HONOR Magic V3 launched globally: The thinnest foldable phone, period

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• HONOR has launched the Magic V3 foldable phone in global markets.
• This is the thinnest foldable phone in the world, beating the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6, Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold, and others.
• The phone has a starting price of ~$2,218.​

The HONOR Magic V3 is the thinnest foldable phone in the world, but its only been available in China. Fortunately, that changes today as HONOR has just launched the device globally at IFA 2024.

The Magic V3s design is its biggest selling point, as the Black variant is just 9.2mm thick and weighs 226 grams. Other variants measure a still svelte 9.3mm thin and weigh 230 grams. By contrast, the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold measures 10.5mm thick and weighs 257 grams, while the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 measures 12.1mm and weighs 239 grams.

HONORs new foldable phone isnt too shabby on the durability front, either. Expect an IPX8 rating for water resistance down to 2.5 meters, which is a major improvement over the Magic V2s complete lack of ingress protection. Otherwise, HONOR says the foldables hinge is rated for 500,000 folds.

The Magic V3 also has a 6.43-inch cover screen (2,376 x 1,060) with a 20:9 screen ratio thats identical to many conventional smartphones. So, you arent getting a tall and narrow smartphone display like the Galaxy Z Fold series. Unfold the smartphone and youve got a 7.92-inch folding panel (2,344 x 2,156, 9.78:9 aspect ratio). Both screens bring a 120Hz refresh rate and stylus support. Interestingly, HONOR says its using an “impact-resistant” silicon gel material to protect the inner screen, ostensibly in lieu of ultra-thin glass.

HONOR Magic V3: More than just a thin foldable?



Credit: C. Scott Brown / Android Authority


As for the core specs, the Magic V3 ticks plenty of boxes for even a conventional flagship Android phone. Expect a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, a 5,150mAh battery, and 66W wired charging. Last years phone lacked wireless charging support, but the V3 indeed brings 50W wireless charging.

The new foldable phone has a respectable rear camera system, featuring a 50MP main camera (IMX906, f/1.6, 1/1.56-inch), a 40MP ultrawide camera, and a 50MP 3.5x periscope lens (f/3.0). The Magic V3 also brings the Harcourt Portrait option which debuted earlier this year. Otherwise, HONOR packs a 20MP camera on each screen for selfies and video calls.

HONORs new foldable phone runs the Magic OS 8.0.1 skin, and the big difference between the global software and the Chinese software is the addition of Google AI features. These features include object erasing, a translation feature akin to the Pixel Folds Interpreter Mode, voice-to-text functionality, and live translation. Otherwise, youve still got the Magic Portal feature seen on previous Magic phones, allowing you to drag and drop content between 150+ supported apps instead of using the sharing menu. These supported apps include YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, and Facebook.

HONOR is also offering four major OS updates and five security patches. Thats not on par with Google and Samsungs top devices, but its still a very respectable update policy.

HONOR Magic V3 price and availability

Keen on getting this ultra-thin foldable? The device will be available in Black, Green, and Reddish Brown color schemes. HONOR confirmed a starting price of £1,699 (~$2,236) for the UK and €1,999 (~$2,218) for Europe.

In any event, were glad HONOR isnt wasting much time bringing this device to global markets after the Chinese release. So were keen to see how the foldable fares against globally available devices from Samsung, Google, OnePlus, and others.








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