It’s back to school season, and one essential item students might consider adding to their bags is a tablet. Whether it’s for taking notes, conducting research, or simply unwinding with entertainment, a tablet can be a versatile device.
With the tablet market in the Philippines thriving, choosing the perfect tablet for specific needs has never been easier. And two of the most prominent options available today are the HONOR Pad 9 and the POCO Pad.
These tablets almost feature the same specs and same design at the same price. But, as you would expect, there are some notable differences to talk about. Both devices are priced competitively at under PHP 16,000, and that begs the question: which one is the better choice?
Let’s find out in this comparison review. Without further ado, let’s dive in!
Table of Contents
At first glance, both tablets look and feel exactly the same — mainly because they are both using a unibody metal chassis with a satin-like finish. Both also have flat frames and rounded corners for a bit of a comfortable grip, especially when using the tablets without a case or a folio.
The POCO Pad is a tad bit thicker and heavier though, measuring at 7.52 mm in thickness and weighs about 571 grams. In comparison, the HONOR Pad 9 is a bit thinner and lighter at 6.9 mm and 555 grams.
Obviously, the main difference in terms of design is the camera island layout and design. In landscape orientation, the HONOR Pad 9 looks to be aiming for a more symmetrical approach with a centered camera module that houses only its single rear camera.
Whereas the POCO Pad goes for the conventional look. It throws in two large camera bumps on the right housing its single rear camera along with an LED flash. This sounds like an advantage already, but we will talk more about the cameras later in this article.
Unfortunately, both tablets don’t have any ingress protection. So, you might want to be extra careful not to spill some coffee on these devices.
Design-wise, both the HONOR Pad 9 and the POCO Pad are just right and practical for a tablet. So, both get a point in this round.
Flip the tablets to the front, both sport a 12.1-inch IPS-level LCD panel with a crisp 2.5K resolution and runs at a smooth 120Hz refresh rate. However, only the POCO Pad has support for Dolby Vision as well as Dolby Atmos, offering a more immersive viewing experience.
Both tablets are Widevine L1 certified allowing for HD content viewing on Netflix or any other streaming platforms. YouTube playback can also reach up to 2160p video quality.
Outdoors, however, these tablets won’t be as visible as OLED screens since IPS LCD screens typically have lower peak brightness.
Interestingly, the HONOR Pad 9 has eight speakers making it a bit louder than the POCO Pad’s quad speaker setup. Sound stage on both tablets is good enough with decent clarity, but the lows or the bass are not as punchy to my liking, which is just natural at this price point.
The POCO Pad (top) has a 3.5 mm audio jack.
On the bright side, you can still get a higher definition audio listening experience with the POCO Pad thanks to its 3.5 mm audio jack. This is a rare feature in this form factor and even price range, so this is surely a plus in my book.
For added protection, only the POCO Pad gets a thin layer of Corning Gorilla Glass 3 for scratch-resistance and added screen durability. To complete the tablet experience, both have support for a stylus and a keyboard, however these accessories are sold separately.
With that said, the POCO Pad easily owns this round, thanks to the addition of a scratch-resistant glass for screen protection and it even brings back the good ol’ 3.5 mm audio jack.
One of the less critical features for me when it comes to tablets in the entry- to mid-range segment is the camera department. Tablets in this price range usually have mediocre camera performance and that holds true for both the HONOR Pad 9 and the POCO Pad.
The former features a single 13-megapixel rear shooter and an 8-megapixel selfie camera. The latter also has a single 8-megapixel main shooter but with an LED flash and another 8-megapixel camera at the front.
As expected, images captured from both tablets are mid at best. Colors lack vibrancy, detail is soft, and dynamic range struggles in challenging lighting conditions.
Video capture is similarly modest, with the POCO Pad capped at Full HD 1080p at 30 frames per second and the HONOR Pad 9 offering a spec-sheet-impressive 4K video at 30 frames per second that doesn’t quite translate to stunning visuals.
While the POCO Pad’s flash is a handy addition for low-light scenarios, neither tablet is going to replace your dedicated camera. They’re surely adequate for occasional document scans or video conferences, but don’t expect Instagram-worthy shots from these tablets. So, I will give it a tie in this round.
Moving on to performance, both devices are almost evenly matched in terms of processing power. However, the POCO Pad goes a bit faster thanks to a better chipset. It is powered by the Snapdragon 7s Gen 2, a 4-nanometer chip from Qualcomm that can reach up to 2.4GHz.
The HONOR Pad 9 features the Snapdragon 6 Gen 1, also built on a 4-nanometer process but clocked at a lower 2.2GHz.
While this difference in clock speeds might not seem substantial, our benchmark results show the POCO Pad outperforming the HONOR Pad 9 in most tests. Particularly in ANTUTU and Geekbench, the POCO Pad scored over 600K points compared to the HONOR Pad 9’s 518K points.
In both CPU and GPU tests on Geekbench, the POCO Pad also garnered notably higher points.
