We bring you the first review of the latest Honor Magic 8 and Honor Magic 8 Pro. Of course, we also got the Honor Watch 5 Pro and Earbuds 4, which were released at the same time. Today, let’s take a look at how these products perform, whether they reach their peak.
Design & Display
Let’s first look at the phones. This year, the Honor Magic 8 series has changed the sizes of the standard and Pro models to a configuration of one big and one small. The size of the small-screen model is relatively much more restrained.
The size was reduced from the previous generation’s 6.78 inches to the current 6.58 inches, instead of adopting the popular 6.3-inch size. At the same time, the Magic 8 Pro was also slightly reduced to 6.71 inches. In terms of back design, the Honor Magic 8 Pro’s Deco continues the series’ family-style “Square-Round” design. From a front-facing perspective, it looks like the Magic 7 Pro with the flash moved from the upper position to the lower position.
However, from the side, this Deco is much more refined. It has five layers of effects: the wave-patterned base integrated with the wave pattern, aluminum metal engraved with a fine diamond pattern, glossy aluminum metal, matte aluminum metal, and the outer ring of the lens group. On one hand, it’s genuinely refined, and on the other, it visually reduces the perceived thickness of the camera module.
A unique feature of the Pro version is the brushed aluminum metal used for the frame. I believe that in terms of texture, the Magic 8 Pro will not disappoint you. The standard Magic 8 is relatively more minimalist and tech-focused. The “Square-Round” Deco also uses 3D raised glass integrated with the back panel. The frosted glass back panel is paired with a matte aluminum alloy middle frame.
The Magic 8 series also added a brand new AI button on the middle frame. By default, long-pressing it can open the YOYO video call, and double-clicking can bring up the camera. Furthermore, this button can also be used within the camera app. Sliding it can zoom. A single click can take a photo. Long-pressing can take a burst shot. Of course, we can set the AI button to other functions in the settings to improve usability.
In terms of screen, both displays are 1.5K, 120Hz, and the bezels appear to be equally wide on all four sides to the naked eye. Regarding the screen form factor, the standard version has a flat screen, while the Pro version has a slightly curved screen on all four sides. However, the slight curve is very, very restrained. Besides being rounder on the edges, the display effect is basically no different from a flat screen, and the hand feel is also slightly better than a purely flat screen.
Regarding brightness, we measured the maximum manual brightness at 897 nits for the standard version and 879 nits for the Pro version. Next, regarding the peak brightness, the standard version reached an astonishing 1963 nits, while the Pro version was 1367 nits.
Speaking of screens, this time, the PWM dimming frequency of both models has been raised to the industry’s first tier of 4320 Hz. Additionally, the Magic 8 has quite a few eye-protection-related features. For example, unique features like Dry Eye Friendly and AI Defocus Eye Protection.
In terms of biometric recognition, both devices are equipped with an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor, and the unlock position is comfortable. The difference is that the Pro version is equipped with a 3D facial recognition sensor, so the Pro’s “forehead” has a small pill-shaped cutout.
Performance & AI
Okay, after experiencing the new system, we can see that Honor is very attentive to our daily use features. So, let’s first take a look at the core AI features experience of the brand new Magic OS 7. First up is the system UI, which Honor calls “Transparent World.” Oh, excuse me, it should be “Transparent Mode.” You can see that the software icons and small cards now have a somewhat transparent glass effect. The control center and some interfaces for dialing and entering passwords have added a ripple animation effect. When your finger touches the UI, the light effect flows with your finger.
However, compared to competitors’ “Liquid Glass,” Honor’s engineers might feel that the Liquid Glass effect consumes too much power. Therefore, you can also find that the essence of the Transparent Mode is still a frosted glass effect. Although the visual effects are not as dynamic as iOS 16, the readability is indeed better. At the same time, we can also adjust the transparency of the UI in the settings. Software icons can also be changed to colorful transparent icons. Not forcing you to use the new design is commendable.
Okay, besides the brand new design in the new system, AI has also added quite a few new features this time. For example, if we’re out shopping and don’t know what to eat, we can long-press the AI button, call up YOYO, and ask it what good food is nearby.
Next up is the gaming performance, which our channel’s audience might be slightly more interested in. Both phones are equipped with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5.
So let’s get straight to the actual gaming test. Let’s first look at the lightly-loaded Honor of Kings, mainly to check the power consumption performance. The power consumption of all three 8 Elite Gen 5 models falls within the range of 3.3 to 3.5 watts, which is a good performance. So let’s continue to increase the intensity.
The second is our old friend, Genshin Impact. Both the Magic 8 and Magic 8 Pro ran at a full 60 frames in a straight line, and the power consumption was only 4.26 watts, which is impressive. As for the temperature, both 17 Pro Max models from Xiaomi and Apple were slightly lower. It must be said that Genshin Impact is still too light for this year’s flagship models.
