Honor unveils the world’s thinnest foldable: Meet the Magic V3

Honor has unveiled its latest foldable smartphone, the Magic V3, positioning it as a formidable contender for the title of best foldable device in 2024.

Building upon the success of its predecessor, the Honor Magic V2, this new model introduces significant enhancements and will be available globally, bringing even more competition to industry giants like Samsung and Google in the foldable market.

While the Magic V3 boasts an array of impressive specifications, its design stands out as its most compelling feature. Honor claims it to be the thinnest foldable smartphone ever created, setting a new standard for portability and sleekness in the category.

Here’s everything you need to know about the Magic V3.

Cheeky Marketing Approach

Dear Samsung Galaxy Z Fold owners, we’re sorry. We know you were excited to buy a phone that folds in half and fits in your pocket, awkwardly. You were promised the future, a technical marvel, a world of boundless multitasking and performance.

And now, you’re probably looking at the new HONOR Magic V3 and feeling a little… betrayed. Size matters, and we feel your pain. Like being tipped for a gold medal and then coming last in the race, the knowledge that a thinner, lighter, and more durable foldable exists is enough to make anyone question their choices.

We get it. You were an early adopter, a pioneer bravely venturing into the uncharted territory of foldable screens with questionable durability. You deserve better. In fact, you deserve a gold medal.

In all seriousness, we at HONOR are committed to pushing the boundaries of technology and bringing you the best possible foldable experience. We’re just saying… it’s okay to feel let down. We’d feel the same way.

Honor

The 166-word apology was painstakingly crafted by micro-artist Graham Short, who spent an impressive 90 hours engraving it by hand using diamond-tipped pins due to the phone’s durable material.

It’s a clever, lighthearted jab that adds a personal touch to Honor’s latest innovation, all while highlighting the sleek design of the Magic V3.

Design and Build: A New Benchmark in Thinness

The Magic V3 distinguishes itself as the world’s thinnest foldable smartphone, setting a new benchmark in the industry.

When unfolded, it measures an astonishingly slim 4.35 mm, expanding to a still-impressive 9.2 mm when folded. This remarkable feat of engineering surpasses competitors like the Galaxy Z Fold 6, which measures 12.1 mm folded and 5.6 mm unfolded.

Also Read: OPPO Reno12 F 5G review

The device’s overall dimensions are 156.6 x 145.3 mm when unfolded and 156.6 x 74 mm when folded, with a weight of 226g.

Honor has not compromised on durability despite the slim profile. The Magic V3 boasts an IPX8 water resistance rating, offering flagship-level protection against water damage.

However, it’s worth noting that there’s no official rating for dust resistance. The phone also features dual stereo speakers and a side-mounted fingerprint sensor for convenient and secure access.

The Chinese version of the Magic V3 is available in four stylish colors: Green, White, Black, and Red. The Red variant stands out with its faux leather panel and golden frame, offering a luxurious aesthetic.

However, the global release focuses on three elegant variants: Black, Green, and a sophisticated Reddish Brown finish.

Display Technology

Honor has equipped the Magic V3 with cutting-edge display technology. The main interior display is a 7.92-inch OLED panel, boasting a resolution of 2156 x 2344 pixels and a smooth 120Hz refresh rate.

It can reach a peak brightness of 1600 nits and features advanced 3840Hz PWM dimming technology for enhanced eye comfort. This main display is also protected by Honor’s Anti-scratch NanoCrystal Shield and offers stylus support, enhancing its versatility for productivity tasks.

The external cover display is equally impressive, measuring 6.43 inches with a resolution of 1060 x 2376 pixels. This screen can achieve an astounding 5000 nits of peak brightness, ensuring excellent visibility even in bright sunlight.

Also Read: [Video] Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 first impressions

It also features 4320Hz PWM dimming for a comfortable viewing experience. Both displays support a 120Hz refresh rate, ensuring smooth scrolling and fluid animations across the device.

Performance

At the heart of the Magic V3 lies the powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, ensuring top-tier performance for even the most demanding tasks and applications.

The global version comes with 12GB of LPDDR5X RAM and 512GB of UFS 4.0 storage, providing ample memory and storage for most users’ needs.

It’s worth noting that the Chinese version offers more options, including a variant with 16GB of RAM and additional storage configurations.

Camera Capabilities

The Magic V3 features a versatile triple-lens camera system that promises impressive photographic capabilities. The main camera boasts a 50MP sensor with an f/1.6 aperture and optical image stabilization (OIS), ensuring sharp and stable images even in challenging lighting conditions.

Complementing this is a 50MP telephoto lens offering 3.5x optical zoom with an f/3.0 aperture, perfect for capturing distant subjects with clarity. Rounding out the rear camera array is a 40MP ultrawide lens with a 112° field of view and an f/2.2 aperture, ideal for landscape shots and group photos.

For selfies and video calls, the device is equipped with 20MP cameras on both the internal and external displays. These front-facing cameras feature a 90° field of view and an f/2.2 aperture, ensuring high-quality self-portraits and video conferencing.

Both the rear and front cameras can record video at up to 4K resolution (3840 x 2160), ensuring high-quality footage in various scenarios.

Battery and Charging

Power management is crucial for foldable devices, and the Magic V3 addresses this with a robust 5150mAh battery. This capacity is slightly larger than its predecessor, which already offered excellent battery life.

The device supports 66W wired fast charging, allowing for quick top-ups when needed. Additionally, it features 50W wireless charging, providing users with flexible and efficient charging options.

These charging speeds remain unchanged from the previous model, striking a balance between fast charging and battery longevity.

Software and Connectivity

The Honor Magic V3 runs on Android 14, overlaid with Honor’s latest MagicOS 8.0.1. This software combination brings a host of AI-powered features, including AI Eraser for smart photo editing and Face-to-face Translation for real-time language barriers.

Honor has also included privacy-focused tools like Parallel Space, which allows users to run separate instances of apps, and Magic Capsule for enhanced multitasking.

In terms of connectivity, the device is future-proofed with Wi-Fi 7 support, ensuring the fastest possible wireless internet speeds on compatible networks.

It also features Bluetooth 5.3 for reliable wireless accessory connections, NFC for contactless payments, and even two-way satellite connectivity for emergency communications in areas without cellular coverage.

The USB 3.1 Type-C port with DisplayPort 1.2 support enhances its versatility, allowing for fast data transfers and external display connections.

Pricing and Market Positioning

The Honor Magic V3 is positioned as a premium device, with a price tag of £1,699 (approximately KES 287,896) for the 12GB RAM / 512GB storage model.

This places it at a higher price point compared to similarly specified competitors, such as the Galaxy Z Fold 6, which currently retails for KES 216,300.

However, it’s worth noting that at launch, the Z Fold 6 had a starting price of KES 264,000, making the Magic V3’s pricing competitive within the high-end foldable market.