HONOR Magic V5 Review: The Foldable That Won Me Over

HONOR Magic V5 Review: HONOR has built a foldable that feels finished in all the right ways and I haven’t wanted to put it down.

{Tech} for Travel

HONOR has had a strong start to 2025. The Magic7 Pro redefined what a flagship Android can be, with power, attention to detail and battery life that pushed well beyond expectations.

Then came the 400 Pro, a mid-ranger that landed with flagship-level AI features and long-term software support, without the usual compromises. Two phones, two big wins, and both demonstrate that HONOR is serious about taking on established players outside of its core markets.

The Magic V5 is a foldable that doesn’t feel experimental or just a step up from the previous V3, although it did create plenty of attention in the weeks leading up to its August 28th launch.

HONOR and Samsung have been locked in a battle for the title of world’s thinnest foldable, with spec sheets trimmed down to decimal points. And yes, over the Galaxy Z Fold7, the Magic V5 is technically slimmer.

But only in the Ivory White colourway!

I’ve been able to hold both at the same time, and once it’s in your hand or in your pocket, that gap becomes irrelevant.

What actually matters is how it feels, the ease of the hinge, the balance in the hand, the way it folds flat without fuss. HONOR had a great handset in the V3, and as a user, I’d much rather see them building on their own success rather than get into a marketing war over a spec many users will likely not care about too much.

Fortunately, the Magic V5 is incredibly well-engineered, with an eye-catching design, but more importantly, it’s functional. It just works.

The HONOR Magic V5 arrives as a foldable engineered with precision. Its structure is defined by a hinge system built from second-generation HONOR Super Steel, which offers a tensile strength of 2300MPa. This upgraded hinge material not only strengthens the device but also contributes to its ultra-thin profile.

The folding mechanism is further reinforced by a Carbon Fibre Reinforced Inner Display Panel, designed to resist deformation with a rating of 380 GPa. Together, these components form the backbone of the Magic V5’s durability story.

Despite all that structural reinforcement, the Magic V5 measures just 8.8mm thick when folded (Ivory White model) and an astonishing 4.1mm when open.

This is why HONOR claims it as the world’s thinnest inward-folding smartphone, a title it beats Samsung by only 0.1mm!

On the outside, the new Anti-Scratch NanoCrystal Shield protects the outer screen with improved resistance to drops and wear. This layer increases drop protection by up to ten times compared with standard glass, while also including an aluminium anti-scratch film.

HONOR claims that this three-layer system enhances everyday durability for the outer display, helping it withstand the bumps and knocks of daily life. The device also carries IP58 and IP59 ratings, offering water and dust resistance that’s rare among foldables, especially at this level of slimness.

The Magic V5 features two OLED displays, a large 7.95-inch inner screen and a 6.43-inch outer display. Both support a 120Hz LTPO refresh rate and reach up to 5000 nits peak brightness, making them among the brightest panels on a foldable today. Dolby Vision support ensures HDR content looks sharp and vivid.

HONOR has also carried over its Eye Comfort Display tech, including 4320Hz PWM dimming, Dynamic Dimming and AI Defocus modes. These additions are designed to reduce eye fatigue during long use and adjust display behaviour based on ambient lighting and time of day.

The triple-lens HONOR AI Falcon Camera System includes a 64MP Ultra Sensing Periscope Telephoto Camera with 3X Optical Zoom and up to 100X Digital Zoom. It’s paired with a 50MP Ultra-Light Sensitive Main Camera featuring a large f/1.6 aperture and a 1/1.56-inch sensor. The third lens is a 50MP Ultra-Wide with a 122° field of view, ideal for group shots and landscapes.

These features are supported by the HONOR Image Engine, which enables functions such as AI-Enhanced Portrait, AI Super Zoom, Motion Sensing Capture, and various smart editing tools. The now-standard HONOR AI features, such as AI Cutout, Eraser, and Image to Video, make a welcome return.

On the productivity side, the Magic V5 boasts Magic Pen support (HONOR stylus, sold separately) across both displays and includes HONOR’s Multi-Flex mode for true multitasking. This allows users to run up to three apps simultaneously, with flexible window sizing for various workflows.

The Magic V5 runs HONOR’s latest MagicOS 9.0 software and can open files from Android, iOS and Windows devices without any fuss, including things like eBooks, spreadsheets and even CAD drawings. You can also quickly send files to and from phones, tablets and laptops across all major platforms, with HONOR Share supporting speeds up to 60MB per second.

Google Gemini is the built-in AI assistant, pre-installed on the Magic V5, and is fully integrated into MagicOS 9.0. It can be launched instantly using HONOR’s Tap Tap shortcut; double-tap the back of the phone to open it. Google Gemini can summarise content, transcribe notes, translate languages and even support real-time speech translation during phone calls.

The HONOR Notes and Recorder apps also utilise their AI features for tasks such as transcription, formatting, and grammar checks, all without relying on third-party tools.

The Magic V5 doesn’t just fold; it’s been built to do so repeatedly, efficiently, and with technical attention to detail that backs up its premium feel.

The HONOR Magic V5 is the first foldable I’ve used that genuinely felt like something I wanted to keep using, rather than something I had to adapt to. HONOR has refined the foldable formula since the V3, especially in terms of build quality and hinge strength, although it’s not without a few quirks.

As a foldable, the Magic V5 is incredibly slim when opened, and even folded, it still feels compact in the hand. But that thinness is a double-edged sword. While it looks sleek, I often found it fiddly to open. There’s just not quite enough surface to grip when trying to unfold it with one hand, especially if you’re in a rush.

And then there’s the camera housing.

