| **OUR VERDICT** |
|---|
| The Honor Magic Vs strikes a balance between premium design and affordability, making it a strong contender in the foldable phone market. While it excels in build quality, display versatility, and battery life, it is held back by unpolished software and inconsistent low-light camera performance. Ideal for users seeking value in foldable tech, the device shows promise with potential for software improvements. |
The Honor Magic Vs is a noteworthy addition to the foldable smartphone landscape, aiming to disrupt the dominance of industry leaders like Samsung. Announced in November 2022 and globally launched in 2023, the Magic Vs represents Honor’s second foray into foldables, following the China-exclusive Magic V. This model seeks to balance premium design, impressive features, and affordability, positioning itself as an attractive choice for users exploring the foldable space.
Honor has made a significant effort to enhance the durability of foldables by introducing a gapless hinge mechanism, reducing dust ingress and improving longevity. The Honor Magic Vs maintains a slim profile when folded, making it more practical and portable than many competitors. While the hardware impresses, the software experience has been a mixed bag. MagicOS 7.1, though functional, requires refinement to rival the seamless experience offered by competitors.
Despite its software challenges, the Honor Magic Vs stands out with competitive pricing, premium build quality, and a strong commitment to software support, including three years of OS updates and five years of security patches.
HONOR MAGIC Vs SPECIFICATIONS
The Honor Magic Vs is a feature-rich foldable smartphone designed to compete with the best in its category. Its specifications strike a balance between premium hardware and accessibility, making it an attractive option for users venturing into the foldable space. Below is a detailed breakdown of the specifications:
| Feature | Specification |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | Folded: 160.3 x 72.6 x 12.9 mm Unfolded: 160.3 x 141.5 x 6.1 mm Compact when folded and spacious when unfolded. |
| Weight | 261g (glass back) 267g (eco-leather back) Lightweight design achieved through magnesium and titanium alloys. |
| Build | Materials: Glass front, glass or eco-leather back, magnesium alloy frame, titanium hinge Durable, premium materials enhancing usability and aesthetics. |
| Display | Outer Display: 6.45-inch OLED, 120Hz, 1080 x 2560 pixels Inner Display: 7.9-inch OLED, 90Hz, 1984 x 2272 pixels Designed for versatility and multitasking. |
| Processor and RAM | Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 RAM: 12GB Ensures smooth performance, capable of handling demanding tasks efficiently. |
| Storage Options | 256GB 512GB Provides ample space for apps, media, and files. |
| Cameras | Main Camera Setup: 54 MP (wide), 50 MP (ultrawide/macro), 8 MP (telephoto, 3x optical zoom) Selfie Cameras: 16 MP (cover display), 16 MP (inner display) Versatile setup, optimal in well-lit conditions. |
| Battery | Capacity: 5000 mAh Charging: 66W wired All-day usage with fast charging for minimal downtime. |
| Operating System | Software: Android 13 with MagicOS 7.1 Custom UI with room for optimization to maximize foldable functionality. |
| Colors | Cyan Black Orange |
DESIGN & BUILD
The Honor Magic Vs sets itself apart in the foldable market with a design that prioritizes portability and durability.
Slim Profile
When folded, the device measures just 12.9 mm in thickness, making it one of the slimmest foldables available. Its lightweight nature further enhances its usability, ensuring it doesn’t feel cumbersome during prolonged use.
Materials
The phone features a magnesium alloy frame and a titanium hinge mechanism, both of which contribute to its durability without adding excessive weight. The back panel is available in either glass or eco-leather finishes, catering to different aesthetic preferences. While the glass variant exudes a more premium feel, it is prone to fingerprints, making the eco-leather a practical alternative.
Gapless Hinge Design
A standout feature of the Honor Magic Vs is its gapless hinge. Unlike many foldables that leave a slight gap when closed, this design ensures a snug fit. This not only protects the inner display from dust and debris but also gives the device a sleek and polished look.
Durability Enhancements
The use of titanium in the hinge mechanism significantly boosts its durability, addressing a common concern with foldables. Honor claims the hinge can withstand prolonged usage, making the device a reliable option for everyday use.
Aesthetics
With its clean lines and understated elegance, the Magic Vs is visually appealing. The color options—Cyan, Black, and Orange—add to its charm, allowing users to express their individuality.
DISPLAY
The Honor Magic Vs boasts an advanced dual-display setup, designed to provide an optimal viewing experience in both folded and unfolded states.
Outer Display
- Size: 6.45 inches
- Type: OLED
- Resolution: 1080 x 2560 pixels
- Refresh Rate: 120Hz
The Honor Magic Vs’ outer screen is tailored for everyday use, offering a traditional smartphone experience. Its high refresh rate ensures smooth scrolling and fluid animations, making it ideal for tasks like browsing and texting. The OLED panel delivers vivid colors and deep blacks, enhancing the visual experience.
