Honor Magic V5 review: The foldable that changed my mind
Foldables have always promised the best of both worlds. A phone when you want speed and simplicity, a tablet when you want space and immersion. In reality, they’ve often felt like a compromise you consciously choose: thicker pockets, heavier hands, and the constant awareness that you’re using “a foldable.”
The Honor Magic V5 quietly breaks that spell in the best possible way. After a week of living with it, I stopped thinking of it as a foldable and started treating it like my normal phone… that just happened to open into a big, beautiful screen whenever I needed it. That’s the real magic here. Not one spec. Not one headline number. It’s the way the device disappears into your routine.
If you already like Honor’s approach to hardware, or if you’ve been eyeing foldables for their big-screen potential but never quite pulled the trigger, the Magic V5 feels like the moment where the category finally grows up.
Thin enough to rewrite expectations
The first impression is unavoidable. Unfolded, the Magic V5 is just 4.1mm thick, making it the thinnest book-style foldable you can buy right now. On paper, that’s impressive. In real life, it’s transformative.
Most foldables announce themselves the second you pick them up. You feel the thickness. You feel the hinge. You feel the engineering. The Magic V5 doesn’t do that. Open, it feels closer to holding a premium tablet panel than a mechanical device. Closed, it slips into your hand and pocket without that “double phone” sensation that still haunts many competitors.
This thinness changes how often you unfold it. Because it doesn’t feel like effort. Because it doesn’t feel awkward. Because you’re not constantly aware of carrying something different. You unfold it because it makes sense in the moment, not because you’re forcing yourself to justify the purchase.
Honor has also done something subtle but crucial with the ergonomics. The rounded edges around the hinge and the softened corners make the V5 unusually comfortable to hold for long sessions. Reading, scrolling, multitasking, even just resting it in your hand feels natural. It’s one of the first foldables that doesn’t fatigue your grip.
The camera bump is the obvious counterpoint. It’s large, and you’ll notice it. But it’s also deliberate. Honor clearly chose imaging capability over chasing absolute flatness, and for most people, that’s the right call. You adapt quickly.
A foldable that actually looks luxurious
Honor has been inching toward a more refined, premium aesthetic for a while, and the Magic V5 feels like the payoff. This isn’t a phone that tries to look rugged or industrial. It looks elegant, considered, and expensive in a quiet way.
The lighter finishes, especially the Ivory White version with its woven fiber back, feel closer to a design object than a gadget. The camera island reinforces that feeling, with its symmetrical shape and textured detailing. It doesn’t look like an afterthought. It looks intentional.
Durability has also taken a step forward. With IP58 and IP59 ratings, the Magic V5 is more resistant to water and dust than many foldables before it. It’s not a beach phone, but it’s also not something you need to treat like porcelain. That matters if this is going to be your daily driver.
There is one reality check that applies to the entire foldable category, and the V5 doesn’t escape it completely. The inner display relies on a screen protector layer, and long-term wear is still something to watch. This isn’t unique to Honor, but at this price point, it’s worth acknowledging. Foldables are better than they were, but they still ask for a bit more care than slab phones.
Two displays that finally feel like one experience
The Magic V5’s displays are where the device earns its keep. The 6.43-inch cover screen feels like a proper flagship phone display, not a compromise panel you rush through. Its aspect ratio is familiar, its brightness is excellent, and it’s genuinely pleasant to use on its own.
Open the phone and you’re greeted by a 7.95-inch inner display that feels expansive without being awkward. The near-square aspect ratio is especially good for reading, browsing, and productivity. Articles feel calmer. Emails feel less cramped. Multitasking feels intentional rather than forced.
What really stands out is the consistency between the two screens. Color, brightness perception, sharpness, and general visual tone are so closely matched that switching between them doesn’t feel jarring. That’s harder to achieve than it sounds, given the different materials involved, and Honor nails it.
The crease is there, but it’s minimal enough that your eyes stop registering it after a short while. The phone also opens almost completely flat, which makes a bigger difference than you’d expect for immersion and comfort.
There are still inherent foldable trade-offs. Video content doesn’t always fill the inner screen cleanly, and some games struggle with scaling. But for reading, productivity, messaging, and creative work, this is one of the most satisfying big-phone displays you can use.
Performance that never gets in the way
With a Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset and 16GB of RAM, the Magic V5 is unapologetically flagship-grade. It’s fast, fluid, and unfazed by heavy multitasking. Apps launch instantly. Split-screen layouts stay smooth. Gaming performance is excellent.
