HONOR Philippines has made it a tradition to kick off every new year with unusual durability stunts for its smartphones. Over the past few years, we’ve seen phones boiled, dropped from the second floor, run over by vehicles, used to smash peanuts and watermelons, and even dropped from a helicopter. The brand even gained a Guinness World Record for the most people performing a mobile phone drop test simultaneously in 2025! This 2026, HONOR is adding a new twist: the HONOR X9d 5G is set to face off against a Tesla Cybertruck — a vehicle often described as bulletproof, on January 9, 2026.

Videos circulating online show teasers of the phone lined up against the Cybertruck, sparking conversations about how far HONOR will go this time to demonstrate durability. Before their face-off, Manila Millennial was also able to put it to the test by throwing it into a basketball ring, using it as target practice, throwing it up in the air a la fireworks, smashing open a watermelon, and using it as a chopping board! It’s still in good shape and I guess it really does feel like a worthy opponent for a Cybertruck.

@manilamillennial

Unang pasabog ng 2026: Mag-ingay (at magdabog) gamit yung @honorph #HONORX9d5G before it gets launched on January 9. Will this be #TheToughestPhone #AllAngleUltraDefense of the year? 🤔 Testing testing! Happy new year, happy new phone!! Disclaimer: For product demonstration purposes only. Do not replicate to avoid forfeiture of warranty. #fyp #droptest

♬ Purple Front – DJ BAI

The matchup is being framed as a battle between two tough builds: HONOR’s #AllAngleUltraDefense smartphone and Tesla’s all‑steel Cybertruck. Whether it’s just a creative stunt or something more, the pairing has caught attention among fans and tech watchers.

@manilamillennial

Which one is tougher? The @honorphilippines #HONORX9d5G or a Cybertruck? We’ll find out on January 9! #TheToughestPhone #AllAngleUltraDefense Disclaimer: For product demonstration purposes only. Do not replicate to avoid forfeiture of warranty.

♬ original sound – Manila Millennial – Manila Millennial

We saw the smartphone on display already at an HONOR stall at Glorietta and according to their staff, pre-order is already open ahead of its January 9 launch! Pre-order comes with a lot of freebies AND a chance to win a Tesla Cybertruck. I guess HONOR’s leveling up the prize from last year’s Rolex giveaway! Will this be enough to convince you to pre-order a unit or will you be waiting for the face-off between these two toughies?

Stay tuned for updates! We’ll be watching the matchup unfold live.

*HONOR devices, including smartphones, tablets, and laptops, are available at HONOR Experience and Partner Stores nationwide, as well as online via Shopee, Lazada, and TikTok Shop.

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