This story was originally published on June 1, 2023, and last updated on June 8, 2023.
Earlier this year, HONOR introduced the Magic5 Pro at Mobile World Congress. It seemed apt to bring this flagship Magic device to Barcelona, given its design inspo.
Let’s talk design and display
The HONOR Magic5 Pro adheres to its “Eye of Muse” design with its symmetrical Star Wheel triple camera system. It features what the brand calls a Gaudi Curve (inspired by Spanish architect and designer Antoni Gaudi) that has the camera module blending into the glass back frame of the phone. That smooth curvature reminds me a bit of this premium smartphone.
That isn’t the only curve on this phone. It has slightly curved glass on top of its display and smooth, rounded edges. It makes this massive phone easy to hold even with one hand. HONOR keeps the color palette simple with the Magic5 Pro. It’s available in Black and Meadow Green. The matte yet sparkly finish on the latter immediately caught my eye. While the former would appeal to people who want a bit of shine.
I liked the green not just because it was easy on the eyes, but its texture made it easier to grasp than the black option. If you’re a bit of a klutz like me, go for the green. While the Magic5 Pro might not be slip-proof, it has an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance, allowing it to survive the elements a bit if you’re out and about with this phone. HONOR hasn’t mentioned if it uses Corning Gorilla Glass to protect the glass front and back.
This phone gets a gigantic 6.81-inch LTPO OLED panel with an impressive 92.33% screen-to-body ratio thanks to its slim bezels. It’s a device built to watch content on with HDR10+ and IMAX Enhanced certifications. With LTPO tech, the Magic5 Pro can automatically adjust its screen refresh rate from 1Hz to 120Hz for smoother visuals, reduced motion blur, and a bit of power efficiency.
We spent a couple of hours with it inside a cafe, so I can’t speak much about outdoor visibility. But it can reach a peak HDR brightness of 1,800 nits, which should make it viewable even under bright sunlight.
A peek at the camera magic
You might not appreciate that pill-shaped cutout on the top left corner. But it houses a 12-megapixel selfie camera and 3D depth sensor, which helps out with facial recognition. We tried out some selfies on the HONOR Magic5 Pro, and you get that polished selfie look I’ve associated with many phones from Chinese brands. It’s not bad, but, at first glance, it isn’t my choice of a selfie camera.
The rear cameras have me wishing we had time to take the phone out and play with it. On paper, it has a pretty promising and powerful setup, including a 50-megapixel main with a large f/1.6 aperture and 1/1.12 customized sensor to let more light in, a 50-megapixel ultra-wide sensor with a 122 degrees field of view and a large f/2.0 aperture, and a 50-megapixel periscope telephoto camera that supports up to 3.5x optical zoom and 100x digital zoom. (You can use the periscope and ultra-wide cameras for closeup shots.)
I liked how it handles colors, especially with this funky mirror you see in the photo above. It tries to even out the exposure. But what’s been fun to play around with is its AI Motion Sensing Capture feature. (I’ll have a video on this up soon.) It automatically detects motion, facial expressions, and other movements to get the best shot of a subject. You don’t have to press the shutter for it to work. You let the Magic5 Pro do all the work for you. It’s a bit hit-or-miss, but an enjoyable and useful camera feature.
If video recording is important to you, the HONOR Magic5 Pro supports 10-bit Log 4K recording. That feature paired with IMAX Enhanced Movie Master and Cinematic 3D LUTs can help you shoot cinematic-level footage from your phone.
What powers the HONOR Magic5 Pro
As expected from a flagship phone, the HONOR Magic5 Pro runs on the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor and Android 13-based MagicOS 7.1. HONOR also includes its LINK Turbo X technology, a self-developed standalone antenna architecture to upgrade its Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity.
The HONOR Magic5 Pro ensures it gets you through the day with its 5,100mAh battery paired with a fast 66W wired and 50W wireless HONOR SuperCharge tech.
First thoughts on the HONOR Magic5 Pro
It’s always better for us to see more competition in the flagship phone space. It ticks the basics right out of the gate but also gives its own spin on what extras it can offer. I can’t wait to try it out more.
HONOR plans to bring the HONOR Magic5 Pro to this side of the world soon, so we’ll keep you posted. In Europe, it comes in one configuration (12GB/512GB) and sells for EUR 1,200.
From June 8 to 15, the HONOR Magic5 Pro will also be available for pre-order for PHP 59,990 in the Philippines with a free HONOR Band 6 smartwatch and HONOR X3 Lite Earbuds both worth PHP 6,000 (around USD 107) at select HONOR and partner dealer stores or online via Lazada*, Shopee, and Tiktok Shop. You can also get HONOR Magic5 Pro via Globe Postpaid Plan 2499 with a one-time cashout of PHP 17,900 (~USD 319). You can also avail via Home Credit for as low as PHP 1,718 (~USD 31) per month without insurance, PHP 2,085 (~USD 37) with insurance, and on a 0% interest installment payment.
Buy the HONOR Magic5 Pro from Lazada HERE.
Buy the HONOR Magic5 Pro from Shopee HERE.
* If you buy something from these links, LiTT may earn a commission, but it won’t cost you extra. Prices are subject to change without prior notice.
UPDATE: 2023/06/08, 9:26 P.M. GMT+8 BY NICOLE BATAC
Added Philippine pricing and pre-order details
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