The HONOR Magic V2 is an unhinged beast!

What’s to love:

• really the thinnest foldable in the current market at 9.9mm when folded and 4.7mm when unfolded
• when hinged, it looks and feels like a regular Android phone
• audio packs a punch with noticeable bass
• decent camera system
• 66W super charge system included
• beautiful stock case

It’s a good year for foldables. Although we have seen HONOR’s Magic V2 in the Chinese market months ago, one can argue that the device still holds up to be fresh even by today’s standards because, well, not all phone brands make these folding screens regularly. Despite being a 2023 device released this Q1 2024, the Magic V2 is fresh, elegant, and a performer. 

A quality entertainment and productivity package

At the core of the device is the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor. In this day and age, the Gen 2 seems to be the processor of choice for high end foldables. Having used the phone for more than two weeks at home and around the metro, I have been multitasking Zoom calls, working on Office 365, reading comics, watching shows, and playing games. Here’s the thing: I’ve been comfortably using the V2 in both screen modes. I would say 40% of the time folded up (hinged) and 60% of the time fully opened (unhinged). Which brings me to my first major point of consideration: the Magic V2 looks and feels like any other candybar Android phone when folded. Other foldables have a tall and narrow build in candybar mode thereby “forcing” you to open up because it’s just too awkward to type anything. The Magic V2 invites you to enjoy both modes. The 60% of the time I would use it fully open would really be for multimedia consumption, reading long documents, and gaming.

The elephant in the room

As a foldable, it will be impossible not to compare the HONOR Magic V2 with the Samsung Galaxy Fold 5. The latter was 2023’s darling foldable and both devices run on Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. Performance-wise there’s barely any noticeable difference. There are some nuances with the V2 being able to transition apps from unhinged to hinged better (I notice less reloads of apps). But the main difference is in weight and dimensions: the Fold 5 is more than 10 grams heavier than the Magic V2, which might not seem like a lot but it does feel a tad heavier when in the pocket. Third party cases for the Fold also contribute to added weight whereas the Magic V2’s stock case barely weighs a thing. 

The Magic V2 is a daily driver get-up-and-go device: it comes with a 66W wired SuperCharge cable, which is another huge advantage. I can also enable the fast charging with other 3rd party solutions such as the Momax Flow+ 80W wall charger and compatible fast-charging cable. It does not have wireless charging. The fast charging solution paired with the 5000mAh battery is another major win for HONOR as the competition doesn’t seem to have a quicker way to charge.

Let me also say that both foldables are great. I have said before that when Samsung launched the Fold 5, it was the perfect time to buy a foldable. I still stand by this – but HONOR is really giving Samsung a run for its money.

Special mention: the stock case!

So we really have to talk about the case that comes with the Magic V2. This deserves an honorable mention because nobody ever talks about the stock silicon cases that come with ther phones. But that’s the thing — this one isn’t. It feels like a premium vegan leather case with a kick stand and magnetic hinge guard. There are two things to love with this case: first it’s super thin and doesn’t diminish the V2’s claim of being the thinnest foldable. It fits like an old glove and many may even mistake it as being the real back of the phone. 

Second is the vegan leather design that wraps and seals the mechanical hinge. This is important to note because the V2 does not have an IP rating. HONOR does say that the phone can withstand some splashing, but it’s the dust that can spell trouble for all types of foldables. The hinge guard provides an added layer of protection.

Right out of the box, you can be assured that HONOR took some measures to ensure that you can use the foldable with a hinge guard that works like other good 3rd party options from online stores. 

Camera at 50 + 50 + 20

We have a decent camera system in the Magic V2. It comes with a wide 50MP camera that can shoot at 0.5 ultrawide, a main wide 50MP camera and a telephoto 20MP camera with OIS.

What I found pleasantly surprising was the front portrait camera but in one particular mode: shooting at 0.8 with blur turned on. I was able to get really decent self-portrait shots in natural light. Here I go:

Conclusion

The HONOR Magic V2’s core strength isn’t about individual specs but more about being in one elegant package. It just feels really good to use, so much so that it isn’t trying to oversell you the fact that it’s a folding phone. If you have P79,999 to burn on a daily driver (that happens to be a foldable) then this is a great choice! Also, you have to get the purple one.

DEAL ALERT! You can pre-order the HONOR Magic V2 from February 21 to March 1, 2024 and get a FREE HONOR Watch GS 3 and Harman Kardon Aura Studio 4 HIFI speakers worth P28,000 in total