Touted as the world’s slimmest smartphone at just 8.8mm thick, the Honor Magic V5 foldable phone was launched mere days before all the headlines focused on Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 7 unveiling earlier this month.
It’s actually just 0.1mm slimmer than its Korean rival – hardly a difference in real life – but the slight advantage gives the Chinese company the, erm, honour, of declaring its new foldable the most svelte of them all.
To be fair, the Honor Magic V5 doesn’t feel like a gimmick but is rather made to feel familiar for daily use. When folded, it resembles a regular flagship phone, featuring a clean and understated design that weighs as little as 217g.
The 6.43-inch outer OLED display (2,376 x 1,060 resolution) is tall and narrow, making it easy to use with one hand. It’s a practical touch for handling calls, messages, or quick browsing on the go.
Unfold the device and you are greeted with a spacious 7.95-inch inner display (2,352 x 2,172 resolution). It is bright, sharp, and comfortable for extended viewing, whether you are reading, watching videos, or multitasking.
The screen remains readable outdoors thanks to its 1300 nits of peak brightness and high 120Hz refresh rate – scrolling feels smooth and responsive. While the crease in the middle has not been eliminated entirely, it is far less distracting than on earlier foldable phones and only noticeable from certain angles under strong light.
The hinge is sturdy and opens quietly, with enough friction to hold the phone at various angles, making it handy for hands-free video calls or media viewing. However, the rear camera bump is quite pronounced, so the phone can be unstable when placed on a table.
Build quality is solid. The Honor Magic V5 uses a combination of carbon and aerospace-grade fibre materials, resulting in a premium yet lightweight feel. It carries IP58 and IP59 ratings for dust and water resistance, meaning it can withstand everyday splashes and dust, but it is not designed for submersion or use in sandy environments.
The rear camera system includes a 50MP main sensor with optical image stabilisation, a 50MP ultra-wide lens, and a 64MP telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom.
The camera specs look outstanding and the cameras do perform well. Photos are generally sharp and vibrant, with Honor’s AI enhancing details and brightness, especially in low-light conditions and when using the zoom lens. My only complaint is that the images can look too processed and artificial as the AI sometimes over-sharpens some images.
There is also up to 100x digital zoom available. However, image quality noticeably degrades at the higher zoom levels, so it is best to keep it at 6x as the maximum.
Portrait mode benefits from a 5:4 aspect ratio option, providing better framing for portraits compared to the standard 4:3 aspect ratio, and includes several filters that evoke that retro film-style look.
One thing to watch out for is the slower shutter speed in standard mode – moving subjects may come out blurred if you are not careful. Honor should allow the camera to use a higher ISO and much faster shutter speed to combat movement blur.
There are two 20MP front-facing cameras – one on each screen – which make taking selfies or jumping into video calls more flexible. For higher-quality self-portraits, you can use the main rear cameras with the outer screen as a viewfinder. A handy palm-gesture trigger is also available for timed shots.
Battery life is one of the Magic V5’s strong points. The large 5,820mAh power pack easily lasts a full day, even with both screens in regular use.
And when it is time to recharge, the phone supports 60W wired and 50W wireless charging, giving you a quick top-up when needed. Light to moderate users should end the day with power to spare, although extensive multitasking or prolonged camera use can shorten that window.
In terms of performance, the Magic V5 is equipped with a flagship-level Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Mobile processor, plus 16GB of RAM, and 512GB of storage. This setup ensures smooth app performance, fluid multitasking, and snappy response.
Unfortunately, there is no expandable storage available and Honor isn’t selling larger-capacity models in Singapore. This may limit power users who store large quantities of high-resolution videos or extensive game files.
On the positive side, connectivity is future-proofed, with the phone packing in 5G, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, dual physical SIM slots, and eSIM support. Stereo speakers provide clear, well-balanced sound for music, videos, and calls, though they are not noticeably better than what other top-tier smartphones offer.
On the whole, the Honor Magic V5 makes foldable technology feel more approachable. While it is not without quirks – such as the prominent camera bump, slow shutter speed, over sharpened images and fixed storage capacity – it will do well with users who are not super picky with image quality. Plus, they must be willing to part with the asking price of S$2,199.
