HONOR Magic V2 Evaluation: An Impressively Skinny And Light Foldable Phone

At IFA closing September, I encountered the Honor Magic V2 for the first time, which debuted in China in July 2023. The recipient of one amongst our Higher of IFA 2023 Awardsthe Magic V2 went world on Jan 26, 2024. Much like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 and OnePlus Open in measurement and effectivity, this foldable phone encompasses a thinner and lighter chassis. Honor moreover unveiled the Porsche Design mannequin on the Leipzig, Germany, launch event, and we’ll publish the overview rapidly.

Some of us expressed reservations about closing yr’s Qualcomm flagship SoC, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC. Nonetheless, the Magic V2 stays potent, with 16GB RAM and 256/512GB storage selections. Its standout operate is being the thinnest and lightest large foldable obtainable in the marketplace, coupled with good digicam effectivity for such a slim physique.

Rivals, Price, and Availability

From a present top quality and computing vitality perspective, the Honor Magic V2 is on par with the Galaxy Z Fold 5, other than its lack of a waterproofing IP rating (the Fold 5 is IP X8), its thinner chassis, and its significantly sooner charging velocity.

The Magic V2’s present and SoC are moreover very like the thicker Oneplus Open, other than the digicam effectivity.

Thinner and lighter than all its foldable counterparts, the Magic V2 seems to be like like an odd 8-inch high-end smartphone, making it an fascinating chance for journey, doubling as a tablet for content material materials consumption or work. At Ubergizmo, we’re considerably considering ditching our phone and tablet combo for the Magic V2as a consequence of our intense touring schedule.

Nonetheless, its multitasking operate lags behind the heavier Z Fold 5, which moreover affords additional functionalities with the non-compulsory new Z Fold 5 S Pen and the S Pen Skilled (along with air actions and distant administration only for the latter).

Launching with out Android 14, its exchange program stays very like the rivals. The HONOR Magic V2 is priced at £1,699.99 throughout the UKand €1,999 in select E.U. nations (roughly $2,150). We advocate looking for the Honor 66W fast charger alongside along with your order,in some nations identical to the UK, it is provided as a bundled current (as of instantly).It costs solely €1 in Germany (as of instantly), instead of the €29.90 price provided on the Honor France website (instead of the widespread €49.90 price, as of instantly).

Design

The Honor Magic V2 stands out for its key design elements, notably its skinny chassis at 10.1 mm / 237 g (or 9.9 mm / 231g for the vegan leather-based mannequin)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 mannequin), which is only one mm thicker than widespread smartphones such as a result of the iPhone 15 Skilled Max, which is 8.25mm and 221 grams.

The assemble top quality is excellent, and we take into consideration the Honor Magic V2 one in every of many best-designed foldable telephones, that features a elegant purple shade for the glass finish mannequin (our overview unit).

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

The folding experience is smoother than the Z Fold 5. Nonetheless, not just like the Samsung’s large foldable, it lacks a 45-degree folding place, which is a minimal trade-off. The redesigned hinge eliminates gaps, making the phone ultra-thin whereas reducing crease depth.

The bundle includes a case with a built-in kickstand, usable in quite a few orientations, sustaining the Magic V2’s thinner profile as compared with the Z Fold 5, even with the case linked.

Reveals

The Honor Magic V2 encompasses a 6.43-inch OLED present on the doorway with a call of 1060 x 2376,a 120Hz refresh worthand a theoretical peak brightness of two,500 nits.

Internally, it houses an nearly sq. stunning 7.92-inch present with a determination of 2156 x 2344a 120Hz refresh worthand a claimed peak brightness of 1,600 nits. HONOR highlights its 3840Hz PWM dimming techdoubtlessly aiding prospects liable to eye strain all through prolonged phone use.

The outside show mirrors the size of a every day smartphone with a curved correct edge, whereas the inside crease is barely noticeable all through media consumption or gaming. Examined for 400,000 folding cycles, equal to 10 years of folding 100 events on daily basis.

Digital digicam

The Magic V2 has a typical triple rear digicamalong with a 50-megapixel principala 20-megapixel telephoto with a 2.5x optical zoomand a 50-megapixel ultrawide. There is a 16 MP punch-hole selfie digicam on each showcapable of taking footage 4K video at 30 fps. The rear digicam can shoot 4K video at 60 fps.

Most important digicam night:

The Magic V2 has a barely a lot much less performing main digicam at night as compared with the other large foldable telephones. Nonetheless, it does a wonderful job whole, and the outcomes are satisfactory for such a thin chassis.

The Magic V2 night picture top quality is closest to the Pixel Fold, nonetheless the particulars are barely additional blurry, partially as a result of strong filtering and sharpening algorithms, notably in case you zoom in shut or crop the images. Other than that, the digicam does an essential job of capturing pure colors and preserving the mood of the night scene as you see it. The lighting stays pure and on-point and captures in a predictable means.

Complete, the digicam has good effectivity every in low light and in vibrant daylight. We could not calculate Ubergizmo’s HW digicam ranking as a consequence of an absence of specific metadata throughout the footage we shot, so we can’t look at the {{hardware}} digicam system in direction of the other foldable telephones we examined. We’ll try and get the information and exchange the overview accordingly.

