Nearly two months after its preliminary launch, the Honor Magic V2 is coming to European markets, despite the fact that Honor nonetheless gained’t verify a value or launch date.
We’ve identified virtually all the important thing specs since July, so there are not any large surprises right here. Honor’s third book-style foldable is a refined model of the Magic Vs, which itself solely launched globally in February.
Like most flagship Android units in 2023, it’s powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. A 6.43in cowl display screen opens to disclose a 7.92in inside show. Each are OLED, and have an adaptive 120Hz refresh charge.
Three rear cameras (50Mp essential, 50Mp ultrawide, 20Mp telephoto) are joined by 16Mp selfie lenses on the prime of each shows, whereas there’s a good 5000mAh battery. 66W wired charging is right here, even when there’s no wi-fi charging.
To date, so unremarkable so far as foldables go. However what stands the Magic V2 above the competitors is the way it feels to make use of, one thing you’ll be able to by no means choose from specs alone.
After spending time with the gadget, I can confidently say that is nearly as good as foldable telephone design will get proper now. The slick {hardware} retains all the flexibility of a phone-tablet hybrid, but avoids a few of its common drawbacks.
Anyron Copeman / Foundry
Let’s begin with the thickness, or lack thereof. At 9.9mm when closed, Honor says the Magic V2 is the world’s thinnest folding telephone, and far nearer to an everyday handset than the 13.4mm Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5.
3.5mm may not sound like a lot, but it surely makes an enormous distinction. Selecting this book-style foldable now not means having to place up with such a cumbersome design, making me far more inclined to make use of one. Quite than being a advertising gimmick, a thinner foldable seems like a real step ahead.
The Magic V2 additionally units new requirements relating to weight. At 231g, it’s lighter than not solely all different book-style foldables, but additionally common flagship telephones such because the iPhone 14 Professional Max and Samsung Galaxy S23 Extremely.
As somebody who’s utilizing the S23 Extremely in the mean time, selecting up the Magic V2 was an actual shock – in a great way. Nevertheless it doesn’t really feel like sturdiness has been sacrificed to get there, with Honor claiming it could actually final for as much as 400,000 folds.
The 7.93in inside show definitely seems to be the half, however the 6.43in cowl display screen is much more spectacular. Not solely is it a lovely 120Hz OLED, it stretches proper to the sting of the entrance panel like an everyday smartphone.
Quite than the awkwardly slim cowl show of some book-style foldables, the one on the Magic V2 feels very comfy to make use of. The choice to show it right into a small pill (full with barely-noticeable crease) is there, however you don’t all the time want it.
Anyron Copeman / Foundry
Nevertheless, nearly as good because the gadget feels to make use of, query marks stay. The Magic V2 runs a full model of Android (together with all Google apps), however Honor is but to show that it could actually optimise the MagicOS pores and skin for foldables. Samsung’s One UI nonetheless has it beat for pure utility. Software program finesse was the primary weak spot of the Magic Vs, and I haven’t spent lengthy sufficient with its successor to resolve if it’s been totally addressed.
Then there are the cameras. Outcomes from each the rear sensors and selfie lens had been spectacular in short testing, however that was in a well-lit room in the course of the day. It stays to be seen whether or not the Magic V2 can ship a real flagship-level images expertise.
After which there’s the value, which might make or break the Magic V2. The Chinese language beginning value (¥8,999, round $1,250/£970) isn’t a dependable indicator, however it could be near the Magic Vs (from £1,399/€1,599).
It’ll most likely have to undercut each the Z Fold 5 (from $1,799.99/£1,749) and Pixel Fold (from $1,799/£1,749) to make an impression within the UK and Europe. A launch date can also be but to be confirmed, however don’t count on the Magic V2 to ever come to North America.