Review of the Honor Magic5 Pro

Introduction :

Another amazing premium cameraphone to hit international markets is the Honor Magic5 Pro. It will be known for its distinctive style, first-rate hardware package, and intriguing camera package. Additionally, it’s a former Huawei gadget with access to both 5G networks and the full Google suite.

Honor split from Huawei in 2020, and since then, it has introduced a number of devices free of the US sanctions that were placed on Huawei. For those looking for a smartphone without restrictions that is similar to the Huawei P or Mate, the flagship Magic series has always been a fantastic option. And the new Magic5 Pro most accurately fits that description.

With better camera specifications, a brighter display, the most recent Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, and a bigger battery, the Honor Magic5 Pro improves on the Honor Magic4 Pro (and Huawei Mate 50 Pro).

A sizable 6.81-inch HDR10+ OLED screen with a dynamic 120Hz refresh rate and 1312p resolution is present. It has a promising 12MP camera with a 3D ToF system inside the pill-shaped cutout, is covered by curved glass, and is shielded by that. There is also an optical fingerprint reader under the screen if Face ID unlock is not your thing.

Details of the Honor Magic5 Pro in a glance :

• Body: 162.9×76.7×8.8mm, 219g; Glass front, glass back or eco leather back; IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min).
• Display: 6.81″ LTPO OLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1800 nits (peak), 1312x2848px resolution, 19.54:9 aspect ratio, 460ppi.
• Chipset: Qualcomm SM8550-AB Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm): Octa-core (1×3.2 GHz Cortex-X3 & 2×2.8 GHz Cortex-A715 & 2×2.8 GHz Cortex-A710 & 3×2.0 GHz Cortex-A510); Adreno 740.
• Memory: 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM; UFS 4.0.
• OS/Software: Android 13, MagicOS 7.1.
• Rear camera: Wide (main): 50 MP, f/1.6, 23mm, 1/1.12″ 1.4µm, multi-directional PDAF, Laser AF, OIS; Telephoto: 50 MP, f/3.0, 90mm, PDAF, OIS, 3.5x optical zoom; Ultra wide angle: 50 MP, f/2.0, 13mm, 122˚, 1/2.5″, AF; Depth: TOF 3D.
• Front camera: Wide (main): 12 MP, f/2.4, 100˚, 1.22µm; Depth: TOF 3D.
• Video capture: Rear camera: [email protected]/60fps, [email protected]/60fps, gyro-EIS, HDR10, 10-bit video; Front camera: [email protected], [email protected].
• Battery: 5100mAh; 66W wired, 50W wireless, Reverse wireless, 5W reverse wired.
• Misc: Fingerprint reader (under display, optical); Infrared port; stereo speakers.

Design :

The dual-glass, curved Honor Magic5 Pro is evocative of the Magic4 Pro and shares features like the pill-shaped display cutout and the circular camera island on the back. Like the prior phone, this one has an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance.

The Meadow Green (our hue) and Black colors of the Macig5 Pro’s global model are both available, and both have glass panels on both ends. A variant with an orange eco leather back is also available, but it’s only available in China.

The global model of the Macig5 Pro is offered in two hues: Meadow Green (our hue), and Black. Both colors have glass panels on both ends. There is also a version with an orange green leather back, but it is only sold in China.

Due to the matt layer on the rear panel, it feels more like plastic than glass. This is fine, but the panel is entirely fingerprint and smudge resistant, which is excellent news. Just be aware that the hold won’t be very strong.

Although we must confess the Meadow Green Magic5 Pro appears stunning with its unique paint job and the matching shiny frame, the glossy metal frame is not improving the grip either. Even though there isn’t much grip (unless you use a case), the Magic5 Pro has a fashionable, recognizable, and likeable appearance.

Let’s now examine the Honor Magic5 Pro in more detail.

The 6.81-inch OLED screen with narrow, even bezels dominates the front. The 12MP selfie camera and the ToF 3D system for face scanning are visible through a pill-shaped cutout on the upper left corner of the device.

Although the protective glass is curved, particularly along its left and right sides, the OLED screen is flat as usual underneath.

At the bottom of the screen, in the middle, is a fingerprint scanner hidden beneath the display. It is incredibly quick, dependable, and convenient.

The matte back panel is quite the feast; it has a protruding camera housing that resembles a volcano and terminates in a flat glass surface encircled by a metal ring. The 50MP periscope zoom, 50MP main, and 50MP ultrawide cameras are all visible here. A single-LED flash, a multi-spectrum color sensor, a flicker sensor, a microphone, and another ToF 3D system for distance mapping and autofocus support are also present.

Because of the size of the camera island and the support it offers, even though the phone can never lie flat on a surface, it won’t sway.

Another speaker grille is located at the top of the phone, as was previously stated. The IR blaster and another microphone are also visible here.

On this Honor’s left side, nothing is present.

