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Stuff.tv
02-07-2025
- Stuff.tv
Holding the ultra-slim Honor Magic V5 made me wonder whether I'd ever go back to a non-folding phone
Initial Stuff Verdict At first glance it seems Honor has streamlined one of last year's best book-style foldables in all the right places. The Magic V5 might have the specs and styling to give every rival cause for concern Pros Outstandingly slim and light, with seemingly no hardware compromise Chipset and battery promise epic power and longevity No weak link on the rear camera setup Cons Some software unknowns right now Wider availability and pricing still TBC Introduction Honor just fired the latest salvo in the ongoing foldable phone slimness battle. The new Honor Magic 5, launching today in China ahead of an expected wider rollout in the coming months, sets the new standard for book-style folders at an incredible 4.1mm when open. Yet it hasn't skimped anywhere on the spec sheet to achieve it. The successor to the Honor Magic V3 arrives with the full-fat version of Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, a trio of flagship-grade rear cameras, and one of the biggest batteries you'll find in any phone, let alone a folding one. It's skinnier than many traditional handsets when shut, and should (eventually) skirt a lot of the software and availability issues affecting rival foldables aimed purely at the Chinese domestic market. I got to try out an early handset ahead of the Chinese reveal, to see how it's taking the fight to the likes of Oppo's Find N5 and Samsung's imminent Z Fold 7. How we test smartphones Every phone reviewed on Stuff is used as our main device throughout the testing process. We use industry standard benchmarks and tests, as well as our own years of experience, to judge general performance, battery life, display, sound and camera image quality. Manufacturers have no visibility on reviews before they appear online, and we never accept payment to feature products. Find out more about how we test and rate products. Seen from the side, the Magic V5 is wonderfully slim even before you unfold it. At just 8.8mm (not counting camera bump) it's slimmer than some non-folding flagships; when opened up, each half is a minuscule 4.1mm. Honor has managed to shave off 0.3mm compared to the Magic V3, and in the process has taken the 'world's thinnest' crown from the 4.21mm Oppo Find N5. These might sound like marginal gains at this point, but on first inspection the differences really do help this feel like a regular phone when folded. At 217g it weighs less than an iPhone 16 Pro Max, but is that bit more comfortable to hold in one hand thanks to the shorter, slimmer outer screen. Styling-wise we're talking iterative changes from the Magic V3, with the more prominent camera bump gaining a knurled texture for a bit of bling – without being too attention-grabbing. Same deal with the hinge: the dawn black version I demoed was covered in reflective geometric shapes to resemble fine jewellery. The gradient effect on the rear glass could look fully gold from one angle and almost black from another. I get why Honor will be using this one for all its marketing. The black and ivory models are a bit subtler. The polished metal frame feels suitably high-end, and the way it tapers in slightly really accentuates how skinny the phone is. There's still space on the side for a fingerprint sensing power button, and apparently the punch-hole front camera is secure enough for facial recognition that plays nicely with your banking apps. The whole thing has IP58/IP59 resistance – an impressive level of protection for a foldable. The 6.43in outer screen is the same size as the Magic V3, which on paper may sound a little small compared to a traditional flagship, but it doesn't feel like it in your hand. The aspect ratio is wider than Samsung's recent Z Fold phones, so apps didn't feel squashed in. Slimming down the bezels has helped make room for a 7.95in inner display, up from 7.92in on the Magic V3. It looks ideal for side-by-side multitasking, and the crease depth is noticeably less than the old phone. It's not as obvious when you run your finger over it and I struggled to spot it unless the light hit it at the perfect angle. Both displays are AMOLEDs with LTPO tech, for an adaptive 1-120Hz refresh rate that should help keep battery drain in check. They felt responsive to swipes and scrolls, with punchy colours and fantastic viewing angles. Officially they can also nudge a whopping 5000 nits peak brightness (when you're watching HDR or Dolby Vision content), so outdoor visibility shouldn't be a problem. I didn't get a chance to test that at my indoor briefing, though – or the potency of the built-in speakers. They use the same stereo arrangement as before. I was very happy to see Honor has taken a zero-compromise approach to the Magic V5's camera setup. Whereas Oppo cut back on the Find N5's ultrawide sensor pixel count, here you're getting a beefy 50MP snapper complete with OIS. It's paired with a 50MP lead lens and a 64MP periscope telephoto good for 3x optical zoom. These aren't an exact match for the Magic 7 Pro non-folding flagship, but they get pretty close. All of that phone's software smarts are