Galaxy Z Fold 7 vs. Honor Magic V5: Which foldable will win?
No, this foldable is already out (in certain markets at least), and it deletes any hope Samsung had of delivering the thinnest foldable of 2025. Earlier this month, Honor launched the Magic V5 in Chinese markets with a powerful new chipset, huge AI integration, and a super-thin build measuring just 8.8mm when folded and 4.1mm when opened fully.
That's just a hair thinner than the Galaxy Z Fold 7, which measures 8.9mm folded and 4.2mm unfolded. Granted, we're talking literal millimeters here. In everyday use, you probably won't notice much difference between these phones unless you're comparing them side by side. But it certainly gives Honor bragging rights to beat out both Samsung's latest foldable flagship and last year's winner, Oppo's Find N5, which measures 8.93mm thick, for slimmest profile.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7
Honor Magic V5
Dimensions
Folded: 158.4×72.8×8.9 mmUnfolded: 143.2×158.4×4.2 mm
Folded: 156.8×74.3×8.8 mmUnfolded: 156.8×145.9×4.1 mm
Weight
215 g
217g or 222g
Inner screen
8″ Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 2184×1968, 120 Hz
7.95″ LTPO OLED, 2352×2172, 120 Hz
Cover screen
6.5″ FHD+ AMOLED 2X, 2520×1080, 120 Hz
6.43″ OLED, 2376×1060, 120 Hz, 5 000 nits
Chipset
Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy
Snapdragon 8 Elite
RAM
12 GB/16GB
12GB/16GB
Storage
256/512 GB/1 TB
256/512 GB/1 TB
Battery
4,400mAh
6,100mAh
Size isn't the only place where Honor has Samsung beat. The Magic V5 has a colossal 6,100mAh battery compared to the Z Fold 7's 4,400mAh one. That large internal screen is a huge battery drain, which makes it genuinely remarkable that Honor managed to eke out a two-day battery life in such a slim design.
While Samsung offers a slightly larger internal screen, Honor packs a brighter display capable of up 5,000 nits vs. the Z Fold 7's 2,600 nits. That being said, both share the same Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, so you can expect similar performance capabilities.
On paper, the Honor Magic V5 has the Galaxy Z Fold 7 beat, but its biggest drawback is availability. It won't be available in Europe until later this year, after Samsung's foldable has hit stores. Plus, Honor devices aren't officially sold in the U.S., cutting off a huge swatch of the smartphone market.
It took Samsung several generations to finally start getting the hang of foldables, and the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is undeniably its most impressive iteration yet. But its $2,000 price tag was already hard to swallow when the series first debuted in 2019, and things have only gotten more expensive in the years since. Knowing that phonemakers have the technology to build better foldables, but they're limited to markets outside the U.S., makes Samsung's flagship an even tougher sell. It's clear Samsung will have to step up its game if it wants to continue to be competitive in the foldable landscape.
Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Forbes
2 hours ago
- Forbes
Apple Prepares To Delay The Next MacBook Pro
New MacBook Pro laptops are displayed during Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference 2023 (Photo by ... More JOSH EDELSON/AFP via Getty Images) Apple is on course to release the new iPhone 17 family in September, but the outlook for MacBook Air and MacBook Pro fans is not as rosy. Apple looks to have delayed the release of the new macOS hardware into 2026. MacBook Pro Launch Date Details The new date comes from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Reporting on Apple's upcoming portfolio (including the long-suspected iPhone 17e), he notes that the upgraded MacBook Pro and MacBook Air laptops may not arrive until 2026. Until now, the expectation has been that Apple would introduce the M5 —the next desktop classic Apple Silicon chipset—before the end of the year with new versions of the iPad Pro and MacBook Pro. This would be a similar path to the release of the Apple Silicon M4 last year, but not identical. The M4 was launched ahead of Apple's Worldwide Developer Conference in May 2024 and debuted inside the seventh generation of the iPad Pro almost immediately. That was followed in the fall with the M4 MacBook Pro, MacBook Pro Max and MacBook Pro Max. Delaying The MacBook Pro The Apple Silicon M5 has yet to show up in 2025. The Worldwide Developer Conference came and went with nary a sight of the new silicon. Neither has the next iPad Pro or the MacBook Pro. Many have been looking at the traditional October dates for the release of the MacBook M5 family, potentially with the iPad Pro arriving at the same time. Gurman's report pushes back this launch date into 2026. Apple has taken this route before, with the MacBook Pro M2 pushed back into January 2023. Unlike the iPhone, which has an almost mythical need to launch in the second week in September. Arguably, that's linked to the one-year contracts provided by networks, and there's no such historical support for buying laptops and desktops. Keeping The MacBook Pro On An Annual Schedule That gives Apple a little bit more of a cushion ot get things right rather than follow a strict schedule, at least for hardware. The annual updates across the operating systems does refresh the ecosystem every twelve months. With the increased demand for artificial intelligence and Apple's push to process as much data locally, the demands on computing power are climbing ever upwards. In part, that demand is driving the update. It may not be as traditional as the locked-in September date, but with the operating system on an annual update cycle, and the Apple Silicon chipsets on a similar schedule, annual updates of the Mac hardware are inevitable. Now read the latest MacBook Pro, iPhone, and Apple news in Forbes' weekly news digest...
