Honor Magic V2 review: It's thinner, but is it any better?

I've been using the iPhone 15 Pro Max for more than six to seven months now and I am been really satisfied with it. But for almost 2 weeks now, I have switched to the Honor Magic V2, which is Honor's latest foldable phone. To tell you the truth, I'm not really into using foldable phones much and have never been a fan, because of three main reasons – first, they are too bulky, second - the battery life of foldable in general is not that great, and the third reason is that the cameras aren't as good as flagship phones. But there's something in this phone that has caught my attention. In this review of the Honor Magic V2, I will be sharing all of my experience with this foldable phone. But before getting any further let's have a quick rundown of its specifications.

Honor Magic V2 Specifications

• Dimensions:
  • Unfolded: 156.7 x 145.4 x 4.7 mm or 4.8 mm
  • Folded: 156.7 x 74.1 x 9.9 mm or 10.1 mm
• Weight: 231gm
• Build:
  • Glass front
  • Glass back or eco-leather back
  • magnesium alloy frame, titanium alloy folding mechanism
• Display:
  • Outer: 6.43-inch OLED, 120Hz LTPO refresh rate, 2376 x 1060 pixels
  • Inner: 7.92-inch Flexible OLED, 120Hz LTPO refresh rate, 2344 x 2156 pixels,
• Display Properties: 10-bit color depth, DCI-P3, 3940Hz PWM Dimming
• Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 5G (4nm mobile platform)
• CPU: Octa-core (1x3.19 GHz (INTL) / 1x3.36 GHz (CN) Cortex-X3 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A715 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A710 & 3x2.0 GHz Cortex-A510)
• GPU: Adreno 740
• Main Camera: Triple:
  • Primary: 50MP f/1.9 sensor, OIS
  • Ultrawide: 50MP f/2.0 lens
  • Telephoto: 20MP f/2.4, OIS
• Selfie Camera (Outer/Inner): 16MP with f/2.2 aperture
• Memory: 16GB RAM with 256/512GB/1TB storage
• Software: Android 13-based Magic UI 7
• Sensors: Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, color spectrum
• Battery: 5000mAh Silicone Carbon battery (dual-cell)
• Charging: 66W wired (11V/6A)
• Positioning: GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSS
• Check out the full specs of the Honor Magic V2
• Buy Honor Magic V2 Here

Honor Magic V2 Review

Design

• Dimensions:
  • Unfolded: 156.7 x 145.4 x 4.7 mm or 4.8 mm
  • Folded: 156.7 x 74.1 x 9.9 mm or 10.1 mm
• Weight: 231gm
• Build:
  • Glass front
  • Glass back or eco-leather back
  • magnesium alloy frame, titanium alloy folding mechanism

To get started,  the Honor Magic V2 has completely changed my perspective on foldable! Firstly, you don't even notice its thickness. It's so thin that it looks like a normal phone. When I compare it to my iPhone 15 Pro Max or the S24 ultra, it doesn't feel bulky at all. In fact, the thickness is almost the same! And even when you use its folded display, it operates just like using a normal phone.  You can easily operate it with one hand, without any stress, which is a big plus for a foldable.

Display

• Display:
  • Outer: 6.43-inch OLED, 120Hz LTPO refresh rate, 2376 x 1060 pixels
  • Inner: 7.92-inch Flexible OLED, 120Hz LTPO refresh rate, 2344 x 2156 pixels,
• Display Properties: 10-bit color depth, DCI-P3, 3940Hz PWM Dimming

As you can see, there's hardly any gap in the hinge, and once you open it, you get this large 8-inch main display, which also boasts a 120Hz LTPO panel similar to the cover display. It supports Dolby Vision HDR and is very bright as well. Moreover, It features a 6.43-inch w LTPO panel when folded with excellent brightness, viewing angles, and minimal bezels. If I were to nitpick, the crease is slightly visible, especially when scrolling in the crease area. My second complaint is that, unlike Samsung's Fold series, it lacks IPX8 water resistance. However, apart from that, the thin and lightweight design engineering of this device is commendable. Plus, Its hinge is incredibly strong, allowing you to keep it at various angles. Also, it's satisfying to fold and unfold with a reassuring snap sound. Moreover, I found this blue color variant really classy. The camera module on the back looks clean, it doesn't appear bulky at all! If you're a business user, you'll appreciate its elegance.

