HONOR Magic V3 Review: The Thinnest, Lightest and Strongest Foldable with Next Level Features

As quickly as the foldable smartphone segment exploded with innovation and never-before-seen features, it also stagnated with very few smartphones offering a complete package that not only makes use of the foldable screen, but offers the power, AI capabilities and sophisticated hardware to make use of a brand-new form factor. As such, the HONOR Magic V3 emerges as nothing short of a groundbreaking innovation that aims – and achieves – what the next step in foldable smartphones will be like.

As the thinnest foldable phone globally, the HONOR Magic V3 not only challenges the limits of mobile design but also sets a new standard for what foldable devices can achieve. Incredibly, this is married with some of the best hardware available in the market, including a fantastic high refresh rate OLED screen, the latest of the Snapdragon chipset, powerful AI-powered cameras, ultra-large battery with super-fast charging, useful on-chip AI features, and a truly innovative design that is both aesthetically gorgeous as well as hardened to withstand even the most roughest conditions.

Thin, Light and Surprisingly Tough

When you first hold the HONOR Magic V3, the immediate impression is one of disbelief. The smartphone’s slim profile, just 9.2mm when folded and 4.35mm when open, almost feels impossible, especially considering that the phone is already slimmer – when folded, even! – to other flagship bar phones. This, along with an impressive lightweight build of just 226g, makes the phone so remarkably easy to carry around when you are and about, watching media or doing work. It can also easily fit into your backpack or pockets without taking much space, which enhances its portability further.

What’s even more impressive is how robust the overall build feels, especially for a phone that’s so light and thin. Despite its delicate appearance, the HONOR Magic V3 is built to withstand even the roughest conditions.

For one, the internal screen is coated with something called the Super Armored Inner Screen, which features impact-resistant silicone gel to protect it from accidental bumps and drops, while the HONOR’s anti-scratch NanoCrystal Shield further adds to the phone’s resilience, so you can be rest assured that the screen won’t pick up micro-scratches and dents from everyday use, or during that one time you mistakenly placed the phone in the same pocket as your keys. It happens to the best of us.

The implementation of the HONOR Super Steel Hinge also impressed me during a particularly long week of meetings, researching and taking notes. Constantly folding and unfolding the device to switch between presentations, attending video calls, and multi-tasking different sets of research projects was smooth and reassuring, with no signs of wear. Even after a few days of daily use, the screen showed no signs of creasing, and with how durable the phone feels, I feel like this won’t be an issue for a long time with the device.

Immersive OLED Displays

The HONOR Magic V3 boasts impressive internal and external displays, both of which have 100% DCI-P3 color gamut, 1.07 billion colors range and 120Hz refresh rate OLED panels. The external display measures 6.43 inches with a 21:9 aspect ratio and a 91.1% screen-to-body ratio, while the internal display expands to 7.92 inches, transforming the phone into a mini tablet.

As I used the HONOR Magic V3 as my daily driver, I have adopted it as my go-to for streaming my favorite shows on the go, or even watching YouTube content. The OLED panels are expectedly fantastic, providing vibrant colors, punchy visuals and deep blacks. I was also able to enjoy HDR content from streaming platforms like Netflix, Disney+ and Prime Video, thanks to the screen’s 5,000 nits of peak HDR brightness, which not only helps the colors pop during watching movies, or even playing games, but also helps make the device extremely visible under direct sunlight. So, while you are using the HONOR Magic V3 indoors for media consumption, or outdoors shooting videos or lining up the perfect shot, the smartphone will be more than capable to display crystal clear image quality, so you are never left fumbling around.

Multitasking is a breeze with all that screen real estate. I often find myself splitting the screen between a document I am editing and a video call with a colleague, or even websites to aid my research.

As someone who spends hours staring at screens, I was particularly interested in the plethora of eyecare features implemented with the HONOR Magic V3. The AI Defocus Display along with the Dynamic Dimming has been a game-changer for me. I noticed a significant reduction in eye strain during extended reading sessions, especially when catching up on news or browsing articles before bed. The 4320Hz Risk-Free PWM Dimming is another standout, virtually eliminating the flicker that often leaves my eyes feeling tired after a long day of work.

AI-Powered HONOR Falcon Camera System is Awesome

The HONOR Magic V3’s camera system has quickly become my go-to for both spontaneous and planned photography. HONOR seems to always be one step ahead than everyone else when it comes to photography, and the Magic V3 is a testament to that which combines intelligent AI features and sophisticated hardware to deliver stunning results across a variety of shoot scenarios.

To put it through its phases, I took the smartphone out for a night walk around my neighborhood. The camera instantly adapted to the dim streetlights, producing sharp, clear photos that didn’t suffer from the usual noise and graininess you get in low-light conditions. Even during daylight, whether I was capturing the beauty of city parks or the bustling energy of shoppers in malls, the main camera consistently delivered balanced, detailed shots.

The 50MP Periscope Telephoto camera is just as impressive, offering a 1/2.51 inch sensor, 3.5x optical zoom and 100x digital zoom. This lens has honestly transformed the way I capture distant subjects, making far-off scenes and details accessible without compromising image quality.

For when I wanted wider shots, the 40MP ultra-wide camera came into excellent use. The 112-degree field of view opens up a world of creative possibilities for photographers, allowing them to capture expansive scenes and dramatic perspectives that standard lenses simply can’t match. So, whether it be capturing sweeping panorama of the seascape, or the vastness of the landscape atop a mountain, the HONOR Magic V3 fits all of it into a single frame, without any noticeable warping or distortion. Even on a basic level, the large field of view also came in handy for group photos during a family gathering, allowing everyone to fit into the shot without someone having to step back too far.