On the right, there are buttons for volume and power/lock.

The standalone antenna architecture, which Honor claims to be an industry first, is one item you cannot see but should benefit from. To resolve mutual interference, increase speeds, and decrease latency of both types of connections, the phone has distinct antennas for Bluetooth and Wi-Fi placed around various parts of the phone.

The Honor Magic5 Pro weights 219 grams and has dimensions of 162.9 x 76.7 x 8.8 mm. The footprint of the newer model is comparable to that of the Magic4 Pro, but it weighs 10g more.

Despite being a big smartphone, the Honor Magic5 Pro has an overall curvature that makes it appear and feel smaller. Even though the grip could be better, it provides a pleasant experience without a case. However, a case is required if you do intend to take a lot of pictures and videos.

Display :

The 6.81-inch LTPO OLED screen on the Honor Magic5 Pro has a high resolution, 10-bit color depth, 120Hz dynamic refresh rate, and compatibility for HDR10+. With the pill-shaped cutout and the curved protective glass present, the display resembles that of the Honor Magic4 Pro, but it should be much livelier.

The OLED panel’s real resolution, measured in pixels per inch (ppi), is 1312 x 2848. It can show more than a billion colors because it has a 10-bit color depth.

Additionally, Honor enhanced and increased the high-frequency PWM lighting system to 2,160Hz. (up from 1,920Hz). With a luminance of under 100 nits, the experience should be even better and there shouldn’t be any ghosting.

The brightness of the panel is the only significant improvement over the Honor Magic4 Pro panel; it can show HDR content at up to 1,800 nits while maintaining a maximum global brightness of 1,300 nits. The previous display’s maximum brightness was “just” 1,000 nits.

Refresh rate :

Depending on the content, the LTPO display should support an extremely dynamic refresh rate control ranging from 1Hz up to 120Hz. The refresh rate can be adjusted to Dynamic (smart switch), High (up to 120Hz), Medium (up to 90Hz), and Standard (standard). (60Hz).

Within MagicUI’s Developer Options, there is no built-in refresh rate gauge. We could only use a bespoke frame rate indicator, which is less trustworthy. We can affirm that the refresh rate modes’ maximum limits of 60Hz, 90Hz, and 120Hz apply, and that many apps frequently use the Dynamic mode’s 60Hz UI and 90Hz UI/menus. Every setting is dynamic and switches to the lowest refresh rate when a static image is being shown.

Keep in mind that the refresh rate is dependent on the brightness level, with the screen using the highest refresh possible in low light. That is most likely caused by the 2,160Hz PWM dimming, which begins to operate when the luminance falls below about 100 nits.

Battery Power :

A big 5,100mAh battery, up from 4,600mAh on the Honor Magic4 Pro, powers the Honor Magic5 Pro. The phone uses the most recent flagship Snapdragon processor, version 8 Gen 2, which is faster and more effective than version 8 Gen 1 found in the Honor Magic4 Pro. Hopefully, these upgrades will extend the new Magic5 Pro’s battery life.

And they do, in fact! On our battery life test, the Honor Magic5 Pro received a fantastic toral endurance grade of 109 hours. It performed superbly in each of the three test scenarios—calls, online browsing, and video—and demonstrated significant advancements over its forerunner.

Charging Speed :

Both 66W rapid wired charging and 50W fast wireless charging are supported by the Honor Magic5 Pro. Additionally, the phone is compatible with both reverse wireless charging and reverse cable charging. (needs to be enabled from settings).

The 66W charge brick and a suitable USB-A-to-C cable are included with the phone.

You can get a 17% charge from the aforementioned charger in just 5 minutes, which is fairly amazing. On the 15-minute point, we recorded 45% of the charge. An additional 15 minutes will result in a 75% battery charge.

Quality and loudness of the speakers :

Two independent speakers are available and are mounted on the top and bottom of the Honor Magic5 Pro. The upper outlet has two openings: a top opening and a front opening.

The top speaker concentrates on mid-tones and vocals, while the lower speaker is richer with better bass and high frequencies. The speakers are distinct types. However, if you don’t block either of them, the balance is fairly decent.

Our loudness test gave the speakers a Very Good rating, and we would also say that their audio clarity is very good, with excellent vocals, adequate bass, and well-presented high frequencies.

Magic OS 7.1 running on top of Android 13 :

On top of an Android 13 core, the Honor Magic5 Pro uses a custom version of MagicOS 7.1. And unlike Huawei’s software builds, which are in some way constrained, it is a completely functional version of Android 13 that fully supports the Google apps suite.

In an effort to distance itself from its Huawei EMUI origins, Honor has changed the name of its Android overlay from UI to OS with this version. If you’ve used a moderately recent Huawei phone, you’d feel right at home, but there are some differences. A lot has been shared over the years between Magic OS (or UI) and EMUI, and traces of that common past still persist. The Magic Vs is obviously in line with Honor’s most recent non-bendy models, even if they may still be on earlier Magic versions, if and where the two diverge.

