Introducing the Honor Magic Second Generation: A Game-Changer in the USA Market

The Honor Magic is a smartphone developed by Huawei's sub-brand Honor. It is considered a flagship device and comes with high-end specifications and features. The Honor Magic Second Generation is the follow-up to the original Honor Magic and offers several improvements and enhancements. One of the main highlights of the Honor Magic Second Generation is its design. The device features a sleek and aesthetic design with a curved glass back and slim bezels. It is available in various color options, including gradient finishes, giving users a wide selection to choose from.

The Honor Magic V2 series employs a 6.43-inch BOE OLED external screen with a resolution of 2376×1060 pixels and a 20:9 screen ratio. The display supports a remarkable 120Hz LTPO refresh rate, 3840Hz high-frequency PWM dimming, and German Rheinland TÜV non-strobe certification, ensuring a smooth, flicker-free viewing experience. With a maximum brightness of 1500nit and peak brightness of 2500nit, the device delivers stunning visuals with support for 1.07 billion colors and ultra-dynamic color display.

On the rear, the device boasts a powerful camera system consisting of a 50MP primary lens, a 50MP ultra-wide-angle lens, and a 20MP telephoto lens with up to 40x zoom capability. Honor has done some smart things here, including a fairly easy split-screen mechanism that allows you to take advantage of the space on the inner screen.

It is available in various color options, including gradient finishes, giving users a wide selection to choose from. In terms of display, the Honor Magic Second Generation boasts a large and vibrant OLED screen. This ensures a high-quality visual experience, whether you're watching videos, playing games, or browsing the web.

HONOR Magic V hands-on: The mega-sized foldable you can't buy

HONOR brought its Magic V foldable to MWC and we were happy to spend some time with this Galaxy Z Fold 3 competitor.

HONOR first showed off the Magic V folding phone in full in January and we finally got our hands on one at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. This book-style device features a large exterior display, a high-quality build, and a massive 7.9-inch internal main screen for boosting productivity and enhancing entertainment.

Despite the DNA it may have inherited from the company’s former owner, HUAWEI, the Magic V is HONOR’s first folding device. Samsung, conversely, is now on its third generation of Galaxy Z Fold devices while OPPO recently launched its first foldable, the Find N. Does HONOR have what it takes to make an impression in the burgeoning market for foldable phones?

Let’s start with some basics. The HONOR Magic V was clearly born from the HUAWEI Mate X2. The devices share a lot of essential design characteristics and specs. In other words, HONOR didn’t exactly conjure up the Magic V all on its own.

There are some interesting and not-inconsequential differences when it comes to the size and the shape of the HONOR Magic V. Where Samsung decided to keep things tall and narrow when the phone is closed and OPPO went with a shorter, slightly wider design, HONOR has opted for a more typical smartphone shape. That means a large-sized rectangular brick of a phone when closed that at first glance looks almost like any other device, rather than a brand new form factor. This makes much more of a difference when it comes to using the external screen than it does the internal one. Yes, the HONOR Magic V’s interior display is larger than those of the Z Fold 3 and the Find N, but not in a real meaningful way.

The front face of the Magic V features a full-sized 6.45-inch OLED panel with FHD+ resolution and a 90Hz refresh rate. This screen is immediately more appealing and useful than the narrow-shaped outer screen of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3. It has the width of a traditional phone screen, which is particularly helpful for writing text or entering emoji. Typing on the thin outer screen of the Z Fold 3 is tedious by comparison. This may sound like a small improvement, but it’s really quite huge. The Magic V’s outer display itself looked good in the time we spent with it. It would be nice to see a 120Hz refresh rate, though.

HONOR encircled the two halves of the phone with a metal frame. We spent time with the Burnt Orange colorway, which has a frame with a pleasing golden hue. I like the overall feel of the frame and the slightly angled profile the rails take to help with hand fit. The front may be glass, but the rear is pleather-y in nature. The texture of the surface is good, but it was hard to tell if it’s plastic or leather. At this price point it should be clear, but generally the build is solid and of high quality.

The more traditional outer screen is immediately more appealing than the narrow-shaped one on the Galaxy Z Fold 3.

The Magic V’s hinge is eerily similar to that of the Z Fold 3’s. The spine is made of metal and the outer halves of the phone envelope it completely as the phone is opened. I’d call the basic action of the hinge strong. It didn’t feel weak, but it did feel a little grind-y. We’re not sure if some dirt got into the unit we sampled or if the mechanics of the hinge simply aren’t refined enough. Either way, the Magic V’s hinge is nowhere near as smooth as the Z Fold 3 and doesn’t inspire as much confidence. You can tell Samsung has been designing foldables for a bit longer than HONOR.

There’s a flip side to this coin, however, and it’s in HONOR’s favor. The Z Fold 3 has a noticeable gap within the crease of the inner screen when the phone is closed. You can quite easily see the angle created when the two halves of the phone are pressed together. HONOR’s phone is gap-free. There’s no space created where the hinge closes, it simply shuts tight as you would expect a book to close. This uniformity of the design doesn’t go unappreciated.

