HONOR Magic Vs Review: An affordable folding Samsung challenger
Please note software is not finalised at the time of writing this review therefore details are restricted to only certain hardware elements only.
Chinese tech company HONOR, since getting out of the shadow of its parent brand Huawei has forged its own path with its distinct style that helps set them apart, and nothing makes that clearer than the HONOR Magic Vs.
Foldable phones have become a viable option with screen technology improving so slowly other phone manufacturers are beginning to challenge the Samsungs Galaxy Z Fold line with their own models.
Foldable Phones offer an experience between tablet and phone offering a larger display but the functionality and high performance of a modern smartphone, making them excellent for gaming, productivity and watching films and TV on the go.
The feather 3 camera module is a serious departure from the Magic 4 (HONOR)The Magic V was HONOR’s first foldable phone and was released in China back in January 2022 as a follow-up to their flagship the Magic 4 Pro, this has been updated and tweaked for its Global release as the Honor Magic Vs.
Like most HONOR devices it features a bold, glossy and sleek and symmetrical design that looks premium without looking over the top.
It's available in three colours cyan, orange and black. It's also large, even for a foldable at 160.3 x 72.6 x 12.9mm when folded and 160.3 x 141.5 x 6.1mm when fully opened which feels strange at first but didn’t take me long to get used to.
This makes it a bit larger than the Samsung Fold 4 and chunky although it does have a slim and tall profile when folded, which makes it feel a little less clunky which I really liked as a design.
It's a little heavy and takes a little time to get used to at 261g which is more than the iPhone 14 Pro Max, but around the same as the Samsung Fold 4.
The rectangular camera module contains three lenses that do protrude slightly from the device, making it never sit perfectly flat, which did bother me a little.
Unsurprisingly there is no audio jack in sight but, it of course supports Bluetooth 5.2 for connection to wireless earbuds and speakers.
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The Magic Vs, is fairly typical for HONOR as so far as it looks stunning (HONOR) Made with a metal frame and glass front and back the Magic Vs retains that glossy premium look HONOR is known for, and like all glossy, glass phones, it’s a fingerprint and smudge magnet unless you confine it to a case.
The magnesium alloy frame and titanium alloy hinge make it feels like an absolutely solid unit. There is no IP rating, so I’d be careful with it around spills, heavy rain and try not to drop it in the bath.
The hinge was one of the better I’ve felt in a folding phone, feeling sturdy and not too loose or rigid, and HONOR claims its mechanism can withstand up to 400,000 folds or ten years of use and it certainly felt tough enough.
However, the indent is noticeable especially if you run your finger over it while gaming, it didn't bother me but some users may find it offputting.
HONOR says their gearless hinge reduces the number of components of the support structure from 92 to 4, making it lighter and less complicated, with less complicated parts to go wrong.
The screens are one of the highlights of the Magic Vs as they should be in any foldable device. The Magic V features two stunning OLED displays.
Firstly, the exterior is a 6.45-inch screen with a 120Hz refresh rate capable of 2560 x 1080 (431 PPI) and resolution, meaning it’s very sharp and clear with a fast smooth refresh rate.
Secondly, the internal display is a 7.9-inch folding OLED display that offers a whopping resolution of 2272 x 1984 but only a 90Hz refresh rate, which is still smooth but baffles me why they didn’t make this screen 120Hz as it’s the main focus of the device.
The Magic Vs feels solid and durable despite it's folding screen (HONOR) The aspect ratio of the outer screen offers a nearly 21:9 aspect ratio which is great for watching films offering minimal, annoying bars in the frame.
Unfortunately, there doesn’t appear to be any advanced Gorilla Glass protection and while certainly not fragile I would be cautious with the OLED display.
The screens are all HDR10+ certified and can display up to 1.07 billion colours giving them a strong and punchy contrast as well as rich a vibrant colours which look awesome for gaming, watching a film or just browsing the web, however, they are slightly duller than Samsung’s which honestly isn’t surprising.
Specifications
Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 – 4 nm Octa-core 1x3.0 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.5 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A510
Screen: 6.45 inches FHD+ 1080 x 2640 pixels (431 PPI), Internal display 7.9 inches (381 PPI)
RAM: 8GB RAM /12GB RAM
Storage: 256GB / 512GB
That Snapdragon chip ensures swift performance for gaming as well as day-to-day tasks. While it may not be the highest spec with the recent release of the Snapdragon 8 gen 2, it’s still incredibly powerful, reducing loading times and keeping up that swift performance.
Gaming on the Magic Vs was a breeze, with everything from Apex Legends, Minecraft and the beast that is, Genshin Impact running at higher settings with just a few screen rate stutters but nothing too distracting.
I had an amazing time gaming on the Magic Vs when I placed it in a mobile phone controller/holder like the Nacon MG-X Pro.
There are two different RAM Options, 8GB and 12GB, both are more than enough for having multiple tabs open, editing video and gaming.
The fold out display is great for gaming, photo editing and watching films (James Ide)
There are also different storage options from 256GB to a whopping 512GB, while there’s also no Micro SD slot for expandable memory, there are storage options that will be fine for most users.
The HONOR Magic Vs features a solid three-camera module including a 54MP Sony IMX800 Main Camera, a 50MP Ultra-Wide & Macro Main Camera and a handy 8MP Optical Zoom Camera.
It can record images of up to 6144×8768 pixels making them perfect for large prints or some tight cropping and editing.
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This setup seems a great choice as the main camera doubling as a macro works well and a dedicated telephoto camera is the most useful option.
The battery is a 5000mAh cell that charges via USB-C and features 66W Wired HONOR SuperCharge for quick charging but doesn’t support wireless charging.
Pricing hasn't yet been confirmed nor has the official release date although it is believed to be around towards the end of February 2023.
Speculation of pricing based on the Chinese listing online points to around £850 for the 8GB / 256GB version and around £1,000 for the 12GB and 512GB storage models, putting it in the flagship territory yet still on the affordable end of that spectrum. While the exact price isn't known it's incredibly likely it will be less than Samsung's Fold 4 which is £1649.
HONOR Magic Vs VERDICT: 4/5
While not the final experience, what I've seen and used so far is very impressive
The Magic Vs is a solid phone with its sleek design and spectacular performance, as well as brilliant screens, making it much more than just an inexpensive alternative to the Samsung Fold, and a great phone in its own right.
It delivers a quality folding phone/near-tablet experience without compromising very much on the way.
Further details on the HONOR Magic Vs can be found on HONOR's website
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