Latest news with #MagicV3
GSM Arena
3 days ago
- GSM Arena
Weekly poll results: the Honor Magic V5 is headed for a strong launch
The Honor Magic V5 is pricey but worth it for many voters in last week's poll. The phone's popularity could rise even higher, if it gets good reviews. As we write this, the V5 is preparing to launch in its first European market – that will be on August 12, Tuesday. We still don't know the pricing, so the nearly 14% of voters who think this foldable is too expensive may reconsider. Or they may be proven right, we will check back on Tuesday. Interestingly, of those not interested in the V5, several commented that it's because they already have a Magic V3 and are quite happy with it. To be fair, the V5 is not an earth-shattering upgrade – it's thinner (4.1mm/8.8mm vs. 4.35mm/9.2mm) and a bit lighter (217g vs. 226g), while offering a bigger battery (5,820mAh for the international model vs. 5,150mAh), but the V3 is still competitive in 2025. Among those who voted against the Honor Magic V5, there were a few that don't like the hardware (only 4%). Based on the comment section, the software may be a bigger issue – Honor's MagicOS has left a bad impression in some. Even with some fence-sitters, there are quite a few people who see the V5 as the best horizontal foldable right now and are just waiting for availability in their region. Check back with us next week for a more detailed look at which countries are getting the Magic V5.
Tom's Guide
16-07-2025
- Tom's Guide
Surprise! Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 found to be thinner than 'world's slimmest foldable'
Last year when Honor released its Magic V3 foldable phone it took home the honor of being the thinnest foldable on the market at 9.2mm closed and 4.34mm unfolded. This year Honor is claiming that the Magic V5 is the "world's slimmest foldable," but a recent comparison video between the V5 and Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 7 seems to show that the newest Fold is microns thinner. We unfortunately can't get the Honor Magic V5 in the U.S., but Honor's marketing materials claim that the Ivory White color way is 8.8mm when folded, which is 0.1mm thinner than Samsung's Z Fold 7 measuring in at 8.9mm. There is no accurate measuring tool, but we can still draw a rigorous conclusion: Galaxy Z Fold7 is the thinnest folding mobile phone in the world.I switched the positions of two mobile phones during the test, and the results remained the same, which showed that the factors of… 15, 2025 A recent video from regular leaker Ice Universe popped up on X this week that shows the Magic V5 side-by-side with the Galaxy Z Fold 7. At first glance, the two devices look about the same thickness, though .1mm isn't that great a difference, but does it make the Z Fold 7 one of the best foldable phones? However, a card placed on top of the phones appears to show that Honor's device is slightly taller than Samsung's. They further emphasized this by putting a ping pong ball on the card with the tilt going toward the Z Fold 7. At this point, we're splitting micrometers difference here. They do have another comparison video that includes the Xiaomi MIX Fold 5, vivo X Fold 5 and the OPPO Find N5, which Honor's device seems more of a match. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. Let's get some caveats out of the way here. One, Ice Universe is a regular, and seemingly only, leaker of Samsung products, specifically its phones. So there could be some bias there. Two, with no wider shot or level on the table, it's not clear if the surface is actually even enough for a fair test. In a comment to another X user they claimed, "My test is very rigorous. I switched the position of my mobile phone, and I have ruled out the uneven desktop. You can get the correct conclusion no matter what, even without a ruler." To be fair, they did post a follow up with a digital ruler that appears to show the Magic V5 measuring at 8.95mm and the Z Fold 7 at 8.79mm. Lastly, according to Honor's own metrics the 8.8mm measurement only applies to the Ivory White variant and that other colors may be thicker. Though Ice Universe does claim they tested the "white version." "Data comes from the HONOR Lab. 8.8mm refers to the thickness of the Ivory White model in the folded state," Honor's website says. "The actual data may vary depending on configurations, manufacturing processes and measurement methods." We're not going to cast aspersions on Honor about whether or not they're lying. At best it's stretching the truth, since they go out of the way to caveat their own hype, but it does seem like Samsung may hold the thinness crown for now. Though when you're measuring at micrometers, outside of marketing, is there really a difference?