Check out our full benchmark results here:
| Benchmark | HONOR Pad 9 | POCO Pad |
| Chipset | Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 |
| AnTuTu V10 | 518,730 | 601,757 |
| Geekbench 6 Single-Core | 941 | 1,027 |
| Geekbench 6 CPU Multi-Core | 2,756 | 3,006 |
| Geekbench 6 GPU OpenCL | 1,320 | 1,800 |
| Geekbench 6 GPU Vulkan | 1,644 | 2,312 |
| PCMark Work 3.0 performance | 11,937 | 11,618 |
| PCMark Work 3.0 battery life | 10 hours and 46 minutes | 12 hours and 49 minutes |
Putting the numbers aside, both tablets should handle your productivity and entertainment tasks smoothly. Gaming is still a thing, but toning down the graphics settings is a must for demanding titles like Genshin Impact to enjoy more stable frame rates.
For configuration, both devices offer 8GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage. The POCO Pad has the upper hand here with its expandable storage of up to 1.5 terabytes via a microSD slot.
Combining a faster chipset and expandable storage gives the POCO Pad its two-point lead in this matchup.
Now, for the battery, the POCO Pad packs a larger 10,000mAh unit while the HONOR Pad 9 is left with an 8300mAh capacity.
That notable difference made the POCO Pad to outlast the competition, reaching 12 hours and 49 minutes in our PCMark battery test. On the other hand, the HONOR Pad 9 only got 10 hours and 46 minutes of battery life.
In our video loop test however, both tablets achieved almost the same results. The former got 8 hours and 25 minutes while the latter reached 9 hours and 53 minutes. This test is done with both tablets playing a 1080p video on loop, muted, at 50% brightness, and set to airplane mode.
Charging is the same for both, well, almost. The POCO Pad gets a 33W charging rate while the HONOR Pad 9 gets a tad bit faster 35W charging rate.
While battery life is still dependent on the user, having those extra millamp-hours capacity definitely makes a difference here.
Software-wise, the POCO Pad runs Android 14 skinned with HyperOS. It’s a bit of a bummer for the HONOR Pad 9 since it runs Android 13 out of the box.
For example, if both tablets get at least two major OS upgrades, then the POCO Pad can get to at least Android 16. The HONOR Pad 9 is then left with up to Android 15.
As for the user experience itself, I think I like the HONOR Pad 9’s interface more than the POCO Pad’s. First off, the MagicOS on the HONOR Pad 9 seems to be a more optimized operating system with that visually pleasing blur effects and smoother animations.
The POCO Pad, with my first time navigating the device, I knew it right there that it’s using a simmered down version of HyperOS. That’s evident with the lack of smooth animations in some screens and blurring effects.
The POCO Pad’s notification panel with a plain gray background instead of a blurred effect.
Second, there is less bloat on the HONOR Pad 9 as compared to the competition. Not to mention, you can still spot some system ads on the POCO Pad. The app scanner, for example, which automatically pops up whenever you install an app, it shows some ads while the app is installing. I ended up deactivating this feature because it is redundant with Google Play Store’s own Play Protect feature.
For connectivity, both tablets have all the essentials, except of course, cellular. Additionally, the POCO Pad is the only one in this comparison that has a face unlock biometrics feature.
Finally, we answer the question: which one is the better choice?
The POCO Pad clearly dominated this matchup, offering superior performance, a longer battery life, and additional features like expandable storage and a 3.5mm headphone jack. These highlights make it the clear winner in this comparison, coming in at PHP 15,999.
While the HONOR Pad 9 is not as feature packed as the competition, it brings a comparable processing power and a smoother software experience. For the same price, it is certainly a good alternative.
Ultimately, the choice boils down to your personal take. Which do you think is the better choice between the two and why? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!
Product links
• HONOR Pad 9 | Lazada, Shopee
• POCO Pad | Lazada 23, Shopee 28
| HONOR Pad 9 | POCO Pad |
|---|---|
| PHP 15,999 (8+256GB) PHP 17,999 (8+256GB with keyboard) | PHP 15,999 (8+256GB) |
| 12.1-inch 2.5K IPS TFT LCD | 12.1-inch 2.5K IPS LCD |
| 2560 x 1600 pixels, 120Hz | 2560 x 1600 pixels, 120Hz adaptive, 249 ppi |
| Corning Gorilla Glass 3 | |
| Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 |
| 4nm, 8-cores, up to 2.2GHz | 4nm, 8-cores, up to 2.4GHz |
| 8GB RAM (+8GB extended memory) | 8GB LPDDR4x RAM |
| 256GB storage | 256GB UFS 2.2 storage |
| (Storage not expandable) | Expandable up to 1.5TB via microSD |
| 13MP f/2.0 single rear camera, AF | 8MP f/2.0 rear camera |
| 8MP f/2.2 front camera | 8MP f/2.28 front camera |
| Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac | Wi-Fi 6 |
| Bluetooth 5.1 | Bluetooth 5.2 |
| USB Type-C | USB Type-C |
| 3.5mm audio jack | |
| Face unlock | |
| 8 speakers, 2 microphones | Quad speakers, Dolby Vision/ Atmos |
| MagicOS 7.2 (Android 13) | Xiaomi HyperOS (Android 14) |
| 8300mAh battery | 10,000mAh battery |
| 35W charging (wired) | 33W charging (wired) |
| 278.27 x 180.11 x 6.96 mm | 280 x 181.85 x 7.52 mm |
| ~555g | 571g |
| Space Gray | Grey, Blue |
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