on board, including the divisive superzoom that uses generative AI beyond 30x magnification. The Studio Harcourt portrait mode introduced on the Honor 200 Pro also makes the cut. Image quality is an unknown right now, as region-specific tuning and final software are still on the way. The few snaps I managed to take looked clean and detailed on the phone's screens, but how it fares in low light will have to wait for a full review. I'm expecting the Magic V5 to be something of a performance beast, with a Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset running the show – and not the cut down, seven-core version seen on the Oppo Find N5. Flagship-grade amounts of RAM and storage are a given, too. Thermals could be tricky to manage in a device so slim when tasked with demanding apps and games, though. I'll have to wait for a full review to confirm. It's battery life where this phone could potentially set the pace. Honor has used silicon carbide tech to squeeze a colossal 5820mAh capacity cell into the Magic V5's slender chassis. The firm says it's enough to keep the inner screen juiced for an entire day of video playback. That bodes well for more realistic use, which tends to favour the outer screen more heavily. 60W charging puts it slightly behind the Oppo Find N5 when refuelling over USB-C, but that's still pretty rapid – and 50W wireless top-ups are very nice to see. The biggest unknowns right now are on the software side, given my demo unit was running a non-final version of an OS intended for Honor's home market. We thought the Magic V3 made a good start with its context-sensitive Magic Portal features, but anything it can do to streamline multitasking on that large inner screen will be very welcome. While nothing has been confirmed, I'm expecting decent long-term update support. Honor previously committed to seven new Android generations for its flagship phones, so you can take a good guess as to how many the Magic V5 will receive. Early impressions are very positive. It's China-only for now, but I'm expecting that to change fairly quickly – though whether it'll be before Samsung and Google release their next-gen foldables remains to be seen. As does whether Honor can challenge either on price. Still, if the Magic V5 can deliver on performance, battery life and camera image quality, it could be on track to be 2025's book-style foldable to beat. Honor Magic V5 technical specifications Screen 6.43in, 1-120Hz LTPO AMOLED (outer) 7.95in, 1-120Hz LTPO AMOLED (inner) CPU Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Memory 16GB Cameras 50MP, f/1.6 main w/ OIS + 50MP, f/2.0 ultrawide w/ OIS + 64MP, f/2.5 telephoto w/ 3x optical zoom, OIS rear 20MP front Storage 256GB-1TB Operating system Android 16 Battery 5820mAh w/ 66W wired, 50W wireless charging Dimensions 4.1mm thick (open, not including camera bezel)
CNBC
02-07-2025
- Business
- CNBC
China's Honor launches new challenge to Samsung with thin foldable smartphone and a big battery
Honor on Wednesday touted the slimness and battery capacity of its newly launched thin foldable phone, as it lays down a fresh challenge to market leader Samsung. The Honor Magic V5 goes will initially go on sale in China, but the Chinese tech firm will likely bring the device to international markets later this year. The company, which spun off from Chinese tech giant Huawei in 2020, is looking to stand out from rivals with key features of the Magic V5, like artificial intelligence, battery and size. Honor said the Magic V5 is 8.8 mm to 9mm when folded, depending on the color choice. The phone's predecessor, the Magic V3 — Honor skipped the Magic V4 name — was 9.2 mm when folded. Honor said the Magic V5 weighs 217 grams to 222 grams, again, depending on the color model. The previous version was 226 grams. In China, Honor will launch a special 1 terabyte storage size version of the Magic V5, which it says will have a battery capacity of more than 6000 milliampere-hour — among the highest for foldable phones. Honor has tried hard to tout these features, as competition in foldables ramps up, even as these types of devices have a very small share of the overall smartphone market. Foldables represented less than 2% of the overall smartphone market in 2024, according to International Data Corporation. Samsung was the biggest player with 34% market share followed by Huawei with just under 24%, IDC added. Honor took the fourth spot with a nearly 11% share. Honor is looking to get a head start on Samsung, which has its own foldable launch next week on July 9. Francisco Jeronimo, a vice president at the International Data Corporation, said the Magic V5 is a strong offering from Honor. "This is the dream foldable smartphone that any user who is interested in this category will think of," Jeronimo told CNBC, pointing to features such as the battery. "This phone continues to push the bar forward, and it will challenge Samsung as they are about to launch their seventh generation of foldable phones," he added. The thinness of a foldable phone has become a battleground for smartphone makers to appeal to consumers who want the large screen size the device has to offer without extra weight. At its event next week, Samsung is expected to release a foldable that