Unveiled at IFA 2023 in Berlin, the Honor Magic V2 sets a new standard in foldable technology. Unlike its competitors, it pushes the engineering boundaries, offering a device that’s impressively thin and light. Folding to 9.9mm and unfolding to 4.7mm, with a weight of 231g, this book-style foldable boasts a full separate screen on the inside.
The Magic V2 features a massive 7.92-inch LTPO OLED internal display with a 120Hz refresh rate and a peak brightness of 1,600 nits. Its 6.43-inch cover display, also utilizing a 120Hz LTPO OLED screen, achieves a remarkable peak brightness of 2,500 nits.
Internally, it houses the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, a flagship SoC at the phone’s initial announcement. Paired with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage, the device supports Wi-Fi 7, 5G, Bluetooth 5.3, and NFC. Powering the phone is a hefty 5,000mAh battery with 66W wired charging support.
For the camera setup, the Magic V2 showcases a 50MP main camera with OIS, a 50MP ultra-wide lens, and a 20MP telephoto lens with 2.5x optical zoom. For selfies, a 16MP snapper is housed in both the inner and outer displays.
Specifications
| DIMENSIONS: | Height: 156.7 mm Width: Folded: 74.0 mm Unfolded: 145.4 mm |
| WEIGHT: | PU Version: Approx. 231 g (including the battery); Glass Version: Approx. 237 g (including the battery) |
| BATTERY: | 5,000 mAh HONOR 66W SuperCharge |
| DISPLAY | Inner Screen 7.92″ FHD+ (2344 x 2156), Foldable LTPO OLED, HDR10+, IMAX Enhanced, 120Hz, 1600 nits (peak), 1 billion colors, 9.78:9 External Screen 6.43″ (2376 x 1060) LTPO OLED, 120Hz, 402ppi, 2500 nits (peak), nanocrystal glass 2.0, 20:9 3840Hz PWM Dimming with TUV Rheinland Flicker Free Certification, Dynamic Dimming, Circadian Night Display with TUV Rheinland CIrcadian-friendly Certification |
| FRONT CAMERA: | 16MP Wide Camera (f/2.2) Image Resolution: 4608×3456 pixels Video Resolution: 3840×2160 pixels Supported 2D face recognition |
| REAR CAMERA: | 50MP Wide Camera (f/1.9, OIS) 50MP Ultra Wide Camera (f/2.0) 20MP telephoto Camera (f/2.4, OIS) Rear single LED flash + EIS+OIS 40x Digital zoom Image Resolution Support up to 8192×6144 pixels Video Resolution Support up to 3840 × 2160 pixels |
| OS: | MagicOS 7.2 (Based on Android 13) |
| INTERNAL STORAGE & RAM: | 16GB+256GB 16GB+512GB |
| REMOVABLE STORAGE: | No |
| CHIPSET: | Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 1x Cortex-X3 3.19GHz 2x Cortex-A715 2.8GHz 2x Cortex-A710 2.8GHz 3x Cortex-A510 2.0GHz Adreno 740 |
| CONNECTIVITY: | 5G, Dual-SIM, BT 5.3, Wi-Fi 7, GPS, NFC |
| SENSORS: | Fingerprint, gravity, IR, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, ambient light, compass |
| Water and Dust Resistance | IP68 |
View full specifications here.
Packaging
The HONOR Magic V2 comes in a rather large black box. The packaging itself is minimalistic.
- The HONOR Magic V2 smartphone
- 66W HONOR SuperCharge charger
- USB-C to USB-C cable
- SIM ejector tool
- Inner screen protective film (pre-installed)
- External screen protective film (pre-installed)
- PU case
- Warranty card
Design
The Honor Magic V2 features a sleek design with color options in Phantom Purple and Midnight Black. Its rear panel, crafted from textured PU leather, not only enhances the device’s aesthetics but also ensures a comfortable grip.
Impressively engineered, the Magic V2 boasts a slim profile, measuring just 4.7mm in thickness (excluding the camera protrusion) when folded and 9.9mm when unfolded. This remarkable thinness, combined with two screens and a large capacity battery intelligently distributed on each side of the hinge, sets it apart.
Weighing 231g, it is lighter than competitors like the Galaxy Z Fold 5, Galaxy S23 Ultra, or iPhone 14 Pro Max, thanks in part to a new hinge design utilizing titanium and 3D-printed components.
