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At MWC 2023, Honor announced its latest Honor Magic5 series flagship phones for the year and the global availability of the impressive Honor Magic Vs foldable phone.
I loved last year’s Honor Magic4 Pro as I felt that it offered a great balance of flagship specs without breaking the bank.
Honor Magic5 Pro
This year, Honor Magic5 Pro is more refined with big improvements for the camera, but there is a £100 price jump.
As you’d expect for a flagship phone, this uses the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset.
It is the camera specification where things get interesting. Last year they used the 50MP Sony IMX766 1/1.56″ sensor, then a 50MP 1/2.5″ ultrawide and a 64MP 1/2.0″ 3.5x zoom periscope lens.
This year, the primary camera has a custom 50MP 1/1.12” sensor, then 50MP for both ultrawide and telephoto. The telephoto lens uses the Sony IMX858.
The battery has been improved to 5100 mAh. However, Chinese variants will use a new silicon-carbon battery that has superior charge density with a 5450 mAh battery.
Oddly, the charge speeds have been dropped from 100W down to 50W, and I suspect this is due to the new larger battery.
The Honor Magic5 Pro is available in one configuration, 12/512GB, which will sell for €1,200, which is the equivalent of $1,270/£1,055
Honor Magic5
The Honor Magic5 is a dialled-down version, you still get the flagship Qualcomm chipset, but it has a smaller lower resolution display.
Then a 50MP main camera, 32mp 2.5x optical zoom and 50MP ultrawide.
The battery is the same, and so is the wired charging, but it lacks the 50W wireless charging the Pro has.
The Magic5 (8/256GB) will be more affordable at €900/$950/£795
Honor Magic Vs Global Launch
The Honor Magic Vs was announced in China last year, but it is now getting a global launch. This uses the older Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset.
It has a decent 54MP main camera, 8MP optical and 50MP ultra-wide. This maybe poor compared to the Honor Magic5 Pro, but it is good for a foldable.
You get a decent 5000mAh battery and 66W wired charging.
Honor is launching the phone in two colours – Cyan and Black. The price for 12 GB RAM + 512 GB storage is €1,599.
Honor Magic5 Pro vs Honor Magic5 vs Honor Magic4 Pro Specification Comparison
| Honor Magic5 Pro | Honor Magic5 | Honor Magic4 Pro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dimensions | 162.9 x 76.7 x 8.8 mm (6.41 x 3.02 x 0.35 in) | 161.4 x 75.5 x 7.8 mm (6.35 x 2.97 x 0.31 in) | 163.6 x 74.7 x 9.1 mm or 9.2 mm |
| Weight | 219 g (7.72 oz) | 191 g (6.74 oz) | 209 g / 215 g (7.37 oz) |
| Build | Glass front, glass back or eco leather back | Glass front, glass back or eco leather back | Glass front, aluminum frame, glass back |
| IP Rating | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | |
| Display | LTPO OLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1800 nits (peak) | OLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1600 nits (peak) | LTPO OLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1000 nits (peak) |
| Size | 6.81 inches, 113.7 cm2 (~91.0% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.73 inches, 110.2 cm2 (~90.4% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.81 inches, 113.7 cm2 (~93.0% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Resolution | 1312 x 2848 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~460 ppi density) | 1224 x 2688 pixels (~439 ppi density) | 1312 x 2848 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~460 ppi density) |
| OS | Android 13, Magic UI 7.1 | Android 13, Magic UI 7.1 | Android 12, Magic UI 6 |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8550-AB Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm) | Qualcomm SM8550-AB Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm) | Qualcomm SM8450 Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4 nm) |
| CPU | Octa-core (1×3.2 GHz Cortex-X3 & 2×2.8 GHz Cortex-A715 & 2×2.8 GHz Cortex-A710 & 3×2.0 GHz Cortex-A510) | Octa-core (1×3.2 GHz Cortex-X3 & 2×2.8 GHz Cortex-A715 & 2×2.8 GHz Cortex-A710 & 3×2.0 GHz Cortex-A510) | Octa-core (1×3.00 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3×2.50 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4×1.80 GHz Cortex-A510) |
| GPU | Adreno 740 | Adreno 740 | Adreno 730 |
| Internal | 12/512GB | 8/256GB | 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM |
| Modules | 50 MP, f/1.6, 23mm (wide), 1/1.12″ 1.4µm, multi-directional PDAF, Laser AF, OIS 50 MP, f/3.0, 90mm (periscope telephoto), PDAF, OIS, 3.5x optical zoom 50 MP, f/2.0, 13mm, 122˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.5″, AF TOF 3D (depth) | 54 MP, f/1.9, (wide), 1/1.49″, PDAF 32 MP, f/2.4, (telephoto), PDAF, OIS, 2.5x optical zoom 50 MP, f/2.0, 13mm, 122˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.5″, AF TOF 3D (depth) | 50 MP, f/1.8, 23mm (wide), 1/1.56″, 1.0µm, multi-directional PDAF, Laser AF 50 MP, f/2.2, 122˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.5″, AF 64 MP, f/3.5, 90mm (periscope telephoto), 1/2.0″, 0.7µm, PDAF, OIS, 3.5x optical zoom TOF 3D (depth) |
| Features | LED flash, HDR, panorama | LED flash, HDR, panorama | LED flash, HDR, panorama |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS, HDR10, 10-bit video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS, HDR10, 10-bit video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS, HDR10, 10-bit video |
| Modules | 12 MP, f/2.4, 100˚ (ultrawide), 1.22µm TOF 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor) | 12 MP, f/2.4, 100˚ (ultrawide), 1.22µm | 12 MP, f/2.4, 100˚ (ultrawide), 1.22µm |
| Video | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Bluetooth | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a) | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a) | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a) |
| NFC | Yes, HCE, NFC-SIM | Yes, HCE, NFC-SIM | Yes |
| Infrared port | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.1, DisplayPort 1.2, OTG | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG | USB Type-C 3.1, OTG |
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, color spectrum | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, color spectrum | Fingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, color spectrum |
| Type | Li-Po 5100 mAh, non-removable – International | Li-Po 5100 mAh, non-removable | Li-Po 4600 mAh, non-removable |
| Silicon-carbon 5450 mAh, non-removable – China only | |||
| Charging | 66W wired 50W wireless Reverse wireless 5W reverse wired | 66W wired 5W reverse wired | 100W wired, 100% in 30 min 100W wireless, 50% in 15 min Reverse wireless |
I am James, a UK-based tech enthusiast and the Editor and Owner of Mighty Gadget, which I’ve proudly run since 2007. Passionate about all things technology, my expertise spans from computers and networking to mobile, wearables, and smart home devices.
As a fitness fanatic who loves running and cycling, I also have a keen interest in fitness-related technology, and I take every opportunity to cover this niche on my blog. My diverse interests allow me to bring a unique perspective to tech blogging, merging lifestyle, fitness, and the latest tech trends.
In my academic pursuits, I earned a BSc in Information Systems Design from UCLAN, before advancing my learning with a Master’s Degree in Computing. This advanced study also included Cisco CCNA accreditation, further demonstrating my commitment to understanding and staying ahead of the technology curve.
I’m proud to share that Vuelio has consistently ranked Mighty Gadget as one of the top technology blogs in the UK. With my dedication to technology and drive to share my insights, I aim to continue providing my readers with engaging and informative content.
