The HONOR Magic V2: The Porsche of 2024’s Smartphones?

HONOR just dropped the Porsche of smartphones and things are getting racy! Say hello to the Magic V2, HONOR's slimmest, most lightweight book-style foldable in the world - for now at least.

When closed, the difference in size between this phone and a regular non-foldable is barely noticeable, making this device truly one-of-a-kind.

Want to find out more about what’s hiding under the Magic V2 hood?

Strap in, we’re going on an adrenaline-pumping ride as we unpack the HONOR Magic V2 and its iconic Porsche personality that’s changing the foldable game.

You have never seen a phone as Porsche as this

It’s time to put the pedal to the metal as we take a spin with the Porsche-inspired HONOR Magic V2 RSR. Porsche describes the design as bringing the ‘racetrack to your palm,’ making it perfect for those niche individuals looking for a smartphone with the heart of a sports car. Inspired by the iconic Porsche 911, the Magic V2 RSR features a metallic Agate Grey colour on the back, paying homage to the 911’s signature hue. The 3D glass on the cameras takes inspiration from Porsche windshields, while the phone's back mirrors the sleek flyline of the Porsche 911, running the length of the device. Even the interface draws inspiration from the 911, with the iconic tail light influencing the design, and the charging screen mirroring the current Porsche cockpit aesthetic.

The featherweight champion of the foldables

As the thinnest and lightest foldable phone on the market, the HONOR Magic V2 nearly matches the weight and sleekness of the iPhone 15 Pro Max when folded. This is an incredible feat for this form factor. HONOR has released three different designs for the range, including a vegan leather back option, a Porsche-inspired design named the HONOR Magic V2 RSR, and a glass-backed version. The first two designs measure just 9.9mm in thickness when folded, 4.7mm when unfolded, and weigh only 231g. The glass version is slightly thicker and heavier.

With these dimensions, the HONOR Magic V2 is substantially lighter and thinner than competitors like the Galaxy Z Fold 5, Pixel Fold, and OnePlus Open. You can easily slip the device into your jeans pocket or joggers without feeling like you’re dragging a small tablet along on your adventures.

Glorious & magical triple-threat display

Yes, HONOR has achieved something incredible here – a foldable phone that feels just like a regular bar-shaped phone. But let’s not forget, this device opens up like a book, revealing a glorious 7.92-inch inner screen that'll get your heart racing.

It’s a multitasker’s dream, giving you the power to use apps across the entire display or in split-screen mode. And if that wasn't enough, you also have a third window that hovers over the display. This setup means you can do multiple things at once – from watching Netflix in one window to online shopping in another, all while chatting on WhatsApp in the floating window. In other words, all your different personalities can finally be entertained at once!

The surprises don’t stop there. The screen used when the device is closed is a big 6.43 inches. It’s ample enough to use for your daily tasks and reaches a peak brightness of 2,500 nits for clear visibility in the outdoors.

Both the cover and inner screens sport the finest flagship display features, from OLED technology and 120Hz dynamic refresh rate to an immersive 90% screen-to-body ratio.

Never unhinged, at least for the next 10 years

Opening and closing the Magic V2 is all made possible by the all-new titanium hinge that Honor says allows for 400,000 folds in total. That’s 100 times a day over 10 years! The design is seamless and creaseless, marking a huge improvement over its predecessor, the HONOR Magic VS.

Fasten your seat belt: Things are ramping up to wild levels

Now onto the powerhouse of the phone: its premium Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset. You may have noticed that this is last year’s flagship chipset; that’s because the HONOR Magic V2 was first released in China in July 2023 before it hit the global stage at the beginning of 2024. Although it isn’t the latest Gen 3 version, the chipset remains an excellent performer that handles anything you throw at it with rapid speeds and no hiccups.

But here’s where HONOR has taken things to a whole new level. The device boasts a whopping 16GB RAM and 512GB internal storage. And if you get your hands on the Porsche design, storage ramps up to 1TB!

Cameras for all your angles

So, what does the thinnest, slimmest foldable phone offer in the camera department? Get ready to have your mind blown. HONOR has packed the Magic V2 with five cameras, yes, five! Triple cameras on the back and dual 16MP selfie snappers - one on the cover screen and another under the display of the inner screen.

It’s no secret that foldable phones prioritise their high-tech flexible displays over top-notch camera specs. However, HONOR has done an impressive job here, particularly with its 50MP main shooter featuring Optical Image Stabilisation (OIS) and a 20MP telephoto lens offering 2.5x optical and 40x digital zoom. Daytime images are vibrant, colourful, sharp and detailed. The telephoto lens shines, capturing distant objects with clarity and depth, even in low-light environments.

A cool feature to look out for is the HONOR AI Motion Sensing Capture. It allows you to snap selfies hands-free using the three back cameras. With the Magic V2's foldable screen, the cover screen doubles as a convenient viewfinder for the rear snappers, giving you everything you need to shoot that perfect shot without any help from unsuspecting bystanders.

Charging brick included! Yay!

The HONOR Magic V2 rocks an ultra-slim 5000mAh battery, powering up with a blazing-fast 66W wired charge (it doesn’t support wireless charging). But here's the cherry on top for devices shipped to South Africa – HONOR includes the charging brick in the box! No need to splurge separately just to enjoy its full charging potential, a rare treat in today's market. Battery-wise, it's a true workhorse, powering through your day from calls to endless scrolling and YouTube binges. For context, you can stream YouTube videos for a solid three hours on the internal screen and only see a mere 15% drop in power.

So, if there was any doubt that the Honor Magic V2 is the Porsche of 2024’s smartphones, we’re sure it’s squashed by now.

Style. Speed. Sophistication. The Honor Magic V2 is revving up to take its place as one of the most game-changing foldables for 2024, and it’s doing it all with the panache of a Porsche!