Honor Magic V2 Review — R40,000 Smartphone Worth the Hype?

The foldable smartphone market has its die-hard fans who love the utility of having an expanding display, along with those that are still on the fence about the feature. Honor’s Magic V2 is arguably the most impressive and tactile interpretation of such a device, but does its whopping R40,000 price-tag justify the experience?

Folding technology aside, the Magic V2 has some serious specs to lead the charge in the space. It houses a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, Adreno 740 GPU, 16GBs of RAM, 512GBs of storage, 66W SuperCharge support, and runs on MagicOS 7.2 (based on Android 13). So, performance-wise, the device is teetering toward a pretty competent tablet or notebook, able to run multiple apps simultaneously without a hint of a slowdown or hiccup. This device is designed with the working man in mind, and doesn’t disappoint.

The triple-camera set-up includes a 50MP wide camera (f/1.9, OIS), 50MP ultra-wide camera (f/2.0), and a 20MP telephoto camera (f/2.4, OIS); along with a 16MP front-racing camera too. The camera isn’t as sharp or quick to autofocus as the sensor on the flagship Magic Pro 6, but what you do get is very impressive in terms of capturing true colours and performing well in lowlight conditions. Again, the focus is the display, but you get some pretty beefy specs and a solid camera with the V2.

Of course, all these highlighted bullet points sit under the core function: its spectacular display set-up. Folded, the Magic V2 features a 6.32-inch external display, which is actually a little smaller than the average phone these days, but again, once opened, showcases a gorgeous 7.92-inch inner display with a silky smooth 120 Hz refresh rate (the external screen is also 120 Hz).

And having the extra real estate on a display like the V2’s doesn’t go underappreciated. You have a far better layout when browsing the web or operating apps, allowing you to hit links, buttons, and adjust video settings (for example) without any fumbling errors and hitting the wrong hyperlink (we’ve all done it). Additionally, the ability to split your screen and still have more than enough working space is incredibly handy for anyone who does email, document writing, and any other multitasking on their device.

The display itself is clear and vivid, and while the crease due to the hinge is visible (albeit so slightly), it’s basically invisible with the brightness you get on the screen. It also auto-adjusts in sunlight and eliminates substantial glare when using the device outdoors, which is appreciated compared to some of the more glossy finishes on screens these days.

Another highlight is the Honor Magic V2’s size, which is always a concern with foldable devices. The V2 is officially (at the time of writing) the thinnest (9.9mm thick when folded) and lightest (231 grams) inward-foldable smartphone on the market and feels just like a normal 6-odd-inch smartphone while in your pocket.

This thinness was achieved thanks to Honor making the Magic V2’s silicon-carbon 5,000 mAh battery just 2.72mm thick, which is the average size of a credit card, which is as impressive as the device itself.

There’s no doubt that the price of the Magic V2 is a notable hurdle for anyone with a slight interest in the device, whether it be for work purposes or media viewing enhancement. With that said, it is an impressive feat of technology and a badge of honour for the brand to deliver what it promised without any real drawbacks.

The Honor Magic V2 is set at R39,999 (RRP).