Inner Display
- Size: 7.9 inches
- Type: OLED
- Resolution: 1984 x 2272 pixels
- Refresh Rate: 90Hz
When unfolded, the inner display transforms the device into a mini-tablet. The expansive screen is perfect for multitasking, gaming, and watching videos. The OLED technology ensures vibrant visuals, though the 90Hz refresh rate feels slightly dated compared to the outer screen.
Aspect Ratio
The aspect ratios of both displays are well-optimized for their respective use cases. The outer display’s more traditional dimensions make it comfortable for single-handed operation, while the inner display’s expansive layout provides an immersive experience.
Crease Visibility
One area where the Honor Magic Vs falls short is the visibility of the crease on the inner display. While it doesn’t impact functionality, it is more noticeable than on some competitors, which could detract from the overall experience for some users.
Brightness and Outdoor Use
Both displays are sufficiently bright for outdoor use, though direct sunlight may pose challenges. The vibrant OLED panels and Honor’s adaptive brightness settings help mitigate these issues to some extent.
PERFORMANCE
The Honor Magic Vs is powered by the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset, which delivers a reliable and smooth experience across various use cases. While not the latest in Qualcomm’s lineup, this processor offers a balanced combination of performance and efficiency, making it well-suited for a foldable device.
Processing Power
The Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 ensures that everyday tasks like web browsing, video streaming, and social media usage are handled effortlessly. For more demanding activities, such as gaming or running resource-intensive apps, the Honor Magic Vs maintains consistent performance without significant lag or overheating during moderate usage.
Multitasking and Productivity
The foldable design is complemented by 12GB of RAM, which allows for efficient multitasking. Users can switch between multiple apps, use split-screen features, or run floating windows without noticeable slowdowns. The processor and RAM combination takes full advantage of the inner display’s multitasking potential, making the Magic Vs a great choice for productivity-focused users.
Gaming Performance
Gamers will appreciate the Honor Magic Vs’ ability to handle graphics-intensive games with high frame rates and smooth visuals. Titles like PUBG Mobile or Genshin Impact run well, though extended sessions may cause the device to warm up slightly.
Thermal Management
The Honor Magic Vs incorporates an efficient cooling system that prevents overheating under typical usage. However, under sustained heavy loads, such as prolonged gaming or video rendering, the device may warm up, though not to an uncomfortable level.
CAMERA CAPABILITIES
The Honor Magic Vs features a versatile camera system designed to cater to a variety of shooting scenarios. The triple-camera setup on the rear and dual selfie cameras ensure flexibility, though performance varies across lighting conditions.
Main Camera (54MP, wide)
- Performance in Daylight: Captures sharp and vibrant images with excellent detail and dynamic range. The sensor excels in well-lit environments, producing photos that are rich in color and contrast.
- Performance in Low Light: The camera struggles in dim lighting, where noise becomes more apparent. While it still delivers usable results, the images lack the same sharpness and detail seen in brighter conditions. Using Night Mode improves the output slightly but not significantly.
Ultrawide Camera (50MP)
- Daylight Performance: Ideal for capturing landscapes, architecture, or large group photos, this lens produces images with a broad field of view and good detail. The macro functionality also allows for close-up shots, adding versatility.
- Low-Light Performance: Quality diminishes in darker settings, with less detail and increased graininess. The absence of optical image stabilization (OIS) impacts its ability to capture clear shots in low-light scenarios.
Telephoto Camera (8MP, 3x optical zoom)
- Daylight Performance: Provides clear and detailed zoomed-in images during daylight, with optical zoom maintaining quality.
- Low-Light Performance: Struggles significantly in low-light conditions. Digital zoom exacerbates the issue, leading to blurry and noisy results.
Selfie Cameras (16MP on cover and main displays)
- Daylight Performance: Both selfie cameras deliver decent results, capturing natural skin tones and good detail in well-lit settings. They are suitable for casual selfies and video calls.
- Low-Light Performance: In darker environments, the quality drops, with softer details and noticeable noise. The absence of advanced low-light optimization features is apparent.
Video Recording
The Honor Magic Vs can record 4K videos at 30fps with its primary camera, offering good stabilization and clarity in daylight. However, low-light video recording suffers from the same challenges as still photography, with reduced sharpness and increased grain.
BATTERY LIFE & CHARGING
The Honor Magic Vs is equipped with a 5000mAh battery, which ensures that the device can last through a full day of moderate to heavy use.
Battery Performance
- With mixed usage, including frequent switching between the outer and inner displays, the battery easily supports all-day functionality.
