The Magic V2's hardware backs up my real world experience. The V2 is the lightest and slimmest book-style foldable phone available, even though it launched last year.
When folded, it's just 9.9 millimeters thick, making it slightly thicker than a bar phone and convenient to carry around.
The Magic V2 weighs 231 grams. That's 2 grams less than Samsung's new Galaxy S24 Ultra and more than 50 grams less than the Google Pixel Fold.The V2's thin and light design makes it feel more like a regular phone and less like an experiment. (I should note that the OnePlus Open, which my colleague Eli Blumenthal reviewed last year, comes close to matching the V2's svelte, lightweight build.)
Despite the phone's compact size, Honor has packed it with flagship specs, including last year's still-peppy Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, a triple-camera module complete with a telephoto lens and a large battery that supports 66-watt fast charging. But as compelling as it is, the Magic V2 has its shortcomings.
It lacks some of the fancy finishing touches I'd expect from a book-style foldable of this price and caliber. For one, it doesn't have an official IP rating for water and dust resistance.
The Galaxy Z Fold 5, by comparison, is rated IPX8 for water-resistance and can be immersed under 1.5 meters of freshwater for up to 30 minutes. The Magic V2 also lacks wireless charging support, a feature that is present in most of its rivals. And lastly, not all apps are optimized for the V2's screens. This is a similar issue my peers experienced when reviewing other foldables.
Using the Magic V2
The Magic V2 runs on MagicOS 7.2 based on Android 13, which Honor says adds a slew of smart features to aid in multitasking. However, virtually every flagship phone released in 2024 runs on Android 14 instead of Android 13. This is probably because the Magic V2 was released last year, but Honor hasn't said when Android 14 is expected to arrive.
The Magic V2's AI features
Just about every major smartphone maker is taking advantage of the AI hype cycle, and Honor is no different. It introduced several new AI-based features to the Magic V2 this year, including a unique addition called Privacy Call. It's an AI-based "directional sound technology" designed to prevent sound leaking, or instances when the person you're talking to on a call can be heard by people around you even if they're not speaking loudly. Honor says the screen and the receiver work together to adjust the volume of the incoming audio to suit different environments. I tested it out and it seemed to work as marketed.
Design and displays
The Honor V2's supremely lightweight design is a standout feature. The hinge is made from a titanium alloy that not only keeps it light but should also make the phone more durable, according to Honor. The company also claims the phone can withstand up to 400,000 folds. That theoretically means the hinge will provide 10 years of use (assuming 100 folds per day), although whether the flexible screen itself would last that long remains to be seen. CNET hasn't been able to independently verify that claim.
The Magic V2's five cameras
The Magic V2 has five cameras. There's a 50-megapixel main camera, 50-megapixel ultrawide camera and a 20-megapixel camera with a telephoto lens on the back of the phone. You can also use this trio to snap selfies thanks to the Magic V2's foldable design, which enables the cover screen to function as a viewfinder. There's a 16-megapixel camera on the cover screen and a second 16-megapixel camera under the display of the inner screen. Take a look at the photos below to see the cameras in action.
