Honor Magic V5

Thin and light - but not without its compromises

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This year has seen a larger shift in folding phones than we've ever seen before. That shift isn't in the tech that's stuffed into these devices, but in their physical natures.

Both this phone from Honor and Samsung's Z Fold7 (see last issue) are crazy thin. They are only a little thicker than a regular handset, removing the barrier to adoption that once jaded folding phones. Add in better displays, more power, more advanced cameras, flagship features and battery life, and the format is on something of a winning streak.

The Magic V5 is thinner and lighter than the previous version, has a stronger hinge, and its peak brightness hits 5,000 nits over the 1,800 nits of the V3 (there was no V4). The camera cluster is improved but now comes in a huge, bulging housing that may be divisive, as it takes away some of the phone's thinness.