Ultrawide digicam:

Day: The sunset shot is admittedly fascinating on account of it challenges the digicam to concurrently seize particulars and high-dynamic fluctuate. The Magic V2 did successfully with the HDR and particulars seize (along with texture) in our checks. Nonetheless, it tends to overshoot the publicity settings and completely different filters, making the last word {photograph} look a bit bit unnatural (too vibrant/vivid) as compared with what your eyes see.

Night: At night, the Magic V2 Ultrawide digicam does a wonderful job of preserving the lighting, color, and mood of the scene. Nonetheless, the ultrawide digicam module is simply not as extremely efficient as the primary (huge) digicam, and the texture of certain provides may very well be troublesome to guard. On this scene, the Ultrawide shot is equivalent to what we obtained with the OnePlus Open.

Zoom digicam:

The 2.5X zoom of the Magic V2 is additional suited to grab portrait footage than competing with telephoto cameras that operate 6X or 10X optical zooms. At long-range (10X), the digicam will depend upon digital zooming, making small particulars comparatively blurry as compared with the acute zoom cameras. That aside, the ultimate 2.5X zoom image top quality is kind of good, nonetheless prefer it’s normally the case with this digicam, the images can typically look a lot much less pure as a consequence of how the publicity is prepared and the way in which filters are being utilized.

Digital digicam conclusion:

The Magic V2 rear digicam system’s {photograph} top quality is spectacular in case you consider how skinny the chassis is. Definitely, mobile cameras need as loads depth (thickness) as doable to host the digicam lenses, and HONOR seems to have effectively balanced phone design and digicam top quality.

SoC, memory, storage, effectivity& software program program updates

Software program program updates

Honor commits to providing 5 years of security 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 mannequin updates and 5 years of security patches. Whereas the Magic V2 ships with Android 13, one exchange is required to ship it up to date with Android 14. Not just like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5, the Magic V2 is however to acquire an Android 14 exchange.

It houses closing yr’s Qualcomm flagship SoC, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, with configurations of as a lot as 16GB RAM and 512GB storage (expandable to 1TB throughout the Porsche Design variant).

Perceived Effectivity

Effectivity stays fluid in on daily basis utilization, along with 3D gaming (I tried numerous video video games).

Measured Effectivity

CPU effectivity

As you presumably can see from the charts, the Honor Magic V2 has superb effectivity throughout the context of foldable telephones no matter its very good thinness. That’s probably as a consequence of Honor’s efforts to provide a sophisticated cooling system often known as Extraordinarily-thin Bionic Cooling System.
In accordance with the company, the model 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 many highest CPU effectivity, which typically ensures that apps load fast and most duties are completed sooner.

GPU effectivity

From a graphics standpoint, the scores are moreover very extreme, making it a extreme performer for regular graphics (GPU effectivity) however as well as video video games. Have in mind that with extended gaming lessons, the heat will lastly assemble up. That’s why all devoted gaming strategies are inherently thicker with additional cooling.

Battery

Battery functionality

No matter its ultrathin chassis measuring 4.7 or 4.8 mm, the Magic V2 impressively integrates a 5000 mAh battery (the biggest for a foldable phone), resulting from its two-part silicon carbon battery know-how.

Debuting as a result of the thinnest twin Silicon-carbon Batteries, averaging solely 2.72mm in thickness, the trendy battery system extends its cycle life by 40%, in accordance with HONOR.

It incorporates an electrochemical system that enhances longevity and choices HONOR’s low-voltage value energy-gathering know-how for enhanced vitality output on the same voltage as graphite-based batteries.

With widespread use, linked to every 5G and Wi-Fi, the Magic V2 should closing at least a full day on one value. All through my overview, 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 extraordinarily varies counting on utilization, with looking out and electronic message having minimal have an effect on as compared with extreme workloads similar to intense {photograph} shoots, video streaming, or 3D gaming lessons. As commonplace, the battery’s functionality (in mAh) is your biggest indicator for potential battery life.

Charging velocity

The Honor Magic V2 bills 71% of its 5000 mAh battery in half-hour with the non-compulsory €30 66W charger (free or €1 bundle in some markets). That’s very 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 bills 49% in half-hour with its non-compulsory 50W Samsung charger.

Conclusion

The Honor V2 delivers spectacular assemble top quality and present top quality throughout the thinnest and lightest foldable sort difficulty obtainable in the marketplace.

This distinctive operate ought to influence of us reluctant to carry thicker and heavier smartphones to attempt the folding smartphone experience. Vacationers ought to consider switching to the Magic V2 as a result of it can even be used as a tablet for productiveness and leisure all through flights.

Although the digicam effectivity is barely beneath the one current in aggressive devices, it is superb for such a thin chassis.

Some textual content material

Filed in Cellphones. Be taught additional about Foldable Smartphones, Honor, Cell Digital digicam Evaluations, Smartphone Evaluations, Smartphones and Snapdragon 8 Gen 2.