is thinner than its predecessor and could come close to challenging Honor's offering by way of size, analysts said. If that happens, then Honor will be facing more competition, especially against Samsung, which has a bigger global footprint. "The biggest challenge for Honor is the brand equity and distribution reach vs Samsung, where the Korean vendor has the edge," Neil Shah, co-founder of Counterpoint Research, told CNBC. Honor's push into international markets beyond China is still fairly young, with the company looking to build up its brand. "Further, if Samsung catches up with a thinner form-factor in upcoming iterations, as it has been the real pioneer in foldables with its vertical integration expertise from displays to batteries, the differentiating factor might narrow for Honor," Shah added. Vertical integration refers to when a company owns several parts of a product's supply chain. Samsung has a display and battery business which provides the components for its foldables. Smartphone players, including Honor, have also looked to stand out via the AI features available on their device. In March, Honor pledged a $10 billion investment in AI over the next five years, with part of that going toward the development of next-generation agents that are seen as more advanced personal assistants. Honor said its AI assistant Yoyo can interact with other AI models, such as those created by DeepSeek and Alibaba in China, to create presentation decks. The company also flagged its AI agent can hail a taxi ride across multiple apps in China, automatically accepting the quickest ride to arrive? and cancelling the rest.
GSM Arena
24-06-2025
- GSM Arena
Honor Magic V5 stars in unboxing video, here's what's in the box and how much it weighs
The Honor Magic V5 is still days away from being officially unveiled (it's coming on July 2, but people have been sharing their hands-on experiences with it already. Yesterday, we looked at some photos shared by Digital Chat Station, now Techtacle has posted an unboxing video that touches on the design and dimensions of the new foldable flagship. Starting with the unboxing, the phone comes with a 66W charger and a USB A-to-C cable, plus a protective case. The case goes over the 'back' half and over the hinge too, but not the cover display. There is a ring around the camera that can be flipped out to act as a kickstand. Honor Magic V5 66W charger and case As for the Magic V5 itself, official numbers say that it measures 8.8mm when folded and, apparently, it is 4.1mm when unfolded. The camera island is quite prominent on the back, though it is reportedly not as big as the Magic V3 camera island. Honor Magic V5 Officially, the V5 is supposed to weigh 217g. However, in the video it tips the scale at 224g – perhaps that's a pre-applied screen protector adding a few grams. The included case is 29g, by the way, bringing the total to 253g. The Honor Magic V5 is slim and light In terms of design, this Honor Magic V5 is a red, gold and black combo. The spine (the hinge cover) has a 3D texture painted in gold, while the back is covered with red faux leather and gold trim around the camera. The hinge is spring-loaded to help open and close the phone, but it can snap to 70° and 90° if you want to use the phone in a half-open state. Honor Magic V5 Here is what to expect from the Magic V5. It is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Leading Version and a large 6,100mAh battery. It has a triple 50MP camera (though some reports claim the telephoto module has a 64MP sensor instead). The cover display measures 6.45' (and it's curved), while the inner display is 8'. The phone is also supposed to have an IP68/IP69 rating. Again, most of these specs have not been officially confirmed – the big reveal is on July 2 (Wednesday next week). Source
Phone Arena
18-06-2025
- Phone Arena
Honor is ready to launch its next big foldable: Date confirmed
Aiming to be the world's thinnest foldable But the ultra-thin form factor doesn't mean Honor is compromising on power or battery life. In fact, the Magic V5 is expected to ship with a massive 6,100mAh battery, the largest ever in a book-style foldable. That's a significant step up from last year's According to multiple reports and certification documents, the Magic V5 could become the thinnest foldable on the market, with a folded profile measuring under 9mm, potentially beating the current record held by the Oppo Find N5 (8.93mm). The move would also position it ahead of Samsung's upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 7 , which is rumored to come in at exactly the ultra-thin form factor doesn't mean Honor is compromising on power or battery life. In fact, the Magic V5 is expected to ship with a massive 6,100mAh battery, the largest ever in a book-style foldable. That's a significant step up from last year's Magic V3 , which featured a 5,150mAh unit. Receive the latest mobile news By subscribing you agree to our terms and conditions and privacy policy Flagship specs and a bold new finish The Magic V5 is confirmed to feature Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite Leading Version, the top-end variant of Qualcomm's latest chip with higher-clocked performance cores (up to 4.47GHz). Geekbench