One Week Later: My Honest Impressions of the Honor Magic V2!

It's been an incredible week diving deep into the Honor Magic V2, and I'm thrilled to share every bit of this journey with you. From the dual LTPO OLED displays that dazzle with a billion colors and adapt their refresh rate to save battery to the snappy performance powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, every aspect of this device screams innovation. 📱✨
But that's not all - the camera, though not perfect in low light, captures stunning photos under the right conditions. The build quality? Absolutely premium. And let's not forget the battery life - it's nothing short of fantastic, lasting through a day of heavy use with ease. 🎥🔋
However, every rose has its thorn, and for the Magic V2, it's the price. At €2,000, it's a steep climb, but is the view from the top worth it? I've spent a full week with this device, pushing its limits, and I'm here to give you my honest verdict. Let's dive in! 🚀📸
#HonorMagicV2 #TechReview #FoldablePhones
00:00 - Intro
00:35 - Displays
02:50 - Performance
03:40 - Build quality
04:53 - Camera
06:23 - Macro mode
07:39 - Battery life
09:28 - Software and user experience
11:18 - Additional features
11:23 - Infrared blaster
11:55 - Final verdict
14:03 - Good Bye

[@MrCarpbasher]

Had this phone for 2 weeks now and I'm very happy with it. Camera zoom not as good as my s22 ultra but overall I'm very impressed with the fold screen. Pictures I've taken so far have been very crisp and clear and highly detailed. Battery life has been excellent. Only downside is no wireless charging but I knew that would be the case where it's so super thin.

[@JMTMarc]

I agree! It's my favorite foldable to date, especially due to its thinness, lightness, the aspect ratio of the front screen, and battery life. An awesome piece of tech!

[@davegreen5314]

I have had this phone for over three weeks. This review is the most accurate of all of the reviewers on KZbin. There are deals at the moment from Honor which can give very good discounts.

[@JMTMarc]

Thank you! After watching numerous videos, I noticed that many only skim the surface, likely due to the broad range of phones they cover. Therefore, I've decided to explore in greater depth.

[@petizati89]

Thank you for the great reviews. I’m considering to buy one of the foldables also and your videos bring back the Magic V2 into consideration. Based on your experience, which of them have the best inner screen? I’m interested mostly about readability on direct sun. And also you didn’t mentioned it in your software review but does the v2 have a “desktop mode”? Thank you for your work

[@saqqawattuhb7505]

Yes, it does have desktop mode.

[@JMTMarc]

The Honor Magic V2 features MagicDesktop. I've just completed a video about its desktop mode, which I'll be uploading soon. In my opinion, the inner screens of recent foldables are all fantastic, with the main difference being brightness. The Magic V2 offers 1,600 nits, OnePlus claims 2,800 nits in high brightness mode, the Z Fold 5 offers 1,200 nits and 1,750 in high brightness mode. The least bright is the Google Pixel Fold, with only 1,200 nits and 1,550 nits peak brightness. In outdoor use, every foldable except the Pixel Fold works great for me.

[@petizati89]

@@JMTMarc thank you for the video about the Desktop mode and your answer abotu the brightness.... I knew the " numbers on paper" but as far as I saw in other revies the V2 has a less shiny coating so the readability is even better. I really appreciate your opinion and now I will wait till the V2 price will come down a bit to buy it. The Desktop mode was a big question fo rme since I would like to use the phone for light work when I travel (having a travel mouse and keyboard and connect to a TV in a hotel room via Remote Desktop)

[@morgenmicha]

Great Video. Is it overall better than pixel fold? And: is camera of pixel fold a lot better? I'm currently considering: pixel fold or v2? Or in the end, with all the loss in form factor, the z fold 5 for the best software? I will come from samsung s23u

[@JMTMarc]

Both phones are excellent, but in a head-to-head comparison, I would prefer the V2. The Pixel Fold is noticeably heavier and thicker, with a more pronounced crease on the inner screen, less brightness, and minimal software features. However, it has a certain unique quality that's hard to describe. Nonetheless, I still like it a lot due to its form factor. Additionally, the camera is better than the V2's, after all, it's a Pixel.

[@Jallelab99141]

Have you found a way to get clipboard history ? (ex. getting access to all things you previously had copy/pasted)

[@JMTMarc]

I use GBoard for accessing clipboard history, but it's somewhat limited, showing only recent items. Generally, clipboard history functionality appears to have issues.

[@joaomenino5101]

Hi In your opinion, the best foldable is v2 or OnePlus open?