Large folders and the card bar, which appears beneath app icons to show that the app supports cards, are also available here. (another name for the in-house widgets).

Speaking of widgets, the Magic OS on the Magic Vs lacks some useful EMUI elements like widget stacking and combined widgets.

You can have the onboard assistant pitch apps that it believes you might be interested in using based on prior experience with a Yoyo suggestions card/widget.

Naturally, you can also choose from a variety of customization choices. You can choose from a variety of designs, Always-on display options, and more. If you’d like, you can also activate an app drawer.

Performance :

The Honor Magic5 Pro makes use of the most recent Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, LPDDR5X RAM, and UFS4.0 storage chips.

An octa-core CPU, also known as a 1+2+2+3 configuration, powers the SD8G2 and has one primary core, four performance cores (2+2), and three efficient cores. This indicates that the CPU has 3×2.0GHz Cortex-A510, 1×3.2GHz Cortex-X3, 2×2.8GHz Cortex-A715 CPU cores, and 2×2.8GHz Cortex-A715 CPU cores.

The Adreno 740 GPU, capable of Ray Tracing, is included in the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset. We’ll have to wait and see if and how that’s applied to real mobile games.

Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.2, NFC, and dual-SIM 5G are all supported by the Macig5 Pro.

While the highest configuration for the global markets should be 12GB RAM + 512GB storage, our unit has 8GB RAM + 256GB storage. A limited-edition 16GB RAM variant is also available.

Two ToF 3D devices and four cameras :

Two ToF 3D devices and four cameras
On the rear of the Honor Magic5 Pro, there are three cameras: a 50MP primary camera, a 50MP ultrawide camera, and a 50MP telephoto camera. An 8×8 dToF laser focusing device for depth mapping and autofocus, a single-LED flash, a flicker sensor, and a multi-spectrum color sensor are also included. (below the white cover next to the yellow LED flash).

A 12MP front camera with a second ToF system for focusing and depth mapping is included in the Magic5 Pro.

A 50MP bespoke 1/1.12″ sensor with 1.4 m pixels is used by the primary camera. It is concealed by a brilliant 23mm f/1.6 OIS stabilized lens. Be aware that, as is frequently the case, the camera app stores cropped images with a 27mm equivalent focal length.

Comparing this main camera to the Magic4 Pro, which had a 1/1.56″ sensor and an f/1.8 aperture, reveals a significant improvement in light-gathering capabilities. And Honor turned on optical image stabilization for the primary camera. (the Magic4 Pro skipped OIS).

The 13mm lens on the 50MP ultra wide-angle (122°) camera has a stronger aperture of f/2.0 as opposed to the f/2.2 on the Magic4 Pro’s UW camera.

A 90mm f/3.0 periscopic stabilized lens is attached to the third camera on the rear, which also uses a 50MP sensor. Since this camera also saves pictures with a 95mm equivalent focal length, it appears to be cropping a little.

A fascinating fact about this phone is that it has two cameras with closeup capability. The omni camera can do it at a distance of 30 cm, while the ultra-wide module can do it up close at a distance of about 2.5 cm. For closeups, the Super Macro setting makes use of the UW camera.

A wide-angle 18mm f/2.4 lens and a 12MP sensor power the front camera. The focal point is set.

Super Moon 50x • Super Moon 100x

There is a Super Moon mode that needs approximately a 50X zoom. In the grand scheme of things, the outcomes are not bad.

Our opinion  :

A powerful smartphone with the best display, speakers, chipset, cameras, and charging choices on the market, the Honor Magic5 Pro is housed in a stunning and distinctive IP68-rated body.

Our battery and display tests were readily passed by the Magic5 Pro, and charging times were also fairly quick. Additionally, we discovered that its speakers were loud enough and that it had flagship-caliber functionality.

The camera experience was as high-end as it is possible to get these days; the photos have superb photo quality with balanced and natural-looking results everywhere. The same is true of the video experience, even though some zoomed videos on other flagships have been of better quality.

Although it came close, the Honor Magic5 Pro is not entirely faultless. The 2x digital magnification on the phone isn’t as lossless as it is on some other phones, and the design is slippery. (we mean when compared to those with 1″ main cameras). Additionally, the zoomed videos are subpar, and there is no 8K choice.

Strangely, the maximum length for 4K videos is 15 minutes, which is not at all optimal for video producers.

The GPU throttles significantly when operating at peak speed, so keep that in mind if you’re thinking about competitive gaming.

The Honor Magic5 Pro is a strong offering with top-tier specifications and quality throughout, even with these drawbacks. And we do suggest this phone to anyone who isn’t a video maker because it essentially has everything and isn’t the priciest option available.