Photography is consistently aided by AI, which enhances every aspect of the photo-taking experience. One standout feature is the AI Motion Sensing, which I put to test during family gatherings. For example, trying to capture my nephew’s hockey game could have been a blurry mess, but the HONOR Magic V3 excelled, automatically adjusting settings to freeze the action in surprisingly crisp detail.

There is also the AI Portrait Engine allows you to capture portrait shots with studio-like lighting, focus, and background effects.

Another practical AI feature is the AI Eraser, which allows users to remove unwanted elements from photos post-shot, such as people, text, objects and more. For example, during a trip to a crowded marketplace, I took a picture of an old building, only to realize that several people were unintentionally in the frame. A quick use of the AI Eraser removed the distractions, leaving behind a clean shot of the architecture (it was also able to remove some of the stains around the foot of the building, giving me a pristine looking image!).

A Gaming Powerhouse

Powering the HONOR Magic V3 is the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, it delivers superior performance for all kinds of multitasking needs, including gaming.

One of my favorite games to play on the HONOR Magic V3 is Call of Duty: Mobile. The high-intensity gameplay demands quick reactions and precise controls, and the Magic V3 delivers on both fronts. The 120Hz refresh rate of the display makes every movement feel incredibly smooth, giving me an edge in fast-paced firefights. The phone’s responsiveness is top-notch, too – I never experienced lag, even during the most intense battles.

Even in terms of sheer performance, the HONOR Magic V3 is an absolute beast. Games like PUBG and Zenless Zone Zero can easily post 120fps+ at the highest resolution and visual fidelity, whereas we noticed that Fortnite ran significantly better at around 70fps at max settings compared to the competitors’ paltry 45fps.

If you want to take your gaming experience to the next level, the HONOR Magic V3 should be compatible with most mobile game controllers, which can be used with either the external or the internal screen for console-like gaming experience. The smartphone weighs only 226g, which makes it easy to hold for longer sessions without fatigue setting in.

What’s most impressive about the HONOR Magic V3 when it comes to gaming is how cool it remains even when its clocking high frame rates in games for long sessions. While many smartphones are able to provide good gaming performance, sustaining it through a two-three-hour session always remains a problem as the cooling starts to give in and the system has to throttle to maintain ideal temperature so as to not damage the device. No such problem with the HONOR Magic V3, however. This is because it uses an innovative titanium vapor chamber that provides superior passive cooling thanks to its slim design and increased heat dissipation area, which keeps the phone ticking at high performance at all times without getting uncomfortable to hold or throttle itself.

However, all of this power would not be for nothing if it were not backed by a battery that could power through intense tasks and still have enough juice left in the tank for all-day use. The HONOR Magic V3 uses the company’s ultra-large third-generation HONOR Silicon-carbon 5,150mAh battery that has been fine-tuned and perfectly calibrated for exceptional battery life.

It also supports HONOR SuperCharge for both wired and wireless charging. With the 66W wired charger, the smartphone can be recharged to 100% in merely 45 minutes, ensuring continuous workflow without being tethered to a wire for a long time.

Smarter UI with AI Powered by Google Cloud

The HONOR Magic V3 runs on MagicOS 8.0.1, based on Android 14, which integrates advanced AI features and an intuitive UI that aims to enhance navigation, productivity and personalization.

The Magic Portal feature, for example, has made multitasking more intuitive. While planning a recent trip, I could effortlessly compare flights and hotels side by side, without the hassle of switching between apps, and it seems to suggest relevant apps whenever I launch the multitasking option.

What’s more, Magic Portal supports a variety of apps for split-screen use, including apps across Google, Microsoft, Meta, social media, ride hailing apps, instant messengers like Whatsapp and Facebook, and even Youtube. The AI-powered Smarter UI, on the other hand, streamlines my home screen, intelligently organizing apps based on my usage and frequency patterns, making navigation smoother, quicker and more personalized.

The HONOR Magic V3’s Parallel Space feature has been particularly useful in managing my work-life balance. I have set up separate spaces for my professional and personal apps, allowing me to focus on work during office hours and unwind without distractions after. Even running both spaces simultaneously, the phone handled everything without a hitch, proving its worth as a productivity powerhouse.

Magic Capsule has been a subtle yet effective addition, which shows relevant information about specific apps by using the camera cutout in the front. While cooking dinner, I set a timer and closed the app, only to have the countdown continue on the small capsule on the display. This little touch meant I could keep an eye on the time while following a recipe on the main screen without any disruption. Similarly, while listening to music on my commute, the capsule lets me control playback without having to switch apps, making the experience more fluid.

However, the best app that proved invaluable for my work was HONOR Notes. The AI voice recognition accurately transcribed my notes, even in a noisy conference room, saving me time on manual entry and reducing errors (it also had no problems in understanding my accent, which was a plus!). HONOR Notes also features translation capabilities, powered by Google Cloud, allowing the user to easily translate any text or voice input using AI that has been trained with multiple languages.

The Face to Face Translation app is another app that proved to be quite valuable. While it’s still nascent, it proved its worth when I had to speak to a non-English speaking person. The live translation allowed me to have a smooth conversation with them, bridging the language gap effortlessly.

If you are in the market for a foldable device that does everything and does it really well, the choice is quite obvious.