The first two models of the new Honor 80 series became available in China on Friday. There’s also an SE model, which comes out next week, and a new foldable flagship that’s still a month away.
Have you thought about picking one up? We’ll look at the Honor Magic Vs first. Honor’s engineers have done some impressive work and reduced the weight from 288g / 293g of the original Model V (the eco-leather version weighs a bit more) to 261g / 267g. They achieved this by greatly simplifying the hinge, which went from 92 elements to just 4 elements. And the hinge still allows the phone to close flat and open with minimal creasing.
honor magic vs
Other improvements over the original (never seen before) Magic V include the faster and more efficient Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 and the 8/256GB version (plus 12/256GB and 12/512GB options). There is also a new Magic Vs Ultimate mod. Besides having more RAM (16GB), this version also supports the newly introduced Magic Pen.
The base 8/256GB model costs CNY7,500 ($1,050 / €1,015) in China, 12/256GB CNY8,000 ($1,120 / €1,080), and 12/512GB CNY9,000 ($1,260 / €1,220) Finally, the Ultimate model comes in at CNY10,888 ($1,520 / €1,470). The Mate Xs 2 from former parent company Huawei isn’t much of a threat with its Snapdragon 888 chip.
However, the Xiaomi Mix Fold 2 is a tough challenge. It weighs the same as the Honor at 262g and is thinner to boot. Also, it’s close in terms of price at CNY9,000 for the 12/256GB unit. The internal display is a 120Hz LTPO2 panel. This phone has the Leica logo on the back, but the camera hardware isn’t quite as good as the Magic Vs, at least on paper. You can check out our review of Mix Fold 2, Magic Vs review is coming soon.
Xiaomi Mix Fold 2 • vivo X Fold +
The vivo X Fold+ is more expensive with the 12/256 GB unit coming in at CNY 10,000. It’s also 50 grams heavier and thicker to boot. The display inside is a 120Hz LTPO panel, but the real power of the Vivo is in the camera. There are two telephoto modules: an 8MP 5x periscope and a 12MP 47mm portrait camera. The Magic Vs only has an 8MP 3x tele module, plus the 54MP main camera doesn’t have OIS. The Vivo has faster 80W wired charging in addition to wireless charging, and the Vs has just 66W wired charging (and a slightly larger battery, 5,000mAh versus 4,730mAh). Note that neither Vivo nor Xiaomi supports the stylus.
There is also an upcoming Oppo Find N2, but we only have rumored specs at the moment and no price.
Who is interested in Honor Magic Vs? Vote below or (if that doesn’t work) using This page.
Moving on to Honor 80 series, Honor 80 Pro is the best with Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 and large memory (from 8/256GB to 12/512GB). The phone also has a 160MP main camera (1/1.56-inch sensor, 0.75µm, no OIS, though) and a 50MP camera, as well as a 50MP ultra-wide (100-degree) front camera and a 2MP depth sensor.
The 6.78-inch display on the front is a 10-bit OLED panel with a resolution of 1,224 x 2,700 pixels. All three Series 80 models have curved OLED screens. No word on the glass, however, no IP rating either.
At a glance: Honor 80 Pro • Honor 80 • Honor 80 SE
The base Pro model with 8/256 GB memory can be ordered for CNY 3,500 ($490 / €475) in China (no word on a global version yet).
Once the Honor 80 Pro is available near you, will you head to the store or not? Vote below or by using This page.
You’ll probably prefer the vanilla Honor 80. This one has a smaller screen — a 6.67-inch 1080 x 2400 pixel, 120Hz 10-bit OLED — though it’s not much smaller physically. Also, the performance suffers since this is based on Qualcomm’s latest mid-range chip, the Snapdragon 782G.
The main 160MP camera is in place, and the ultra-wide camera doesn’t come down to an 8MP primary sensor. On the front there is good news, a smaller hole without the depth sensor, and bad news, a narrower lens and a 32MP sensor for the selfie camera.
Pricing for the Honor 80 starts at CNY 2,700 ($380 / €370) for the same 8/256GB configuration as the Pro. Does this sound like a good deal? Vote below or by using This page.
The Honor 80 SE is the most affordable of the trio, but not by much — the 8/256GB unit is currently in pre-order for CNY2,400 ($340/€325). The 6.67-inch 120Hz 10-bit screen is the same as the one in the Vanilla 80, but that’s where the similarities end. The chipset is Dimensions 900 instead of the equivalent 782G.
Also, this model is missing out on a 160MP action with a 64MP primary camera — to add insult to injury, the ultra-wide unit drops from 8MP to 5MP. Even the battery is slightly smaller, 4,600mAh instead of the 4,800mAh used in the 80 and 80 Pro (all only support 66W wired charging).
What do you think – did Honor make too many sacrifices when designing the 80 SE? Vote below or by using This page.