Speaking of the inner screen, HONOR brewed a pleasant one for the Magic V. It measures 7.9 inches across the diagonal, which is among the largest available of today’s folding phones. The inner OLED has a pixel-rich 2,272 x 1,984 resolution that looks more square in its ratio than competing foldables. The 120Hz refresh rate ensures you get a smooth experience. Much like the Find N, the most impressive thing about the inner screen is that there’s no real crease. You’ll see a slight one of you look very closely, but it’s not as obvious as the crease on the Z Fold 3. This is a nice upgrade in the overall experience of using the Magic V’s inner screen and is something I hope Samsung is eventually able to correct on its own line of folding phones.

The HONOR Magic V has some shortcomings. There’s no IP rating, for example, nor is there wireless charging — these are features Samsung offers. The Magic V is very heavy at about 290g, which is more than either the Z Fold 3 or the Find N. I also worry a bit that the 4,750mAh battery won’t be well matched to the large internal screen. The Magic V has the right processor in the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, and the 50MP camera arrangement appears to be good on paper.

If there’s one aspect of folding phones that Samsung absolutely owns right now, it’s the software experience. Samsung has spent years, often working directly with Google, to build dedicated modes, features, and functions for the folding panels of its Z Fold 3 and Z Flip 3. This dedication to UX design gives Samsung a huge advantage. It’s probably fair to say Samsung will maintain this lead for some time. HONOR couldn’t point out any specific software tweaks that it made to account for the larger internal screen. What we saw on the Magic V was a fairly clean build of Magic OS 6 on top of Android 12, but it didn’t look all that different from what’s on HONOR’s standard smartphones.

On the plus side, the benefit you get from a large ultrawide sensor is that you don't lose detail when you zoom out. Too often manufacturers will still have a tiny ultrawide sensor in the phone to complement a massive main sensor. That's not the case here. Unfortunately, the color science between the two is very different with the ultrawide clocking in a lot darker than the main sensor. You can see that above in the two shots (left: ultrawide, right: main) of chalk drawings on a friend's driveway.

The display also integrates an under-display fingerprint sensor, offering users a convenient and secure way to unlock their device. Under the hood, the Honor Magic Second Generation is powered by a high-performance processor, ensuring smooth multitasking and effortless navigation. It is also equipped with ample RAM and internal storage, providing sufficient space for all your apps, media, and files. The camera setup of the Honor Magic Second Generation is another noteworthy aspect. It features a triple-camera system, comprising of a main lens, an ultra-wide lens, and a telephoto lens. This enables users to capture stunning photos with great detail and versatility. The device also supports various AI-powered camera features, such as night mode and portrait mode, further enhancing your photography experience. Additionally, the Honor Magic Second Generation comes with a large battery capacity and fast charging capabilities. This ensures that you can easily get through a full day of use without worrying about running out of power. The device also supports wireless charging, providing users with even more convenience. As for software, the Honor Magic Second Generation runs on the latest version of Android, with Huawei's custom interface, EMUI. This offers a user-friendly and intuitive interface, as well as access to a wide range of features and services. In conclusion, the Honor Magic Second Generation is a flagship smartphone that offers a combination of top-notch specifications, sleek design, and advanced features. It is a device that is sure to impress users with its performance and capabilities. Whether you're a photography enthusiast, a heavy multitasker, or simply looking for a reliable and stylish smartphone, the Honor Magic Second Generation is definitely worth considering..

Reviews for "Camera Excellence: Capturing Every Moment with the Honor Magic Second Generation"

1. Sarah - 1 star - The Honor magic second generation usa is a complete disappointment. The camera quality is terrible, and the battery life is subpar. I also found the user interface to be clunky and slow. Overall, I regret purchasing this phone and would not recommend it to anyone.

2. Mark - 2 stars - The Honor magic second generation usa falls short in terms of performance. It constantly lags and freezes, making it frustrating to use. The design is also not very sleek or attractive. The only positive aspect is the display, which is quite vibrant. However, I would not consider this phone as a worthy investment given its numerous issues.

3. Julia - 2 stars - While the Honor magic second generation usa has some decent features, it fails to deliver in terms of durability. The build quality is flimsy, and the phone feels very fragile. Additionally, the software often crashes and the phone heats up excessively during prolonged use. I would advise against purchasing this phone if you're looking for something reliable and robust.

4. Alex - 1 star - The Honor magic second generation usa is a huge letdown. The camera is mediocre, and the low-light performance is abysmal. The battery drains quickly, even with minimal usage. The processing power is also lacking, as the phone struggles to run basic apps smoothly. Overall, there are much better options available in the market, and I would not recommend this phone to anyone.

Comparing the Honor Magic Second Generation to other Flagship Phones in the USA