HONOR unveiled the Magic5 Pro in Barcelona at MWC 2023. The new flagship comes with new tricks up its sleeve, and it sports a new triple 50MP camera setup, an excellent and gorgeous 6.81-inch LTPO OLED panel, and it’s equipped with the latest and most powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC. It has up to 12GB of RAM (in Europe), and up to 512 GB of storage.

The Magic5 Pro improves on its predecessor, the Magic4 Pro, in nearly every way possible, although there are a few striking similarities. It has the same-sized display panel, a similar footprint, a similar configuration for storage and memory, and a superb camera setup on the back. There’s a lot to talk about, so let’s begin.

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Pocketnow recommends the HONOR Magic5 Pro smartphone due to its stylish design, gorgeous display, long-lasting battery, and superb camera setup. It offers outstanding performance across the board, and it's one of the best devices in 2023 if you're looking for the best flagship experience.

HONOR Magic5 Pro: Price & Availability

The HONOR Magic5 Pro was announced in Barcelona at MWC 2023, and the device was released in the UK on April 11. The base unit comes with 8 GB of memory and 256 GB of RAM, retailing for €899.99. The higher-end model comes in the Meadow Green color option with 12 GB of RAM and 512 GB storage, and it’s available for £949.99 in the UK and €1,199 in Germany.

What's in the box

The HONOR Magic5 Pro comes with everything you need inside the traditional box. It comes with everything you expect from HONOR, and we’re glad to see that the company still ships its flagship device with all the must-have accessories you need to get the device set up. You can watch our unboxing experience on Instagram.

The Magic5 Pro comes with a transparent silicone case, a 66W fast charging power adapter, a USB-A to USB-C cable, user manuals, a warranty card, and a SIM ejector pin. It’s safe to say HONOR went all out, and we appreciate the inclusion of a fast power adapter. If there’s something worth pointing out, it’s that I would’ve loved to see HONOR switch to a USB-C port on its power adapter, but you can’t quite always get what you want. Still, HONOR did an excellent job including all the essentials in a neat, standard package, and it deserves some bonus points for that.

Design

• Stylish and beautiful
• Very slippery
• Comfortable to hold and use

The HONOR Magic5 Pro is one of the best-looking phones in 2023. It looks beautiful and borrows many design cues from its predecessor. It has no sharp edges, and all sides on both the front and back are curved to fit the palm of your hand. This makes the device feel comfortable and sleek. However, I couldn’t help but notice that the frosted glass panel was still extremely slippery. It has a textured surface that feels great and looks amazing, but sadly, it needs a case if you want to use it in one hand.

“The HONOR Magic5 Pro is one of the best-looking phones in 2023.”

A closer look at the camera module reveals a large circular camera island with a slight curvature that makes the transition seamless. The camera module protrudes ever so slightly, but I didn’t find this to be an issue as I kept the phone in a case. Fortunately, the phone also doesn’t wobble on the table, and the sides are symmetric. The design is unique and stands out next to other devices on the market, most of which have their camera module in the top left corner.

The sides are flat, and HONOR rounded off the edges. This means that the Magic5 Pro can stand on its own on a flat surface, and it feels well-balanced while using it on a day-to-day basis. The volume rocker and power buttons are placed on the right side, and the bottom houses the SIM card slot, a microphone, a USB-C port, and the speaker. There’s nothing on the left, and the top only contains an additional speaker, a microphone, and an IR sensor.

Specifications

The review is based on the Meadow Green unit, powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor with 12 GB of RAM and 512 GB of storage. The device packs the latest hardware and software, and it’s the best flagship device HONOR has to offer in 2023. HONOR also tested the Magic5 Pro with DXOMARK to claim the number one spot on the Smartphone Camera and the number one position on the Smartphone Display charts.

The device has a lot going for it, and here are the specifications for those looking for the details.

Display

• 6.81-inch LTPO OLED with 120Hz
• Colorful and bright
• Excellent sunlight visibility
• Bezel-less display with curved edges

The display on the Magic5 Pro is accurate and stunning, whether you’re looking at it in a pitch-black room or outside in direct sunlight. The Magic5 Pro comes with a 6.81-inch LTPO OLED display. It has a peak brightness of 1,800 nits, making it an excellent device for outdoor users. HONOR also took a moment to highlight the Magic5 Pro’s 2,160Hz PWC dimming system. The screen looks gorgeous in all lighting conditions, and I didn’t notice any ghosting or artifacts during my use.

“The display on the Magic5 Pro is accurate and stunning.”

