Fast Charge: The Honor Magic V2 is the pinnacle of foldable design

OPINION: The Honor Magic Vs was a fine foldable that added some much-needed competition for Samsung’s book-style Galaxy Z Fold range, but the newer Magic V2 takes things to a whole new level, leaving even recent foldables like the Galaxy Z Fold 5 in the dust.

Foldables have come a long way since they first appeared on the scene back in 2019 – we all remember the fiasco with the original Galaxy Z Fold and its fragile display, right? 

Thankfully, issues like that seem to be in the rearview mirror in 2023, allowing manufacturers to focus on improving other elements of the foldable design, like the hinge and chassis.

That’s a much-needed relief because, for the most part, book-style foldables like the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Google Pixel Fold are both much heavier and thicker than even the largest candybar phones when folded. More specifically, the Galaxy Z Fold 5 measures 13.4mm thick when folded and weighs 253g – though that is an improvement on the 15.8mm and 263g of the Z Fold 4 from 2022. 

On the other hand, the Pixel Fold is slightly thinner at 12.1mm, though much heavier at a whopping 283g, making it the heaviest foldable around right now. 

That’s not ideal when you’re trying to tempt consumers from their slick, lightweight phones for something heavier, bulkier and crucially more expensive than even the most premium traditional handsets. 

That’s where Honor’s new Magic V2 comes into play. Through what I can only describe as design and manufacturing wizardry, the Honor Magic V2 manages to be both the lightest and thinnest book-style foldable while simultaneously boasting larger displays, bigger batteries and higher resolution cameras than Google and Samsung’s options. 

More specifically, the Magic V2 measures in at just 9.9mm thick when folded – a similar thickness to an iPhone 14 Pro Max in a case – and weighs just 231g, making it not only lighter than the Z Fold 5 and Pixel Fold by a country mile, but even the aforementioned iPhone. 

It’s the first foldable to truly enter candybar smartphone territory in terms of weight and thickness, and it’s truly magnificent to behold. 

That thin, lightweight nature was immediately noticeable as I picked up the Magic V2 at a pre-brief session ahead of its reveal, especially coming from using the Z Fold 5 as my main phone for the past few weeks. 

It was much more comfortable to use one-handed in its folded form, fitting more comfortably into the palm than bulkier competitors, and that experience was only improved when unfolded, bringing the thickness down to an almost impossible 4.4mm. 

It truly looks and feels like a foldable from the future when compared to other recently announced foldables, and Honor should be commended for its R&D in this area. 

What’s most exciting is that Honor has managed to achieve all this without cutting back on other premium features, delivering what looks to be a no-holds-barred foldable that doesn’t sacrifice design quality. 

I can only hope that this shock release kicks Samsung into gear after a few years of what can only be described as iterative updates on the Z Fold’s original design. If not, we could be looking at a new leader in the foldable arena with the Honor Magic V2.