Battery

• Battery: 5000mAh Silicone Carbon battery (dual-cell)
• Charging: 66W wired (11V/6A)

Actually, the main reason this phone is so thin is because it uses a Silicon Carbon battery instead of a traditional Lithium-ion battery. The energy density of Silicon Carbon batteries is much higher, allowing Honor to include a large 5000mAh battery in a small surface area. This makes it the thinnest foldable available in the market today. As for battery life, it's really impressive. I managed to get around 7 hours of screen-on time, which is only slightly less than what I get with my iPhone 15 Pro Max. Additionally, the 66W charger that comes in the box charges the phone quickly, typically within 45 minutes. So, in terms of battery performance, I'm pleasantly surprised.

Performance and UI

• Memory: 16GB RAM with 256/512GB/1TB storage
• Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 5G (4nm mobile platform)
• CPU: Octa-core (1x3.19 GHz (INTL) / 1x3.36 GHz (CN) Cortex-X3 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A715 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A710 & 3x2.0 GHz Cortex-A510)
• GPU: Adreno 740

When it comes to the core specs of the phone, it features a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. Now, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset is from last year, so it's not the fastest available. However, everything still runs super smoothly here. Honor's UI is extremely fluid and surprisingly optimized for foldables. Transitioning to it is seamless and there aren't any noticeable performance issues. I really enjoy using the large main screen to run multiple windows side by side and eve have an additional app in a floating window. It's incredibly convenient and makes multitasking effortless.  Moreover, Honor includes a back cover in the box that doubles as a stand, allowing you to prop it up on a table and use it comfortably. Whether it's watching movies on the large screen or playing games like Clash Royale, there are so many benefits to having a foldable device like this.

UI/OS

• Software: Android 13-based Magic UI 7

One thing Honor seriously needs to improve is its software updates! Not just this phone, but almost all Honor phones are still running on Android 13. However, the upcoming Honor Magic 6 Pro is poised to debut with Android 14 onboard, indicating an imminent release of the latest Android version. Honor has revealed that the smartphone is scheduled to launch in June. Another thing I've noticed is that this phone tends to heat up slightly, especially during gaming sessions or when using mobile data extensively.

Camera

• Main Camera: Triple:
  • Primary: 50MP f/1.9 sensor, OIS
  • Ultrawide: 50MP f/2.0 lens
  • Telephoto: 20MP f/2.4, OIS
• Selfie Camera (Outer/Inner): 16MP with f/2.2 aperture

Anyway, another aspect of the Honor V2 that I really enjoyed is its camera! It takes excellent photos from the main camera. The details are crisp, and the colors are vibrant. Even the ultra-wide camera performs well. While it may not be at flagship level, it's close enough. And when it comes to taking portraits and selfies with the 2.5X zoom, this phone does a great job of capturing accurate skin tones. In good lighting conditions, you'll get awesome photos. However, one area where it falls a bit short is in video quality. While it's better than midrange phones, it doesn't quite match up to flagship phones. Especially in terms of stabilization and HDR, there's some room for improvement in the videos taken with the Honor Magic V2.

Honor Magic V2 Review: Conclusion

So, if we overlook the minor issues, this is easily the best foldable available in Nepal right now. However, I also like the OnePlus Open. I think the software experience of OnePlus, especially the "OnePlus Canvas" multitasking feature, is the best thing on a foldable. But after using the Honor, the OnePlus Open feels quite bulky. So, if you're considering switching from a regular phone to a foldable one, I think the Honor Magic V2 is going to be easy to adapt to. However, it's not wallet-friendly, as it's quite expensive at Rs. 2.40 lakhs! But, there's a unique charm to foldable that makes them worth the investment.

Honor Magic V2 Review: Pros and Cons

Pros

• Thin, lightweight design with a strong hinge
• Great display with minimal bezels
• Impressive portraits and an exceptional ultrawide camera
• Impressive battery life with fast charging

Cons

• Lack of IPX8 water resistance
• Runs on Android 13
• Slight heating issues during intense usage
• Not-so-great videography