It’s thick, noticeably so, and yet somehow doesn’t count towards the official thickness. That’s a bit of a farce. If you’re going to champion the “world’s thinnest foldable”, the bit that bulges out of your pocket should probably be part of the measurement.

That said, it’s hard not to be impressed by the construction. The hinge is rock solid, there’s no wobble, and everything lines up cleanly when shut. This is where HONOR’s second-generation Super Steel and Carbon Fibre inner panel seem to pay off.

And, to put their money where their mouth is, HONOR invited me to a pre-launch event where they demonstrated the hinge strength by hanging a six-pack of soda cans on an open Magic V5. It was seriously impressive!

The black model I tested looked premium and held up well against smudges and minor scuffs. Compared to last year’s Magic V3, this model shaves things down just enough to notice it’s lighter in the hand and fractionally slimmer when unfolded, though I’d happily trade that extra thinness for a bit more grip when opening.

What really won me over, though, was the internal display. That 7.95-inch OLED screen is genuinely transformative in how I now want to use my smartphone. Having that much space changed how I use my usual set of apps. Maps, social media, camera controls, and even reading articles all felt less cramped and more immersive.

And when framing up shots or reviewing images on the bigger display, the difference took some getting used to compared to standard phones, but I’ve never enjoyed using a camera UI this much.

The outer screen deserves a mention too. It’s sharp, bright and totally usable on its own. Unlike some earlier foldables, I never felt like I was compromising by staying on the cover screen. It’s tall and narrow, but not annoyingly so, and the 120Hz refresh rate kept everything smooth.

It is worth noting that both displays handled direct sunlight well.

The Magic V5 might be foldable, but it’s not making any excuses with its optics. The 64MP periscope zoom was impressive, especially when snapping shots in busy street scenes. The 50MP main sensor handled low-light conditions better than I expected, and the ultra-wide lens did a solid job capturing landscapes without the stretched look that can sometimes occur.

It’s a noticeable step up from the 50MP telephoto lens in the V3, especially with the added sharpness and better image stabilisation. I used the camera more than I usually would on a phone, simply because it felt more comfortable and having better access to all of the options made me want to experiment more.

What stands out with HONOR on the V5 is how naturally the AI seamlessly integrates into the background and works. Google Gemini is woven into the device in a way that feels effortless, so you don’t need to be a tech wizard to get value from it. The Tap Tap shortcut pulls Gemini up instantly for quick searches or translations, while AI inside Notes and the Recorder app takes care of transcriptions and tidies up formatting without you having to think about it.

HONOR bumped the battery capacity up from 5,150mAh in the Magic V3 to 5,820mAh for the Magic V5, and I noticed the benefit across a full day of use. More importantly, they’ve done it without making the device heavier or chunkier. In fact, the V5 is lighter than the V3, and thanks to the added IP58 and IP59 water and dust resistance, it’s better equipped for travelling with.

After spending sufficient time with the HONOR Magic V5, I’ve come away more convinced than ever that foldables are not only here to stay but will soon become the primary flagship device for brands. The Magic V5 has converted me.

As someone who travels with a laptop, tablet and phone, the Magic V5 has made me rethink that trio.

The vibrant inner display is sharp, bright and responsive, and for once, I didn’t miss my tablet. Whether it was catching up on emails, reading the news, streaming movies or diving into a bit of mobile gaming, that extra screen real estate made a big difference.

I even found a new love for Flipboard, which feels perfect on the larger screen. It’s a proper productivity and entertainment device in one.

What really stands out is how well HONOR handles AI. It doesn’t just shout about it. It builds it into places that make sense. From AI Zoom in the camera to tools like translation, transcription and Gemini integration, everything works in a way that feels natural. HONOR’s take on AI isn’t overcomplicated. It’s smart, enjoyable and straightforward to use.

Opening the phone can be fiddly. For a device at this price, I had expected a smoother opening. I understand that HONOR has gone to great lengths to win the thinness war, and it’s impressive, but the edge is just a little too slim and smooth to open comfortably every time. Hopefully, that’s something that gets looked at in the next iteration.

Still, the whole package folds down to something properly pocket-friendly. Even with the sizeable camera housing, it never feels bulky. Between the clever software, premium hardware and that brilliant internal display, the Magic V5 has been a joy to test. I’ve genuinely loved reviewing it, and I think I might finally be a foldable convert.

Features	HONOR Magic V5
Dimensions	Unfolded: 156.8 × 145.9 × 4.1mm Folded: 156.8 × 74.3 × 8.8mm (Ivory White) 9.0mm (Black & Dawn Gold)
Weight	217g
Colour Options	Ivory White Black Dawn Gold
Display	7.95″ OLED inner 6.43″ OLED outer
Camera System	64MP Periscope Telephoto 50MP Main 50MP Ultra-Wide
Processor	Snapdragon 8 Gen Elite
Memory & Storage	16GB RAM 512GB storage
Battery	5820mAh Silicon-carbon cell
Operating System	MagicOS 9.0 Based on Android 14
Connectivity	5G Wi-Fi 7 Bluetooth 5.3 USB-C
Durability	IP58 & IP59 NanoCrystal Shield Carbon Fibre inner panel
Stylus Support	Compatible with HONOR Magic-Pen
AI Features	Google Gemini AI Zoom Live Transcription Image Editing Tools
In the Box	Magic V5 Eject Tool USB-C Cable Screen Protectors Quick Start Guide
Website	honor.com

In the UK, the HONOR Magic V5 launches at £1,699, though early birds will want to visit HONOR’s store to claim a generous £300 discount with code AV5UK300, bringing the price down to £1,399.

For a limited period, HONOR is bundling the purchase of a Magic V5 with four free gifts: a Magic Pen, 66W SuperCharger, 12 months of Inner & Outer Screen Protection, while supplies last.