The Honor V5 Foldable: Redefining the Folding Phone?
For many, the "perfect" folding phone remains an elusive dream. It needs to seamlessly blend the best of a traditional slab phone with the innovative possibilities of a foldable. To me, that perfect device would boast four key qualities:
A Cover Screen as Good as a Slab Phone: It should feel natural to use, and if it can be as thin and robust as a traditional smartphone when folded, that's a significant plus.
Flagship-Level Cameras: The cameras should be on par with, or at least highly competitive with, today's top-tier flagship phones.
All-Day Battery Life: A battery large enough to comfortably power the expansive inner display throughout the day is essential.
Powerful Processor: A high-end processor capable of handling any demanding task with ease.
Stunning Inner Display: The highlight of any foldable, this screen needs to be bright, fast, vibrant, and crucially, have a barely noticeable crease.
I believe Honor might have just ticked all these boxes with their new Honor V5 foldable. This is the Chinese variant, with the European model anticipated in late August 2025.
Let's dive into the details and see if you agree!
Folded Form Factor: A Slab Phone Impersonator
The Honor V5's cover screen is so large and usable that many could easily mistake it for a regular smartphone. Honor has truly pushed the boundaries when it comes to the folded thickness, slimming it down to an astonishing 8.8mm, making it the world's thinnest foldable at this moment.
When it comes to durability, the V5 boasts an official IP58 & IP59 rating. This translates to decent dust protection and impressive water resistance, giving you peace of mind.
And the weight? It comes in at just 217 grams. For context, an iPhone 16 Pro Max is actually heavier at 227 grams. You might think, "Well, that's because the iPhone probably has a bigger battery, right?" (Wrong!)
Battery & Charging: Powering Through the Day
The Honor Magic V5's battery holds nearly 25% more power than many popular flagships! It features a substantial 5820mAh silicon-carbon battery. This large capacity is designed to keep the V5 powered all day.
Charging is also incredibly fast, with support for 66W Honor Super Charging via a wired connection and 50W wireless charging.
Only time will tell how this massive battery holds up with extended use of the opened display. My prediction, based on the efficiency of the display technology and chipset, is that Honor could be a strong contender for the best battery life among folding phones.
Chipset: The Pinnacle of Performance
Honor has equipped the V5 with top-tier internal hardware. The processor is the 8-core version of the Snapdragon 8 Elite, which is currently the pinnacle of Android phone chips. It's paired with a generous 16GB of RAM and 512GB of internal storage. And if 16GB of RAM isn't quite enough for your needs, you can expand it further using Honor's RAM expansion feature, which cleverly utilizes your onboard storage as virtual RAM.
The Big Screen: A Visual Feast
Now, let's talk about the star of the show: the inner display. It's a magnificent 7.95-inch 120Hz LTPO 8T Display with a resolution of 2352 x 2172 pixels and 403 PPI.
For those unfamiliar, LTPO (Low-Temperature Polycrystalline Oxide) technology allows the display to dynamically adjust its refresh rate all the way down to a super-efficient one hertz and ramp it up to 120Hz when needed. This significantly contributes to battery efficiency.
The V5's inner display is incredibly bright, reaching a local peak brightness of up to 5000 Nits – surpassing some traditional flagships! It's also highly color-accurate, supporting Dolby Vision and 100% of the DCI-P3 color gamut. Beyond the stunning visuals, Honor has incorporated advanced eye protection software, taking user comfort to the next level.
Honor calls it an "Amoled Flexi Fluid display," though I've also heard it referred to as the "HONOR Super Armoured Inner Screen." This inner display also supports a stylus, adding another layer of versatility. All these features sound impressive, but they could easily be overshadowed by a prominent crease.
The Crease: Virtually Vanished
But, thankfully, that is not the case here. Honor has engineered an upgraded "super steel hinge" that does an amazing job of flattening out the crease. When compared side-by-side with my Galaxy Z Fold 6, the difference is remarkable.
Honor is using aerospace-grade fibers with a carbon fiber support layer in the hinge. I'm told this hinge is 10% more durable, 15% more scratch-resistant, and 20% more impact-resistant.
At this point, Honor has truly "knocked it out of the park" with the V5, in my opinion. There is, however, one area where they might have slightly dialed back compared to Honor's own flagship, the Magic 7: the cameras.
Cameras: Capable, But Awaiting Real-World Tests
The Honor V5 features a triple-camera setup: a 50MP UltraLight Sensitive Falcon Main Camera, a 50MP Ultra-Wide Camera, and a 64MP Ultra Sensing Periscope Telephoto (with 100X digital zoom). While these specs are formidable, I believe the Honor Magic 7 has a slightly more advanced main camera.
I know you're probably wondering just how good these cameras are – and so am I, to be honest! I should be getting a sample unit in the near future. So, please let me know in the comments what you'd like to see these cameras tested against, or if you'd like a more in-depth look or a tips and tricks guide.
Thank you for reading, and I'll see you in the next one!
