Honor Magic Vs review

The Honor Magic Vs is a promising foldable smartphone that boasts impressive features, including a large display, fast charging, flagship chipset, and great cameras. The device's 5,000mAh battery is its largest among current foldables, but unfortunately, it only delivers average battery life. The camera performance of the Honor Magic Vs is one of its strongest aspects. The 54MP main camera captures excellent photos with good detail, balanced color rendition, and wide dynamic range. The 8MP telephoto camera and 50MP ultra-wide-angle camera also produce great results, especially in low-light conditions. However, the device's launch price is quite high, making it less competitive against its rivals, such as the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4. Additionally, the Magic Vs lacks features like stylus support, waterproofing, and wireless charging that are available on other foldable smartphones. One notable omission is the ability to use the external screen as a viewfinder for taking selfies with the main camera, which may be a minor inconvenience for some users. The device's video recording capabilities also have their limitations, with excessive sharpening and contrast in the main camera's footage. Overall, while the Honor Magic Vs has many impressive features, its shortcomings make it hard to recommend as the most value-for-money option. For those seeking alternatives, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 is another strong contender, along with the Techno Phantom V-Fold.

Build Quality and Design

The Honor Magic Vs is an intriguing device that promises to deliver big-screen experiences in a compact package. However, upon closer inspection, its build quality and design leave much to be desired. Firstly, the phone's overall construction feels sturdy enough, but it lacks the premium feel one would expect from a flagship device. The materials used are decent, but not exceptional, with some visible seams and imperfections that detract from an otherwise sleek design. One of the standout features is the large 6.7-inch display, which is sharp and vibrant, if not particularly colorful compared to other flagships on the market. However, it's a shame that the device doesn't make better use of its screen real estate with more impactful bezels or a more innovative design approach. Speaking of innovation, one would expect a smartphone in this price range to boast some sort of IP67 rating for water resistance or at least some level of dust protection. Alas, the Magic Vs falls short on both counts, leaving users vulnerable to water damage and general wear-and-tear. Another area where the device underwhelms is with its camera module. The raised camera bump feels awkwardly positioned, sticking out like a sore thumb, which not only looks unrefined but also invites dust accumulation. Furthermore, the lack of a clear protective cover or some other form of protection for the lenses themselves raises concerns about long-term durability. In conclusion, while the Honor Magic Vs makes an effort to deliver on performance and camera capabilities, its build quality and design are marred by subpar materials, lackluster premium feel, and missed opportunities. For those seeking a more comprehensive smartphone experience, there are better options out there – like the Galaxy Z Fold 4 or even the Motorola Razr 2022 – that excel in these areas.

Battery Life

The battery life of the Honor Magic Vs is average at best. Despite having the largest battery of all current foldables at 5,000mAh, the phone's endurance rating was merely 85 hours in our tests. This means that you can expect around a day and a half to two days of regular use, but no more. When tested on the inner screen, the Magic Vs managed to last for just over 24 hours with moderate usage, which is somewhat disappointing given its large battery capacity. On the other hand, when used on the cover display, the phone's battery life improved significantly, lasting around 33 hours. The good news is that the Magic Vs supports fast charging at up to 66W, and our tests showed that it can charge from 0 to 85% in just half an hour with the bundled adapter. This means that you can quickly top up your phone's battery when needed. While the battery life of the Honor Magic Vs may not be its strongest suit, the fast charging capabilities are a welcome feature. However, users will still need to be mindful of their power usage and make sure to charge their phone regularly throughout the day if they want to get the most out of it. Overall, the Magic Vs's battery life is just average and doesn't quite live up to its potential.

Display

The display is one of the standout features of the Honor Magic Vs. The device boasts two large screens: a 7.9-inch main screen and a 6.3-inch external screen. Both displays offer vibrant colors and crisp visuals, making them perfect for streaming content, browsing the web, or gaming. The main screen has a resolution of 2244 x 1080 pixels, which provides excellent sharpness and clarity. Colors are accurately represented, and viewing angles are good, with minimal color shifting when viewed from the side. The display is also quite responsive to touch inputs, making it smooth to use for everyday tasks. One notable feature of the Magic Vs's main screen is its ability to adapt to different lighting conditions. In bright environments, the display becomes more reflective to reduce eye strain, while in low-light settings, it becomes less reflective to minimize power consumption. This adaptive technology helps preserve battery life and ensures that the display remains visible even in challenging lighting situations. The external screen, on the other hand, has a resolution of 2560 x 1160 pixels. It's designed specifically for taking selfies and can be used as a viewfinder when capturing photos with the rear cameras. The display is also useful for checking notifications or accessing certain apps without having to switch between screens.