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 is my dream foldable
It was only a couple of months ago that I discovered the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge's thinness was more than just a way to grab some headlines, and it made the phone genuinely more pleasurable to hold, use, and live with on a daily basis. Well, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is set to be equally transformative, and after barely spending an hour with it. I couldn't be more pleased that Samsung has continued its dogged pursuit of thinness, as it has made the Z Fold 7 the big-screen foldable I could see myself using every day, without fooling myself into thinking I'm not making a compromise. Let's get straight into it. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 is far thinner and lighter than the Galaxy Z Fold 6, and it makes a huge difference in the way the phone feels when you pick it up, hold it, and stow it in your pocket. It measures 8.9mm thick when closed and 4.2mm when open, weighing 215 grams. The Galaxy Z Fold 6 was 12.1mm closed up and weighed 239 grams. The Z Fold 7 even manages to be lighter than the Galaxy S25 Ultra by a whole gram. These numbers don't reflect one of the other major changes, though. On the front of the Z Fold 7 is a 6.5-inch, 21:9 aspect ratio screen, which feels truly "normal," and the phone is easily used with one hand. You no longer have to perform a risky, potentially very expensive juggling act to reply to messages or open apps on the cover screen due to the 5mm increase in width. Open the phone, and you're now greeted by an 8-inch Dynamic AMOLED screen, and it looks glorious. Look straight at the Z Fold 7, and you'll see the crease has been practically eliminated, visually, and you can barely feel it under your finger either. It's still kind of there from the side, but you have to make an effort to see it. Samsung has managed this by making the glass covering the open screen slightly thicker, increasing durability and strength at the same time. It's just one of the durability improvements in the Z Fold 7, which has a stronger titanium lattice work under the screen compared to the carbon fiber lattice used on previous models, and updated Advanced Armor Aluminum for the chassis and hinge. However, is the Galaxy Z Fold 7 the thinnest foldable smartphone in the world? No, that um, honor, goes to Honor with the Magic V5, which is 4.1mm thick open and 8.8mm closed. That's only if you buy the Ivory White version, though, as the other colors are 4.2mm thick open and 9mm thick closed, and it's 217 grams in weight or 222 grams if you choose one other than the white model. Fractions of millimeters aside, both the Magic V5 and the Z Fold 7 are amazing feats of engineering, and shouting about being the thinnest foldable in the world actually obfuscates in meaningless bluster how much of a difference the size truly makes. How can I easily illustrate this difference? I spent some time with the Galaxy Z Flip 7 and the new Galaxy Watch 8 smartwatches at the same time as I tested out the Galaxy Z Fold 7. While I was playing with the smartwatches, I switched the Z Fold 7 between my front jeans pocket and the back pocket. It disappeared in both, and I mostly forgot it was there until I wanted it. The Z Fold 7 seems to have moved beyond the era of compromise, which afflicted its predecessors, where you had to put up with a foldable's size and weight to enjoy the dual-screen convenience. Now, it simply feels like "a phone," and that has been the dream since the first day I picked up the original Galaxy Fold. The Galaxy S25 Edge took traditional phone convenience to the next level, and the Z Fold 7 does the same for foldable smartphones. There was a case to be made for the Z Fold 6 doing something similar, but it was recommended you still go out and hold it for yourself before buying, as one person's definition of acceptable is another's unacceptable. You should still try the Z Fold 7 out for yourself, but I think you'll just say "wow" when you see it and pick it up, rather than immediately think about whether you'll be able to tolerate the size and weight long term. Samsung described the Galaxy Z Fold 7 as giving you an "Ultra experience," but has stopped short of actually calling it the Z Fold 7 Ultra. It means it has squeezed some really impressive technology inside the thin and light phone. The Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy processor is onboard, along with 12GB or 16GB of RAM, there's a 4,400mAh battery, and One UI 8 over Android 16. Yes, the Z Fold 7 will come with Google's latest OS installed, and it has been specially designed for foldables, right down to Gemini Live being adapted for use on the large, open screen. All the usual Galaxy AI features are available, although compared to the AI overload at the Galaxy S25 series launch, they were emphasized less here. Circle to Search has gained an interesting new in-game search feature, where it will provide real-time hints and tips without leaving the app itself. The Now Brief is back and includes weekly activity updates along with its daily roundups. Samsung will support the Z Fold 7's software for seven years. