Honor Pad X9b Max Review: A Big, Bright Screen that’s Missing Performance

The Honor Pad X9b Max looks like a pretty good deal on paper. For AED 999, you are getting a massive 13” 2.5K display with a claimed 120Hz refresh rate, a 10,100mAh battery, quad speakers, IMAX Enhanced certification and a sturdy chassis that feels built to take some abuse. There is also a Paperlike Edition available for AED 1,299, although our review unit is the standard 4GB/128GB version.

There is a lot here that I actually like. The display is good, battery life is strong and the build quality is better than the price suggests. But all of that is held back by one major problem: performance.

The Snapdragon 6s 4G Gen 2 powering the tablet is simply not fast enough to make the experience feel consistently responsive. The Pad X9b Max stutters through normal OS animations and apps, struggles with high-res video playback, and rarely feels like a device with a high refresh rate display. For a budget tablet, compromises are expected. But AED 999 is still AED 999, and basic performance should not be one of them.

Design, Display and Speakers

The Pad X9b Max is a big tablet. It measures just 6.72mm thick, but weighs a hefty 618g, so you immediately feel its weight when you pick it up. Holding it while watching a movie is manageable, but doing so for an extended period eventually gets tiring.

On the bright side, the heft gives the tablet a sturdy feel. It does not feel fragile or cheaply put together, which could be useful if you are buying one for a student who is likely to throw it into a backpack every morning. The bezels are also noticeably thick compared to more expensive tablets, but I don’t really mind them here. They give you enough space to properly grip the device without constantly touching the screen.

A folio case or stand would make the Pad X9b Max considerably easier to use on a desk, especially if you plan to pair it with a keyboard and mouse. Unfortunately, one is not included in the box. 

The highlight is the 13” LCD display, which runs at 2500×1560 resolution. For an affordable tablet, it’s a perfectly good panel. Text looks sharp, colours are vibrant and punchy, and brightness is more than sufficient for indoor use. 

Honor also advertises a maximum 120Hz refresh rate, with 120Hz, 90Hz and 60Hz modes. This continues to be a slightly strange area with Honor tablets. With the display manually set to High, UFOTest in Chrome stayed at 60Hz when idle and increased only to around 90Hz while scrolling rapidly. Honor does state that refresh rate can vary depending on the app, but I saw similar behaviour with the MagicPad 2 and MagicPad 4, both of which also tended to operate one step below their advertised maximum refresh rates. 

The bigger issue is that the tablet rarely feels like it is running at 90Hz anyway. There is enough stutter throughout MagicOS that scrolling and animations can sometimes feel closer to a basic 60Hz or even 30fps experience.

Honor also makes a big deal about IMAX Enhanced certification, and compatible content is available through services such as Disney+. The screen itself is capable enough for media, but video quality is unfortunately held back by the tablet’s performance. YouTube only offered up to 1080p during my testing, and the same videos looked noticeably more pixelated and oversharpened compared directly with the MagicPad 4.

The four speakers are decent for casual use. They get loud, dialogue remains clear and there is enough separation for YouTube videos or watching something casually around the house. There isn’t much bass or body, though, and the sound becomes rather shrill towards maximum volume. They do the job, but I would reach for headphones for movies or music. 

Performance and OS

This is where the Pad X9b Max runs into trouble.

Our review unit comes with 4GB of RAM and is powered by the Snapdragon 6s 4G Gen 2. Benchmark results were predictably low.

Numbers don’t always tell the entire story on an affordable tablet, but unfortunately they line up closely with the actual experience here. Apps can take a while to respond, animations routinely stutter and even fairly basic navigation around MagicOS doesn’t feel particularly smooth. It is not a case of the tablet becoming slow only when you push it with demanding workloads; you can feel the limited performance during normal use. 

