Honor X9bvsNothing Phone (3a) Pro
SETTLEDUpdated September 8, 2026
Honor X9b wins
Verdict
Honor X9b wins 3 of 5 categories — our overall pick
Honor X9b is the overall winner, 3 / 5 — price is its standout. At USD 299, it's also the most affordable of this group.
- Nothing Phone (3a) Pro takes Performance — led by ram (12 GB).
- Honor X9b takes Display — led by pixel density (431 ppi).
- Nothing Phone (3a) Pro takes Camera — led by telephoto (Yes).
- Honor X9b takes Battery — led by battery (5,800 mAh).
- Honor X9b takes Price — led by price (299 USD).
Scores follow our published methodology · v2026.09
In plain English
Choose Honor X9b if you want…
- Choose Honor X9b if you want a sharper screen — 431 ppi vs 387 ppi.
- Choose Honor X9b if you want better video quality — 86 pts vs 74 pts.
- Choose Honor X9b if you want longer battery life — 5,800 mAh vs 5,000 mAh.
- Choose Honor X9b if you want a lower price — 299 USD vs 459 USD.
Choose Nothing Phone (3a) Pro if you want…
- Choose Nothing Phone (3a) Pro if you want a faster phone for apps and games — 680,000 pts vs 550,000 pts.
- Choose Nothing Phone (3a) Pro if you want more apps open at once — 12 GB vs 8 GB.
- Choose Nothing Phone (3a) Pro if you want sharper selfies — 50 MP vs 16 MP.
- Choose Nothing Phone (3a) Pro if you want true optical zoom — Yes vs No.
- Choose Nothing Phone (3a) Pro if you want a better camera — 116 pts vs 112 pts.
- Choose Nothing Phone (3a) Pro if you want faster charging — 50 W vs 35 W.
At a glance
- Honor X9b
- Nothing Phone (3a) Pro
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Best price now
The cheap alternative
Full record
Every spec, side by side — winners get a check and a proportional bar. Ties share the badge.
Performance score
Approximate benchmark score of the chipset — higher is faster for apps, games and AI.
Chipset
The processor inside — shown for reference, never decides a winner.
RAM
More RAM keeps more apps alive in the background.
Storage
Base onboard storage for photos, apps and media.
Screen size
Diagonal screen size — bigger is better for media, smaller is easier to hold.
Pixel density
Sharpness of the screen — above ~400 ppi looks crisp.
Refresh rate
How smooth scrolling and motion feel. 120 Hz is the modern standard.
Peak brightness
Peak brightness in sunlight — higher stays readable outdoors.
Main camera
Resolution of the primary rear camera — photo quality is judged by the Camera quality score, not megapixels.
Selfie camera
Resolution of the front camera.
Telephoto
A dedicated zoom lens for distant subjects without quality loss.
Video score
Composite video rating — stabilisation, 4K/8K support and colour.
Camera score
Composite camera quality from independent testing — how good the photos actually are.
Battery
Battery capacity — higher generally lasts longer.
Charging speed
Wired charging speed — higher refills faster.
Wireless charging
Whether the phone charges wirelessly.
Price
Typical MSRP in US dollars — lower is better value.
Which one should you buy?
Honor X9b
Choose Honor X9b if price matters most — it wins the most categories overall. It costs USD 299, the lowest price in this group.
Nothing Phone (3a) Pro
Choose Nothing Phone (3a) Pro if camera matters most. It costs USD 459.
Pros & cons
Honor X9b
- Durable build
- 5,800 mAh battery
- Curved display
- Slow chipset
- 35 W charging
- Average cameras
Nothing Phone (3a) Pro
- 3x periscope zoom
- Distinctive Glyph design
- Clean software
- Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 is mid-tier
- No wireless charging
- Average low-light video