- Activities like video playback, gaming, and productivity tasks are well-supported without rapid depletion, making it a reliable companion for on-the-go users.
Charging Speed
- The 66W wired charging is a standout feature, allowing users to recharge the battery from 0 to 100% in approximately 45 minutes. This is particularly useful for those who need quick top-ups throughout the day.
- Unfortunately, the lack of wireless charging is a significant omission for a premium device, especially when competitors at similar price points offer this feature.
Battery Longevity
The device’s power management system is efficient, ensuring the battery does not degrade quickly over time. Honor’s optimization features also help extend the overall lifespan of the battery.
SOFTWARE
The Honor Magic Vs runs MagicOS 7.1, a custom interface built on Android 13, combining familiar Android features with Honor’s unique design language. While the software delivers a functional and generally user-friendly experience, there are notable areas for improvement, particularly in optimizing the interface for the foldable form factor.
User Interface and Navigation
MagicOS 7.1 provides a clean and modern aesthetic with smooth transitions and animations. Users familiar with Android will find the core navigation intuitive, with features like gesture controls, customizable home screens, and a well-organized settings menu. However, the design lacks the cohesiveness seen in rivals like Samsung’s One UI or Google’s Pixel UI.
Foldable-Specific Features
One of the most significant drawbacks is the limited support for foldable-specific features. While basic multitasking functions like split-screen and app pairing are present, the experience is not as refined as competitors:
- App Scaling Issues: Some apps fail to scale properly on the large inner display, leading to black bars, stretched content, or awkward layouts. This inconsistency detracts from the potential productivity and immersive experience the foldable screen could offer.
- Optimized Layouts: Features like drag-and-drop across apps or enhanced taskbars, which are common in competitors’ foldable software, are either missing or not as seamless in MagicOS.
Customization Options
MagicOS allows for personalization, including themes, wallpapers, and icon styles. While these options are appreciated, they don’t significantly enhance the foldable experience, which feels more like an adaptation of standard Android than a reimagined interface for foldables.
Updates and Support
Honor promises three years of major OS updates and five years of security patches, which is on par with industry standards. This commitment provides assurance to users that the software will improve over time, potentially addressing current shortcomings and adding features optimized for foldable devices.
Pre-installed Apps
While the Honor Magic Vs comes with some pre-installed apps, including Honor’s suite of utilities, they are not overly intrusive and can be removed if unnecessary.
PRICE & VALUE
The Honor Magic Vs enters the foldable market at a price point of approximately €1,600, strategically positioning itself as a more affordable alternative to flagship foldables like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 (€1,800) and the Google Pixel Fold (€1,749). This pricing makes it a compelling choice for those looking to experience foldable technology without paying the highest premiums.
Hardware Value
For its price, the Honor Magic Vs delivers:
- High-quality materials: A premium build with magnesium and titanium components that ensure durability while maintaining a lightweight feel.
- Advanced displays: Two OLED panels offering vibrant colors and sharp details, rivaling more expensive competitors.
- Flagship performance: The Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 and 12GB RAM provide robust performance for a range of use cases.
Comparison to Competitors
While priced lower than the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Google Pixel Fold, the Magic Vs matches or exceeds them in several areas:
- Battery: A larger 5000mAh battery outlasts its rivals in mixed-use scenarios.
- Design: The gapless hinge and slim profile are standout features that many competitors lack.
- Value for money: The combination of hardware quality, performance, and design makes it a strong contender, especially for budget-conscious buyers.
Trade-offs
Despite its attractive price, some compromises affect its overall value:
- Software: The lack of polished, foldable-specific software features is a notable downside compared to Samsung’s One UI, which offers superior multitasking and app scaling.
- Cameras: While decent, the camera system doesn’t match the performance of competitors, particularly in low-light scenarios.
- Wireless Charging: The absence of this feature is a notable omission in a premium device, especially when most rivals offer it.
Target Audience
The Honor Magic Vs is ideal for:
- Users exploring foldable phones for the first time who want a premium device without the highest cost.
- Tech enthusiasts looking for advanced hardware and design, with the patience to wait for software refinements.
By offering premium design and robust hardware at a competitive price, the Honor Magic Vs strikes a balance between luxury and accessibility, making it one of the most appealing foldable devices in its price range.
