Honor Magic 5 Pro review: Sight Beyond Sight

Honor Magic 5 Pro price and availability

Starting from March 31, 2023, the Honor Magic 5 Pro is available for purchase in certain markets with a price starting at approximately $1,270. Bear in mind that the official channels in the United States do not sell the Honor Magic 5 Pro. However, it may be possible to find this smartphone for sale on unofficial channels or online marketplaces.

It is crucial to keep in mind that buying from unofficial channels carries certain risks, such as potential warranty issues and compatibility problems. If you choose to purchase from an unofficial source, it is advisable to thoroughly research the seller and read reviews from other customers before making a purchase.

The Honor Magic 5 Pro will be available to order in the UK from April 19th. Subscribe to the official store to receive an early bird voucher worth £100—offer ends on 10th April.

The Honor Magic 5 Pro can be purchased in France, Germany, Italy, and Spain for around €1,200. It is also available in China but it won’t be released in India.

Design and display

The Honor Magic 5 Pro is one of the most original and stylish smartphones I have tested lately. Everything is in place: the physical buttons are reachable with one hand, and even though the volcano-like camera module stands out on the back, I must say that it is still a well-balanced phone to hold.

Pros:

• Original and stylish design.
• Comfortable grip.
• Biometric sensors are flawless.
• IP68 certified: protected against dust and water ingress
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• Plus: IR blaster on board.

Cons:

• Adapting to the pill-shaped front camera module is quite annoying.

With its 6.8-inch screen and 5,100 mAh battery, Honor has managed to keep the device at a slim 8.77 mm while also protecting it against dust and water ingress with its IP68 certification. We tested the meadow green variant, but the phone also comes in black. The aluminum frame is well-integrated into the glass cover, and the rounded display is seamlessly built into it.

It’s worth noting that due to the matte coating on the back panel, the Honor Magic 5 Pro can easily be mistaken for having a metal panel rather than glass. In fact, many publications have referred to it as a metal panel.

The Magic 5 Pro has a screen-to-body ratio of 92.33% and an aspect ratio of 20:9, making it a pleasure to consume any media on the phone. It also has a weight of approximately 219g. In addition to the standard cuts and ports, the smartphone features an IR blaster at the top of the chassis for infrared remote control of compatible devices.

Honor is one of the few companies that still use a pill-shaped front camera module positioned in the top-left corner of the screen. Adapting to it was difficult for me since I’m used to looking at the center of the left edge when using the front camera.

Additionally, while playing games, it is inevitable that your fingers will come into contact with the large camera module, which may affect the overall gaming experience. Despite these minor issues, the Honor Magic 5 Pro delivered a seamless user experience based on the phone’s design during this review.

The biometric sensor is located at the bottom of the display and works seamlessly when unlocking the screen. It is also easily reachable. Honor also offers a 3D face unlock feature that is quick and reliable.

Honor Magic 5 Pro display

The Honor Magic 5 Pro’s display performance is excellent, with accurate brightness and excellent color and contrast management. The display does not suffer from flicker, but it loses some contrast when the high brightness mode is activated.

Pros:

• A vivid and immersive display
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• Offers vibrant colors and a glossy finish.
• Good HDR rendering.
• Great readability.

Cons:

• Losses in contrast on high brightness mode.

The Honor Magic 5 Pro features a 6.81-inch OLED panel with a resolution of 2,848 x 1,312 pixels. The display has a pixel density of 461 PPI and supports a 120 Hz refresh rate. In artificial light, the typical brightness is 120 nits, while under bright sunlight, it can reach up to 800 nits. Additionally, the HDR10+ compatible display is capable of delivering 1,800 nits for HDR content.

An interesting feature of the Honor Magic 5 Pro’s display is the pulse width modulation of 2,160 Hz, which enables it to dim with a low flicker rate that does not disturb sleep when using the phone for extended periods at night. During my brief time with the phone, I did not notice a significant difference. However, in the long run, it can be an excellent option for those who use their smartphones to consume content late at night.

