HONOR Magic V3 review – Foldable Gets Slimmer, Handier, More Power in it

HONOR’s Magic V3 is a testament to the quick evolution of the foldable smartphone market. With its emphasis on design, performance, and cutting-edge features, the Magic V3 makes a significant debut in the market and presents a compelling choice for anyone keen to dive in the upcoming generation of smartphones. So in this review, we will review and deep dive into what this foldable phone can offer.

Unboxing Contents

Below is the list of the inbox contents

• HONOR Magic V3 Smartphone.
• Casing with built in stand
• Screen protector (applied on both internal and external display)
• USB A to C Display
• SIM Ejector
• HONOR SuperCharge 66w Adaptor
• User Manual/QSG

Design & Aesthetics

The HONOR Magic V3, with its elegant, high-end design, raises the bar for folding smartphones compared to the previous ones that has been launched, including HONOR’s own Magic V2. Because of its premium components and meticulous craftsmanship made from PU leather at the back with special Fiber body material surrounding it and Super Steel Hinge, the phone has a substantial yet opulent feel. Any foldable phone must have a smooth and robust hinge mechanism, which instills confidence in the product’s long-term viability. It’s evident that HONOR put a lot of effort into making the foldable phone as dependable and flawless as possible, leaving little spaces when the phone is closed.

Measuring at just 9.2mm folded and 4.35mm when unfolded, the HONOR Magic V3 again pushing things a level higher with it’s promise of innovating a foldable smartphone that is only measured in millimeters level, which HONOR terms that they had reached the level from Magic V2 itself. Weight wise, it is weighted at a mere 230 grams only, putting it the same level as some of the candy bar smartphones available in the market today, yet it also has IPX8 water resistant up to the depth of 2.5 meters. The outer shell is made of a durable glass and metal combination, with a matte finish that resists fingerprints and adds to its overall elegance.

The HONOR Magic V3 comes in three colors, Mossy Green, Silk Brown and Classic Black, which all of it uses the same material and design to it, which brings in the more darker color tone to it, but still shines on the hinge and the side of the smartphone.

Display & Audio

The phone has a 6.45-inch external LTPO OLED display and a 7.92-inch internal LTPO OLED display, when folded, is the 6.45-inch 402ppi display that make up the HONOR Magic V3 with HONOR Anti-scratch NanoCrystal Shield providing drops and scratch resistance. Offering a sharp resolution and a fast refresh rate of 120 Hz, the external display is ideal for short tasks, notifications, and one-handed use. Viewing is pleasant from edge to edge because to the thin bezel surrounding the external screen with good representation of color display accuracy from both internal and external display.

The internal display, the star of the show, is where the Magic V3 truly shines. When unfolded, the 7.92-inch screen transforms the device into a mini-tablet, ideal for multitasking, gaming, and media consumption. The OLED technology ensures vibrant colors, deep blacks, and excellent contrast, while the 120Hz refresh rate makes interactions feel fluid and responsive wherever you are with brightness that can peaked up to 1600nits and 3840Hz PWM flicker free dimming.

Some of the notable aspects of both screen features include AI Defocus Display which is to reduce eye strain and shortsightness, Eye Comfort, Dynamic Dimming, Vivid Display, Dolby Vision, and HDR10+.

The HONOR Magic V3 features stereo speakers that deliver rich, immersive sound, with clear highs and good bass delivery throughout room size listening environment. Whether you’re listening to music, watching movies, or playing games, the audio experience is pleasant thanks to DTS-X Ultra optimization that is turn on by default and selectable when connected to external audio such as headphones or earbuds, and this is applicable on both wired and Bluetooth connections. The placement of the speakers is well-thought-out, ensuring that the sound isn’t muffled, whether the device is folded or unfolded.