Stuff.tv
02-07-2025
- Stuff.tv
Holding the ultra-slim Honor Magic V5 made me wonder whether I'd ever go back to a non-folding phone
Initial Stuff Verdict At first glance it seems Honor has streamlined one of last year's best book-style foldables in all the right places. The Magic V5 might have the specs and styling to give every rival cause for concern Pros Outstandingly slim and light, with seemingly no hardware compromise Chipset and battery promise epic power and longevity No weak link on the rear camera setup Cons Some software unknowns right now Wider availability and pricing still TBC Introduction Honor just fired the latest salvo in the ongoing foldable phone slimness battle. The new Honor Magic 5, launching today in China ahead of an expected wider rollout in the coming months, sets the new standard for book-style folders at an incredible 4.1mm when open. Yet it hasn't skimped anywhere on the spec sheet to achieve it. The successor to the Honor Magic V3 arrives with the full-fat version of Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, a trio of flagship-grade rear cameras, and one of the biggest batteries you'll find in any phone, let alone a folding one. It's skinnier than many traditional handsets when shut, and should (eventually) skirt a lot of the software and availability issues affecting rival foldables aimed purely at the Chinese domestic market. I got to try out an early handset ahead of the Chinese reveal, to see how it's taking the fight to the likes of Oppo's Find N5 and Samsung's imminent Z Fold 7. How we test smartphones Every phone reviewed on Stuff is used as our main device throughout the testing process. We use industry standard benchmarks and tests, as well as our own years of experience, to judge general performance, battery life, display, sound and camera image quality. Manufacturers have no visibility on reviews before they appear online, and we never accept payment to feature products. Find out more about how we test and rate products. Seen from the side, the Magic V5 is wonderfully slim even before you unfold it. At just 8.8mm (not counting camera bump) it's slimmer than some non-folding flagships; when opened up, each half is a minuscule 4.1mm. Honor has managed to shave off 0.3mm compared to the Magic V3, and in the process has taken the 'world's thinnest' crown from the 4.21mm Oppo Find N5. These might sound like marginal gains at this point, but on first inspection the differences really do help this feel like a regular phone when folded. At 217g it weighs less than an iPhone 16 Pro Max, but is that bit more comfortable to hold in one hand thanks to the shorter, slimmer outer screen. Styling-wise we're talking iterative changes from the Magic V3, with the more prominent camera bump gaining a knurled texture for a bit of bling – without being too attention-grabbing. Same deal with the hinge: the dawn black version I demoed was covered in reflective geometric shapes to resemble fine jewellery. The gradient effect on the rear glass could look fully gold from one angle and almost black from another. I get why Honor will be using this one for all its marketing. The black and ivory models are a bit subtler. The polished metal frame feels suitably high-end, and the way it tapers in slightly really accentuates how skinny the phone is. There's still space on the side for a fingerprint sensing power button, and apparently the punch-hole front camera is secure enough for facial recognition that plays nicely with your banking apps. The whole thing has IP58/IP59 resistance – an impressive level of protection for a foldable. The 6.43in outer screen is the same size as the Magic V3, which on paper may sound a little small compared to a traditional flagship, but it doesn't feel like it in your hand. The aspect ratio is wider than Samsung's recent Z Fold phones, so apps didn't feel squashed in. Slimming down the bezels has helped make room for a 7.95in inner display, up from 7.92in on the Magic V3. It looks ideal for side-by-side multitasking, and the crease depth is noticeably less than the old phone. It's not as obvious when you run your finger over it and I struggled to spot it unless the light hit it at the perfect angle. Both displays are AMOLEDs with LTPO tech, for an adaptive 1-120Hz refresh rate that should help keep battery drain in check. They felt responsive to swipes and scrolls, with punchy colours and fantastic viewing angles. Officially they can also nudge a whopping 5000 nits peak brightness (when you're watching HDR or Dolby Vision content), so outdoor visibility shouldn't be a problem. I didn't get a chance to test that at my indoor briefing, though – or the potency of the built-in speakers. They use the same stereo arrangement as before. I was