The new Honor, now an independent brand of Huawei, wants to compete against the big boys. The company has made clear its intention to launch high-end smartphones and has started 2022 by launching nothing less than a full-fledged folding mobile. Indeed, the anticipated Honor Magic V is official.
The device has been presented in China and, for the moment, there is no news about its possible arrival in the global market. We will be waiting for it to do so to update when appropriate. Having said that, and made the introductions, let’s see what the new Honor Magic V offers us.
Honor Magic V technical specifications
| Honor Magic V | |
|---|---|
| Dimensions and Weight | Folded: 160.4 x 72.7 x 14.3 mm Unfolded: 60.4 x 141.1 x 6.7 mm Weight: 239 grams |
| Internal Display | 7.9 inch OLED Resolution 2,272 x 1,984 pixels 10: 9 format 381 dpi 90 Hz 100% DCI-P3 HDR10 + |
| External Display | 6.45 inch OLED Resolution 2,560 x 1,080 pixels Format 21: 9 431 dpi 120 Hz 1,000 nits 100% DCI-P3 HDR10 + |
| Processor | Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 GPU Adreno 730 |
| RAM | 12 GB |
| Internal Storage | 256/512 GB |
| Rear Camera | Main: 50 megapixels f / 1.9 Wide-angle: 50 megapixels f / 2.2 Hyperspectral: 50 megapixels f / 2.0 dTOF 8×8 |
| Front Camera | 42 megapixels |
| Inner Chamber | 42 megapixels |
| Battery | 4,750 mAh 66W fast charge |
| Operating System | Android 12 with Magic UI 6 |
| Connectivity | 5G |
| Others | DTS Speakers: X Side fingerprint reader IMAX Enhanced |
| Price | 12/256 GB: 9,999 yuan 12/512 GB: 10,999 yuan |
The first foldable Honor follows the trail of the Z Fold
For its first foldable, Honor has opted for a design similar to that of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold. As such, it is a device that opens like a book and has a huge inner screen and a somewhat smaller external screen, but focused on everyday use.
When folded, the device has a thickness of 14.3 millimeters and a design with no side openings. When opened, the thickness is reduced to 6.7 millimeters, but its width rises from 60.4 millimeters to 160.4. It is, in short, a big phone that turns into a small tablet. It opens thanks to a 213-part drop hinge that, on paper, should prevent the panel crease from being more obvious than it should be.
The external display uses AMOLED technology, is slightly curved, and has a size of 6.45 inches with FullHD+ resolution. Its refresh rate amounts to 120 Hz and, according to Honor, it has a maximum brightness of 1,000 nits, something interesting for HDR content. It should be noted that this screen is perforated in the upper area to house the internal camera and that Honor has reduced the bezels quite a bit.
The internal screen, the one we will use when we open the mobile, has a size of 7.9 inches, 10:9 format (very square) with 90 Hz refresh rate, resolution 2,272 x 1,984 pixels, and, according to Honor, 100% reproduction of the DCI-P3 color space. A dual-layer technology has also been adopted to reduce screen reflections and increase resilience.
Qualcomm’s most powerful inside
A look under the hood reveals that Honor has not skimped when it comes to power and capabilities. The Honor Magic V mounts the new Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, Qualcomm’s latest in mobile platforms, and up to 12 GB of RAM. It becomes, therefore, one of the first cell phones to incorporate it. The set is completed with up to half a tera of internal storage.
The operating system is Magic UI 6 on Android 12. This is no surprise, of course, but the truth is that since it was a presentation in China, where Google’s ecosystem has no presence, there has been no word on whether or not the Magic V will have Google Mobile Services. The global Magic 3 does have this catalog of apps, so it is to be expected that the Honor Magic V if it leaves its native country, will also do so. Patience until then.
In any case, among the new features of the operating system is an AI system that optimizes the terminal and apps according to our use, floating apps, and split-screen with two apps. As it could not be otherwise, the device has App Continuity, so that if we are using an app on the external screen and we open the mobile, the app will automatically open on the internal screen.
The battery of the Honor Magic V amounts to 4,750 mAh (the battery, as in other foldable, is divided in two) and features 66W fast charging. In Honor’s words, the device is capable of charging to 50% in 15 minutes. There has been no mention of it having wireless charging.
For photography, Honor has also brought out the big guns and has implemented no less than three 50-megapixel sensors on the back. These cameras are angular, wide-angle, and hyperspectral (to improve the detail of more distant objects, for example). We will have to see how they perform in real conditions. As for the selfie, two cameras: one on the external display and one on the internal, both 42 megapixels.
Pricing and Availability of the Honor Magic V
The Honor Magic V has been presented in China and, for the moment, there is no news about its possible arrival in the global market. We will be waiting for it to do so to update with official prices. In China, it will be available from January 10 in black, white and orange and its price is as follows:
- Honor Magic V 12/256 GB: 9,999 yuan
- Honor Magic V 12/512 GB: 10,999 yuan.
