Chinese versions come with a built-in eSIM, no adapter required
Applies to Honor Magic9 Pro Max and Vivo X500 Pro Max
Both phones also support Android Auto
Check the operator and bands before you buy
Whenever you recommend a Chinese version of a phone, you’ll very often hear the same objection: that eSIM and Android Auto don’t work on it. However, the two best-equipped photo phones of this year already have both. Our partner TradingShenzhen notes that the Chinese versions of Honor Magic9 Pro Max and Vivo X500 Pro Max have eSIM built in directly in the phone, and both also support Android Auto.
This isn’t information taken from the global versions, because both manufacturers list eSIM on their Chinese websites. Honor states that you can store up to two eSIM numbers in the phone. Vivo goes into more detail and, on the X500 Pro Max page, says the phone supports two physical SIM cards and two eSIM numbers—where two of these four can be active at the same time. You can combine them as two physical cards, one physical card plus one eSIM, or two eSIMs.
Overview of eSIM and Android Auto support in Chinese versions
In practice, this means you can keep your main number on a physical SIM card and add a data eSIM while on vacation without having to swap cards at the airport. Until now, the missing eSIM on Chinese versions could only be replaced with an eSIM adapter that you insert into the SIM card slot—an option mainly for older or other models.
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What to check before you rely on eSIM
A built-in eSIM is confirmed, but that still doesn’t mean the profile of every operator in the world will work in the Chinese version. Vivo itself says the service is activated by the user with the provider, and it lists Chinese operators. TradingShenzhen openly admits it hasn’t tested activating a foreign eSIM profile on these phones. So before you buy, it’s worth asking your operator or travel eSIM provider whether the Chinese model supports it—and keep in mind that some travel eSIMs may be data-only.
You also need to look at the frequency bands and services like VoLTE or Wi‑Fi calling, which depend on the specific phone and operator. For both models, our articles stated that they support the bands of Slovak and Czech 4G and 5G networks, but we haven’t tested eSIM with our operators ourselves yet.
Android Auto on Chinese versions has been working for a while
The second common objection stopped being valid long before these two phones arrived. Android Auto was added to Chinese versions starting with the Honor Magic7, Vivo X200, OnePlus 13 and OPPO Find X8 generations—mostly via a system update—and newer flagships of these brands have it too. Honor, for example, added it to MagicOS in April 2025, and Vivo lists it directly in the specifications for the X200 Pro.
However, this isn’t true for every Chinese phone. According to TradingShenzhen, the Chinese version of the Realme GT8 Pro is still listed as having no Android Auto, so it’s worth checking the specific model and not relying on the brand. With wireless connections, the firmware and the car itself also matter.
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What to keep in mind with the Chinese version
Chinese versions still come with preinstalled apps and services intended for the home market. Most of them you can uninstall or turn off right after the first setup, but some system services remain part of the firmware. On some Chinese systems, even the timeline in Google Maps doesn’t work—so you won’t get the history of visited places. This doesn’t apply to navigation, and if you don’t care about trip recording, you probably won’t notice the difference.
You can get both phones with a coupon
You can buy the Chinese version of the Honor Magic9 Pro Max with Slovak language support on the system via GShopper, and with the coupon from the box you’ll get it for under €1,000. We took a detailed look at the cameras with ARRI tuning, the 8,800 mAh battery, and more in our article about the Honor Magic9 Pro Max.
China Planet shopping TIP: GShopper has now launched direct bank transfer payments, so you can save another 4.5 % off the product price! Compared to card / Google Pay payment, you can get this product much cheaper. We described the full bank transfer payment process in our article.
Are you shopping on Gshopper for the first time?See the guide!
Updated 12. 10. 2026 at 12:18
TIPWith Standard Shipping via GShopper, you pay no extra fees—everything is already included in the price!
At the GShopper retailer, we recommend choosing Standard Shipping, where you won’t have to pay anything extra. Customs duties and any VAT will be handled directly by the seller. Shipping can be selected only at checkout, after entering the delivery address. Delivery with this shipping method usually takes around 15 business days from dispatch from the warehouse, but it may take longer.