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 is Samsung at the top of its game. The Galaxy S25 Ultra's 200-megapixel main camera sits alongside a 10MP telephoto camera for a 3x optical zoom, and a new 12MP wide-angle camera with autofocus and a macro mode. The open screen's under-display selfie camera has been greatly improved, and now has 10 megapixels and a 100-degree field of view. The higher resolution is immediately obvious, too. On the cover screen is another 10MP selfie camera. While some may complain about the 3x telephoto, the Z Fold 7's camera is a technical improvement over the Z Fold 6, and the ISP has been optimized to make the most of all the cameras. Evidence of whether all this makes a difference will come when we take more photos, as it was impossible to draw any conclusions taking them inside the event space, where I tried the phone. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 is Samsung at the top of its game. The foldable feels superbly made, very high quality, and still suitably futuristic, even though we've seen similar phones for a good few years now. The thinner, lighter body is a massive leap forward compared to the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and earlier, and it has finally reached the point where it won't feel like much of a compromise to use at all compared to a non-folding phone. If you have one of those earlier Samsung foldables, the Z Fold 7 is likely to be a substantial upgrade. For those yet to take the plunge on a big-screen foldable, this is the one to try. Such innovation and engineering don't come cheap. The basic 12GB/256GB model is $2,000 or £1,799, which is a lot to pay for any mobile device, but like the previous models, this is a phone you should be thinking about keeping for the next three years or so. Thanks to the Z Fold 7's streamlined new shape, durability enhancements, and close-to-top-spec camera, this will be easier than ever to do.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
I ignored the last two Galaxy Z Folds but the Z Fold 7 actually looks tempting
I've been critical of Samsung over the past few years because I know how good it can be. Even though the OEM continues to produce some of the best Android phones, it doesn't mean Samsung is putting in the effort. When a company has the reach, money, and experience that Samsung has, it can be easy to slip into complacency. However, if the leaks surrounding the next generation of foldables from Samsung are true, the tech behemoth could bring me back to the fold. I was once a Samsung lover. I remember when I got the Galaxy S3 and experienced the incredible leap forward it was at the time. I enjoyed the OLED panel, fast internals, good camera, and the brand's excitement for the phone. I was a Samsung fan for many years after that, even if I did hop back and forth between brands. I found Samsung to be exciting and innovative in more than just its phones. My view of Samsung began to change in early 2021, and the last Samsung phone I bought was the Z Fold 4 in 2022, which I later traded in for the OnePlus Open, which I still use today. Since then, I've said in various ways that Samsung phones had become boring and that the company was coasting on its previous successes. Some may say that the new Galaxy S25 Edge is an example of the company making a turn towards innovating again, and that could be the case, but I disagree. I see the Galaxy S25 Edge as a proof of concept that Samsung can go thin with its phones, and the fruits of the slim slab phone are showing in leaks for the upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 7. These rumors are pointing towards the first folding phone in years that I'm genuinely interested in. The reasons for Samsung's timing are ones that I'm curious about. Did the company sit back and watch to see if these super-thin folding phones, like the Honor Magic V3 or Oppo Find N5, could withstand daily use? Was it hoping that thinness was a fad? Perhaps it took this long for one of the largest and most advanced technology companies to develop a phone that rivals its competitors? While I don't think an ultra-thin phone like the Galaxy S25 Edge is something people want, an ultra-thin phone that folds in half is. Aside from durability, making foldable phones thinner is something I've longed for. Since I can't get my hands on the Honor or Oppo phones, I haven't been able to experience what it's like not to feel like I have two phones in my pocket. If rumors are true, Samsung's upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 7 will be its thinnest foldable yet, and by far. I never had issues with the hardware of its phones, but more so with the designs. If the phone maintains the level of engineering I've come to expect from Samsung, and can be really thin, it's a fantastic start to being a winner for me. However, it's about more than being thin, as I said about the Galaxy S25 Edge. It's time for Samsung and other foldable device makers to equip their most expensive phones with top-of-the-line cameras. Book-style foldables are among the most expensive phones on the market and have less than the best cameras. If rumors are true, we could see Galaxy Ultra-level cameras in the Fold 7. However, one of the rumors that has me less than enthused is the potential for a small battery. That would be a big bummer. However, if we can get best-in-class cameras, internals, and a thin phone, I'll deal with the battery life so long as I get a day out of it. While we don't have official dates for when Samsung will unveil its latest foldable offerings, rumors suggest a July 9 release date. In previous years, I would have been interested, maybe even excited, about what Samsung may do with its foldable lineup. While leaks began to trickle out, the tiny flame of hope slowly faded away. However, this year, it feels different. Even with the disappointing Galaxy S25 lineup and the uninspired S25 Edge that followed, I find myself tentatively ready to click pre-order when the chance arrives.