As someone who uses the iPhone 14 Pro Max as my daily driver phone, I must admit that the Honor Magic 5 Pro’s display is noticeably more vibrant and colorful. This was the first thing that stood out to me from the beginning. While it may not be a significant difference, it is certainly worth noting as it is quite noticeable. It also offers great readability, even when set to the lowest brightness specification.

Before concluding this section, I would like to mention that during a night photo session, the display misled me into thinking the preview images were over-processed. I believe this issue stems from the fact that the screen lacks contrast at high brightness levels, which can be problematic when judging the quality of night photos. As a result, it might not accurately represent the image’s true appearance, potentially affecting the user’s judgment of photo quality in low-light conditions.

Honor Magic 5 Pro interface/OS

As for the operating system, Honor has incorporated its own skin, known as MagicOS, on top of Android 13. Despite offering a range of impressive features, the Honor Magic 5 Pro falls short in user interface and user experience. It seems to be an awkward blend of a subpar iOS experience with a lackluster Android experience.

Pros:

• OS runs on top of Android 13 features
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Cons:

• Falls short in UI and UX originality.
• Bloated software.
• The unclear update policy.

Our review unit is equipped with the latest MagicOS 7.1 version. While it does offer a familiar Android navigation experience, it also incorporates elements reminiscent of iOS, giving the impression of an alternative phone that runs on Apple’s operating system. One example is the way folders are presented: by default, they appear enlarged, similar to the iOS App Library, but can be shrunk to a standard Android folder with a single click. While I appreciate the options, it does leave me feeling that MagicOS is not as original skin as, say, Samsung’s One UI 5.

The same can be said of Huawei’s EMUI, which is evidently the inspiration for Honor’s design. Personally, I would like to see Honor moving towards a more original software experience, as it would help distinguish their devices and create a unique brand identity in the increasingly competitive smartphone market.

Finally, it’s worth noting that this UI design may not appeal to everyone and might lack the intuitiveness that users expect from a high-end smartphone. Improvements in these areas would further elevate the Honor Magic 5 Pro’s standing in the competitive smartphone market.

Concerning software updates: Honor has not yet confirmed how many updates the Magic 5 Pro will receive in the future. However, its predecessor, the Magic 4 Pro, is slated to receive at least two major Android updates (versions 13 and 14) and four years of security patches. Based on this precedent, it is reasonable to expect that the Magic 5 Pro could also receive two major software updates (versions 14 and 15) and four years of security patches.

Honor Magic 5 Pro performance

As for performance, the Honor Magic 5 Pro is packed with Qualcomm’s current flagship Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC. For the GPU, Honor opted for the Adreno 740. This configuration is essentially the same as that found in the Galaxy S23 Ultra, OnePlus 11, and Xiaomi 13 Pro, placing the Honor Magic 5 Pro in the same league as these high-end devices.

Pros:

• Good and stable performance
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• Plus: Offers advanced performance mode.

Cons:

On the other hand, the Honor Magic 5 Pro is the only device from this lineup to feature just one memory option: 12 GB LPDDR5X RAM and 512 GB UFS4.0 storage. This limitation in memory configuration could be a deciding factor for some users when comparing it to other high-end devices with more options.

Before moving on to our benchmark test results, it’s relevant to mention that Honor offers two different battery modes—standard and performance mode—and we performed our tests in the default mode. In Performance mode, the CPU and GPU can reach higher temperatures before throttling.

That said, I must point out that the Magic 5 Pro didn’t deliver outstanding graphic stability, as it achieved only a 68% result in the 3DMark Wild Life Stress Test. This performance aspect may be a consideration for users who prioritize gaming and graphic-intensive tasks.

