Mobile  April 8, 2024

Honor Magic V2 vs Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5

Honor's latest foldable offering, the Honor Magic V2, has finally hit the market following its unveiling at IFA 2023, stirring comparisons with the renowned Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5. Delving into the design aspect, the Honor Magic V2 takes the lead with its remarkably sleek and lightweight profile, setting a new standard in the foldable arena. Boasting robust camera features, rapid charging capabilities, and more, it presents an enticing alternative to Samsung's flagship foldable.

Honor Magic V2 vs Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5: A Detailed Comparison

On the flip side, Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 5 appears as more of an evolutionary update, introducing subtle enhancements over its predecessor, the Z Fold 4. But does this indicate a potential challenge for Samsung in the foldable market?

Having extensively evaluated both the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 and the Honor Magic V2, let's dissect the key disparities between these two foldable giants.

Thinner and Lighter: Honor Magic V2 Leads the Pack

When it comes to design, the Honor Magic V2 sets a new benchmark, outshining its foldable counterparts with its unparalleled slimness and feather-light build. Measuring a mere 4.4mm when unfolded and a compact 9.9mm when folded, the Magic V2 redefines portability in the foldable realm. Tipping the scales at just 231g, it even undercuts the weight of the iPhone 14 Pro Max, seamlessly blending into the realm of conventional smartphones.

The sleek profile of the Honor Magic V2 not only enhances its ergonomic appeal but also facilitates effortless one-handed usage, making it a delight to handle.

While the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 marks a notable advancement by shedding bulk and eliminating the cumbersome triangular fold gap present in its predecessor, it still falls short in comparison to the Magic V2. With dimensions of 6.1mm unfolded, 13.4mm when folded, and a weight of 253g, it remains a step behind Honor's ultra-slim and lightweight offering.

However, Samsung gains ground with its IPX8 water resistance rating, ensuring robust protection against water ingress. In contrast, the Honor Magic V2 lacks an official IP rating, although Honor assures users of its resilience to light rain showers. Nonetheless, submerging it in water is not advisable.

Performance: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 Takes the Lead

In the realm of performance, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 asserts its dominance despite sharing the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset with the Honor Magic V2. However, Samsung's device introduces a game-changing element with its utilization of a custom variant of the flagship chipset, specifically tailored for Galaxy devices – the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy. This exclusive iteration offers enhanced CPU clock speeds and an additional GPU core, ensuring optimized performance unique to Samsung's lineup.

Although the Honor Magic V2 boasts a larger RAM capacity of 16GB compared to Samsung's 12GB, the Galaxy Z Fold 5's tailored chipset compensates for this discrepancy. Both devices offer storage options of 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB, albeit without expandable storage capabilities.

In practical terms, the day-to-day performance difference between the two devices is negligible. While the Galaxy Z Fold 5 may exhibit slightly superior benchmark results, both smartphones deliver swift and responsive experiences across various tasks, guaranteeing seamless multitasking and smooth operation.

Display: Honor Magic V2 Takes the Lead with Larger Screens

In the realm of displays, the Honor Magic V2 emerges as the frontrunner, boasting larger screens compared to the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5. Both devices follow the book-style foldable design, featuring a smaller smartphone-like display on the exterior and a larger, boxier screen within. However, the Magic V2 outshines its competitor with expansive displays on both fronts.

The Honor Magic V2 showcases a 6.43-inch 120Hz OLED cover display, offering a more compact and user-friendly form factor compared to Samsung's taller and narrower 6.2-inch 120Hz 21.1:9 cover display. While Honor's approach resembles that of a standard smartphone, we found Samsung's elongated panel somewhat cumbersome for tasks like responding to messages.

Upon unfolding the devices, users are greeted with a 7.92-inch 2K panel on the Magic V2 and a slightly smaller 7.6-inch 2K screen on the Galaxy Z Fold 5. Both displays deliver comparable specifications, featuring a smooth dynamic 120Hz refresh rate, HDR10+ support, and other advanced functionalities.

Software Support: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 Leads with Better Long-Term Support

In terms of software support, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 takes the lead, aligning with most other premium Samsung smartphones by offering four OS upgrades and five years of bi-monthly security patches. This commitment ensures continuous improvement in software functionality and security measures. While it falls short of the upgraded 7-year OS upgrade promise seen in the newer S24 range, this feature is expected to be part of the upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 6.

On the other hand, Honor has yet to confirm the OS support plan for the Magic V2. However, considering that the Honor Magic V offers three OS upgrades and five years of security patches, a similar arrangement is likely for the Magic V2.

While Honor's approach isn't far behind Samsung's, it means that eventually, the Z Fold 5 will receive updates up to Android 17, whereas the Magic V2 might remain on Android 16.

Camera Capabilities: Honor Magic V2 Excels with Higher-Resolution Cameras

In the realm of photography, the Honor Magic V2 outshines the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 with its higher-resolution rear cameras and exclusive photography technology.

The Honor Magic V2 features a triple-camera setup on the rear, comprising a 50MP main camera with laser autofocus (AF) and optical image stabilization (OIS), a 50MP ultrawide lens, and a 20MP 2.5x telephoto lens. Additionally, it boasts a 16MP front-facing camera for selfies. Notably, the Magic V2 incorporates Honor’s Falcon Capture technology, enabling it to capture detailed shots of fast-moving subjects, a feature reminiscent of the impressive performance seen in the Honor Magic 5 Pro.

In contrast, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 retains the same camera configuration as its predecessor. This setup includes a 50MP primary camera with Dual Pixel phase-detection autofocus (PDAF) and OIS, a 12MP ultrawide lens, and a 10MP 3x telephoto lens. Additionally, it features a 10MP cover selfie camera and a 4MP under-display camera on the larger inner display.

While the Galaxy Z Fold 5 is proficient at capturing well-lit scenes with ample detail and vibrant colors (sometimes overly so), its performance diminishes in low-light conditions, exhibiting noticeable signs of artificial processing.

Price Point: Honor Magic V2 Offers a Slight Cost Advantage

In terms of pricing, the Honor Magic V2 presents a compelling option as it comes in slightly cheaper than its competitor, the Galaxy Z Fold 5.

While the previous model, the Honor Magic Vs, targeted the budget segment with its £1,399 price tag, Honor has adjusted its pricing strategy for the Magic V2, aligning it more closely with other premium foldables at £1,699. Despite this increase, the Magic V2 remains £50 less expensive than the Galaxy Z Fold 5.

However, the price differential between the two devices is relatively minimal. Therefore, factors such as display quality, software experience, and battery performance are likely to play a more significant role in determining which device is the better choice for consumers.

Conclusion: Choosing Between the Honor Magic V2 and Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5

After dissecting the key differences between the Honor Magic V2 and Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5, it's evident that both devices offer unique advantages catering to diverse consumer preferences.

The Honor Magic V2 impresses with its ultra-thin and lightweight design, larger displays, higher-resolution cameras, and potentially competitive pricing. On the other hand, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 boasts robust long-term support, a more powerful chipset tailored for Samsung devices, and IPX8 water resistance.

Ultimately, the decision between these foldables hinges on individual priorities. If you prioritize design aesthetics, camera performance, and potentially lower pricing, the Honor Magic V2 could be the ideal choice. Conversely, if you value long-term software support, superior chipset performance, and water resistance, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 might better suit your needs.

Regardless of your decision, both devices represent significant strides in foldable technology, offering innovative features and pushing the boundaries of smartphone design.

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