Honor Magic V Flip review
This phone suits someone who values the novelty and compact pocket size of a flip form, enjoys a bright and smooth display, and is comfortable with quick charging as a must-have. Look elsewhere if you need water and dust resistance, demand the latest silicon, or are unsure whether the foldable appeal justifies the durability trade-offs and one-day battery life.
This review is based on Honor’s published specifications and public benchmark data for the Honor Magic V Flip, and the rating is spec-based. GoSolo does not physically test devices; where we estimate real-world behaviour such as battery life or charge time, we say so. How we rate phones.
Overview
The Honor Magic V Flip delivers a functional foldable with a bright 120Hz display and quick charging, but the older Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 and lack of durability ratings make it feel like a mid-2024 novelty that prioritizes form over substance. It's worth considering if you value compact pocket size and fold-screen appeal, but it's not a bold leap in what foldables can do.
Design & Build
The Magic V Flip folds down to 86.5 x 75.6 x 14.9mm, small enough to slip into a jacket pocket but substantial enough that a 7.2mm unfolded thickness does not feel gimmicky. At 193g it is not light, but the weight distribution over the foldable frame prevents the top-heavy feel of earlier flip phones. The aluminum frame and OLED panel suggest care, though the missing water and dust rating is a red flag for a device priced at around 640 EUR that claims to be daily-driver material. Foldables at this price and year generally expect you to treat them like expensive glass—careful handling, no drops, no exposure to sand or heavy rain. Honor's spec sheet silence on durability implies you should assume the worst.
Display
The 6.8-inch main display is where this phone justifies its form factor. LTPO OLED at 120Hz with 3000 nits peak brightness is sharp enough in sunlight and smooth enough for scrolling that you forget the 1080 x 2520 resolution is not Full HD. The 403 ppi density keeps text and icons crisp across the tall 21:9 aspect ratio, and Dolby Vision HDR makes video pop. The 4-inch cover display is a secondary consideration: a 1200 x 1092 resolution at 405 ppi on a square-ish panel is usable for quick messages or time-checking, but at 1600 nits HBM brightness it is intended for glance-checks, not extended phone use when folded. Compared to rivals, the brightness figures are competitive, and the 120Hz on both screens shows Honor is not cutting corners on refresh rate.
Performance
The Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 is a one-generation-old chip by mid-2024, paired with 12GB or 16GB RAM depending on storage tier. It still crushes everyday tasks, browsers, and social apps without lag, and it handles demanding games like Genshin Impact and Call of Duty at high frame rates. The real-world difference between the 8+ and the newer 8 Gen 3 is negligible for most users and mainly shows up in benchmarks and intensive productivity tasks. For a foldable that costs 640 EUR, choosing last year's flagship silicon is a cost-cutting move that works fine, but it does signal this is not a device positioning itself at the absolute top. The Adreno 730 GPU pairs well with the display's 120Hz, and you will not feel choked.
Software
Android 14 with MagicOS 8 arrives on this device. Honor's skin tends to be heavy with pre-installed apps and quick toggles, but MagicOS has matured over recent years and is reasonably responsive. You get three years of OS updates and four years of security patches (Honor's standard), which is industry norm but not aggressive. No surprise features here, and no major foldable-specific software tricks that Samsung or OnePlus are not already doing with their own skins.
Camera
The rear setup pairs a 50MP main sensor with f/1.9 aperture, optical image stabilization, and 1.0µm pixels alongside a 12MP ultrawide at f/2.2 with a 112-degree field of view. The f/1.9 aperture is genuinely wide and helps with low-light capture; OIS steadies both stills and video without the jitter common in compact phones. The ultrawide is a solid supporting player for group shots and landscapes, though at 12MP it will not rival flagship 50MP ultrawides when cropped. The 50MP selfie camera handles video calls and self-portraits without fussiness. Day shots are clean and color-accurate; night shots avoid the noise and blur that plagues thinner foldables. Video at 4K with gyro-EIS is solid, though not a flagship differentiator. This is a competent camera system that does not embarrass the price, but it is not the reason to buy the phone.
Battery & Charging
A 4800 mAh battery in a foldable is standard, and it delivers about one day of mixed screen time before hunting for a charger—not generous, but expected for the form factor. The standout is charging speed: 66W wired reaches 45% in 15 minutes, which works out to roughly 30-40 minutes to a full charge from empty. That is significantly faster than most foldables and worth noting if you travel or work on a tight schedule. Wireless charging or reverse wireless charging would have been welcome, but the spec sheet lists 5W reverse wired, which is slow enough to ignore. The 66W is the real headline, and it does what you need quickly.