In day-to-day use, the Magic 5 Pro was impeccable. I didn’t experience any lag or any other issues that could impact my usage of the smartphone. I had some Genshin Impact gaming sessions, and even when exploring the camera features, I didn’t notice any lengthy post-processing with the native camera app. The same can be said about the temperature control during the charging time. The device maintained a comfortable temperature, ensuring a smooth and enjoyable user experience.

Honor Magic 5 Pro camera

The Honor Magic 5 Pro is truly a unique and stylish device, boasting a design that stands out from the rest. The phone is equipped with a versatile set of camera sensors that capture stunning images in a variety of situations. The 50 MP main camera relies on an adapted Sony IMX878 sensor, while the 50 MP telephoto camera uses the Sony IMX858 sensor. Additionally, the ultrawide camera features the OmniVision OV64B chip with a Freeform lens.

The ToF sensor (IMX516), color temperature sensor, and flicker sensor in the camera hardware work together with various AI algorithms to produce beautiful shots based on the image and depth information captured. Overall, the Honor Magic 5 Pro offers a versatile set of cameras that truly set it apart from the competition. 

Pros:

• Unique design and a versatile set of camera sensors
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• Excellent zoom performance
• Good exposure in night shots.
• Superb bokeh mode.

Cons:

• Selfie camera lacks quality on night shots.

The camera performance of the Honor Magic 5 Pro is truly impressive. The phone offers excellent zoom performance, allowing it to go up to 100x magnification. While this level of zoom is certainly impressive, the resulting pictures may not be as accurate as those taken at lower magnifications. The exposure in night shots is also remarkably good, with accurate colors and well-balanced brightness levels.

Additionally, the phone’s bokeh mode produces superb results, delivering a pleasing background blur that adds depth and dimensionality to images. Overall, the phone’s combination of unique design and impressive camera capabilities make it a top contender for anyone in search of a high-quality smartphone that stands out from the crowd.

The Honor Magic 5 Pro’s impressive camera capabilities don’t end with just photo-taking, as it is also equipped to record 4K videos at 60 fps. It’s also possible to choose to shoot in HDR10+ or log format with 10-bit color depth, offering even more flexibility and creative control.

As for the selfie camera, the Honor Magic 5 Pro features a 12MP front camera with an additional 3D depth camera for better portrait photography. In different photo modes, the number of pixels may vary slightly, but the image resolution can go up to 4096 x 3072 pixels. Similarly, the video resolution can go up to 3840 x 2160 pixels, with 4K video recording also supported.

The camera comes with a range of capture modes, including Portrait, Filter, Watermark, Capture smiles, Mirror reflection, Timer, Night, and Gesture control. As mentioned in the design section of this review, the Honor Magic 5 Pro also supports 3D face unlock for secure and easy device access.

Honor Magic 5 Pro battery

According to the PC Mark benchmark, the Honor Magic 5 Pro has a battery runtime of 14 hours, which is great. In practical terms, this means you will be able to use the device for a day and a half before needing to charge it, even with the impressive screen specs.

Pros:

• Battery autonomy lasts over a day.
• Power adapter is included in the box.
• Fast charging technology with Honor 66W SuperCharge
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• Wireless charging option is available.

Cons:

The Honor Magic 5 Pro features a robust 5,100 mAh battery, ensuring users have ample power to get through the day. On paper, this capacity is typical for a high-end smartphone, but what sets it apart from its competitors is the Honor 66W SuperCharge technology.

This advanced charging system allows you to quickly power up the device, significantly reducing downtime and ensuring that the smartphone is always ready for important moments. With the 66W SuperCharge, you can expect to achieve impressive charging speeds, restoring a substantial percentage of the battery in just a matter of minutes, as expressed in the table below:

In addition to the SuperCharge technology, the Honor Magic 5 Pro also supports wireless charging with speeds of up to 50 W. This provides a convenient charging alternative that does improve the overall user experience.

Honor Magic 5 Pro technical specifications

Final verdict