The HONOR Magic V3 is a book-style foldable phone. HONOR announced it in China on July 12, 2024, and sales there began on July 19. The global launch followed at IFA in Berlin on September 5, 2024. In Europe, it costs €1,999, and the UK price is £1,699. It sits in the premium foldable segment, next to the Galaxy Z Fold6.
Design and display
The main selling point is the slim body. The Black version is 9.2 mm thick when folded and 4.35 mm when open. It weighs about 226 grams. The Green and Reddish Brown versions are slightly thicker and heavier.
Inside, a 7.92-inch foldable OLED panel runs at up to 120 Hz with LTPO. The 6.43-inch cover screen is also an LTPO OLED panel. HONOR rates the cover screen at 5,000 nits peak brightness. Both screens support the HONOR Magic Pen. The phone carries an IPX8 water resistance rating, but it has no dust rating.
Performance
The phone runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. Its fastest core reaches 3.3 GHz, and the GPU is the Adreno 750. The global model pairs 12 GB of RAM with 512 GB of storage. There is no microSD slot. HONOR also adds a titanium vapor chamber for cooling.
Cameras
The rear module holds three cameras. The 50 MP main camera has a 1/1.56-inch sensor, an f/1.6 aperture and optical stabilization. A 50 MP periscope telephoto offers 3.5x optical zoom, also with OIS. The third camera is a 40 MP ultrawide with a 112-degree view. Each screen has its own 20 MP selfie camera. Rear and front cameras can record 4K video.
Battery and charging
A 5,150 mAh silicon-carbon battery powers the phone. It supports 66 W wired charging with HONOR SuperCharge. Wireless charging reaches 50 W with HONOR’s own charger. The box includes a USB-C cable and a case, but no charger.
Software and updates
The Magic V3 shipped with MagicOS 8.0.1 based on Android 14. At launch, HONOR promised four Android updates and five years of security patches. Later reports about a longer seven-year policy for this model disagree. Other features include NFC, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.3, an IR blaster and stereo speakers. The fingerprint reader sits in the power button.
Should you buy the Magic V3?
The Magic V3 suits buyers who want a thin and light foldable with a periscope zoom camera. HONOR still sells it in the UK, often with discounts. Its successor, the Magic V5, adds a newer chip, a bigger battery and IP58/IP59 protection. The V3 is not sold in the US, so warranty and network support there are limited.
