Introduction
Foldable phones have come a long way, and the Honor Magic V5 is one of the latest entries — promising impressive specs, sleek design, and top-tier features. If you’re considering investing in a foldable in 2025, this review will walk you through everything: from display quality to battery life, camera performance to real-world usage. We’ll also compare it with competitors, point out what’s excellent and what could be better, and help you decide whether it’s worth the price.
Table of Contents
- Design & Build Quality
- Display: Inner & Outer Screens
- Performance & Hardware
- Camera System
- Battery Life & Charging
- Software, Updates & Extras
- Pros & Cons
- Price & Availability (esp. Pakistan / Region-wise)
- How It Compares vs Competitors
- Verdict: Should You Buy It?
1. Design & Build Quality
- Honor claims the Magic V5 is among the world’s thinnest book-style foldables. When folded, the device is about 8.8 mm thick (for the Ivory White version), and folded-open it’s just about 4.1 mm.
- Weight ranges roughly 217-222 grams depending on color/finish.
- It also holds IP58 and IP59 dust & water resistance ratings, which is fairly rare in foldables.
Materials & Finishes
- Several color options: Ivory White, Dawn Gold, Black, Reddish Brown.
- Inner screen uses Honor’s “Super Armored Inner Screen” or Nanocrystal Shield protection (details vary by region).
2. Display: Inner & Outer Screens
Both displays also offer features like high-PWM dimming (4,320Hz) for low light / eye comfort.
Inner Display: 7.95-inch LTPO AMOLED, 2K resolution (roughly 2172×2352 or 2480×2248 depending on source), 120Hz refresh rate, very high peak brightness (~5000 nits).
Outer / Cover Display: ~6.43-inch LTPO OLED, 120Hz, similar peak brightness.
3. Performance & Hardware
- Chipset: Snapdragon 8 Elite (3nm) with Adreno 830 GPU.
- Memory: 12GB or 16GB RAM. Storage options: 256GB / 512GB / 1TB depending on market.
- Connectivity: 5G, WiFi 7 support, Bluetooth 6.0, NFC, etc.
4. Camera System
- Rear setup:
• 50MP main (wide) camera with OIS
• 50MP ultra-wide lens
• 64MP periscope telephoto, 3× optical zoom with OIS - Selfies: 20MP cameras both on the inner display and outer display.
- Additional camera qualities: good HDR, night mode (from reviews) though some reviews mention the camera bump is large and that software polish can lag behind top competitors.
5. Battery Life & Charging
- Battery: ~5,820 mAh global version; China version ~6,100 mAh.
- Charging: 66W wired fast charging; 50W wireless charging; reverse charging also supported.
- Real usage: Reviews suggest excellent battery performance even under heavy usage, lasting multiple days under moderate usage.
6. Software, Updates & Extras
- OS: MagicOS 9.0.1 based on Android 15 at launch.
- Update policy: Honor promises long-term updates; some reviews mention 7 years of updates/security patches.
- Features: strong display protection; outer screen usable for quick tasks without unfolding; multitasking; strong visuals; eye-care modes. Software may have minor rough edges compared to mature ecosystems.
7. Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Extremely slim foldable design; premium build | Large camera bump reduces “thinness” benefit visually; bulk when folded |
| Outstanding displays with high brightness & refresh rate | Price is premium; maybe too high for many |
| Strong battery + fast charging (wired & wireless) | Software polish / optimization may lag behind some rivals |
| IP58 & IP59 resistance (rare for foldables) | Availability / service support might be limited in some regions |
| Long update policy | Heavy in hand vs non-foldables; durability over time for foldables still a concern |
8. Price & Availability
- Global / UK / Europe Price: Around £1,699 for 16GB + 512GB. €1,999 in EU.
- China Price: Starting ~CNY 8,999 for 12GB + 256GB, then higher tiers.
- Pakistan Price Estimate: ~ PKR 345,500 (for a high-end variant) per current unofficial market listing.
Availability may depend on region; international warranty, service and software support should be checked before purchase.
9. How It Compares vs Competitors
- Versus Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7: Magic V5 is similarly powerful, possibly thinner in “closed” state for some versions; however, Samsung has more mature ecosystem / accessories. Software features etc vary.
- Other foldables (Vivo X Fold 5, Oppo Find N5 etc.): Magic V5 scores well on display brightness, battery, cameras, and resistance ratings. In many comparisons, it offers a lot of value.
10. Verdict: Is Honor Magic V5 Worth It?
If you want a foldable phone with:
- gorgeous displays both inside and out,
- excellent brightness and high refresh rate,
- good cameras including telephoto,
- impressive battery and solid charging speeds,
- IP resistance rating,
then the Honor Magic V5 is among the best in the 2025 foldable phone pack. However, if you are budget-sensitive, want ultra polish in software, or want widest service / accessories / long-standing durability proven over years, you might want to compare with Samsung or wait for prices to drop.
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