More importantly, performance never becomes a distraction. You don’t think about it. You don’t manage it. You just use the phone, and it keeps up.
The only noticeable side effect of all this power in such a thin chassis is heat. The V5 warms up faster than thicker phones under sustained load. It never becomes uncomfortable, but it’s something you’ll notice during long gaming sessions or extended camera use. It’s the price of extreme thinness, and for most people, it’s an acceptable one.
MagicOS on a big screen: where it all comes together
MagicOS 9, based on Android 15, feels purpose-built for a foldable like this. On a regular phone, it can feel a bit busy. On the Magic V5, it finally makes sense.
Multitasking is where the software shines. You can comfortably run multiple apps side by side, keep another partially hidden, and even float a window on top. This isn’t about showing off. It’s about doing things without friction. Reading while taking notes. Messaging while checking a document. Comparing information without bouncing between screens.
You won’t use three-app layouts every day, but when you need them, they feel powerful rather than gimmicky. There’s also support for external displays via Magic Desktop, turning the phone into a lightweight workstation when needed.
App optimization is still a mixed bag. Third-party apps are inconsistent, and even some Google apps occasionally misbehave on the inner screen. It’s not constant, and it’s not deal-breaking, but it’s a reminder that foldables still lead the ecosystem slightly rather than follow it.
AI features are everywhere, as expected. Some are genuinely useful, especially in image editing and productivity. Others feel like they add extra layers to simple actions. If you like exploring tools and features, you’ll find plenty to play with. If you prefer minimalism, you may occasionally sigh and tap through an extra menu.
Cameras that mostly deliver, with one clear weakness
The Magic V5’s rear camera system is strong and versatile. The 50MP main sensor delivers detailed, vibrant images. The 50MP ultra-wide adds flexibility without feeling like a downgrade. The 64MP 3x telephoto is particularly well chosen, offering practical zoom that’s useful day to day.
Stabilization is excellent, even at higher zoom levels, and the large inner display makes composing shots a pleasure. Using the unfolded screen as a viewfinder feels luxurious and surprisingly practical.
Honor’s image processing can be a little enthusiastic. Photos often look great, but sometimes you’re aware that software has stepped in heavily. If you prefer a more neutral, less processed look, this may not always align with your taste.
The weakest point is the selfie cameras. Both inner and outer selfie shooters are underwhelming. The saving grace is the foldable advantage: you can use the rear cameras for selfies with the cover screen as a preview. The results are far better, but it’s not always the most convenient solution.
Battery life that changes the foldable narrative
The Magic V5’s battery is the unsung hero of the whole experience. A 5,820mAh battery in a foldable is borderline absurd, and the real-world results are just as impressive.
In daily use, the phone comfortably lasts a full day and often well into the next, even with regular use of the large inner screen. Battery anxiety simply doesn’t exist here, which is rare for any big-screen device, let alone a foldable.
Charging is fast and flexible, with support for 66W wired and 50W wireless charging. Even with third-party chargers, top-ups are quick enough to be painless. With the right charger, it’s genuinely convenient.
This is the best battery performance currently available in a book-style foldable, and it fundamentally changes how usable the category feels.
Who the Honor Magic V5 is really for
This is not a cheap phone, but in foldable terms, it’s competitively priced. It undercuts major rivals while offering more storage as standard and a better battery story than almost anyone else.
It’s ideal for Honor fans who want the brand’s most confident hardware statement yet. It’s also perfect for big-screen lovers who want a device that can replace some tablet use without feeling like a compromise the rest of the time.
Availability remains the biggest limitation. If you’re in the US, this simply isn’t an option. In the UK and Europe, however, it’s one of the most compelling foldables you can buy right now.
Final verdict: the foldable that finally feels effortless
The Honor Magic V5 doesn’t just improve on foldables. It reframes them.
It’s thin enough to forget about. Powerful enough to trust. Comfortable enough to use for hours. And smart enough to make its big screen genuinely useful rather than a novelty.
Yes, it has flaws. The selfie cameras are weak. Some apps still need better optimization. Long-term foldable durability remains a category-wide question. But none of these issues overshadow the core experience.
After a week, the Magic V5 stopped feeling like a foldable experiment and started feeling like my phone. That’s the highest compliment you can give this category. For anyone who wants a big screen without big compromises, Honor’s magic is very real this time.
