Now in its sixth iteration, the recently-launched Honor Magic V6 from the Chinese phone maker shows how far things have come in the foldable phone market.
The new phone looks similar to the previous Magic V5, with only minor changes in size and design. Instead of changing direction, Honor seems to be refining what already works and putting its focus on durability.
Of course, looks matter, so the first thing you notice about the Magic V6 is how thin it is. Like its predecessor, the design works well, so there is no need to change it.
In daily use, the wider front screen makes a real difference. It feels like using a normal candy bar phone, so there is no need to open up the large screen just to reply to messages or scroll through apps.
One-handed use is easy when the phone is closed. Opening it still requires you to wedge a finger between the two halves, which takes some effort. Once folded, it slips easily into a trousers pocket or a small bag.
The camera bump is kept slim and does not stick out as much as camera-focused phones like the Vivo X300 Ultra or Oppo Find X9 Ultra we reviewed recently. The Honor Magic V6 feels well balanced and does not try to over-promise on camera performance.
Durability is clearly the main focus here. The hinge is designed to be strong – Honor has shown the phone pulling a 1.24-tonne aircraft across a runway in its marketing campaign. In real use, what matters more is how the screen itself holds up over time with repeated opening and closing.
The addition of IP68 and IP69 ratings help, offering protection against dust and high pressure water ensuring no foreign object enters the enclosure and affects the hinge or the screen. This should improve long-term reliability.
The smartphone has a 2,420 by 1,080 pixels cover screen that mimics how a normal smartphone is used. Open it up and you get a 2,352 by 2,172 pixels 7.92-inch foldable OLED main display. The software adapts to the big screen well. The phone has the option to use a split keyboard that makes typing easier with both hands.
Not all apps make full use of the larger screen, though. Some games still feel better on the front display, especially those not designed for wider layouts. Simpler 2D games scale better and are easier to play.
The larger display works best for reading, browsing, online shopping, and multitasking. You can run up to three apps at once, although it is disappointing that Google Chrome does not support split screen mode.
The large display is also useful for video editing, though it would benefit from stylus support for finer control so prepare to buy one for a better user experience.
The Honor Magic V6 runs on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor, paired with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. Performance is fast and smooth, with no noticeable lag when switching between apps or using editing tools.
While 512GB may seem limited for a S$2,599 smartphone, it is enough for most users. There is also a 1TB option, though it costs an extra S$300, which is what you’d see often in today’s climate.
What about battery life? From my usage, I can say it is solid. The 6,660mAh battery easily lasts more than a full day with moderate use. Charging is quick with 80W wired charging, taking under an hour for a full charge.
The camera system includes a 50MP wide camera, a 50MP ultra wide camera, and a 64MP 3x telephoto lens. Image quality is decent though not class leading.
The default colour setting is a bit too punchy, so I ended up using the Authentic Colour mode most of the time for more natural looking photos. Zoom is usable up to about 6x, though details start to fall away quickly beyond that.
Portrait shots turn out well, with skin tones looking a little too warm at times, whether outdoors or under indoor lighting. Night mode also does a good job in most situations, but some long exposure shots can end up looking a little over processed.
On the whole, the camera can perform well but not at the same level as flagship camera-focused phones such as the Oppo Find X9 Pro or Vivo X300 Pro.
To sum up, the Honor Magic V6 is a refined foldable that focusses on usability and durability. It feels like a normal candybar phone when closed and offers a larger screen when needed.
However, it does not stand out in areas like camera performance. Compared to rivals such as the Vivo X300 Pro or Oppo Find X9 Pro, it may fall short if you want a strong all-in-one device.
So, the slim design comes with trade-offs in the imaging department, and this premium S$2,599 phone clearly prioritises form factor over top-tier camera hardware.
If you are looking for a foldable phone with a slim profile and not too picky about the camera, you can look at last year’s Magic V5 as well or check out the Oppo Find N6.
