Disregard them as a fad at your behest, however foldable telephones are at the receiving finish of a few main backing from big-name producers, and so they aren’t more likely to move away any time quickly. The envelope is being driven as those manufacturers search to interchange your telephone with those folding phablets, and Honor’s Magic V2 could be at the precipice of convincing you that it’s no longer a nasty thought. No longer a nasty thought in any respect.
We’ve all heard the nightmare stories surrounding foldable units, $1,799 Google Pixel Fold dies after 4 days, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold display breaks after simply at some point, and expensive God, Microsoft could be creating a Floor Duo 3. The horror, the horror. Those tales are sufficient to ward away even essentially the most worrying of smartphone homeowners, myself incorporated. That’s why I’ve been hesitant to hop aboard the hype educate for foldables, I used to be satisfied my funding would quickly transform little greater than a flexible paperweight.
On the other hand, obviously impressionable and simply influenced, it best took one YouTube video to switch my thoughts (regardless that, in my protection, it was once a week-long) —- The Nice Folding Take a look at Vol. II via MrKeybrd. On this check, I noticed each the Motorola Razr Plus and Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 put during the wringer, going through such a lot of varieties of tech torture that even the animatronic puppet of Jigsaw would tumble from its tricycle in terror. Whilst each telephones would ultimately turn their ultimate fold, the degrees of punishment that each stood as much as stayed with me, I used to be abruptly a foldable follower.
Nonetheless, when Honor shipped the Magic V2, the arena’s thinnest foldable telephone, to my door, it was once right away obvious that the ghosts of long-fallen foldables nonetheless had their hooks in me. Simply take a look at this factor, it’s so skinny I sought after to feed it a hearty meal after unboxing it. I will have been extra open to the feasibility of the foldable telephone shape, however I definitely nonetheless had one foot left on shore. Would the Honor Magic V2 be the telephone that will get me absolutely onboard? Let’s to find out.
Honor Magic V2: Value and availability
The Honor Magic V2 is to be had in a single configuration providing 16GB of RAM and 512GB of garage in both Phantom Crimson or Nighttime Black. It’s now to be had in the United Kingdom for £1,699, giving it a wholesome benefit over the recently £1,869 Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5.
Like maximum foldables, the Magic V2’s worth is doubtlessly its biggest weak point. Costing £1.7K, you are expecting the most recent and biggest tech to be sat on your pocket. Operating off a changed model of Android 13 with the final technology’s most sensible chipset isn’t precisely what many would see as state of the art.
On the other hand, there’s a controversy nonetheless to be made, and the listing of execs earned via the Honor V2 starts to outshine the cons the extra time you spend with it.
Honor Magic V2: Design
Honor claims that the Magic V2 is the arena’s thinnest foldable telephone, and so they’re no longer telling tall stories. At simply 4.7mm extensive whilst open, and best 9.9mm thick whilst closed, the Magic V2 simply surpasses Microsoft’s dual-screen providing of the in a similar fashion trim Floor Duo (4.8mm and 9.8mm) and the Huawei Mate X3’s true foldable type of 5.3 mm.
Even though the Magic V2 was once a little bit chunkier, there’d nonetheless be masses to reward with regards to its design. From the bullnose-beveled body, trim bezels, delicate branding, ergonomic button placements, and an easy-to-reach energy button that doubles as a fingerprint reader, to the textured PU leather-based that encases its rear, the V2 exudes such a lot magnificence that it might make a communist’s fist shake with rage. However did I point out that it’s scarily skinny?
Each and every slight sensation of (what might or won’t were) a creak coming from its narrow body as I grimaced my method thru opening or shutting it scared the ever-loving piss out of me —- and the comfortable clunk of the body’s two magnetic edges colliding was once sufficient to rocket my arterial force to heights that left my white blood cells popping like kernels of corn.
On the other hand, in a testomony to how blasé we’ve all transform about generation, and far to my marvel, via day two my clammy arms had vanished and I might catch myself ordering golfing golf equipment on Amazon once I puzzled what number of of my family knickknacks I may “putt” during the Magic V2 whilst in tent mode.
