HONOR Magic Vs set to reach global market, Malaysia included
HONOR pulled back the curtains on their latest foldable phone offering during the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2023 in Barcelona. The HONOR Magic Vs is the brand’s latest foldable innovation and pits itself against the likes of Samsung’s Z Fold Series.
Internally, the HONOR Magic Vs will play successor to the Magic V. Initially released in China late last year, the Magic Vs will finally reach global markets including Malaysia.
Here’s all you need to know about the HONOR Magic Vs before you hop on the foldable hype train.
Foldability and Display
HONOR made a huge improvement in folding mechanisms in the Magic Vs. The use of a gearless hinge somehow reduced the number of components from 92 to just 4. This, together with the use of an “ultra-light rare earth magnesium alloy frame” means the Magic Vs will only weigh 267g. In comparison, the HONOR Magic V weighs about 30g more.
In its folded form, the Magic Vs’ display is a modest 6.45-inch. When unfolded, it reveals 7.9-inch inner screen with a 90% screen-to-body ratio. Both external and internal screen uses and OLED panel, but resolutions will inevitably differ. The external screen hits a 2560x1080px resolution while the internal screen graces with a 2272x1984px resolution.
Eye Comfort Technology
In the MWC 2023 event, HONOR released the Magic5 and Magic5 Pro with some pretty impressive eye comfort technology. They’ve brought those to the Magic Vs too. In case you missed it, these new HONOR flagships have a Circadian Night Display which adjusts colour temperature of your screen to match the the secretion of melatonin in the human body. There’s a whole lot of science going on, but it’s supposedly good for ensuring quality of sleep even after an unhealthy TikTok binge.
Adding to this is the Dynamic Dimming feature that dims according to natural light, reducing eye fatigue in the process.
Camera Systems
The HONOR Magic Vs keeps the triple camera vertical setup as seen in the Magic V. There are some welcomed improvements here. For one, the main camera is now 54MP with an IMX800 sensor compared to the 50MP on the Magic V.
You’ll also get an 8MP Telephoto Camera with 3x optical zoom and 30x digital zoom with OIS. This is followed by a 50MP ultra wide camera with a 122 degree FoV.
At the front, you’ll find a centred pinhole 16MP camera.
Processor and Battery
The HONOR Magic Vs will utilize the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, which isn’t the latest flagship processor by Qualcomm but still reputable as one of the more efficient processors for gaming out there.
As for the battery, you’ll get an improved 5,000mAh battery compared to the 4,750mAh on the Magic V. Fast charging remains the same on both models with a 66W wired SuperCharge.
Price and Final Thoughts
The HONOR Magic Vs (12+512GB) is priced at €1,599, which is about RM7,620. Keep in mind that HONOR Malaysia has not revealed it’s official pricing yet, we can expect official pricing details to come soon.
Foldable phones may seem too gimmicky for ones liking, but those who prefer bigger screens will appreciate the extra screen real estate. Nevertheless, the HONOR Magic Vs does have its drawbacks. For example, the camera systems may not be up to par for mobile photographers, and some may find issue with the use of a slightly older Snapdragon processor.
Some positives on the other hand are the efforts put into developing a system of eye comfort technology. This is particularly useful for users who spent several hours a day glued to their phones. Foldable phones are also appealing to those looking for a device that hits the sweet spot between the portability of a smartphone and the display of a tablet.
The realm of foldable phones, though still relatively niche, is expanding. At this moment however, competing with the HONOR Magic Vs are but a handful of options, including the Samsung Z Fold Series and the HUAWEI Mate Xs 2.
