The super-premium phone-tablet is the thinnest and lightest folding device yet, but it compromises on the camera
Honor’s Magic V2 is the most elegantly designed folding phone-tablet yet. When closed, it feels just like a regular phone, but when opened, it unfolds like a book to reveal a large, luxurious screen.
Originally launched in China last year, the Magic V2 has now arrived in Europe, though its price is far from affordable. Priced at £1,700 (€2,000), it falls between the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 and the slightly cheaper OnePlus Open.
However, it boasts a significant advantage over its competitors: its slimness. Honor has managed to reduce the bulk of folding phones by slimming down the hinge and body. The device features a large and vibrant outer screen with slim bezels and curved sides, providing a normal Android experience when closed. When opened, the tablet is only 4.8mm thick, equivalent to a stack of six credit cards, which is remarkable.
The 7.92-inch internal screen is slightly larger than its competitors, offering the same level of brightness, smoothness, and visual appeal. The crease in the middle is slightly more noticeable compared to the OnePlus Open, but it quickly fades into the background during use.
The hinge is designed to withstand at least 400,000 folds and can hold the phone open at various angles. However, it doesn’t feel as sturdy as some competitors, and the phone lacks water and dust protection.
Specifications
Main display: 7.92-inch (402ppi) 120Hz flexible OLED
Cover display: 6.43-inch (404ppi) 120Hz OLED
Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
RAM: 16GB
Storage: 512GB
Operating system: MagicOS 7.2 (Android 13)
Camera: 50MP + 50MP ultrawide + 20MP 2.5x telephoto; dual 16MP selfie cameras
Connectivity: 5G, dual SIM + eSIM, USB-C, Wi-Fi 7, NFC, Bluetooth 5.3, GNSS
Water resistance: None
Folded dimensions: 156.7 x 74 x 10.1mm
Unfolded dimensions: 156.7 x 145.4 x 4.8mm
Weight: 237g
Last year’s top Android chip
The Honor Magic V2 features Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip from 2023, not the newer Gen 3 version that recently debuted in phones. Despite this, it delivers ample power for multitasking, gaming, and other tasks. The battery life is impressive, lasting well over six hours with both screens active and three hours on 5G, offering up to 49 hours between charges, which translates to a recharge every two days.
Sustainability
Honor has not specified the expected lifespan of the battery, but it is designed to endure over 500 full charge cycles while maintaining at least 80% of its original capacity. The phone is generally repairable by Honor, with a full battery replacement priced at £110 and folding screen replacements at £737.80 out of warranty. Additionally, the phone incorporates recycled plastic, and Honor provides a breakdown of its environmental impact and offers trade-in schemes.
MagicOS 7.2 lacks polish
The Magic V2’s primary weakness lies in its software. It comes with MagicOS 7.2, which is based on Android 13 from 2022, rather than the more recent Android 14. Honor commits to providing three years of Android updates and a total of five years of security updates from its release, falling short of the industry standard set by Google, Samsung, and Apple by at least two years.
MagicOS features some innovative concepts, like a mode that transforms the phone into a digital desk clock when not in use. However, overall, it lacks the polish of the top software experiences offered by its competitors. The operating system includes advanced multitasking capabilities, allowing users to have up to four apps on screen simultaneously: two in split-screen mode and two in smaller, free-floating pop-out windows.
One downside is that when tapping on a notification for a message, such as an email or WhatsApp, the phone opens the respective app in a mini floating window instead of full screen. While this can be useful at times, it can also be frustrating, especially when there’s no way to disable it. For instance, Gmail opening like a chat app is not always desired.
Additionally, the phone comes with preinstalled apps like Booking.com, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, and WPS Office, which can be uninstalled. However, for a device priced at £1,700, it is unexpected to have such bloatware typically found on budget devices.
Camera
The Magic V2 features three rear cameras, one front-facing selfie camera, and another on the inside screen.
While both selfie cameras perform well, they are outperformed by the main cameras, which can easily capture selfies using the outside screen as a viewfinder.
The main 50MP camera takes good photos in various lighting conditions, although it tends to oversaturate colors and often brightens scenes excessively, leading to a loss of contrast and a somewhat flat appearance. The 50MP ultrawide camera performs well in bright scenes, and the 20MP 2.5x telephoto lens generally produces decent images. However, it lacks significant reach, especially compared to competitors offering double the optical magnification.
In lower light conditions, all three cameras struggle, resulting in a loss of fine detail and sharpness, and they become increasingly inconsistent at night. Additionally, there is a noticeable color difference between the ultrawide and the other two cameras, which is disappointing considering the device’s price.
While these issues are not critical, Honor has some ground to cover to match the performance of the best cameras on the market.
Price
The Honor Magic V2 is priced at £1,699.99 (€1,999.90).
In comparison, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 is priced at £1,749, the Google Pixel Fold is also priced at £1,749, and the OnePlus Open is priced at £1,599.
Verdict
The Honor Magic V2 boasts exquisite hardware, seamlessly transitioning from a compact phone to a spacious tablet-like device. However, its software falls short of expectations, lacking the refinement and longevity found in competitor offerings. The absence of water-resistance certification raises durability concerns, and the camera performance, while adequate, lags behind in certain aspects. These shortcomings, while not insurmountable, are notable for a device in this price range, especially when more affordable alternatives excel in these areas.