PROS & CONS
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| – Affordable compared to high-end foldables | – Software lacks refinement |
| – Gapless hinge design enhances durability | – Noticeable screen crease on the inner display |
| – Solid battery life with fast wired charging | – Lack of wireless charging |
| – Good main camera performance in daylight | – Camera struggles in low-light conditions |
COMPARISON WITH COMPETITORS
The Honor Magic Vs, Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4, and Google Pixel Fold are key contenders in the foldable smartphone market. Each brings unique strengths, and their differences span various aspects, from display size and camera systems to software experience and pricing. Here’s a detailed comparison:
| Feature | Honor Magic Vs | Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 | Google Pixel Fold |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | €1,600 | €1,800 | €1,749 |
| Display | Inner: 7.9″ OLED, 90Hz, 1984 x 2272 | Inner: 7.6″ Dynamic AMOLED, 120Hz, 1812 x 2176 | Inner: 7.6″ OLED, 120Hz, 1840 x 2208 |
| Outer: 6.45″ OLED, 120Hz, 1080 x 2560 | Outer: 6.2″ Dynamic AMOLED, 120Hz, 904 x 2316 | Outer: 5.8″ OLED, 120Hz, 1080 x 2092 | |
| Processor | Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 | Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 | Google Tensor G2 |
| RAM | 12GB | 12GB | 12GB |
| Storage Options | 256GB / 512GB | 256GB / 512GB / 1TB | 256GB / 512GB |
| Main Camera Setup | 54MP (wide) + 50MP (ultrawide/macro) + 8MP (telephoto, 3x zoom) | 50MP (wide) + 12MP (ultrawide) + 10MP (telephoto, 3x zoom) | 48MP (wide) + 10.8MP (ultrawide) + 10.8MP (5x zoom) |
| Selfie Camera | 16MP (cover) + 16MP (main display) | 10MP (cover) + 4MP (main display) | 9.5MP (cover) + 8MP (main display) |
| Battery | 5000 mAh, 66W wired (no wireless charging) | 4400 mAh, 25W wired, 15W wireless | 4821 mAh, 30W wired, 7.5W wireless |
| Operating System | MagicOS 7.1, Android 13 | One UI 5.1.1, Android 13 | Pixel UI, Android 13 |
| Build Quality | Magnesium and titanium alloy frame, gapless hinge | Aluminum frame, Gorilla Glass Victus+ back, IPX8 water resistance | Aluminum frame, Gorilla Glass Victus back, IPX8 water resistance |
| Weight | 261g / 267g | 263g | 283g |
Key Takeaways:
- Price:
- The Honor Magic Vs is the most affordable option, undercutting both Samsung and Google by approximately €200.
- Display:
- The Magic Vs offers the largest inner display (7.9 inches), ideal for multitasking and entertainment. However, its 90Hz refresh rate on the inner screen is less smooth compared to the 120Hz on both competitors.
- Its outer display (6.45 inches) is larger and more natural for one-handed use compared to the narrower outer screen of the Z Fold 4 or the smaller Pixel Fold.
- Performance:
- All three devices feature flagship-grade processors, but the Google Tensor G2 in the Pixel Fold focuses on AI and computational photography, whereas the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 in the Magic Vs and Z Fold 4 excels in general performance and efficiency.
- Camera:
- The Magic Vs holds its own in daylight photography but lags behind in low-light performance compared to Samsung’s and Google’s superior computational photography.
- The Pixel Fold’s 5x telephoto zoom outclasses the 3x zoom in both the Honor and Samsung.
- Battery and Charging:
- The Honor Magic Vs has the largest battery (5000mAh) and fastest wired charging (66W) but lacks wireless charging, which is offered by both competitors.
- Build Quality:
- While the Magic Vs’ gapless hinge adds a sleek touch and reduces dust ingress, it lacks the IPX8 water resistance rating found in the Z Fold 4 and Pixel Fold.
- Software:
- The Magic Vs’ MagicOS is functional but lacks the polish and foldable-specific optimizations of Samsung’s One UI and Google’s Pixel UI, which provide better multitasking and app scaling.
FINAL THOUGHTS
The Honor Magic Vs is an impressive entry into the foldable smartphone market, combining premium hardware, elegant design, and competitive pricing. Its gapless hinge, large displays, and durable materials make it a standout option, particularly for those looking for an affordable alternative to high-priced competitors. The 5000mAh battery and fast wired charging further enhance its appeal.
However, the device is not without its compromises. The software experience, while functional, lacks the finesse and foldable-specific features seen in Samsung’s One UI or Google’s Pixel UI. Similarly, the camera system, though versatile, struggles in low-light conditions compared to competitors’ computational photography prowess. Additionally, the absence of wireless charging and IPX8 water resistance are noticeable omissions in a premium device.
Who Should Buy It:
- Users new to foldables or seeking a device that combines flagship features and affordability.
- Those prioritizing display size, battery life, and build quality over software and camera performance.
Final Verdict:
The Honor Magic Vs delivers a strong value proposition, particularly for its price. While it may not dethrone Samsung or Google, it carves out a niche for itself as a reliable, elegant, and accessible foldable phone. Recommended for users prioritizing hardware and design, with patience for future software refinements.
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