Are you shopping on Gshopper for the first time?See the guide!
Updated 12. 10. 2026 at 12:18
TIPWith Standard Shipping via GShopper, you pay no extra fees—everything is already included in the price!
At the GShopper retailer, we recommend choosing Standard Shipping, where you won’t have to pay anything extra. Customs duties and any VAT will be handled directly by the seller. Shipping can be selected only at checkout, after entering the delivery address. Delivery with this shipping method usually takes around 15 business days from dispatch from the warehouse, but it may take longer.
Are you shopping on Gshopper for the first time?See the guide!
Updated 12. 10. 2026 at 12:18
TIPWith Standard Shipping via GShopper, you pay no extra fees—everything is already included in the price!
At the GShopper retailer, we recommend choosing Standard Shipping, where you won’t have to pay anything extra. Customs duties and any VAT will be handled directly by the seller. Shipping can be selected only at checkout, after entering the delivery address. Delivery with this shipping method usually takes around 15 business days from dispatch from the warehouse, but it may take longer.
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The Vivo X500 Pro Max is built around a 200 MP ZEISS telephoto lens and an 8000 mAh battery—and you can also find its Chinese version on GShopper with a coupon. Read everything about its specs in our article about the Vivo X500 Pro Max.
Are you shopping on Gshopper for the first time?See the guide!
Updated 23. 9. 2026 at 13:14
TIPWith Standard Shipping via GShopper, you pay no extra fees—everything is already included in the price!
At the GShopper retailer, we recommend choosing Standard Shipping, where you won’t have to pay anything extra. Customs duties and any VAT will be handled directly by the seller. Shipping can be selected only at checkout, after entering the delivery address. Delivery with this shipping method usually takes around 15 business days from dispatch from the warehouse, but it may take longer.
Are you shopping on Gshopper for the first time?See the guide!
Updated 23. 9. 2026 at 13:14
TIPWith Standard Shipping via GShopper, you pay no extra fees—everything is already included in the price!
At the GShopper retailer, we recommend choosing Standard Shipping, where you won’t have to pay anything extra. Customs duties and any VAT will be handled directly by the seller. Shipping can be selected only at checkout, after entering the delivery address. Delivery with this shipping method usually takes around 15 business days from dispatch from the warehouse, but it may take longer.
Are you shopping on Gshopper for the first time?See the guide!
Updated 23. 9. 2026 at 13:14
TIPWith Standard Shipping via GShopper, you pay no extra fees—everything is already included in the price!
At the GShopper retailer, we recommend choosing Standard Shipping, where you won’t have to pay anything extra. Customs duties and any VAT will be handled directly by the seller. Shipping can be selected only at checkout, after entering the delivery address. Delivery with this shipping method usually takes around 15 business days from dispatch from the warehouse, but it may take longer.
Are you shopping on Gshopper for the first time?See the guide!
Updated 23. 9. 2026 at 13:14
TIPWith Standard Shipping via GShopper, you pay no extra fees—everything is already included in the price!
At the GShopper retailer, we recommend choosing Standard Shipping, where you won’t have to pay anything extra. Customs duties and any VAT will be handled directly by the seller. Shipping can be selected only at checkout, after entering the delivery address. Delivery with this shipping method usually takes around 15 business days from dispatch from the warehouse, but it may take longer.
Are you shopping on Gshopper for the first time?See the guide!
Updated 23. 9. 2026 at 13:14
TIPWith Standard Shipping via GShopper, you pay no extra fees—everything is already included in the price!
At the GShopper retailer, we recommend choosing Standard Shipping, where you won’t have to pay anything extra. Customs duties and any VAT will be handled directly by the seller. Shipping can be selected only at checkout, after entering the delivery address. Delivery with this shipping method usually takes around 15 business days from dispatch from the warehouse, but it may take longer.
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