Honor Magic V2 review: Thin and light folding screen phone

I noticed the Honor Magic V2 for the primary time at IFA final September, which can debut in China in July 2023. Winner of one of many 2023 IFA Finest Awardsthis Magic V2 accustomed to January 26, 2024 World. The foldable cellphone is comparable in measurement and efficiency to the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 and OnePlus Open, whereas being thinner and lighter. Honor additionally introduced the Porsche Design Version at its launch occasion in Leipzig, Germany, and we’ll be reviewing it quickly.

Some folks expressed reservations about final 12 months’s Qualcomm flagship SoC, Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC. Nonetheless, the Magic V2 continues to be highly effective, with 16GB RAM and 256/512GB storage choices. Its standout function is that it is the thinnest and lightest giant foldable available on the market, coupled with good digicam efficiency in such a slim physique.

Competitors, Value and Availability

By way of show high quality and computing energy, the Honor Magic V2 is corresponding to the Galaxy Z Fold 5, besides that it doesn’t have a water-proof IP score (the Fold 5 is IP X8), has a thinner physique, and has a major waterproof score. Quicker charging velocity.

Apart from digicam efficiency, the Magic V2’s show and SoC are much like these of the thicker Oneplus Open.

Thinner and lighter than all its foldable counterparts, Magic V2 seems to be like an ordinary 8-inch high-end smartphone, Making it a sexy possibility for journey, but additionally as a pill for content material consumption or work. In Ubergizmo, We’re significantly contemplating ditching the cellphone and pill combo in favor of the Magic V2on account of our tight schedule.

Nonetheless, its multitasking capabilities lag behind the heavier Z Fold 5, which additionally presents further options by way of the non-obligatory new Z Fold 5 S Pen and S Pen Professional (together with air-to-air operation and distant management solely on the latter). Operate.

Launched with out Android 14, its replace course of is much like its rivals.Honor Magic V2 is priced at UK £1,699.99and Choose EU international locations €1,999 (roughly $2,150). It’s endorsed to purchase Honor 66W quick cost In keeping with your order,In some international locations, such because the UK, it is out there as a bundled reward (as of at present).Only one Euro in Germany (as of at present) as an alternative of the worth of 29.90 euros Honor France web site (As an alternative of at present’s common worth of 49.90 euros).

design

this Honor Magic V2 stand out Its key design components, particularly its skinny chassis exist 10.1mm/237g (9.9mm/231g for vegan leather-based model)surpassing the Galaxy Z Fold 5 (13.4mm, 253g), Pixel Fold (12.1mm, 283g) and OnePlus Open (11.7-11.9mm, 239-245g).

Measures solely 4.7mm or 4.8mm when unfolded (glass model), it’s only 1 mm thicker than extraordinary smartphones comparable to iPhone 15 Professional Max, with a thickness of 8.25 mm and a weight of 221 grams.

Construct high quality is great; We predict the Honor Magic V2 is without doubt one of the best-designed foldable telephones, and the glass-surface model (our evaluate unit) is available in a sublime purple hue.

“The construct high quality is great and we predict the Honor Magic V2 is without doubt one of the greatest designed foldable telephones”

The folding expertise is smoother than Z Fold 5. Nonetheless, not like Samsung’s bigger 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 decreasing crease depth.

The package deal features a protecting case with a built-in kickstand that can be utilized in numerous orientations, and even with the case connected, the Magic V2 maintains a slimmer profile in comparison with the Z Fold 5.

monitor

Honor Magic V2 has 6Entrance 0.43-inch OLED show with decision 1060 x 2376,A 120Hz refresh feein addition to theoretical Peak brightness is 2,500 nits.

Internally, it has an nearly sq. Beautiful 7.92-inch show with a Decision 2156 x 2344,A 120Hz refresh fee,and a Claimed peak brightness of 1,600 nits. HONOR highlights its 3840Hz PWM dimming expertisewhich can assist customers who’re liable to eye fatigue when utilizing cellphones for lengthy intervals of time.

The exterior display screen is identical measurement as a median smartphone has a curved proper edge, whereas Inner creases are barely noticeable Throughout media consumption or gaming. After 400,000 folding cycle assessments, it’s equal to folding 100 occasions a day, which is equal to 10 years.

digicam

Magic V2 hasTypical triple rear camerastogether with a 5 million pixel major,A 2-megapixel telephoto lens, 2.5x optical zoom,and a 5 million pixels extremely extensive. There’s a 16MP hole-punch selfie digicam on each display screenable to capturing 4K movies at 30 fps. The rear digicam can shoot 4K movies at 60 fps.

Most important digicam evening:

In comparison with different giant foldable telephones, the Magic V2’s major digicam performs barely worse at evening. Nonetheless, the general efficiency continues to be good. For such a skinny case, the outcomes are nonetheless passable.

The Magic V2’s nighttime picture high quality is closest to that of the Pixel Fold, however particulars are barely fuzzier, partly on account of highly effective filtering and sharpening algorithms, particularly when zooming in at shut vary or cropping pictures. In any other case, the digicam does an incredible job of capturing pure colours and preserving the ambiance of evening scenes. Gentle stays pure, correct, and captured in a predictable method.