Genshin Impact’s super resolution and super frame rate can be enabled simultaneously, ultimately providing the ultimate 1.5K 120-frame experience. You can see that after turning it on, your ‘waifu’ is indeed sharper, but since the characters were already quite clear, the improvement might not be huge. To optimize performance on the mobile version of Genshin Impact, the texture resolution used for distant scenery is not very high. in terms of hand feel, we didn’t notice any significant improvement in latency; it’s still great to play.
Camera Battle
Okay, next let’s talk about the camera part. The main camera of both Magic 8 series models still uses a 1/1.31-inch CMOS. The main camera of the Pro version also removed the variable aperture. The biggest upgrade is the Pro version’s telephoto lens.
A 200-megapixel ultra-night-god telephoto lens with a large 1/1.4-inch sensor. The focal length is 85mm, which is 3.7x. Now let’s take a look at how they perform. Both models are quite comparable in terms of the main camera and ultra-wide-angle, with similar resolution and processing. There is little difference in daily use, but in terms of strong backlight and anti-glare, the Magic 8 Pro performs significantly better than the standard version. So it’s not hard to see that the Pro version’s lens coating is also better than the standard version’s.
For the telephoto lens, the Magic 8 Pro benefits from the large 1/1.4-inch sensor, resulting in excellent resolution and noise control. Especially in night scenes, the light perception is quite bright.
Moreover, the Magic 8 Pro’s telephoto lens supports OIS 5-axis stabilization, with an anti-shake rating of 5.5G. It is basically rare to have handheld blurring. Additionally, their telephoto lenses have a minimum focusing distance of within 15 cm. Compared to many competitors whose minimum focusing distance is often 70-80 cm, the effect is good whether it’s to avoid the main camera’s poor close-up performance or for macro photography.
Compared to daytime, the Magic 8 series’ handling of night scenes and lighting is a strong point. In this set, both models suppress highlights very well, with no obvious halo effect. And in this set, their enhancement of the lighting is just right, creating a better atmosphere. Thanks to Honor’s AI optical correction technology, both Honor phones capture rich details.
Overall, the camera performance of the Magic 8 series can be said to have reached the level of the first tier.
Battery & Charging
Of course, besides performance, the large-capacity battery of the Magic 8 series also greatly improved the gaming experience. The Magic 8 standard version is equipped with a 7000 mAh battery. Charging supports 90W wired plus 80W wireless. Equipped with an AI algorithm-supported multi-node battery management system, it achieves ultra-long battery life and intelligent charging/discharging management.
In the run-until-dead battery life, the Magic 8 lasted a total of 11 hours and 55 minutes, ranking quite high on our list, an excellent performance. Regarding charging, the actual measurement of charging while in use took 50 minutes, and 45% was charged in 20 minutes. 90W paired with a 7000 mAh large battery, this performance is quite strong.
The Magic 8 Pro’s battery is even larger, reaching 7200 mAh. It supports 120W wired plus 80W wireless. In terms of charging, it’s about five minutes faster than the standard version. Half was charged in the first 20 minutes, and it was fully charged in 46 minutes while in use. Overall, in terms of charging and battery life, the standard version performed beyond expectations.
Final Verdict
OK, let’s summarize in the end. This generation of the Magic 8 series is still very excellent and very versatile. The appearance ID continues the family design, and there are clear breakthroughs in camera and AI. The performance release during the test was truly impressive to us. But the main keynote of the Magic series—camera plus AI—has not changed.
Honor Earbuds 4
Also released alongside the Honor Magic 8 series are the Honor Earbuds 4 and the Honor Watch 5 Pro. The Earbuds 4 is a mainstream noise-canceling earphone. In terms of appearance, compared to products in the same series, the texture this time is quite superb. The high-gloss upper cover has a metallic premium feel, paired with the matte-textured lower cover, giving an immediate urge to fondle it.
The earphone part is an 11mm bass plus 6mm treble dual-driver combination. The single earbud weighs 5.3 grams, and the wearing comfort is good.
Honor Watch 5 Pro
Okay, next is the Honor Watch 5 Pro. This watch adopts a circular dial design, a 1.5-inch AMOLED dial with a peak brightness of 3000 nits, making the displayed content clearly visible outdoors. The e-SIM version we got our hands on uses a dual outer ring design, with a ceramic inner ring and a metal outer ring. And this outer ring is genuinely gold-plated, paired with a glossy mirrored middle frame, the texture is outstanding.
In terms of features, the Honor Watch 5 Pro’s heart detection, besides basic functions like ECG electrocardiogram detection, cardiovascular risk assessment, and atrial fibrillation screening, this time also added a brand new non-contact blood pressure detection. As for other common sports functions, it basically has everything you’d expect. In terms of battery life, the official promotion states that the Bluetooth version can last for 15 days in long-endurance mode. This battery life performance is very reassuring.