very happy to see Honor has taken a zero-compromise approach to the Magic V5's camera setup. Whereas Oppo cut back on the Find N5's ultrawide sensor pixel count, here you're getting a beefy 50MP snapper complete with OIS. It's paired with a 50MP lead lens and a 64MP periscope telephoto good for 3x optical zoom. These aren't an exact match for the Magic 7 Pro non-folding flagship, but they get pretty close. All of that phone's software smarts are on board, including the divisive superzoom that uses generative AI beyond 30x magnification. The Studio Harcourt portrait mode introduced on the Honor 200 Pro also makes the cut. Image quality is an unknown right now, as region-specific tuning and final software are still on the way. The few snaps I managed to take looked clean and detailed on the phone's screens, but how it fares in low light will have to wait for a full review. I'm expecting the Magic V5 to be something of a performance beast, with a Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset running the show – and not the cut down, seven-core version seen on the Oppo Find N5. Flagship-grade amounts of RAM and storage are a given, too. Thermals could be tricky to manage in a device so slim when tasked with demanding apps and games, though. I'll have to wait for a full review to confirm. It's battery life where this phone could potentially set the pace. Honor has used silicon carbide tech to squeeze a colossal 5820mAh capacity cell into the Magic V5's slender chassis. The firm says it's enough to keep the inner screen juiced for an entire day of video playback. That bodes well for more realistic use, which tends to favour the outer screen more heavily. 60W charging puts it slightly behind the Oppo Find N5 when refuelling over USB-C, but that's still pretty rapid – and 50W wireless top-ups are very nice to see. The biggest unknowns right now are on the software side, given my demo unit was running a non-final version of an OS intended for Honor's home market. We thought the Magic V3 made a good start with its context-sensitive Magic Portal features, but anything it can do to streamline multitasking on that large inner screen will be very welcome. While nothing has been confirmed, I'm expecting decent long-term update support. Honor previously committed to seven new Android generations for its flagship phones, so you can take a good guess as to how many the Magic V5 will receive. Early impressions are very positive. It's China-only for now, but I'm expecting that to change fairly quickly – though whether it'll be before Samsung and Google release their next-gen foldables remains to be seen. As does whether Honor can challenge either on price. Still, if the Magic V5 can deliver on performance, battery life and camera image quality, it could be on track to be 2025's book-style foldable to beat. Honor Magic V5 technical specifications Screen 6.43in, 1-120Hz LTPO AMOLED (outer) 7.95in, 1-120Hz LTPO AMOLED (inner) CPU Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Memory 16GB Cameras 50MP, f/1.6 main w/ OIS + 50MP, f/2.0 ultrawide w/ OIS + 64MP, f/2.5 telephoto w/ 3x optical zoom, OIS rear 20MP front Storage 256GB-1TB Operating system Android 16 Battery 5820mAh w/ 66W wired, 50W wireless charging Dimensions 4.1mm thick (open, not including camera bezel)
CNBC
02-07-2025
- Business
- CNBC
China's Honor launches new challenge to Samsung with thin foldable smartphone and a big battery
Honor on Wednesday touted the slimness and battery capacity of its newly launched thin foldable phone, as it lays down a fresh challenge to market leader Samsung. The Honor Magic V5 goes will initially go on sale in China, but the Chinese tech firm will likely bring the device to international markets later this year. The company, which spun off from Chinese tech giant Huawei in 2020, is looking to stand out from rivals with key features of the Magic V5, like artificial intelligence, battery and size. Honor said the Magic V5 is 8.8 mm to 9mm when folded, depending on the color choice. The phone's predecessor, the Magic V3 — Honor skipped the Magic V4 name — was 9.2 mm when folded. Honor said the Magic V5 weighs 217 grams to 222 grams, again, depending on the color model. The previous version was 226 grams. In China, Honor will launch a special 1 terabyte storage size version of the Magic V5, which it says will have a battery capacity of more than 6000 milliampere-hour — among the highest for foldable phones. Honor has tried hard to tout these features, as competition in foldables ramps up, even as these types of devices have a very small share of the overall smartphone market. Foldables represented less than 2% of the overall smartphone market in 2024, according to International Data Corporation. Samsung was the