I don’t doubt that the Magic V2’s narrow body is extra liable to harm than your conventional Gorilla Glass-encased monolithic cell phone. However I do really feel like we will have reached a degree of foldable engineering the place general fragility performs a way smaller section in screw ups than person error. As a result of, whilst best about as thick as 3 or 4 stacked bank cards, Honor’s Magic V2 is one strong boi.
It didn’t take lengthy for the telephone’s 8.1 oz. of heft and titanium hinge to place my thoughts comfortable — in case you don’t rely a complete day of precarious folding and unfolding at arm’s period adore it was once as explosive because the rocket it stocks a reputation with as ‘lengthy,’ this is. However as soon as settled, I used to be unfastened to take pleasure in that superb expanded phablet shape as I pried it open to expose its 156.7 x 145.4 x 4.7-millimeter internal canvas.
Honor Magic V2: Show
Whilst the Honor Magic V2’s 7.92-inch internal display does carry with it a shallow crease that’s noticeable to touch, it’s slightly perceptible to the attention when in use and not anything to scoff at with regards to taking part in all of that expanded on-screen actual property. It’s a porthole to chance due to a virtually 1:1 sq. of colourful, foldable OLED panel that provides up a 2344 x 2156-pixel playground to revel in extra spacious display time at the move.
Colours pop and soar from the panel in entrance of you, aided via a height brightness Honor claims to achieve 1,600 nits. It’s no longer simply vibrant and colourful, it’s additionally lovely sharp and impressively easy, with Honor’s measurements additionally touting a 402 Pixels In keeping with Inch (PPI) density and a 120Hz refresh fee.
In comparison to my Pixel 7a day-to-day motive force, the Magic V2’s scrolling and animations are decidedly smoother to the bare eye, outpacing Google’s 90Hz refresh fee and making touches really feel extra fluid and responsive. The internal panel could also be brighter than the Pixel 7a’s 1,024 nits height, however that’s best part the tale. Fold the Magic V2 close and also you’re left with some other spectacular panel to gawp at at the telephone’s duvet.
If the internal show outshines the principle panel of the Pixel 7a, then the quilt display nearly glows like phosphor. Honor measures its height brightness at 2,500 nits, a lot more in step with present flagship choices from the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S24 (2,500 nits) and Pixel 8 Professional (2,400 nits). It nearly dazzles thru its Nanocrystal glass 2.0 protecting lens.
The 6.43-inch exterior show is not any slouch with regards to display house or smoothness both, that includes the similar HDR10+ contrasts, 120Hz refresh fee, and 402 PPI sharpness as the inner panel whilst showcasing a 2376 x 1060-pixel solution.
Honor Magic V2: Audio
At the audio entrance, the Magic V2 beneficial properties drastically from the location of its stereo audio system. Whether or not open or closed, in case you’re taking part in media with the telephone in a horizontal orientation, you get left and right-firing IMAX Enhanced audio that delivers respectable soundscapes and a few spectacular readability throughout levels —- albeit a little bit missing within the mids.
The V2’s audio system seize the quieter moments with the similar readability as extra pronounced sounds. On the other hand, at upper volumes, this vary suffers from artifacts and there is a particular presence of clipping, particularly in busy track tracks. It’s no longer a deal breaker via any stretch, as the ones upper ranges are moderately loud, and trimming down the amount will nonetheless scale back at the artifacts whilst turning in a forged wall of sound.
Attach a couple of the most efficient headphones to the V2 and you’ll employ DTS:X Extremely for extra colourful soundscapes supreme for spatial content material like video games or XR media.
Honor Magic V2: Efficiency
The Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Cellular Platform SoC inside the Magic V2 may not be the most recent chipset at the block, however that doesn’t imply it’s abruptly misplaced all worth with regards to efficiency — particularly when subsidized via a whopping 16GB of RAM. That is, in any case, nonetheless the exact same chip present in OnePlus’ Open, and the desires of Motorola Razr (2023) homeowners internationally.