The hinge durability is a standout feature, rated for 400,000 folds, doubling the certification of Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 5. When opened, the volume key shifts to the left side, accompanied by a power button doubling as a responsive fingerprint sensor.
Additionally, the device offers quick face unlocking or a combination of both methods. While lacking an official IP rating, Honor assures splashproof capabilities.
Display
The inner display of the Honor Magic V2 impressively minimizes the visibility of its crease, outperforming some rivals. While discernible from specific angles, it’s invisible when viewed head-on. Slightly wider than it is tall, the nearly perfect square design enhances the overall visual experience.
Highlighting the device’s standout feature, the 7.92-inch interior screen boasts a 2344 x 2156-pixel resolution. The OLED panel delivers vibrant colors with a peak brightness of 1600 nits, ensuring excellent visibility even in bright outdoor conditions. Supporting HDR10+ and featuring a 120Hz refresh rate, the display provides a smooth and fluid scrolling experience.
The 6.43-inch cover screen on the exterior maintains a 120Hz refresh rate and a resolution of 2376 x 1060 pixels, ideal for quick actions and notifications, contributing to a seamless user experience.
Consistency defines the display quality across both screens, featuring a 120Hz refresh rate, 3840Hz PWM dimming, and LTPO OLED technology for top-tier displays with adaptive refresh rates. While the peak brightness varies between the external and internal displays (1,600 nits and 2,500 nits, respectively), both offer ample brightness for seamless usage, even in broad daylight.
Performance & Connectivity
The Honor Magic V2 boasts the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 ensuring seamless handling of demanding tasks. With 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage, the device provides ample storage space.
While functioning as a conventional phone, the Magic V2 unfolds to offer a unique aspect ratio, enhancing the user experience. Although some apps may not size perfectly, adjusting them to a fixed aspect ratio mitigates any impact from apps not optimized for foldables.
Connectivity is a standout feature, with support for 5G, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.3, NFC, GPS, and IR.
Camera
The HONOR Magic V2 boasts an impressive camera setup, with varying performance levels among each lens. The main 50MP wide-angle camera stands out for its speed and stunning photo quality, delivering vibrant colors and excellent low-light performance. The telephoto camera matches the main camera’s quality up to 10x, beyond which pixelation occurs due to digital zoom.
While the ultrawide camera remains usable, it exhibits a softer focus and struggles in low-light conditions. The telephoto lens offers a fixed 2.5x zoom, extendable to 10x through hybrid zoom, reaching a maximum of 40x. However, even at 10x you’ll start to lose detail given the limitations of a 20-megapixel image sensor.
Video capabilities include 4K at 60fps for the main cameras and 40K at 30fps for the selfie cameras. The Magic V2 introduces a Movie mode, providing additional color control, including a LOG mode. AI-generated short clips and a slow-motion feature for cinematic effects and smooth pans add versatility.
For selfies, the 16MP front camera captures well-composed shots.
Honor Magic V2 OS
The HONOR Magic V2 runs on Magic UI 7.2, a customized version of Android 13. It includes some preinstalled third-party apps, which can be uninstalled. While the UI design has seen improvements, the interface remains familiar and offers high levels of customization.
The Magic V2’s Magic OS UI, while functional, leaves room for improvement in certain aspects. Nevertheless, the device excels in handling multiple apps simultaneously, effortlessly managing demanding games like Fortnite and Asphalt 9 Legends without lag or slowdown.
Battery & Audio
Equipped with a substantial 5,000 mAh battery, the Magic V2 may not last a full day, but its 66W wired fast-charging capability ensures a quick charge in under an hour.
In the audio department, stereo speakers deliver clear and immersive sound for music, videos, and calls, capable of filling a small room with quality audio. The device supports DTS:X Ultra, enhancing audio quality for a vibrant soundscape, particularly beneficial for gaming and XR media. Crystal-clear audio transmission during calls is ensured by high-quality microphones, free from distortion or interference.
Honor Magic V2 Verdict
The Honor Magic V2 redefines foldable smartphones with its impossibly thin design, outperforming regular smartphones in thickness even when folded. Boasting competitive specs, including battery life, Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, and impressive displays, it stands as a game-changer in the foldable market. Offering a delightful user experience across everyday tasks, gaming, and photography, it emerges as the best foldable phone and a top choice for Android users.