biggest player with 34% market share followed by Huawei with just under 24%, IDC added. Honor took the fourth spot with a nearly 11% share. Honor is looking to get a head start on Samsung, which has its own foldable launch next week on July 9. Francisco Jeronimo, a vice president at the International Data Corporation, said the Magic V5 is a strong offering from Honor. "This is the dream foldable smartphone that any user who is interested in this category will think of," Jeronimo told CNBC, pointing to features such as the battery. "This phone continues to push the bar forward, and it will challenge Samsung as they are about to launch their seventh generation of foldable phones," he added. The thinness of a foldable phone has become a battleground for smartphone makers to appeal to consumers who want the large screen size the device has to offer without extra weight. At its event next week, Samsung is expected to release a foldable that is thinner than its predecessor and could come close to challenging Honor's offering by way of size, analysts said. If that happens, then Honor will be facing more competition, especially against Samsung, which has a bigger global footprint. "The biggest challenge for Honor is the brand equity and distribution reach vs Samsung, where the Korean vendor has the edge," Neil Shah, co-founder of Counterpoint Research, told CNBC. Honor's push into international markets beyond China is still fairly young, with the company looking to build up its brand. "Further, if Samsung catches up with a thinner form-factor in upcoming iterations, as it has been the real pioneer in foldables with its vertical integration expertise from displays to batteries, the differentiating factor might narrow for Honor," Shah added. Vertical integration refers to when a company owns several parts of a product's supply chain. Samsung has a display and battery business which provides the components for its foldables. Smartphone players, including Honor, have also looked to stand out via the AI features available on their device. In March, Honor pledged a $10 billion investment in AI over the next five years, with part of that going toward the development of next-generation agents that are seen as more advanced personal assistants. Honor said its AI assistant Yoyo can interact with other AI models, such as those created by DeepSeek and Alibaba in China, to create presentation decks. The company also flagged its AI agent can hail a taxi ride across multiple apps in China, automatically accepting the quickest ride to arrive? and cancelling the rest.
GSM Arena
24-06-2025
- GSM Arena
Honor Magic V5 stars in unboxing video, here's what's in the box and how much it weighs
The Honor Magic V5 is still days away from being officially unveiled (it's coming on July 2, but people have been sharing their hands-on experiences with it already. Yesterday, we looked at some photos shared by Digital Chat Station, now Techtacle has posted an unboxing video that touches on the design and dimensions of the new foldable flagship. Starting with the unboxing, the phone comes with a 66W charger and a USB A-to-C cable, plus a protective case. The case goes over the 'back' half and over the hinge too, but not the cover display. There is a ring around the camera that can be flipped out to act as a kickstand. Honor Magic V5 66W charger and case As for the Magic V5 itself, official numbers say that it measures 8.8mm when folded and, apparently, it is 4.1mm when unfolded. The camera island is quite prominent on the back, though it is reportedly not as big as the Magic V3 camera island. Honor Magic V5 Officially, the V5 is supposed to weigh 217g. However, in the video it tips the scale at 224g – perhaps that's a pre-applied screen protector adding a few grams. The included case is 29g, by the way, bringing the total to 253g. The Honor Magic V5 is slim and light In terms of design, this Honor Magic V5 is a red, gold and black combo. The spine (the hinge cover) has a 3D texture painted in gold, while the back is covered with red faux leather and gold trim around the camera. The hinge is spring-loaded to help open and close the phone, but it can snap to 70° and 90° if you want to use the phone in a half-open state. Honor Magic V5 Here is what to expect from the Magic V5. It is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Leading Version and a large 6,100mAh battery. It has a triple 50MP camera (though some reports claim the telephoto module has a 64MP sensor instead). The cover display measures 6.45' (and it's curved), while the inner display is 8'. The phone is also supposed to have an IP68/IP69 rating. Again, most of these specs have not been officially confirmed – the big reveal is on July 2 (Wednesday next week). Source
