HONOR Magic V5 reviewed: The foldable that finally gets it right

Foldables have always sounded amazing, but in reality they’ve often been too chunky, fragile, or just not practical for daily life. However, after unboxing and spending some time with the Magic V5, it genuinely feels like HONOR has cracked the code. This isn’t just another cool-looking gadget — it’s a foldable that finally feels ready for the real world.

Unboxing – Premium vibes right out of the box

The HONOR Magic V5 arrives in a sleek, dark-gray box that instantly feels flagship. Inside, everything is neatly arranged, the phone itself, a protective case, charger, and the usual accessories.

But the real surprise comes the moment you pick it up: this thing is unbelievably thin. At just 8.8mm when folded, it feels closer to a regular phone than the chunky foldables we’ve been used to.

Slim, stylish, and surprisingly practical

HONOR Magic V5 comes in four colours, Dawn Gold, Ivory White, Reddish Brown, and Black. All of them look classy, but Dawn Gold especially has this shine that shifts under light.

When unfolded, the phone is just 4.1mm thin. That’s slimmer than most regular smartphones, and it makes a huge difference in daily use. For the first time, a foldable doesn’t feel like carrying two phones glued together.

The hinge deserves a mention too, it’s smooth, solid, and rated for 500,000 folds.

Durability: Built for real-world use

Durability is usually where foldables make me nervous, but the Magic V5 has been surprisingly reassuring. With IP58 and IP59 ratings, I didn’t feel like I had to baby it around dust or the occasional splash of water. That’s rare for any smartphone, and almost unheard of for a foldable.

The screen is also reinforced with HONOR’s NanoCrystal Shield, which they claim is 15x more scratch-resistant than regular glass. In daily use, that extra peace of mind really matters, you don’t feel like you’re carrying around something fragile.

HONOR even had the Magic V5 set a Guinness World Record by lifting 104kg while suspended by its hinge. Sure, you’ll never use it like that, but it shows how confident HONOR is in the engineering behind this device.

AI features – Smarter help with the Magic Sidebar

One of the standout AI features on the Magic V5 is the Magic Sidebar, and it’s honestly more useful than I expected. Instead of just being another gimmick, it actually learns what you’re doing and offers the right tools at the right time.

While I was reading, it popped up with an instant AI summary of the text, super handy when you just want the key points. Watching videos? It suggested AI subtitles. Writing an email, it offered to polish my wording through the AI Writing. And during a video call, it even flagged the option for AI deepfake detection, which adds a layer of security.

You don’t have to dig through menus or constantly jump between apps, the Magic Sidebar just shows the suggested tools when you need it, almost like a quiet assistant working in the background.

Google Gemini: A personal AI that’s actually useful

The HONOR Magic V5 comes with Google Gemini built in, and it quickly became one of my favorite tools on the phone. It really helps with day-to-day stuff. I used it for drafting quick notes, organising a to-do list, and even bouncing around ideas when I was stuck. It feels less like talking to a search engine and more like having a personal assistant that actually understands context.

HONOR has also made accessing Gemini effortless with a clever feature called “Tap Tap.” Just double-tap the back of the phone and Gemini pops up instantly. No swiping, no digging through apps — just a quick gesture and you’re right in. It’s one of those small touches that makes you actually want to use AI regularly because it’s always right there when you need it.

Display excellence: Two screens, one seamless experience

Moving to the display, HONOR Magic V5 gives you the best of both worlds with a 6.43-inch cover screen and a 7.95-inch folding display. The outer screen feels just like using a regular smartphone, great for quick tasks like checking messages, snapping a photo, or navigating on the go. It’s roomy enough for comfortable one-handed use without feeling cramped.

Open it up, the 7.95-inch internal display instantly transforms the phone into a mini tablet — perfect for multitasking, streaming, or gaming. Both screens hit up to 5000 nits HDR brightness, so visibility outdoors isn’t an issue, and colours stay consistent whether you’re on the outer or inner display.

Camera performance: Redefining mobile photography

The AI Falcon Camera System represents a significant step forward for foldable photography. Led by a 64MP Ultra Sensing Periscope Telephoto Camera, the system delivers 3x optical zoom and up to 100x digital zoom - impressive specifications that translate to real-world photographic versatility.

The main sensor captures sharp, well-balanced images with excellent dynamic range, while the periscope telephoto excels at bringing distant subjects closer without significant quality degradation.

The foldable form factor adds unique photographic possibilities - the device can be positioned at various angles for creative shots, and the large internal display serves as an excellent viewfinder for group photos and selfies.

Performance: Flagship power meets innovative design

The device is equipped with the Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, delivering PC-class performance in the palm of your hand. In practical terms, this translates to seamless multitasking across both displays, smooth gaming performance, and responsive AI-powered features.

During testing, demanding applications ran smoothly across both displays, with the device handling multiple apps simultaneously without noticeable performance loss. Gaming on the expansive internal display feels immersive, while the powerful processor ensures consistent frame rates even in graphically intensive titles.

Battery life: Finally, all-day power in a foldable

Perhaps the Magic V5’s most impressive achievement is solving the battery life equation that has plagued foldables since their inception. The 5820mAh silicon-carbon battery represents the largest capacity ever implemented in a foldable smartphone, yet HONOR has achieved this while making the device thinner than its predecessors.

During real-world testing, HONOR Magic V5 consistently delivered full-day performance even with heavy multitasking across both displays. The 15% higher silicon content in the battery technology translates to tangible improvements in both capacity and thickness of the foldable. The 66W wired and 50W wireless SuperCharge capabilities mean quick top-ups during the day, with the device reaching 50% charge in minutes.

After spending time with the HONOR Magic V5, it’s clear this isn’t just a flashy concept device, it’s a foldable designed to fit into real life. It’s slim enough to carry like a regular phone, tough enough, and powerful enough to handle anything from work to play.

Availability and pricing

The HONOR Magic V5 is available in four elegant color variants: Dawn Gold, Ivory White, Reddish Brown, and Black. In the UAE, it is priced at Dh6,499, with customers receiving free gifts worth Dh3,396, including a Bose Revolve+ Bluetooth Speaker, the HONOR Magic Pen, an extra HONOR case, and HONOR VIP Care with 12-month screen protection.

Consumers can purchase from HONOR Online Store, HONOR Experience Store, Sharaf DG, Emax, Jumbo, Lulu, Carrefour, Eros, Etisalat by e&, Du, Virgin Megastore, Amazon, noon, KM Trading, Ecity and other rerail stores.