listings also suggest the device will offer at least 16 GB of RAM, ship with And no, you didn't miss the Honor V4 — it doesn't exist. Honor is reportedly skipping the "V4" naming entirely and going straight to the Magic V5, in line with Chinese brand superstition and just like other companies based in China. Fast charging remains at 66W, and if Honor manages to maintain its 45-minute full charge time despite the battery bump, that alone could make the Magic V5 a battery champion in its Magic V5 is confirmed to feature Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite Leading Version, the top-end variant of Qualcomm's latest chip with higher-clocked performance cores (up to 4.47GHz). Geekbench listings also suggest the device will offer at least 16 GB of RAM, ship with Android 15 , and offer flagship-tier no, you didn't miss the Honor V4 — it doesn't exist. Honor is reportedly skipping the "V4" naming entirely and going straight to the Magic V5, in line with Chinese brand superstition and just like other companies based in China. Cameras, display, and satellite connectivity The Magic V5 is tipped to feature an 8-inch main folding display and a 6.45-inch cover screen, with both panels likely using OLED technology. The phone is expected to arrive in four colorways: Velvet Black, Snow White, Tundra Green, and a new premium-looking Silk Gold finish. This new color is likely intended to help the device stand out visually, particularly as Samsung's foldables tend to stick to more conservative Magic V5 is tipped to feature an 8-inch main folding display and a 6.45-inch cover screen, with both panels likely using OLED technology. Another rumored addition is BeiDou satellite messaging support, which would give users limited off-grid communication capabilities — a feature that's gradually becoming more common on high-end phones in China. A serious Galaxy Z Fold 7 rival The timing of the Magic V5 launch sets it up as a direct challenger to Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 7 , which is also expected to be announced in July. On the back, a 200 MP periscope telephoto camera is rumored to headline the camera setup — a significant leap if true. Combined with the rest of the triple camera array, this could make the Magic V5 one of the most versatile camera systems on a rumored addition is BeiDou satellite messaging support, which would give users limited off-grid communication capabilities — a feature that's gradually becoming more common on high-end phones in timing of the Magic V5 launch sets it up as a direct challenger to Samsung's, which is also expected to be announced in July. If Honor delivers on all its promises — particularly the combination of extreme thinness and battery endurance — the Magic V5 could mark a pivotal moment in the competition between Chinese and Korean foldable manufacturers. We'll be following the July 2 launch closely to see how the final product measures up. While Samsung is likely to focus on software integration and Galaxy AI , Honor is instead doubling down on hardware innovation with a thinner profile, larger battery, and potentially stronger camera hardware. For me, improvements to the hardware still beat new AI "magic," so I appreciate Honor's approach Honor delivers on all its promises — particularly the combination of extreme thinness and battery endurance — the Magic V5 could mark a pivotal moment in the competition between Chinese and Korean foldable manufacturers. We'll be following the July 2 launch closely to see how the final product measures up. Grab Surfshark VPN now at more than 50% off and with 3 extra months for free! Secure your connection now at a bargain price! We may earn a commission if you make a purchase Check Out The Offer Honor has officially announced the launch date of its highly anticipated Magic V5 foldable smartphone. The next-generation foldable will be unveiled on July 2 during a dedicated event in Shenzhen, China, starting at 7 PM local time (2 PM UTC). Alongside the Magic V5, Honor is expected to debut several other devices during the has a strong reputation for crafting remarkably thin foldable devices, and the Magic V5 is expected to raise the bar once again.
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
The Rumored iPhone 17 Air Might Have a Surprising Way to Deal With Battery Life
The rumored iPhone 17 Air has created buzz with the prospect of a slimmed-down iPhone. But one nagging question has lingered: Would a skinny iPhone have to sacrifice battery life? The latest rumor, reported by AppleInsider, is that a skinnier iPhone might use a silicon-anode battery that could help extend its battery life. DigiTimes first reported that Japanese supplier TDK was preparing a supply of silicon-anode batteries that could store about 15% more energy compared to graphite-based batteries of the same size. Silicon battery technology could be new to iPhone, but some other smartphones -- like the Magic V3, the world's thinnest book-style foldable phone -- have already begun using silicon carbon batteries. The rumored iPhone 17 Air, expected to be introduced this fall as the newest device in the iPhone line, could potentially replace the Plus in the iPhone lineup. Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
