We are delighted at the MWC exhibition Honor welcomed the announcement of the Honor Magic Vs, its first foldable smartphone, which will be available globally after its launch in China at the end of November.
Honor Magic Vs is the first serious alternative Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4, Because it offers a slightly thinner and lighter form factor with similar build quality and hardware. The displays and cameras are also on par, and the battery is larger and comes with a 66W fast charger.
The Honor Magic Vs smartphone will be available in Europe in 12GB + 512GB versions in black and blue for €1,599. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 was priced at €1,799 at launch.
The Z Fold4 is not scheduled to launch in the US at $1,799, which is only $99 less than the revised price of $1,700 (from €1,599).
The Magic Vs is not waterproof, which is another drawback compared to the Z Fold4, which has an IPx8 rating.
Design
The build quality is excellent, and the back cover has an elegant glossy finish.
During the MWC presentation, Honor CEO George Zhao proudly announced that, unlike the Z Fold4, the new Magic Vs folds without gaps and, at 12.9 mm thick, is thinner than its competitor (15.8 mm). At 261 g, the Vs is also slightly lighter than the 263 g Galaxy Z Fold4.
The back cover has curved edges on both long sides, giving the device a smoother finish compared to its flat competitor, the Z Fold4.
«"The device feels smoother than its competitors.".
The hinge was a key part of George Zhao's presentation, as it's made of aerospace-grade polymer and has significantly fewer components than its predecessor. The number has been reduced from 94 to four to make room for a larger 5,000 mAh battery.
Honor claims that The new hinge can withstand up to 400,000 folds. , which is double the 200,000 folds claimed for the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4.
Folding experience
The foldable design provides a completely different user experience compared to classic phones, but Honor, following Samsung's example, in addition to large internal screen with a diagonal of 7.9 inches , offers a high-quality 6.45-inch external display that completely covers the front panel of the device when folded.
When folded (to approximately 120 degrees) and placed vertically on a table, a stand is not required, as you can view content or read emails on one side while watching a video or using another app on the other. This can be extremely convenient and essentially acts as a natural tripod.
Unlike the Galaxy Z Fold4, the 90-degree fold only works when the case with the camera module is placed on a table; otherwise, it will automatically open, which is likely a tradeoff for a lighter and more durable hinge.
Display
Both displays deliver stunning picture quality, responsiveness and ease of use, providing a superior visual experience for all content viewing.
The 7.9-inch OLED display has a resolution of 2272 x 1984 pixels with a 10.3:9 aspect ratio (382 ppi pixel density). The 90 Hz refresh rate is lower than the 120 Hz of the Galaxy Z Fold4, Mix Fold 2, or Oppo Find N2.
«"STUNTING IMAGE QUALITY"»
Probably to improve the user experience in normal phone mode compared to «tablet mode», Honor decided to provide a higher 120 Hz refresh rate and pixel density (431 PPI versus 381) for the external 6.45-inch screen with a resolution of 2560 x 1080 pixels.
Specified in the documentation peak brightness of 1200 nits matches the theoretical peak brightness of the Z Fold4, but we still need to measure the brightness to confirm the claim.
The crease is just as visible as on foldable phones we've tested, like the Galaxy Z Fold4 and Z Flip4. I barely notice it, as the display quality is so good.
Sound quality
The sound quality is very good, and the stereo speakers deliver powerful and clear audio at maximum volume. However, compared to the Galaxy S22 Ultra, which sounds almost as good as the Galaxy S23 Ultra and Apple Pro Max, I noticed the Magic V lacks a bit of bass.
Honor Magic vs. Camera
The Honor Magic Vs camera is close to the Galaxy S23 Plus and S23 cameras in quality and slightly better than the Z Fold4 camera.
The photo was taken using the main wide-angle camera.
On the rear panel there is a module with three cameras:
- Main camera (wide-angle)
- Main camera 27 mm 54 MP IMX800 (f/1.9)
- Video: up to 2160×3840 pixels
- Photo: up to 6144×8768 pixels
- Ultra-wide-angle and macro camera
- 13mm 50MP f/2
- Telephoto camera
- 94mm 8MP f/2.4 3x optical zoom + optical image stabilization
The front camera is located in the inner display:
- Selfie
- 25mm 16MP f/2.45
The photo was taken using the ultra-wide-angle camera.
Our algorithmic rating CAMERA HW puts Honor Magic Vs (score = 161 ) is slightly higher than the Galaxy Z Fold4 (score = 155) and closer to the Galaxy S23+ and S23 (score = 166), which is a good result, as independent reviewers recognize the S23+/S23 as good cameras in the premium segment.
The main wide-angle camera is equipped with a large 54-megapixel IMX800 sensor, which, according to our algorithm, is comparable to the sensor used in the Galaxy Z Fold4.
Both the ultra-wide-angle and telephoto lenses are slightly better than the Z Fold4's. The Magic Vs's "3X" optical zoom is superior because it has a 94mm focal length, compared to the Z Fold4's 62mm.
Both phones feature a high-resolution main camera sensor. However, unlike the Samsung device, high-resolution photo shooting not available in automatic mode . To find it in Magic Vs, you need to go to two submenus (camera modes menu > advanced > high resolution).
System performance
Since it's equipped with the same first-generation Snapdragon 8+ processor as the Samsung Z Fold4, performance is very comparable. Our tests show that the Z Fold4 has a slight advantage in the Geekbench 5 CPU benchmark, but this is something users likely won't notice in real-world use. We certainly didn't notice it.
In terms of graphics and gaming, our measured results are virtually identical, which isn't surprising. In any case, the bottom line is that the Honor Magic Vs performs exactly as you'd expect from a large, high-end foldable Android smartphone.
Battery life
Thanks to the new hinge, the Magic Vs is equipped with a battery capacity of 5000 mAh , the largest on the foldable smartphone market. Flagship non-foldable models like the S23 Ultra or OnePlus 11 have similar capacities. 5000 mAh is often considered the maximum practical capacity, but for a foldable device, this is especially challenging.
Plus, when you need to recharge your battery, this smartphone can charge with up to 66 W , which is faster than any competitor we've seen so far. For those who travel a lot, this is a significant advantage, as you can charge the 66% battery faster before boarding a plane or heading to your destination.
Conclusion
Honor Magic Vs — is an impressive technological device that is not inferior to its main competitor in terms of performance, excellent design, display quality and cameras, Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 .
«"An impressive technological achievement"»
The slight difference in our score is justified by the lack of water resistance, which is important for any device over $1,500, and the superior user experience for productivity and multitasking that the Samsung device provides.
The Honor device certainly feels thinner and more comfortable to hold than the Z Fold4, and it has a better camera, too, and it's still on 200 euros cheaper .
High performance
- Stunning foldable display
- Excellent build quality and slim design.
- Good battery life thanks to the included 66W fast charger ($40).
- Good cameras, slightly better than the Z Fold4.
- Large blank screen
Low performance
- It is not water resistant
- The sound quality could be better for such a stunning big screen (for watching movies).
Rating + Price
- Rating : 9,8/10
- Price : ~ $1,700.