My other ultra-wide low light shots remain usable as well.

Temple view at Raohe night market

A closer look at the temple

Xinyi Apple store view

Taipei 101 view from Takemura Izakaya 

In the temple scenes, despite the crown, the camera maintains sharpness in the architectural structures with vibrant color rendering of lanterns with decent light control. Noise control is also commendable for a mid-range smartphone with minimal distracting grain in shadow areas.

In the street shot showing the Taipei 101, it has decent low light clarity, even if the exposure on the human subject is a bit dim. The rain also adds a cinematic and cool reflection effect. 

Related: HONOR highlights X9d 5G's 3-day battery and power bank features

Quick thoughts

Despite a few understandable limitations for the price, the HONOR X9d 5G proved capable of capturing respectable to impressive night shots, making it a handy travel companion whether in the Philippines or abroad.

Most of the shots we captured turned out quite decent, and the HONOR X9d 5G can confidently hold its own against several smartphones under PHP 20K—especially in low-light scenarios. Call me crazy, but it could even challenge some photography-focused mid-rangers in overall performance.

What do you guys think?