With the announcement of the latest Honor Magic 5 Pro, we want to take a closer look at how it compares to the other phones on the market.
With MWC 2023 in full swing, we’re expecting a lot more news relating to new releases. One of which is the latest addition to the Honor Magic lineup with the Magic 5 Pro, which packs an impressive triple-camera setup and makes use of the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor.
The Honor Magic 5 Pro will be available starting in the second quarter of 2023, with no pricing available as of yet. We will be sure to update this article once we know more about the pricing and specific release dates.
We wanted to compare this new handset to one of the best Android phones on the market, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra. Read on to find out how these devices differ so you can decide which upgrade is best for you.
Galaxy S23 Ultra packs an AMOLED display
The Galaxy S23 Ultra features an impressive 6.8-inch Edge QHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X display. It is HDR10+ certified and has an adaptive refresh rate of up to 120Hz, allowing the display to drop down to a lower refresh rate when needed to conserve battery while still keeping scrolling smooth during more intensive tasks.
We thought that it felt phenomenal to use, with the WQHD+ resolution keeping media and apps looking smooth and crisp. Moreover, we could use it in direct sunlight thanks to the peak nit count of 1750, making it very accessible in the sunnier months.
The Magic 5 Pro features a 6.81-inch LTPO Quad-Curved screen with a 120Hz Smart Refresh Rate, giving it the same smooth scrolling advantage as the Galaxy S23 Ultra. Honor claims that it has a peak HDR brightness of 1800 nits at ultra-high brightness and a resolution of 1312×2848.
It also boasts advanced features like 2160Hz PMW dimming that Honor says should make the flicker less obvious and, as such, cause less eye strain when used in the evening. We thought it felt great to use and was very responsive, although we will have to wait for our full review for an in-depth look at how it handles media and day-to-day use.
Magic 5 Pro features a 50MP main camera
Honor went all out in terms of the camera; the Magic 5 Pro features a triple main camera setup that includes a 50-megapixel wide sensor, 50MP ultra-wide sensor and 50MP periscope Telephoto lens.
The high megapixel count combined with the AI motion sensing capture and Ultra Fusion computation optics should provide accurate and highly detailed images. Honor has claimed that the main sensor is 35% larger than the main sensor on the Galaxy S23 Ultra and iPhone 14 Pro Max, resulting in 13% and 24% better light intake respectively.
The Galaxy S23 Ultra features a quadruple-camera layout, with a 12-megapixel ultra-wide sensor, 200MP wide sensor and two 10MP Telephoto sensors. We noted that the 200MP main camera surpassed our expectations during use, creating fantastic photos in both low-light and well-lit environments, with a lot of detail in each shot.
Until we get a better look at the Magic 5 Pro camera we can’t make any definitive comments on which is better. It will also depend on what you want out of a camera, as the Magic 5 Pro may be a better all-rounder thanks to the 50MP sensors across the board.
Honor has a limited number of colours
The Magic 5 Pro will launch with two colourways: Meadow Green and Black. This pales in comparison to the Galaxy S23 Ultra, which can be found in a plethora of shades.
There are eight colourways in total, with Green, Lavender, Cream and Phantom Black being touted as the basic options. There are four more colours exclusively available on the Samsung website, including Lime, Sky Blue, Graphite and Red.
This may make the Galaxy S23 Ultra more alluring, as there is a lot more choice when it comes to personalising your phone’s design.
MagicOS vs OneUI
While both handsets do run on Android, the Magic 5 Pro utilises the MagicOS platform, which is based on Android 13. Samsung engaged in a similar technique, using Android 13 but with its latest OneUI 5.1 applied on top.
Until we review the Magic 5 Pro handset in full we can’t make too many comments on how MagicOS 7.1 performs, however, we know that it includes a range of smart features including MagicRing and Magic Text. The former allows for multi-device collaboration while the latter offers intelligent text recognition, which should give users the chance to boost their productivity.
We thought that OneUI offered a polished experience, largely free of bloatware aside from a multitude of Samsung-branded apps that come pre-installed.
Both phones do come with the benefit of accessing some of Android 13’s best features, such as per app language settings and more Material You palettes. This will come down to personal preferences, but we imagine that both operating systems will come with their own advantages and run smoothly.
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We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
