HONOR Magic V2 Evaluation: An Impressively Skinny And Gentle Foldable Telephone

At IFA final September, I encountered the Honor Magic V2 for the primary time, which debuted in China in July 2023. The recipient of certainly one of our Better of IFA 2023 Awards, the Magic V2 went world on Jan 26, 2024. Akin to the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 and OnePlus Open in dimension and efficiency, this foldable cellphone includes a thinner and lighter chassis. Honor additionally unveiled the Porsche Design model on the Leipzig, Germany, launch occasion, and we’ll publish the evaluation quickly.

Some folks expressed reservations about final yr’s Qualcomm flagship SoC, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC. Nevertheless, the Magic V2 stays potent, with 16GB RAM and 256/512GB storage choices. Its standout characteristic is being the thinnest and lightest giant foldable in the marketplace, coupled with good digicam efficiency for such a slim physique.

Competitors, Value, and Availability

From a show high quality and computing energy standpoint, the Honor Magic V2 is on par with the Galaxy Z Fold 5, aside from its lack of a waterproofing IP score (the Fold 5 is IP X8), its thinner chassis, and its considerably quicker charging pace.

The Magic V2’s show and SoC are additionally just like the thicker Oneplus Open, aside from the digicam efficiency.

Thinner and lighter than all its foldable counterparts, the Magic V2 appears like a normal 8-inch high-end smartphone, making it an interesting possibility for journey, doubling as a pill for content material consumption or work. At Ubergizmo, we’re severely contemplating ditching our cellphone and pill combo for the Magic V2, resulting from our intense touring schedule.

Nevertheless, its multitasking characteristic lags behind the heavier Z Fold 5, which additionally provides further functionalities with the non-compulsory new Z Fold 5 S Pen and the S Pen Professional (together with air actions and distant management just for the latter).

Launching with out Android 14, its replace program stays just like the competitors. The HONOR Magic V2 is priced at £1,699.99 within the UK, and €1,999 in choose E.U. international locations (roughly $2,150). We advocate shopping for the Honor 66W quick charger along with your order,in some international locations just like the UK, it’s provided as a bundled present (as of immediately).It costs only €1 in Germany (as of immediately), as an alternative of the €29.90 value provided on the Honor France website (as an alternative of the common €49.90 value, as of immediately).

Design

The Honor Magic V2 stands out for its key design parts, notably its skinny chassis at 10.1 mm / 237 g (or 9.9 mm / 231g for the vegan leather-based model), surpassing the Galaxy Z Fold 5 (13.4mm, 253g), the Pixel Fold (12.1mm, 283g), and the OnePlus Open (11.7-11.9mm, 239-245g).

Unfolded, it measures solely 4.7 mm or 4.8 mm (glass-finish model), which is just one mm thicker than common smartphones such because the iPhone 15 Professional Max, which is 8.25mm and 221 grams.

The construct high quality is superb, and we contemplate the Honor Magic V2 one of many best-designed foldable telephones, that includes a sublime purple shade for the glass end model (our evaluation unit).

“THE BUILD QUALITY IS EXCELLENT, AND WE CONSIDER THE HONOR MAGIC V2 ONE OF THE BEST-DESIGNED FOLDABLE PHONES”

The folding expertise is smoother than the Z Fold 5. Nevertheless, not like the Samsung’s giant foldable, it lacks a 45-degree folding place, which is a minimal trade-off. The redesigned hinge eliminates gaps, making the cellphone ultra-thin whereas lowering crease depth.

The package deal features a case with a built-in kickstand, usable in varied orientations, sustaining the Magic V2’s thinner profile in comparison with the Z Fold 5, even with the case hooked up.

Shows

The Honor Magic V2 includes a 6.43-inch OLED show on the entrance with a decision of 1060 x 2376,a 120Hz refresh fee, and a theoretical peak brightness of two,500 nits.

Internally, it homes a virtually sq. attractive 7.92-inch show with a decision of 2156 x 2344, a 120Hz refresh fee, and a claimed peak brightness of 1,600 nits. HONOR highlights its 3840Hz PWM dimming tech, probably aiding customers vulnerable to eye pressure throughout extended cellphone use.

The exterior display mirrors the dimensions of an everyday smartphone with a curved proper edge, whereas the inner crease is barely noticeable throughout media consumption or gaming. Examined for 400,000 folding cycles, equal to 10 years of folding 100 occasions day by day.

Digital camera

The Magic V2 has a typical triple rear digicam, together with a 50-megapixel major, a 20-megapixel telephoto with a 2.5x optical zoom, and a 50-megapixel ultrawide. There’s a 16 MP punch-hole selfie digicam on every display, able to capturing 4K video at 30 fps. The rear digicam can shoot 4K video at 60 fps.

Main digicam night time:

The Magic V2 has a barely much less performing main digicam at night time in comparison with the opposite giant foldable telephones. Nevertheless, it does an excellent job total, and the outcomes are passable for such a skinny chassis.

The Magic V2 night time image high quality is closest to the Pixel Fold, however the particulars are barely extra blurry, partially due to the robust filtering and sharpening algorithms, particularly in case you zoom in shut or crop the pictures. Apart from that, the digicam does an ideal job of capturing pure colours and preserving the temper of the night time scene as you see it. The lighting stays pure and on-point and captures in a predictable means.

General, the digicam has good efficiency each in low gentle and in shiny daylight. We couldn’t calculate Ubergizmo’s HW digicam rating resulting from a scarcity of particular metadata within the pictures we shot, so we can’t evaluate the {hardware} digicam system in opposition to the opposite foldable telephones we examined. We are going to attempt to get the information and replace the evaluation accordingly.