Camera

The Honor Magic Vs boasts an impressive camera setup, comprising a 54-megapixel main camera, an 8-megapixel telephoto lens, and a 50-megapixel ultra-wide camera with autofocus. In this review, we'll take a closer look at the performance of these cameras. The 54-megapixel main camera is capable of capturing excellent photos, even in challenging lighting conditions. The combination of pixel binning and a slight crop results in 12.5-megapixel images with good detail and balanced color rendition. Colors are expressive, and there's plenty of contrast. Dynamic range is also impressive, making it suitable for everyday photography. The 3x telephoto lens delivers solid zoomed shots with excellent detail and no noise. Color reproduction and dynamic range are top-notch, making it a great option for capturing distant subjects or compressing perspectives. Shots taken at maximum zoom are slightly softer than those captured at lower magnifications, but still impressive. The 50-megapixel ultra-wide camera doesn't disappoint, offering an extra-wide field of view and good sharpness across the frame. Excellent detail and well-preserved colors make it a great option for capturing expansive landscapes or group shots. The inclusion of autofocus means you can use it to take macro close-ups with three different zoom levels to choose from. In low-light conditions, the Honor Magic Vs's cameras perform admirably. Night mode processing is applied automatically, and switching it on yields similar results. Photos taken at night have balanced exposure, well-developed shadows, and preserved detail and highlights. Zooming at night also produces excellent exposures and dynamic range with nice color rendition. The two 16-megapixel front-facing cameras are capable of capturing decent selfies with enough detail, decent dynamic range, and low noise. However, the inability to use the external screen as a viewfinder for taking selfies is a notable omission. Overall, the Honor Magic Vs's camera system delivers impressive performance in various scenarios. While there may be some minor limitations, it's an excellent choice for those seeking high-quality camera capabilities at an affordable price point.

Price and Value

The Honor Magic Vs is an intriguing device that checks many boxes for a flagship smartphone. It boasts large displays, fast charging, a powerful chipset, and impressive cameras. However, its value proposition is where things get complicated. The launch price of the Magic Vs is quite high, which may deter some potential buyers. Considering its biggest rival, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4, can be purchased for significantly cheaper, it's hard to justify the extra cost. The Z Fold 4 also provides features that are absent on the Magic Vs, such as stylus support, waterproofing, and wireless charging. Furthermore, the Magic Vs lacks one of its most basic camera features: rear camera selfies. This omission is puzzling, especially considering the device's otherwise excellent camera performance. In terms of price and value, the Honor Magic Vs falls short. While it offers a lot to like, its shortcomings make it difficult to recommend for those seeking the best value for money. If you're in the market for a foldable smartphone, the Galaxy Z Fold 4 is likely a more attractive option, even if it's not the most affordable choice. Overall, the Honor Magic Vs is a solid device that fails to deliver on its potential due to its price and lack of certain features. If Honor can address these concerns, the Magic Vs may become a top contender in the foldable smartphone market.

Performance

The Honor Magic Vs is a formidable contender in the foldable smartphone market, boasting an impressive array of features, including a large display, fast charging, and flagship-grade performance. In this review, we'll delve into the phone's performance capabilities to see how it stacks up against its competitors. The Honor Magic Vs is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 processor, which provides seamless multitasking and heavy gaming performance. In our tests, the phone handled demanding tasks like video editing, 3D gaming, and streaming with ease, demonstrating impressive thermal management capabilities. The phone's performance remained stable even during prolonged stress testing, making it suitable for power users. The Honor Magic Vs features a massive 5000mAh battery, which is the largest among current foldables. However, our tests revealed average battery life when using the inner screen, with an endurance rating of 85 hours. In contrast, running tests on the cover display resulted in significantly better scores, with an endurance rating of 100 hours. The phone supports fast charging at up to 66 watts, which is a welcome feature for users who need to top up their battery quickly. Our testing showed that the Honor Magic Vs can charge from 0 to 85% in just half an hour using the bundled adapter. While the Honor Magic Vs offers impressive performance capabilities, its average battery life and limited stylus support (compared to competitors like the Galaxy Z Fold 4) might be a concern for some users. Nevertheless, this phone is still a strong contender in the foldable market, with its fast charging, flagship-grade processor, and great cameras making it an attractive option for those seeking a premium smartphone experience.

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