The panel was always responsive, thanks to the 120Hz refresh rate, and it’s also color accurate. The Magic5 Pro supports sRGB and DCI-P3 color space and looks outstanding. However, I noticed that the whites often have a blue hue. It’s not something that you can see immediately unless you specifically look for it or compare it against other devices. That said, the screen is excellent, and I never encountered any issues regarding color, brightness, viewing angles, or responsiveness.

I played various games, watched movies and YouTube, browsed the internet for several hours, and the content looked amazing. It’s an excellent device for consuming media, and if you’re after a smartphone with one of the best displays on the market, the Magic5 Pro might just be it.

Cameras

• Excellent camera quality with plenty of detail, shadows, and dynamic range
• Perfect for low-light photography
• Outstanding selfies and portrait shots

The HONOR Magic5 Pro has a triple camera setup on the back with a 50MP f/1.6 primary, a 50MP f/2.0 ultra-wide, and a 50MP f/3.0 telephoto camera. The primary camera has a 1/1.12-inch sensor with 1.4 µm pixels. There’s OIS on both the primary and telephoto, and a ToF 3D depth sensor. The front-facing camera features a 12MP f/2.4 sensor with f/2.4 aperture, with 100-degree field of view. This too, features a ToF 3D depth sensor with biometrics that lets you unlock the device with face recognition.

I took the Magic5 Pro on holiday with me to Brighton, and it’s safe to say the results speak for themselves. All the captured photos ended up sharp with plenty of detail, and even those taken in direct sunlight ended up beautiful. The dynamic range always balanced things out, and I didn’t see any noticeable noise or over sharpening on any of the sensors.

However, I noticed that the “AI Photography” feature often boosted the colors to extreme levels, making images look warmer. Sunsets often looked more yellow and orange than they were in real life. I eventually turned off this feature and used the device as a point-and-shoot smartphone, the same way most people take photos. The results are beautiful, and I’d only recommend turning on this feature for specific occasions when you need that extra pinch of color or want AI to help you capture something in challenging conditions.

The ultra-wide camera looks wide, and HONOR’s algorithm does an excellent job of balancing things. The left and right sides aren’t distorter and are efficiently corrected too. The images have plenty of sharpness, detail, and the contrast is well-balanced. There’s no noise, and I’m impressed with the overall results of the ultra-wide.

The telephoto sensor lets you zoom in .1x increments, with buttons to zoom up to 3.5x and 10x quickly. There are also 50x and 100x dedicated points, but it’s worth noting that these are all digital. The sensor is capable of up to 3.5x optical zoom, and HONOR does an impressive job at up to 10x. The results are, once again, stunning. All images have plenty of detail, and the dynamic range is applied well. The photos are sharp, the colors look accurate, and I didn’t see a lot of noise, even in low light.

The selfies are also excellent, with plenty of detail and dynamic range. I rarely found that I was out of focus, but an extra second could help the sensor focus. The nighttime shots are equally impressive, but I saw some blooming and artifacts in some images. These images are still very usable. The brightness is boosted alongside the colors, but HONOR managed to keep the noise down and ensure these images look great.

I didn’t notice anything unusual while testing the camera, but I found it odd that it only allowed recording up to 15 minutes at a time when shooting at 4K resolution. Most smartphones allow for 30 minutes, and there’s no explanation for why this may be limited. This could be very limiting for those considering the Magic5 Pro for videography.

“The HONOR Magic5 Pro is an excellent point-and-shoot camera with a versatile camera system and impressive zooming capabilities.”

Overall, the HONOR Magic5 Pro is an excellent point-and-shoot camera with a versatile camera system and impressive zooming capabilities. The camera performs well across all sensors, with plenty of sharpness, detail, and color production. If you’re looking for one of the best camera smartphones in 2023, the HONOR Magic5 Pro is an easy recommendation. It nails the essentials and gives you far more options than other devices in the same category. The Magic5 Pro is easily my favorite smartphone for mobile photography.

Camera Samples

Daytime

Selfie

Ultra-wide

Telephoto

Low-light

Software

• Three years of OS and five years of security updates
• Fast and clean user interface
• Plenty of features

The HONOR Magic5 Pro comes with MagicOS 7.1, based on Android 13. It offers most of the features you have come to expect and love in Android, and HONOR also included some of its own to provide an ecosystem for its own devices. The user interface feels well-designed, and there are no cartoonish looks. It feels clean and minimal, with an emphasis on functionality and minimalism. You'll feel right at home if you've used an HONOR device in the past few years.