In my time with Honor’s foldable, I will be able to’t say that efficiency was once ever a subject. Smartphones are most often overpowered for what they wish to do, so being a technology from the most recent innovative isn’t all that a lot of a subject —- particularly as builders have a tendency to focus on the widest base conceivable with device releases.
It presentations too, as a result of even in challenging titles like “Name of Accountability: Cellular,” “XCOM 2: Assortment,” or “Participant Unknown’s Fight Grounds” the Magic V2 stays totally unphased, even whilst making use of upper graphical settings and HD belongings. That’s with out even enabling the efficiency mode spice up within the software’s battery settings, too.
Glance, right here it’s taking part in “EA Sports activities FC Cellular” flawlessly, a sport a few recreation that as it should be delineates itself via call on my own. Not like the American model of soccer, which has much less to do with the foot and extra to do with human expansion hormones and seeing what number of anxious mind accidents you’ll lay the rules for whilst going human seal clubbing with all of your frame because the cudgel of selection.
No longer best do those challenging titles run flawlessly, however in addition they glance unbelievable when engaged with the V2’s sizable interior show. The 7.92-inch display lets in video games and apps more space the breathe and makes the entirety really feel extra comfy. It additionally works nice for the Play Retailer’s reintroduction of older titles thru porting as “Famous person Wars: Knights of the Outdated Republic” regarded in particular cool and trustworthy on this close to 1:1 facet ratio.
After noticing a well-known chord development in Sidewalks and Skeletons’ digital bop “GOTH,” I may without problems use MixPad’s audio blending and enhancing options to clip, chop, and prepare the vocals of Bloodhound Gang’s “Dangerous Contact” into court cases.
That additional actual property helped me a great deal in growing the audio mashup that no residing soul ever requested for, and that no wholesome thoughts would ever assume up within the first position. It was once a super win for pill capability in a smaller shape issue, however doubtlessly a super second of disgrace for track as a complete.
Honor Magic V2: Battery lifestyles and charging
The Honor Magic V2 hasn’t long past during the Computer Magazine battery check, however I’ve been hanging it to paintings over the past twinkling of an eye and seeing how neatly its battery lifestyles fares. Its blended 5,000mAh capability is unfold throughout two batteries housed in each and every part of the telephone and offers some unexpected longevity, even whilst applying the bigger interior show.
I don’t have precise figures to attract from right here, however I’ve tried to run the V2 down to finish depletion on a number of events to look how temporarily it may well paintings its long ago as much as a complete price once more. In the ones instances, it nearly become irritating to get the V2 to flatline, as that ultimate 5% of juice merely refused to surrender the ghost every now and then.
My conventional day by day with the Magic V2 would include surfing, gaming, and taking part in again track and podcasts whilst I paintings. Even on the finish of longer days, the V2 had a large amount of price left over, regardless that if you’re making extra liberal use of the telephone’s interior show chances are you’ll wish to test in together with your charging cable a little bit previous than I needed to.
Fortunately, with its 66W SuperCharge features, you gained’t be tethered to an influence cable for too lengthy. Charging from 0, the Magic V2 can restock its sizable battery in round 45-50 mins — in case you use Honor’s 66W SuperCharge Energy Adapter. On the other hand, different adapters will range relying on wattage.
Honor Magic V2: Cameras
The Honor Magic V2 has six cameras in general, comprising of a rear-facing digital camera array of a 50MP ultra-wide (f/2.0), 50MP large (f/1.9, with optical symbol stabilization), and a 20MP telephoto lens (f/2.4, with optical symbol stabilization), and two 16MP large attitude, punch hollow selfie cameras housed in both show. When you’re somewhat of a shutterbug, there’s masses to whet your urge for food right here, and there are some respectable effects available from each and every lens.
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Honor Magic V2 Pattern Pictures 1/12 (Extremely large, 0.5x zoom)
Extremely-wide pictures glance vibrant and colourful and seize a tight quantity of element with correct colours. Gadgets within the colour aren’t washed out, and there’s a pleasing stage of distinction right here that appears spectacular each indoors and out.
Broad-angle pictures as soon as once more be offering crisp main points and fascinating contrasts, regardless that the peaks of the whites are much less intense. Colours pop effectively and retain the similar lushness because the ultra-wide providing, making it some other very good selection for photos.
