Tech large Honor launched the world’s second slimmest telephone – the Magic V5 – again in July.
Its 4.1mm chassis (when unfolded) is second solely to the tri-fold Huawei Mate XT, and makes common telephones look big by comparability. Even Apple’s 5.6mm iPhone Air and the 5.8mm Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge are considerably chunkier.
These super-slim telephones have been round for a while now, and the hype about them has cooled down a bit of. Whereas some customers like the texture of skinny telephones of their arms, others have been underwhelmed by their compromises.
Whereas the iPhone Air appears protected for now, it was the one current-gen iPhone to be discounted over Black Friday, suggesting sluggish gross sales. In the meantime, Samsung has reportedly already acted following poor figures for the S25 Edge, supposedly axing it from the upcoming Galaxy S26 collection.
Nonetheless, whereas it adopts a really completely different kind issue, the Magic V5 presents some key learnings for Apple and Samsung in the event that they ever return to the ultra-slim telephone enviornment.
No-compromise battery life
Skinny telephones typically have drawbacks due to their compact measurement. They repeatedly sacrifice battery capability, cameras and even speaker high quality to maintain up with the slim design. However within the case of the Magic V5, that doesn’t appear to be the case.
Regardless of being extremely skinny, Honor’s foldable presents an unbelievable 5820mAh battery, placing it in one other dimension to the 3900mAh Galaxy S25 Edge and 3149mAh iPhone Air. What’s Honor doing otherwise to suit such a big battery in such a slim machine?
The reply may be very easy: it makes use of a silicon-carbon battery as a substitute of the standard lithium-ion variations.
Foundry | Alex Walker-Todd
Lithium-ion batteries are fairly widespread in smartphones. They provide dependable efficiency however degrade over time as a result of pure ageing. With their restricted lifespan, there could also be points like overheating and swelling. Their power density and charging pace rely on the quantity and circulate of lithium inside them. Graphite, which is used for the damaging electrode, doesn’t maintain a lot power per gram.
As a substitute of graphite because the damaging electrode, the Magic V5 silicon permits it to supposedly ship as much as 10 instances the facility density of graphite. To compensate for the brief lifespan and quantity growth of silicon, a silicon-carbon anode is used. Silicon-carbon batteries mix excessive power density with a light-weight design, permitting you to stream movies or play video games all day without having a cost. Regardless of having a 7.95-inch inside show, the Magic V5 weighs simply 217g.
Other than longer battery life, the battery expertise additionally helps charging in excessive temperatures, as little as -20°C. Chilly environments decelerate lithium ions, however environment friendly silicon-carbon batteries can deal with charging, even in sub-zero circumstances.
Correct quick charging
The Magic V5 presents quick charging of 66W wired and 50W wi-fi choices. The corporate claims the previous will get you a full cost in simply 43 minutes, which wasn’t far off the findings in our full assessment.
In the meantime, Galaxy S25 Edge helps 25W wired and 15W wi-fi charging, attaining a full cost in a way more leisurely 70 minutes. The iPhone Air is even slower, reaching solely 20W for each wired and Qi2 wi-fi charging. Consequently, 90 minutes for a full cost isn’t out of the query.
So, how does Honor handle to incorporate correct quick charging inside such a skinny machine? The important thing will be discovered below the hood.
Foundry | Alex Walker-Todd
Alongside the common chipset, the Magic V5 additionally contains a devoted ‘E2 Energy Enhanced Chip. This works alongside system-wide AI with the only real goal of optimising energy utilization and lengthening battery life consequently.
By regulating voltage and optimising efficiency, the system helps to handle the warmth generated throughout operation. It additionally manages charging patterns to advertise battery well being.
With faster-moving lithium ions, the Magic V5 can cost quicker than its rivals. The battery design, an E2 power-enhanced chip, and AI energy administration promote lengthy battery life and quick cost of the Magic V5, leaving loads for Apple and Samsung to envy.
Whether or not it’s the foldable iPhone, Galaxy Z Fold 8 or new ultra-slim telephones, the Honor Magic V5 presents loads of learnings, particularly within the much-talked-about battery and charging arenas.