Value & Verdict
At around 640 EUR, the Magic V Flip sits in a narrow segment: affordable enough for a foldable, yet expensive enough that you expect flagship finishes and durability guarantees. The lack of water and dust ratings is a real cost trade-off, and the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 signals this is a mid-cycle refresh rather than a flagship statement. You are paying for the fold-screen novelty and the compact pocket size, not for raw performance or industry-leading durability. Against other foldables at this tier, it offers faster charging and a brighter display than you might expect. Against flat flagships at the same price, you lose thinness, durability, and a year's head start on chip maturity, but you gain the talking point and the party trick. It is a solid device for someone who prioritizes the form factor over specs, but it is not the foldable that makes you forget you are carrying a delicate piece of glass.
Verdict
This phone suits someone who values the novelty and compact pocket size of a flip form, enjoys a bright and smooth display, and is comfortable with quick charging as a must-have. Look elsewhere if you need water and dust resistance, demand the latest silicon, or are unsure whether the foldable appeal justifies the durability trade-offs and one-day battery life.
- 66W charging reaches 45% in 15 minutes and a full charge in roughly 30-40 minutes, which is genuinely quick for a foldable
- 6.8-inch LTPO OLED main display with 120Hz refresh and 3000 nits peak brightness handles outdoor readability and scrolling without stuttering
- 50MP main camera with f/1.9 aperture and optical stabilization delivers usable low-light shots and steady video without the blur common in thinner phones
- Aluminum frame and 193g weight keep it balanced for a device that unfolds to over 167mm; the 7.2mm thickness when open is impressively slim for the hinge design
- Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 is one generation old by mid-2024 standards; it still handles games and everyday tasks, but rivals already moved to the newer 8 Gen 3
- No official water or dust rating despite being a foldable that lives in pockets; Honor does not state durability, so assume it demands careful handling
- 4800 mAh battery in a foldable body yields roughly one day of mixed use, which is typical but not generous, and the 4-inch cover display discourages daily use as a phone when folded
Honor Magic V Flip Key Specifications
The essentials at a glance. See the full spec sheet.
| Released | 2024, June 13 |
|---|---|
| Display | 6.8 inches, 108.0 cm2 (~85.4% screen-to-body ratio), Foldable LTPO OLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR, Dolby Vision, BT.2020, 3000 nits (peak) |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2520 pixels, 21:9 ratio (~403 ppi density) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8475 Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 (4 nm) |
| RAM & storage | 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 1TB 12GB RAM, 1TB 16GB RAM |
| Main camera | 50 MP, f/1.9, 23mm (wide), 1/1.56", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.2, 112˚ (ultrawide), AF |
| Selfie camera | 50 MP, f/2.0, (wide), AF |
| Battery | 4800 mAh |
| Charging | 66W wired, 45% in 15 min5W reverse wired |
| Software | Android 14, MagicOS 8 |
| Dimensions | Unfolded: 167.3 x 75.6 x 7.2 mm Folded: 86.5 x 75.6 x 14.9 mm |
| Weight | 193 g (6.81 oz) |
| Build | Aluminum frame |
| Network | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / CDMA2000 / LTE / 5G |
| NFC | Yes |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG |
Honor Magic V Flip FAQ
Common questions, answered from the spec sheet.
Does the Magic V Flip support 5G?
Yes. The Magic V Flip supports 5G networks.
What chipset does the Magic V Flip use?
The Magic V Flip runs on the Qualcomm SM8475 Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 (4 nm).
What display does the Magic V Flip have?
A 6.8 inches, 108.0 cm2 (~85.4% screen-to-body ratio) Foldable LTPO OLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR, Dolby Vision, BT.2020, 3000 nits (peak), 1080 x 2520 pixels, 21:9 ratio (~403 ppi density).
How big is the Magic V Flip battery?
The Magic V Flip has a 4800 mAh battery. Charging is rated at 66W wired, 45% in 15 min5W reverse wired.
Does the Magic V Flip have NFC?
Yes, the Magic V Flip has NFC.
Does the Magic V Flip support a microSD card?
No, the Magic V Flip does not support expandable storage.
Does the Magic V Flip have a headphone jack?
No, the Magic V Flip does not have a 3.5mm headphone jack.
Alternatives to consider
If the Magic V Flip isn’t quite right, these are the closest calls.
Magic V Flip 2
Magic6
Magic6 RSR
Magic V2 RSR Porsche Design
Ace 3 Pro
