Honor Magic5 Lite/Honor x9a review

Design and ergonomics

The Honor Magic5 Lite features a similar design to its predecessor; only this time, the handset is smaller. Since it features a more compact 6.67-inch display, compared to the 6.81-inch one on the Magic4 Lite, the newer Lite is lighter, smaller and easier to handle overall. The device weighs just 175 grams, and you can barely feel it in your hand.

But the smaller screen isn't the only reason why the Magic5 Lite is smaller and more comfortable. The chassis is still entirely made of plastic, with the back panel imitating frosted glass, and the display is curved to the sides. Both design traits improve the overall grip, and the device feels nicer. The curvatures on the back and front panels look identical and make a smooth transition into the thin side frame without forming gaps or ridges.

The back panel follows last year's concept and is in line with this year's Magic5 series as well. The camera bump is a thin circular strip instead of a whole piece like before. We kind of like the change as it stands out more and looks more elegant and simple.

The side frame is business as usual. It's really thin on the left and right, while the top and bottom parts are almost flat. We have the USB-C connector along with the speaker grille and the SIM card tray at the bottom, and an IR blaster on the top end of the frame. The power button and the volume rocker are positioned on the right, and both are within the thumb's reach. They are pretty comfortable.

Honor Magic5 Lite

The under-display fingerprint reader, on the other hand, isn't placed adequately. It's positioned too close to the bottom edge of the display and requires some finger gymnastics to reach.

Speaking of the display, since it uses an OLED this year, the bezels all-around are thinner. In fact, they are thin enough to rival today's flagships. The camera cutout is also unobtrusive and considerably smaller than before.

Overall, the Honor Magic5 Lite offers a lightweight and comfortable chassis with a standout appearance. However, there are a bunch of similarly priced phones with more premium build. So if that's what you are looking for, the Magic5 Lite likely won't cater to your needs.