The newly unveiled HONOR Magic V5 just dropped in China, and it’s a legitimate flex, straight-up claiming the crown as the world’s thinnest and lightest inward-folding smartphone to date.
If you’re anything like us tech watchers in the Philippines, you’re probably wondering when you can get your hands on it. Well, there’s excellent news: HONOR is bringing this stunner to global markets later this year. In fact, our friends at HONOR Malaysia are already teasing its arrival, so we’re keeping our fingers firmly crossed that this foldable will make its way to the Philippines, too.
Let’s talk about that design. The HONOR Magic V5 clocks in at a svelte 8.8mm when folded (that’s for the elegant Ivory White variant; the others are still an impressive 9mm) and a ridiculous 4.1mm when unfolded. To put that in perspective, we’re talking about a device that’s genuinely thinner than most non-folding flagships when closed, and an absolute whisper when open. The company is clearly throwing down the gauntlet to heavyweights like Samsung and OPPO, who have been duking it out for foldable supremacy.
Is that even a foldable phone? 😀
Don’t mistake thin for fragile, though. HONOR seems to have gone all-in on durability. The Magic V5 boasts IP58 and IP59 ratings for dust and water resistance, a significant and welcome leap for foldables. On top of that, it features a Carbon Fiber Reinforced Inner Display Panel and an Anti-scratch NanoCrystal Shield on the outer screen. Underneath the hood, a carbon fiber layer with 380GPa deformation resistance acts as a serious shock absorber, while the HONOR Super Steel Hinge boasts a 2300MPa tensile strength. In plain English? The unit should feel like it’s built to survive your daily grind.
Perhaps the most buzzworthy innovation packed into the slim profile is the first 6,100mAh HONOR Silicon-Carbon Battery, exclusively found in the top-tier 1TB model. Yes, you read that right — a massive 6,100mAh battery in a foldable this thin. The brand has clearly achieved a major leap here, being the first to mass-produce a high-silicon design that includes 25% silicon content, resulting in an unmatched energy density of 901Wh/L. Combined with HONOR’s Power Enhanced Chip E2 and a dedicated SoC voltage regulator, the Magic V5 promises exceptional efficiency and impressive longevity. And when you do need a top-up, 66-watt wired and 50-watt wireless HONOR SuperCharge means you won’t be tethered to an outlet for long.
Look at how thin the battery is!
For those who live for mobile photography, the HONOR AI Falcon Camera System sounds incredibly promising. It features an upgraded 64-megapixel periscope telephoto lens, a 50-megapixel wide camera, and a 50-megapixel ultrawide. This setup is designed to deliver detailed shots and videos across various scenarios and zoom levels, all thanks to advanced AI image processing. And for your selfie game, both the inner and outer displays house 20-megapixel shooters.
Powering this foldable beast is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite processor. Built on a 3nm process, this chipset is designed to deliver unparalleled processing power and significant AI enhancements, pushing the boundaries of on-device intelligence. Speaking of AI, MagicOS 9.0.1, which is based on Android 15, introduces the YOYO AI Agent. HONOR claims this intelligent assistant can handle everything from PowerPoint creation and coding to taxi booking and live camera access with simple commands. It’s clear the company is really leaning heavily into the “autopilot AI” era, aiming to make your foldable experience truly seamless.
In China, the HONOR Magic V5 is released in striking Ivory White, Black, Dawn Gold, and Reddish Brown colors, with prices starting from ¥8,999 (which converts to roughly P70,772 here in the Philippines, or about $1,256). It’s worth remembering that last year’s 12GB/512GB HONOR Magic V3, which we at Revü noted was “a glimpse into a future where the line between phone and tablet continues to blur” in our review, launched locally with a suggested retail price of P89,999 ($1,598). If the Magic V5 follows a similar trajectory, local tech enthusiasts could be in for another exciting release.
HONOR Magic V5 specs
- 7.95-inch foldable LTPO OLED, 2,352 x 2,172 resolution, 120Hz refresh rate, 5,000 nits peak brightness
- 6.43-inch external LTPO OLED, 2,376 x 1,060 resolution, 120Hz refresh rate, 5,000 nits peak brightness
- 3nm octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite 5G chipset
- Adreno 830 GPU
- 12GB/16GB RAM
- 256GB/512GB/1TB storage
- Triple 50-megapixel main, 64-megapixel periscope telephoto, 50-megapixel ultrawide rear cameras
- 20-megapixel front camera (cover screen), 20-megapixel front camera (inner screen)
- Side fingerprint reader
- 6,100mAh silicon-carbon battery with 66-watt fast charging
- IP58/59 rating
- MagicOS 9 based on Android 15
- Colors: Black, Ivory White, Dawn Gold, Reddish Brown
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