Ultrawide digicam:

Day: The sundown shot is actually fascinating as a result of it challenges the digicam to concurrently seize particulars and high-dynamic vary. The Magic V2 did nicely with the HDR and particulars seize (together with texture) in our checks. Nevertheless, it tends to overshoot the publicity settings and different filters, making the ultimate photograph look just a little unnatural (too shiny/vivid) in comparison with what your eyes see.

Evening: At night time, the Magic V2 Ultrawide digicam does an excellent job of preserving the lighting, shade, and temper of the scene. Nevertheless, the ultrawide digicam module isn’t as highly effective as the first (huge) digicam, and the feel of sure supplies could be tough to protect. On this scene, the Ultrawide shot is similar to what we obtained with the OnePlus Open.

Zoom digicam:

The two.5X zoom of the Magic V2 is extra suited to seize portrait pictures than competing with telephoto cameras that characteristic 6X or 10X optical zooms. At long-range (10X), the digicam will depend on digital zooming, making small particulars comparatively blurry in comparison with the acute zoom cameras. That apart, the overall 2.5X zoom picture high quality is kind of good, however like it’s usually the case with this digicam, the pictures can typically look much less pure resulting from how the publicity is about and the way filters are being utilized.

Digital camera conclusion:

The Magic V2 rear digicam system’s photograph high quality is spectacular in case you contemplate how skinny the chassis is. Certainly, cell cameras want as a lot depth (thickness) as attainable to host the digicam lenses, and HONOR appears to have efficiently balanced cellphone design and digicam high quality.

SoC, reminiscence, storage, efficiency& software program updates

Software program updates

Honor commits to offering 5 years of safety patches and 4 years of Android updates for the Magic V2, aligning with Samsung and OnePlus’ assurances for the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and OnePlus Open, respectively. Google’s Pixel Fold ensures three years of Android model updates and 5 years of safety patches. Whereas the Magic V2 ships with Android 13, one replace is required to deliver it updated with Android 14. In contrast to the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5, the Magic V2 is but to obtain an Android 14 replace.

It homes final yr’s Qualcomm flagship SoC, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, with configurations of as much as 16GB RAM and 512GB storage (expandable to 1TB within the Porsche Design variant).

Perceived Efficiency

Efficiency stays fluid in day by day utilization, together with 3D gaming (I attempted just a few video games).

Measured Efficiency

CPU efficiency

As you possibly can see from the charts, the Honor Magic V2 has wonderful efficiency within the context of foldable telephones regardless of its superb thinness. That is most likely resulting from Honor’s efforts to provide a sophisticated cooling system known as Extremely-thin Bionic Cooling System.
In line with the corporate, the brand new cooling expertise combines an ultra-thin vapor chamber, ultra-high thermal conductivity graphite, thermal conductivity gel, and copper foil.

It ranks among the many highest CPU efficiency, which usually ensures that apps load quick and most duties are accomplished quicker.

GPU efficiency

From a graphics standpoint, the scores are additionally very excessive, making it a excessive performer for common graphics (GPU efficiency) but additionally video games. Remember the fact that with prolonged gaming periods, the warmth will finally construct up. That’s why all devoted gaming programs are inherently thicker with additional cooling.

Battery

Battery capability

Regardless of its ultrathin chassis measuring 4.7 or 4.8 mm, the Magic V2 impressively integrates a 5000 mAh battery (the most important for a foldable cellphone), because of its two-part silicon carbon battery expertise.

Debuting because the thinnest twin Silicon-carbon Batteries, averaging solely 2.72mm in thickness, the modern battery system extends its cycle life by 40%, based on HONOR.

It incorporates an electrochemical system that enhances longevity and options HONOR’s low-voltage cost energy-gathering expertise for enhanced energy output on the identical voltage as graphite-based batteries.

With common use, linked to each 5G and Wi-Fi, the Magic V2 ought to final not less than a full day on one cost. Throughout my evaluation, which was carried out solely on Wi-Fi (with out 5G) with intermittent use, the battery lasted for 3 days. I can’t vouch for battery life as battery drainage extremely varies relying on utilization, with looking and electronic mail having minimal influence in comparison with excessive workloads similar to intense photograph shoots, video streaming, or 3D gaming periods. As ordinary, the battery’s capability (in mAh) is your greatest indicator for potential battery life.

Charging pace

The Honor Magic V2 costs 71% of its 5000 mAh battery in half-hour with the non-compulsory €30 66W charger (free or €1 bundle in some markets). That is just like the OnePlus Open charging time of 79% in half-hour for its 4805 mAh battery (with the included OnePlus 67W fast-charger). By comparability, the Galaxy Z Fold 5 costs 49% in half-hour with its non-compulsory 50W Samsung charger.

Conclusion

The Honor V2 delivers spectacular construct high quality and show high quality within the thinnest and lightest foldable type issue in the marketplace.

This distinctive characteristic ought to persuade folks reluctant to hold thicker and heavier smartphones to attempt the folding smartphone expertise. Vacationers ought to contemplate switching to the Magic V2 because it may also be used as a pill for productiveness and leisure throughout flights.

Though the digicam efficiency is barely beneath the one present in aggressive units, it’s wonderful for such a skinny chassis.

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Filed in Cellphones. Learn extra about Foldable Smartphones, Honor, Smartphones and Snapdragon 8 Gen 2.