[@JMTMarc]

Both phones are exceptional, making it challenging to declare a clear winner. However, I lean slightly towards the OnePlus due to its more refined software and superior camera performance.

[@wboy30]

Me gustan muchos tus vídeos. Haces buenas y claras explicaciones del móvil y del feeling que tienes con el. Me parece un video util y una explicación de alguien que podría ser yo. Sigue asi, gracias.

[@JMTMarc]

Thank you! I'm glad you liked the video and it was helpful to you 😊

[@wboy30]

@@JMTMarc Gracias a tí, por el trabajo. Acabo de pedirlo, espero tenerlo esta semana. Has hecho que me decidiera a comprarlo 😁

[@JMTMarc]

¡Genial! ¡Te deseo mucha diversión con el Magic V2! ¡Realmente es un dispositivo increíble! ❤️

[@joseemanuel7505]

Did you notice the screen refresh rate is locked to a maximum of for example 90hz in KZbin in the 120hz mode of the phone? With adaptive refresh rate it’s a maximum of 60hz. Annoying that many many apps are locked to 60/90hz instead of using the possibility to have full smooth 120hz

[@JMTMarc]

Good question. Honestly, I haven't noticed it yet. Is that so? I'm not the best tech expert when it comes to that. I do notice the difference between 60 and 120 Hz, but I don't really perceive the nuances. Nothing significant has caught my eye.

[@joseemanuel7505]

@@JMTMarc Yes it is. Very annoying bad software implementation. Display does not work like hardware is possible of doing.

[@jkidd13]

Which do you like the most between Honor Magic V2 and OnePlus Open? Which do you find yourself wanting to use? I get all the specs and differences but which feels like a more enjoyable phone to use every day?

[@JMTMarc]

While the OnePlus technically excels with its better camera, higher screen brightness, and IPX4 rating, I prefer and enjoy using the Mystic V2 more. I like it's form factor more and of course how incredibly thin and light it is. Feels like holding the future in your hands.🤲🏻

[@jkidd13]

@@JMTMarc I'm intrigued by the HMv2 and the form factor is the primary reason. What most reviews miss for me is which device they want to use. They all explain what's better on paper or in practice, but sometimes the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. I use my phone one handed most of the time so thin and light is extra appealing. Thanks for the great reviews.

[@arshadsaaida3239]

Thx for this review but do you think its better or oppo find n3 or oneplus open as many reviews said the camera and the software is the disadvantage of the v2

[@JMTMarc]

Thank you! Overall, considering everything, I believe the OnePlus is the better smartphone option due to the reasons you highlighted. Its camera performance, particularly in low-light conditions, is superior. Also because of more zoom. Additionally, its software is more sophisticated and polished. However, I have a strong preference for the Magic V2 because of its unique form factor, slimness, and lightweight design. The software and camera quality are satisfactory enough that they don't concern me. I made a video about the Magic V2 software, so consider watching thus.

[@arshadsaaida3239]

@JMTMarc thanks so0o0o much for your reply and we r waiting your comparison between the open and v2

[@Sabakoe737]

Does the camera on this model make nois when shaking it

[@JMTMarc]

It has optical image stabilisation, so there is some rattle, but it's just barely noticeable.

[@lemmykilmister2753]

From where is the leather backcover?

[@JMTMarc]

It has a leather backcover out of the box. You can choose between a leather or glass back (black version: leather; purple version: glass).

[@Jallelab99141]

Do you know anyone that has stress tested this device with a dust, dirt, water torture test? I know the phone does not have any formal IP rating but there are rumors that Honor did make it resistant to water and dust. No one has formally tested this yet.

[@JMTMarc]

First one that comes to mind is JerryRigEverything, but to my knowledge he didn't test the Magic V2 (yet)...

[@Mixail747]

Does the Global support eSIM?

[@JMTMarc]

Yes, it does!

[@aleksdeveloper698]

Does it come with headphone gift?

[@saqqawattuhb7505]

If you ourchase from Honor UK, its a limited offer.

[@JMTMarc]

Mine came with a free Honor watch 4 that I sold immediately 😆

[@JMTMarc]

But in the UK, buyers can now redeem free Bang and Olufsen headphones with qualifying purchases.

[@TjinChatterpal]

so in short the camera is not up to flagship level ,that's a solid no Go for me .I've had the Oneplus Open the camera's were fine on that phone .but the problem was the software .for now i'l stick with my Honor Magic 4 Pro ,Maybe i'l upgrade to the Magic 5 or 6 Pro .

[@JMTMarc]

Correct! Definetely not flagship level, but good enough for what the phone is.