Honor is teaming up with ARRI, the legendary camera brand beloved by Hollywood filmmakers, in a bid to bring professional cinema technology to everyday smartphone users. After an early experiment with the Robot Phone, the partnership now faces a much bigger test — powering the imaging system of Honor's next-generation flagship. The Honor Magic9 Pro Max is preparing for its global launch, and it has its sights firmly set on the crown of the world's best camera phone.
The Honor Magic9 Pro Max has just arrived at our office, and although the comprehensive review is still some time away, we're kicking things off with an unboxing. Our unit comes in the Moss Green finish, and the retail package includes a matching green-tinted transparent silicone case, a 100W fast charger, and a USB cable.
One disappointing detail: the bundled charger still relies on a USB-A port rather than USB-C, which feels outdated here in late 2026.
Design-wise, the Magic9 Pro Max represents a major leap forward compared to its rather forgettable predecessor. The previous model settled for a glass rear panel, an ordinary circular camera module, and — at least on our unit — a dull dark grey finish. The new model flips the script entirely with a bold, expressive design that draws inspiration directly from ARRI's professional cinema cameras.
The Moss Green shade is genuinely distinctive and eye-catching. Honor has built the phone around a unibody metal frame, with a cutout on the back housing a glass panel that enables wireless charging. You'll also find two noteworthy buttons: a programmable AI Button positioned on the left edge, and a dedicated camera key offering both touch and press functionality — much like what you'd find on Apple's iPhone Pro lineup.
The Magic9 Pro Max in hand
What truly sets this device apart, though, is the camera system on its rear. Honor has learned from recent years that premium hardware alone isn't enough — it needs software of the same caliber to shine. That's precisely the role ARRI plays here, with its branding on the glass serving as a constant reminder of the collaboration.
If the name doesn't ring a bell, ARRI is the German manufacturer behind the legendary Alexa camera line. The ARRI Alexa family has effectively become the gold standard for professional motion picture production across the globe.
The Magic9 Pro Max ships with ARRI's complete creator toolkit: the ARRI Image Science color pipeline, ARRI Looks, a dedicated ARRI LogC3 curve, and ARRI Wide Gamut 3 10-bit color — complete with full APV 4:2:2 chroma sampling, which amounts to a visually lossless recording format.
Special in-camera features
Capturing video in 10-bit log unlocks a dramatically wider palette of colors to work with. Creators can grade footage to suit their personal style, or take advantage of the 10,000+ LUTs compatible with ARRI's LogC3 curve. (For the uninitiated, a LUT — or Look-Up Table — translates input color values into output values, adjusting contrast, saturation, color balance, and the overall look of the image.) One particularly nice touch for professionals is the option to apply a LUT preview inside the camera app while recording log footage — instead of monitoring a flat, washed-out image, you see something much closer to your intended final result in real time.
We were on hand at Honor's exclusive Magic9 Pro Max launch event in Los Angeles, where we naturally captured plenty of photos and video with the device. Below is an early selection of those samples — with plenty more coming soon. These images were taken with the phone's dual 200MP sensors in both bright and low-light conditions. Take a look!
Honor Magic9 Pro Max main camera samples
Honor Magic9 Pro Max telephoto camera samples