Total, the digicam performs properly in each low gentle and vibrant daylight. Resulting from an absence of particular metadata within the pictures we took, we could not calculate the Ubergizmo’s {hardware} digicam rating, so we could not evaluate the {hardware} digicam system to different foldable telephones we examined. We’ll do our greatest to get the knowledge and replace the evaluate accordingly.

extremely extensive angle digicam:

sky: Sundown pictures is nice enjoyable as a result of it challenges the digicam to seize element and excessive dynamic vary on the similar time. In our assessments, the Magic V2 carried out properly in HDR and capturing element, together with textures. Nonetheless, it tends to over-adjust publicity settings and different filters, making the ultimate picture look a bit unnatural (too vibrant/vivid) in comparison with what your eyes see.

evening: At evening, the Magic V2 Ultrawide digicam does an incredible job of preserving the sunshine, colour, and temper of the scene. Nonetheless, the ultra-wide digicam module shouldn’t be as highly effective as the primary (wide-angle) digicam, and the feel of some supplies could also be troublesome to protect. On this scene, the ultra-wide shot is corresponding to what we acquired with the OnePlus Open.

zoom digicam:

In contrast with telephoto cameras with 6x or 10x optical zoom capabilities, Magic V2’s 2.5x zoom is extra appropriate for taking portrait pictures. At lengthy distances (10x), the digicam will depend on digital zoom, making small particulars comparatively blurry in comparison with excessive zoom cameras. In any other case, usually 2.5x zoom picture high quality is sort of good, however as is usually the case with this digicam, pictures typically look unnatural on account of publicity settings and the best way filters are utilized.

digicam conclusion:

The picture high quality of the Magic V2’s rear digicam system is spectacular when you think about how skinny it’s. In actual fact, motion cameras want as a lot depth (thickness) as doable to accommodate the digicam lens, and Honor appears to have efficiently balanced cellphone design and digicam high quality.

SoC, reminiscence, storage, efficiency and software program updates

Software program updates

Honor is promising 5 years of safety patches and 4 years of Android updates for the Magic V2, in keeping with what Samsung and OnePlus have assured 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 comes pre-installed with Android 13, an replace is required to carry it as much as Android 14. In contrast to the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5, the Magic V2 has but to obtain the Android 14 replace.

It is powered by final 12 months’s Qualcomm flagship SoC Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, with as much as 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage (expandable to 1TB within the Porsche Design model).

perceived efficiency

In day by day use, together with 3D gaming (I attempted a number of video games), efficiency remained stable.

Examined efficiency

CPU efficiency

As you’ll be able to see from the chart, the Honor Magic V2 performs properly within the context of a foldable cellphone, regardless of its wonderful thinness. This may very well be on account of Honor’s give attention to producing a sophisticated cooling system referred to as the Extremely-Skinny Bionic Cooling System.
In keeping with the corporate, the brand new cooling expertise combines ultra-thin vapor chambers, ultra-high thermal conductivity graphite, thermal gel and copper foil.

It is one of the crucial CPU-efficient merchandise on the market, usually making certain that apps load shortly and most duties are accomplished sooner.

GPU efficiency

From a graphics perspective, the rating can also be very excessive, making it a excessive performer for common graphics (GPU efficiency) and gaming. Needless to say with extended gaming, warmth will finally construct up. For this reason all devoted gaming techniques are inherently thicker and have further cooling capabilities.

Battery

battery capability

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

In keeping with Honor, this modern battery system debuts because the thinnest twin silicon carbon battery with a median thickness of solely 2.72 mm and a 40% longer cycle life.

It makes use of an electrochemical system for prolonged service life and HONOR’s low-voltage charging power harvesting expertise to reinforce energy output on the similar voltage as graphite batteries.

With common use and linked to 5G and Wi-Fi, the Magic V2 can final at the very least a full day on a single cost. In my evaluate, carried out solely with intermittent use over Wi-Fi (no 5G), the battery lasted three days. I am unable to vouch for battery life, as battery consumption varies vastly primarily based on utilization, with looking and electronic mail having minimal influence in comparison with excessive workloads like intense picture capturing, video streaming, or 3D gaming classes. As at all times, battery capability (mAh) is the perfect indicator of potential battery life.

charging velocity

Honor Magic V2 can cost 5000mAh battery to 71% in half-hour, with non-obligatory energy financial institution 30 euros 66W charger (free or EUR1 pack in some markets). That is much like the time it took the OnePlus Open’s 4805 mAh battery to cost 79% in half-hour (it comes with the OnePlus 67W quick charger). Compared, the Galaxy Z Fold 5 charged 49% in half-hour utilizing the non-obligatory 50W Samsung charger.

in conclusion

Honor V2 presents 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 those that do not need to carry round a thicker and heavier smartphone to offer the foldable smartphone expertise a attempt. Vacationers ought to think about switching to the Magic V2 because it can be used as a pill for elevated productiveness and leisure in the course of the flight.

Whereas digicam efficiency is barely decrease than competing units, it is glorious for such a skinny physique.

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Submitted beneath smartphone. Be taught extra about foldable smartphones, Honor, smartphones and Snapdragon 8 Gen 2.