Video playback was particularly disappointing. YouTube maxed out at 1080p, while multiple 4K video files manually played through VLC ran at such a low frame rate that they were practically slideshows. That is a strange limitation for a tablet whose biggest selling point is a large 2.5K display and media-focused IMAX certification.

MagicOS 10 itself is based on Android 16 and has most of the basic tablet functionality you would expect. Split-screen multitasking is supported, and Honor includes apps such as Docs, Notes and File Manager. You can also pair a keyboard and mouse for basic document work.

However, this is a cut-down version of the experience available on Honor’s premium tablets. There is no PC mode, Magic Portal or the broader selection of AI features found on devices such as the MagicPad 4. I don’t necessarily consider that a problem at this price. Split-screen, document editing and accessory support are enough for basic schoolwork or light productivity. 

What holds it back again is the performance. Being able to open documents and run apps beside each other is useful, but the hardware does not provide the responsiveness I would want for serious work.

Battery life is thankfully much better. The 10,100mAh battery comfortably lasted more than a full day of heavy use during my testing, and depending on brightness and workload, you should be able to stretch it closer to a day and a half. The tablet supports up to 45W charging, which allows for relatively quick top-ups when paired with a compatible adapter. 

Should You Buy the Honor Pad X9b Max?

The Honor Pad X9b Max gets several important things right for AED 999. The 13” 2.5K display is sharp and colourful, the build feels sturdy, battery life is good and the speakers are perfectly serviceable for casual use. 

Unfortunately, the Snapdragon 6s 4G Gen 2 and 4GB of RAM hold the entire experience back. General navigation is sluggish, the advertised 120Hz display did not exceed 90Hz in my browser testing, and the inability to smoothly play the 4K video files I tested seriously undermines the appeal of having such a large high-res screen in the first place.

The price also makes those compromises harder to overlook. At the time of writing, Samsung’s Galaxy Tab A11+ can be found for around AED 600-700 with 6GB RAM and 128GB storage, while the Redmi Pad 2 Pro sits close to AED 1,299 with 8GB/256GB, a Snapdragon 7s Gen 4, 12.1” 2.5K 120Hz display and 12,000mAh battery for a little more. We have not tested either tablet directly alongside the X9b Max, but based on specifications and pricing alone, Honor has some strong competition around the AED 1,000 mark.

If your priorities are a very large screen, long battery life and a sturdy tablet for basic browsing, schoolwork and casual viewing, the Pad X9b Max can still make sense. But looking at the competition and keeping the performance of the tablet in mind, there is just no way to recommend this tablet to anyone.

Buy It If

• You want the biggest screen and battery you can get near AED 999 for browsing, streaming and schoolwork.
• You need a sturdy tablet that will survive a student’s backpack.
• Your use is light and the odd stutter won’t bother you.

Don’t Buy It If

• You expect smooth, responsive performance — the chip struggles in everyday use.
• You want it for real multitasking, productivity or 4K video.
• You can stretch your budget slightly; stronger-performing rivals exist around this price.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the Honor Pad X9b Max really have a 120Hz display?

Honor advertises up to 120Hz, but in testing it topped out at around 90Hz while scrolling and often sat at 60Hz. Because of general stutter, it rarely feels like a 90Hz screen anyway.

How is the battery life on the Honor Pad X9b Max?

Strong. The 10,100mAh battery lasts a full day of heavy use, stretching closer to a day and a half with lighter use, and it supports 45W charging.

Is the Honor Pad X9b Max good for watching movies?

The 13-inch 2.5K screen and IMAX Enhanced certification look appealing, but performance caps YouTube at 1080p and stutters on 4K files. The quad speakers are fine for casual viewing but light on bass.

What are the Honor Pad X9b Max specs and price?

Our review unit is the 4GB/128GB model at AED 999, running MagicOS 10 (Android 16) on a Snapdragon 6s 4G Gen 2, with a 13-inch 2500×1560 display, 10,100mAh battery and 45W charging. A Paperlike Edition is available for AED 1,299.