Honor did not only have its Magic 4 and Magic 4 Pro in its Barcelona bag since a folding model was present alongside them. This is the Magic V, unveiled in China at the start of the year and which unfortunately will not be released here.
The Honor Magic V is nothing new. The Chinese company’s first folding smartphone was presented in China at the start of 2022 without any other market being able to benefit from it. A statement confirmed during the MWC. However, Honor did not arrive in Barcelona empty-handed since, alongside its brand new flagship, the Magic 4 Pro, sat the famous Magic V. The opportunity to get started.
A well thought out and well finished product
Even if they are not yet very numerous on the French market, we are still starting to get used to folding smartphones. The Magic V therefore does not really surprise us, at least when it is open. Because closed, it shows a real difference in size with the most famous model on the market, the Galaxy Z Fold. Indeed, where the South Korean company offers an exterior ratio of 25:9 on a 6.2-inch screen, the Magic V has a ratio of 21:9 on a 6.45-inch panel. In fact, the external display is larger and offers a much better grip. Closed, Honor’s folding terminal looks like a “real” smartphone, a bit like what we saw on the Oppo Find N. Another observation is that there is no space between the edges of the smartphone when the latter is folded. At the very least, the space has been reduced to its maximum, resulting in a completely flat closed mobile. A good point that will allow you to worry less about foreign bodies that could damage the slab.
When the smartphone spreads its wings, we are faced with a 7.9-inch panel, with a bend that is surprisingly discreet. Much more than what we had been used to for the time being from the competition. She still feels a little when you run your finger over it, which is not very embarrassing in use. Also, the hinge feels sturdy, although we found it fairly easy to open and close the phone. No resistance is felt, unlike what we experience with the Galaxy Z Fold 3. A simple matter of taste, one might think, but here we think that a hinge with a little resistance is a good thing .
Finally, the impression is more than good on this new folding smartphone. Including in the field of photography, it does not seem to be outdone in the face of direct competition, even if the conditions of our handling did not allow us to fully exploit the capacities of its modules. What in any case regret that the product does not cross our borders. However, Honor does not rule out offering other such models one day. Let them perhaps gently return to France with their new Magic 4, before seeing them settle in a segment which, for the moment, remains mainly occupied by Samsung.