Honor Magic V Flip challenges Samsung with a dreamy cover screen and AI
What you need to know
Honor has launched its Magic V Flip clamshell foldable phone with a 4-inch cover display and a 6.8-inch internal screen.
The device offers a dual camera array, consisting of a 50MP primary lens and a 12MP ultrawide lens with a few AI perks.
The Magic V Flip features a 4,800mAh battery with 66W super fast charging support and the Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 SoC.
The device is available for pre-orders in China for 4,999 yuan (~$689) and 5,999 yuan (~$827) for its 12/256GB and 12/512GB options.
Honor's clamshell phone is finally here as the Chinese company looks to enter direct competition with Samsung.
As noted by CNBC, the Honor Magic V Flip is a China-exclusive device for now, but that may change as others in its portfolio have arrived internationally. More importantly, Honor details in its press release that the Magic V Flip's standout feature is its 4-inch cover display. The company has also positioned its camera lens cutouts on the left side of the screen, intending to make an easy, one-handed phone when closed.
With a 1200x1092 resolution, the Magic V Flip's LTPO cover display can reach a maximum, fluid 120Hz refresh rate. Honor states it's implemented its eye protection technology on the display to help with consumers' eye health.
Users will have access to around 40 apps on the cover display, including some for games, videos, music, chats, and navigation. Such content will be shown on the right of the camera cutouts, with the left side remaining exclusive for the time and other notifications.
Internally, rocking a 2520x1080 resolution is a 6.8-inch display, equipped with HDR display enhancement technology. Honor adds that the phone's display when unfolded features 3840Hz ultra-high frequency PWM dimming for extra eye health protection. The Magic V Flip weighs around 193 grams and is 7.15mm when unfolded and 14.89mm when closed.
This makes it slightly thinner than the Galaxy Z Flip 5 and the Motorola Razr Plus (2023).
The cameras, modeled after raindrop ripples, deliver a 50MP Sony IMX906 primary lens with OIS (optical image stabilization) and a 12MP ultrawide array. Honor states its ultrawide lens supports its AI software's automatic recommendation and super macro switching to capture close and far away objects.
The front-facing selfie camera comes in at 50MP with AF (autofocus).
Considering its form factor, the Magic V Flip lets users bend it 90 degrees for selfie-taking. The post states users can leverage 4K time-lapse photography and its dual-screen preview.
Unpacking the device highlights Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 SoC. The company states Qualcomm's chip is strengthened by its in-house RF-enhanced C1 Plus. Honor's variant boosts the Magic V Flip's performance and "communication capabilities." Elsewhere, the phone offers a 4,800mAh capacity with 66W charging support.
The Honor Magic V Flip has started accepting pre-orders today (June 13) in China before it hits the market on June 21. The device is available in two RAM/storage variants: 12/256GB and 12/512GB, priced at 4,999 yuan (~$689) and 5,999 yuan (~$827), respectively. Consumers in China will find the device in Camellia White, Champagne Pink, and Iris Black colorways.
A Magic V Flip "premium" edition also switches its color choice for a jade aesthetic. Honor states this version offers 16GB RAM and 1TB of storage for 6,999 yuan (~$965).
