Honor is lastly bringing its long-awaited Magic Vs foldable cellphone to followers exterior China – and together with it a brand-new conventional flagship, the Magic 5 Professional.
The Magic Vs made its debut final November in China, however it’s solely now formally launched in Europe on the MWC commerce present in Barcelona.
The corporate’s second book-style foldable – just like the likes of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 – the Magic Vs is designed to work as properly closed because it does when unfolded. It’s a cellphone you may often open to get an even bigger, somewhat than a pill you may put in your pocket.
Henry Burrell / Foundry
With that in thoughts, it has a hinge that closes utterly flat, and is about as slim as a foldable can get at 12.9mm. It even packs the next refresh fee – 120Hz – on the outer show, whereas limiting the inner panel to 90Hz.
Powered by the high-end Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, and geared up with a triple rear digicam comprising a 54Mp primary digicam, 50Mp ultrawide, and 8Mp 3x zoom, the Magic Vs has the specs to compete with non-folding flagships in its personal proper.
Nonetheless, in that sense it’s outpaced by the Magic 5 Professional – revealed for the primary time worldwide right here in Barcelona. It is a extra basic flagship slab cellphone, powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, with a quad-curved OLED show, and a rear digicam with three 50Mp lenses.
Dominic Preston / Foundry
To be sincere, it seems to be like a fairly by-the-numbers flagship cellphone, however Honor thinks the show and digicam ought to assist the Magic 5 Professional stand out in an more and more crowded market.
The display screen is an expansive 6.81in panel, curved on each facet and powered by LTPO OLED know-how that may run at a variety of refresh charges from 1-120Hz. It even packs a devoted show chip to drive HDR and handle body charges for video and gaming.
That’s all fairly commonplace for the high-end market, however Honor has tried to distinguish by emphasising well being. The panel is the primary LTPO to characteristic 2160Hz pulse width modulation dimming, which reduces flicker, together with a variety of different applied sciences together with lowered blue gentle emissions and dynamic dimming, all to cut back eye pressure and sleep disturbances.
Dominic Preston / Foundry
The digicam packs a trio of lenses and a trio of foolish names. The ‘Eye of Muse’ ring design comprises the ‘Star Wheel’ triple digicam arrange, all mounted on a ‘Gaudi Curve’ slope from the cellphone’s physique.
What issues are the lenses. Every of the three cameras makes use of a 50Mp sensor, together with a big 1/1.12in, OIS-enabled primary digicam. I really lied – there’s yet another foolish identify to return, with ‘Falcon Seize’ tech devoted to taking photographs of fast-moving topics with out blur.
Honor has additionally geared up the cellphone with some motion-based gesture controls – waving your hand to scroll or clenching your fist to take a screenshot – however in my temporary check these appeared precisely as pointless and unhelpful as you’d count on.
The common Magic 5 was additionally revealed alongside the Professional. It seems to be related, and packs the identical 8 Gen 2 chipset, an identical curved show, and one other triple rear digicam – albeit with barely downgraded lenses and sensors.
The large belongings you surrender – alongside easier cameras – are wi-fi charging and the IP68 score.
The Magic 5 and 5 Professional was preceded simply final week by the Magic 5 Lite, which we thought was an amazing trying mid-range cellphone that couldn’t fairly stand out in a crowded market after we reviewed it.
The Magic Vs ought to go on sale quickly – although the precise date hasn’t been introduced – for €1,599, which undercuts the Z Fold 4 by a complete €200.
The 5 Professional will arrive a while in Q2 – i.e. April-June – and can value €1,199, with the common Magic 5 much less at €899.
I’m reviewing the Vs foldable proper now, so hold a watch out for my ideas on the cellphone quickly, and we’ll be placing the 5 Professional by means of its paces subsequent week.