Camera

With a triple camera array on the rear, a front-facing camera on the external display, and another on the internal display, the HONOR Magic V3 has an adaptable camera arrangement. A 50MP wide lens with PDAF and OIS, a 50MP periscope telephoto lens with a 3.5x optical zoom and 100x digital zoom, and a 40MP wide lens sensor make up the rear cameras. With this configuration, the Magic V3 can capture a variety of photographic situations, from intricate close-ups to breathtaking landscapes. The results can be quite impressive in terms of color separation, foreground and background identification, contrast that is mostly balanced and zoom rate that is still be able to clearly see the object and subject. It has a good dynamic range also when tested against day and night shots.

The 20MP selfie camera in the HONOR Magic V3 can take some seriously good clear images out of it, and thanks to the improved camera AI, the phone can identify subjects accurately which is another excellent candidate in taking selfie instantly fast without much the needs of manually touching up your photos after that. As usual, manual touch up modes and beauty mode is there should one wanted to use it.

The redesigned Harcourt Portrait, which debuted on the Honor 200 Pro, is now available on the HONOR Magic V3. It features enhanced quality and the same three filter types, Vibrant, Color, and Classic, each of which imparts a distinct vibe. The user only needs to choose and snap the image; AI and the user’s creativity are combined to replicate the image’s signature look. The modes that have been tried do reflect well, providing you with an additional method of taking portrait photos.

Regarding video recording, you can record in up to 4K at 60 frames per second with the HONOR Magic V3, and up to 4K at 30 frames per second with the front camera. To put it another way, if you wanted to use this phone for vlogging, it’s an excellent option as well because the rear camera has both gyro EIS and OIS, so it can film steadily even when moving. The frame rate is good during our testing, with very few subtle stutters.

Performance & Software

With up to 16GB of RAM + 12GB of Virtual RAM, up to 1TB of internal UFS 4 storage and a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, the Magic V3 offers powerful performance for all workloads. The phone performs well whether you use demanding programs, play games, or multitask. It does comes with a larger Silicon Carbon 5150Mah battery capacity that can last around over a day of moderate usage and in the box it does comes with a 66W HONOR SuperCharge Adaptor, which can recharge quickly from 5% to 80% in less than 45 minutes.

MagicOS 8.0 enhances the foldable experience with its user-friendly interface and features designed specifically for the device’s unique form factor. The system allows for seamless transitions between the external and internal displays and offers robust multitasking capabilities, such as split-screen functionality, making the most of the large internal screen, allowing users to tailor the device to their preferences. Parallel Space is there too, allowing private space to be used securely with two sims support for each space and PC Mode turns the Magic V3 into a full desktop environment by plugging in to a monitor, and with a proper USB C dongle, you can connect it with your keyboard and mouse.

Among some of the highlights that is within HONOR Magic V3 is the new HONOR AI with Google Cloud. This expands into new features such as dual screen AI Face to Face Translation up to 10 language including Malay language, AI HONOR Notes that translates via voice to text, Magic Portal with Circle to do more, allowing intelligent search via Google, and of course, AI Magic Eraser that allows erasure of an object or subject in the picture.

Benchmarks

For those who are curious, here are the benchmarks and no surprises there, and it is within expectation when compared with some of the available phones with the respective SOC.

Technical Specifications

Verdict & Conclusion

With its improved design, upgraded performance compared to the previous generation, and adapted camera setup from the HONOR Magic6 Pro, the HONOR Magic V3 pushes itself up a notch in the foldable smartphone realm. It stands out from rivals with its almost unnoticeable crease in the display and huge, immersive screen, and it fulfills the needs of contemporary consumers with its camera standing strong alongside top flagship phones, long battery life and quick charging capabilities.

While foldable phones are relatively growing in popularity, it seems that foldable smartphones like the Magic V3 are a strong candidate should one wanted to switch over to this one and experience a candy bar size foldable phone. For those interested in exploring the future of smartphones, tech buffs and enthusiasts, this device is a great option because it combines innovation with practicality and productivity in a single phone.

The HONOR Magic V3 is now available nationwide at RM6999

For more information on the HONOR Magic V3, Click here to find out more