HONOR Magic V2 Review: An Impressively Thin And Light Foldable Phone Leave a comment

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

Some folks expressed reservations about final 12 months’s Qualcomm flagship SoC, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC. Nonetheless, the Magic V2 stays potent, with 16GB RAM and 256/512GB storage choices. Its standout function is being the thinnest and lightest massive foldable available on the market, coupled with good digital camera efficiency for such a slim physique.

Competitors, Value, and Availability

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

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

Thinner and lighter than all its foldable counterparts, the Magic V2 seems to be like a typical 8-inch high-end smartphone, making it an interesting choice for journey, doubling as a pill for content material consumption or work. At Ubergizmo, we’re critically contemplating ditching our cellphone and pill combo for the Magic V2, on account of our intense touring schedule.

Nonetheless, its multitasking function lags behind the heavier Z Fold 5, which additionally gives further functionalities with the elective 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. nations (roughly $2,150). We advocate shopping for the Honor 66W quick charger together with your order,in some nations just like the UK, it’s provided as a bundled reward (as of at this time).It costs only €1 in Germany (as of at this time), as a substitute of the €29.90 value provided on the Honor France website (as a substitute of the common €49.90 value, as of at this time).

Design

The Honor Magic V2 stands out for its key design components, 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. Nonetheless, in contrast to the Samsung’s massive 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 bundle features a case with a built-in kickstand, usable in numerous orientations, sustaining the Magic V2’s thinner profile in comparison with the Z Fold 5, even with the case connected.

Shows

The Honor Magic V2 incorporates 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 an almost 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 liable to eye pressure throughout extended cellphone use.

The exterior display screen mirrors the scale of a daily smartphone with a curved proper edge, whereas the inside crease is barely noticeable throughout media consumption or gaming. Examined for 400,000 folding cycles, equal to 10 years of folding 100 instances day by day.

Digital camera

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

Main digital camera night time:

The Magic V2 has a barely much less performing main digital camera at night time in comparison with the opposite massive foldable telephones. Nonetheless, it does a superb job general, 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 should you zoom in shut or crop the images. Moreover that, the digital camera does an amazing 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 approach.

General, the digital camera has good efficiency each in low gentle and in vivid daylight. We couldn’t calculate Ubergizmo’s HW digital camera rating on account of an absence of particular metadata within the images we shot, so we can’t examine the {hardware} digital camera system towards the opposite foldable telephones we examined. We are going to attempt to get the data and replace the evaluation accordingly.

Ultrawide digital camera:

Day: The sundown shot is absolutely attention-grabbing as a result of it challenges the digital camera to concurrently seize particulars and high-dynamic vary. The Magic V2 did properly with the HDR and particulars seize (together with texture) in our exams. Nonetheless, it tends to overshoot the publicity settings and different filters, making the ultimate photograph look somewhat unnatural (too vivid/vivid) in comparison with what your eyes see.

Night time: At night time, the Magic V2 Ultrawide digital camera does a superb job of preserving the lighting, shade, and temper of the scene. Nonetheless, the ultrawide digital camera module just isn’t as highly effective as the first (large) digital camera, and the feel of sure supplies might be troublesome to protect. On this scene, the Ultrawide shot is akin to what we obtained with the OnePlus Open.

Zoom digital camera:

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

Digital camera conclusion:

The Magic V2 rear digital camera system’s photograph high quality is spectacular should you contemplate how skinny the chassis is. Certainly, cell cameras want as a lot depth (thickness) as doable to host the digital camera lenses, and HONOR appears to have efficiently balanced cellphone design and digital camera 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 convey 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 12 months’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 a couple of video games).

Measured Efficiency

CPU efficiency

As you’ll be able to see from the charts, the Honor Magic V2 has glorious efficiency within the context of foldable telephones regardless of its superb thinness. That is most likely on account of Honor’s efforts to supply a complicated cooling system referred to as Extremely-thin Bionic Cooling System.
In keeping with the corporate, the brand new cooling know-how 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 sooner.

GPU efficiency

From a graphics standpoint, the scores are additionally very excessive, making it a excessive performer for normal graphics (GPU efficiency) but in addition video games. Take into account 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), due to its two-part silicon carbon battery know-how.

Debuting because the thinnest twin Silicon-carbon Batteries, averaging solely 2.72mm in thickness, the progressive 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 know-how for enhanced energy output on the similar voltage as graphite-based batteries.

With common use, linked to each 5G and Wi-Fi, the Magic V2 ought to final a minimum of 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 e mail having minimal affect in comparison with excessive workloads similar to intense photograph shoots, video streaming, or 3D gaming periods. As typical, the battery’s capability (in mAh) is your finest indicator for potential battery life.

Charging pace

The Honor Magic V2 prices 71% of its 5000 mAh battery in half-hour with the elective €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 prices 49% in half-hour with its elective 50W Samsung charger.

Conclusion

The Honor V2 delivers spectacular construct high quality and show high quality within the thinnest and lightest foldable kind issue available on the market.

This distinctive function ought to persuade folks reluctant to hold thicker and heavier smartphones to strive 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 digital camera efficiency is barely under the one present in aggressive units, it’s glorious for such a skinny chassis.

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