The telephoto lens is a bit more hit-and-miss, with its colours seeming ever-so-slightly much less colourful than the opposite lenses. Applying the two.5x optical zoom brings again the ones daring whites and deeper contrasts whilst keeping up a prepared stage of element. It’s additionally incredible for the telephone’s tremendous macro pictures mode that allows you to catch up-close main points very effectively.
On the other hand, the 10x virtual zoom can wildly range in effects from “No longer dangerous in any respect” to “all dangerous.” Colours appear extra washed out at this zoom, and the distinction can endure a great deal. There’s a 40x virtual zoom right here too however I’ve but to discover a excellent explanation why as not anything I’ve snapped with it’s been price saving from my trash can.
10x zoom is fairly stored via the digital camera app’s Professional Mode, which supplies DSLR ranges of keep watch over over each and every lens. The pictures underneath display the adaptation it may well make when switching from the app’s elementary photograph mode.
The V2’s spectacular talent to seize motion pictures could also be price a point out, with the only underneath stuck by accident as a flock of pigeons temporarily flew previous. Be aware the readability of the wings with slightly a movement blur in sight, whilst the digital camera app has a devoted motion shot mode, it wasn’t even engaged. As a substitute, the AI digital camera assistant spotted one thing fast-moving and altered the shot sooner than I used to be even in a position to hit the shutter button — none of which sacrificed the full high quality of the picture I firstly meant to seize.
Honor Magic V2: Instrument
Operating on MagicOS 7.2, the Honor Magic V2 exists in some kind of atypical twilight zone between iOS and Android. Whilst according to Android 13, and decidedly Android in really feel, there’s an Apple-like uncanny valley high quality to its menus, which undertake equivalent iconography and presentation to the iPhone — even all the way down to the frosted glass backdrop impact of its drop-down notification bar.
Whilst a little bit jarring to wrap your noggin round, the revel in as a complete is as intuitive as every other OS you’ll come throughout, with a variety of additional interactions and shortcuts neatly signposted. In reality, the Magic V2 is going out of its option to tutorialize the revel in in complete, providing rundowns and walkthroughs of options with numerous knowledge handy to familiarize novices and veterans alike with the foldable and MagicOS’ options each previous and new.
Final analysis
If the sturdiness of Samsung’s foldable opened my eyes to foldables, then the Honor Magic V2 gained me over solely. No longer best is the telephone surprising, however its seems to be align with similarly spectacular efficiency, a battery lifestyles that exceeded my expectancies, and a construct high quality and sturdiness that put to mattress lots of my foldable fears.
It’s no longer easiest, no longer many stuff are in lifestyles, however it’s definitely one of the vital highest smartphone reviews I’ve ever had. When you by no means as soon as cracked open the Honor Magic V2 and loved the roomy panel within, you’d nonetheless be at the receiving finish of an attractive nice telephone, which gets rid of the case for its foldable shape being a gimmick. It’s an addition. A forged characteristic that improves capability, complements device and video games, elevates the person revel in, and expands in this spectacular software’s general attainable.
Inescapably, the V2’s worth comes again to hang-out it at this level. Sure, it has excellent efficiency, cameras, sound, and presentations. However is any quantity of that price $1,800+ with regards to a smartphone? That’s going to be a non-public determination so that you can make. However at all times understand that regardless of how strong or sturdy the V2 is, foldable telephones do have a lifestyles expectancy.
This one, specifically, is said to be 400,000 folds or more or less 10 years in case you open and shut it round 100 occasions consistent with day. On the other hand, as was once the case with Motorola’s Razr+ in The Nice Folding Take a look at Vol. II I discussed previous, not anything is assured.
Would I like to recommend selecting up the Honor Magic V2? Sure, I might. If you are taking excellent care of your units, they’ll generally take excellent care of you in go back. I’ve gotten over my foldable fears, and perhaps it is time extra folks did the similar.
Now in case you’ll excuse me, I’ve a moat to dig and a persist with sharpen to fend off Honor once they come to take it again from me.
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