The super-premium phone-tablet is the thinnest and lightest foldable yet, but it makes compromises on the camera
Honor’s Magic V2 stands out as the best-designed folding phone-tablet to date. It resembles a regular phone when closed but unfolds like a book to reveal a large, luxurious screen.
Initially launched in China last year, the Magic V2 has now arrived in Europe, albeit at a price that may not be considered budget-friendly. Priced at £1,700 (€2,000), it sits between the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 and the slightly more affordable OnePlus Open.
However, it boasts a significant advantage over its competitors: its slim profile. Honor has successfully reduced the size of the hinge and body, eliminating the bulk that has been a common drawback of folding phones. The large and vibrant external screen features slim bezels and curved edges, providing a familiar Android experience when closed. When opened, the tablet is a mere 4.8mm thick, equivalent to a stack of six credit cards, which is quite remarkable.
The 7.92-inch internal screen is slightly larger than its competitors and offers the same level of brightness, smoothness, and visual appeal. The crease in the middle is slightly more noticeable than that of the Open, but it easily fades into the background during use.
The hinge is rated to withstand at least 400,000 folds and can hold the phone open at various angles. However, the hinge does not feel as sturdy as some competitors, and the phone lacks any water or dust protection.
Specifications
Main screen: 7.92-inch (402ppi) 120Hz OLED flexible display
Cover screen: 6.43-inch (404ppi) 120Hz OLED
Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
RAM: 16GB
Storage: 512GB
Operating system: MagicOS 7.2 (based on 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
Dimensions folded: 156.7 x 74 x 10.1mm
Dimensions unfolded: 156.7 x 145.4 x 4.8mm
Weight: 237g
The flagship Android processor from last year
The Magic V2 is powered by Qualcomm’s leading chip from 2023, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, rather than the newer Gen 3 version that began appearing in phones last month. While it provides ample power for multitasking, gaming, and other activities, it doesn’t feature the most current technology despite its high price. The battery life is impressive, lasting over six hours with both screens active and 5G in use, and up to 49 hours between charges, equating to a recharge every two days.
Sustainability
Honor does not specify the expected lifespan of the battery, but it should maintain at least 80% of its original capacity after over 500 full charge cycles. Honor generally offers repair services for the phone. Full battery replacements are priced at £110, and out-of-warranty folding screen replacements cost £737.80. The phone incorporates recycled plastic, and Honor provides a breakdown of its environmental impact along with trade-in schemes.
MagicOS 7.2 lacks polish
The software is the primary drawback of the Magic V2. It comes with MagicOS 7.2, based on Android 13 from 2022, rather than the expected Android 14 for a new device in 2024. Honor will offer only three years of Android updates and a total of five years of security updates from the release, which falls at least two full years short of the standard set by Google, Samsung, and Apple.
MagicOS showcases some innovative features, like a mode that transforms the phone into a digital desk clock when not in use. However, it generally lacks the polish of the top software experiences offered by competitors. One of its strengths is its advanced multitasking capabilities, allowing users to have up to four apps on screen simultaneously: two in split-screen mode and two more in smaller, free-floating pop-out windows.
A notable downside is that when you tap on a notification for a message (such as an email or WhatsApp), the phone always opens the respective app in a mini floating window, rather than full screen. While this can be useful at times, it can also be frustrating, especially since there’s no way to disable this behavior. For example, I never want Gmail to open like a chat app.
Additionally, the phone comes with preinstalled apps like Booking.com, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, and WPS Office, which can all be uninstalled. However, given the price tag of £1,700, it’s disappointing to see this kind of 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 outclassed by the main cameras, which can conveniently capture selfies using the outside screen as a viewfinder.
The primary 50MP camera takes good photos in various lighting conditions, although it tends to oversaturate colors and often brightens scenes excessively, leading to reduced contrast and a somewhat flat appearance. The 50MP ultrawide camera performs well in well-lit environments, and the 20MP 2.5x telephoto lens generally delivers solid images. However, it lacks significant reach compared to the best competitors, which offer double the optical magnification.
All three cameras struggle in lower light conditions, 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 given the phone’s price point.
While these issues are not deal-breakers, Honor still has some ground to cover to compete with the best cameras on the market.
Price
The Honor Magic V2 is priced at £1,699.99 (€1,999.90).
For comparison, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 and the Google Pixel Fold are both priced at £1,749, while the OnePlus Open is priced at £1,599.
Verdict
The Honor Magic V2 boasts exceptional hardware but falls short in the software department.
When folded, the device resembles a regular phone so closely that its expansive inner screen can be easily overlooked. However, the software lacks the refinement and features of its competitors, and its support period is shorter. The absence of a water-resistance rating raises durability concerns, and the camera performance, while generally decent, lags behind in certain aspects.
While these issues are not critical deal-breakers, they are disappointing for a device in this price range, especially considering that less expensive competitors outperform it in these areas. Many of these shortcomings could potentially be addressed with software updates.