Honor Magic9 Pro Max May Get Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6

Honor is preparing another flagship smartphone for the Chinese market, and the Magic9 Pro Max has reportedly appeared on Geekbench ahead of its expected launch. The listing has provided some early information about the hardware that could power the upcoming device.

The smartphone is expected to be introduced in China on September 28. Honor is also expected to unveil MagicOS 11 alongside the new handset, bringing a newer software experience to its upcoming flagship lineup.

According to the reported benchmark listing, the Honor Magic9 Pro Max could use Qualcomm’s next generation Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 processor. A prototype tested on Geekbench is also said to have 16GB of RAM, although the company has not yet confirmed the complete memory configurations for the retail model.

Photography is shaping up to be one of the main attractions of the phone. The rear camera system is expected to include a 200MP primary sensor along with a 200MP periscope telephoto camera and an ultrawide camera. The combination could give the device a wide range of shooting options, particularly for detailed images and distant subjects.

The front camera may also receive a distinctive design. Reports suggest that Honor could use a square shaped selfie camera arrangement on the front of the Magic9 Pro Max. More details about the front camera sensor and its capabilities are yet to be revealed.

Honor is also continuing its collaboration with German imaging company ARRI for the Magic series. The partnership is expected to bring professional oriented imaging features such as ARRI LogC3, ARRI Look and an ARRI movie mode to the upcoming smartphones.

The ARRI collaboration is not entirely new for Honor. The company has already worked with the imaging firm on its recently introduced Robot Phone. That device takes a very different approach to smartphone photography, featuring a robotic gimbal camera positioned at the top.

The Robot Phone’s camera can rotate while recording to track a subject. It also uses a three axis gimbal stabilisation system. Its rear setup includes a 200MP periscope telephoto camera with 2.7x optical zoom and up to 200x digital zoom, along with a 50MP ultrawide camera offering a 122 degree field of view.

The Robot Phone also features a 50MP front camera for selfies and video calls. While the Magic9 Pro Max is expected to follow a more conventional flagship design, the continued ARRI partnership suggests that Honor is placing considerable attention on video and photography.

The Magic9 series itself is expected to include three models, namely Honor Magic9, Honor Magic9 Pro and Honor Magic9 Pro Max. Reports also suggest that the series could receive several artificial intelligence features, although specific functions have not yet been detailed.

If the reported hardware information proves accurate, the Magic9 Pro Max will combine a next generation Snapdragon platform with a high resolution dual 200MP camera arrangement and ARRI related imaging tools. The focus appears to be on both performance and advanced photography.

However, several important specifications remain unconfirmed. Honor has yet to officially announce the complete processor details, RAM and storage options, display specifications, battery capacity and pricing of the Magic9 Pro Max.

The September 28 China launch should provide clearer information about the phone and the rest of the Magic9 lineup. Until then, the Geekbench listing and reported camera details offer an early look at what Honor could bring to its next flagship series.