I also want to point out that HONOR intends to step up its software game, and the company announced that it’s updating its policy, starting with the Magic5 Pro. The company announced that it’d provide three years of Android version updates, and five years of security updates. This makes the HONOR Magic5 Pro an even more appealing device. Still, we’ll have to wait and see how fast HONOR can deliver these updates if it wants to compete with the likes of Google and Samsung, companies who are already doing an excellent job at keeping their flagships up to date.

I’ve used the Magic5 Pro for over two weeks and didn’t experience any issues with the device. The software and the interface always felt fast and smooth. The animations are excellent, the screen is responsive, and the notification shade works well. The launcher supports large folders and cards (HONOR’s way of saying widgets). The launcher transitions can also be changed, and there are three layout grid options to choose from. Google Discover can also be enabled.

A theming system lets you change the colors and icons across the entire device, and HONOR enables you to download even more themes within its Themes application. Users can find even more Always-on Display designs and other neat features there, allowing them to personalize their device to their liking.

Overall, the HONOR Magic5 Pro and the MagicOS 7.1 software seem great. It has all the built-in features that you have come to expect from HONOR, and there are a few nice touches that enable you to manage tasks. Of course, if you’re not a massive fan of the looks, or perhaps you’re looking for even more customizability, third-party launchers will enable you to take things into your hands. That said, HONOR did a great job, and I’m impressed.

Speakers

The Magic5 Pro has stereo speakers, with one on the bottom and one on top. The bottom had more bass with more emphasis on higher frequencies, while the top focused more on the mid-frequencies. It felt well-balanced and consistent. Movies and audio sound great and enjoyable. I never missed anything, but I did wish there was more bass coming from the top speaker when watching music videos. Overall, it was pleasant and excellent for consuming content and listening to music.

Battery Life

• 5,100 mAh battery
• Support for 65W fast wired and 50W fast wireless charging
• Excellent battery life

The HONOR Magic5 Pro received a small bump in the battery capacity compared to the Magic4 Pro. It has a 5,100 mAh battery, compared to the 4,600 mAh cell found in last year’s Magic4 Pro. It’s a noticeable upgrade, and a welcome change. However, the device also received a downgrade in the changing department. It supports 66W wired and 50W wireless charging, compared to 100W wired and wireless charging that was on the Magic4 Pro.

However, don’t let the numbers fool you. While the wired charging rate is indeed slower, a full charge is still possible within less than an hour. I could fully charge the device in about 50 minutes without an issue. It’s up to the latest standards, and HONOR deserves extra points for providing the 66W power adapter and the charging cable inside the box.

Regarding the battery life, I could go for a full day using the device as I would normally. I browsed the web, used a few social media apps, and played several games. I took some photos, and used GPS to navigate around. I often ended the day on 40-50% charge left, and a quick 20 to 30-minute top-up was almost always enough to carry the device onto the next day, with plenty of juice left for other activities.

“The HONOR Magic5 Pro is a two-day smartphone for most users, and can comfortably last a full workday for power users on a single charge.”

In general, the Magic5 Pro did well, and it’s an easy two-day smartphone, depending on how you use it. Power users will certainly have to put the device on charge at the end of the day, but those who use it casually for catching up with friends and taking a few photos here and there will not have any issues making it through a full workday.

HONOR Magic5 Pro: Should I buy it?

Buy it if…

• You’re looking for one of the best flagship smartphones in 2023.
• You’re already in the HONOR ecosystem and use other products from the company.
• Photography is a priority. The Magic5 Pro is one of the best camera smartphones in 2023.
• You want a phone that excels at multitasking, gaming, and has a large and beautiful display.

Don't buy it if…

• You prefer using phones without a case. It’s extremely slippery, and the phone can easily slide out of your hands if you’re not careful enough.
• You’re not a fan of curved displays.
• You don’t like large phones.

The HONOR Magic4 Pro was already an excellent smartphone with very few faults, and it seems like HONOR managed to outdo itself and develop the next generation with even more emphasis on photography, battery, and performance. As a result, I can confidently say that the HONOR Magic5 Pro is one of the best all-round smartphones in 2023.

“The HONOR Magic5 Pro is one of the best all-round smartphones in 2023.”

The phone looks stunning from all angles, and while the curved display might not be everyone’s cup of tea, it’s safe to say it looks beautiful. There’s plenty of power under the hood, thanks to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset. There’s enough memory and storage to store your photos, your favorite graphics-intensive games and apps, as well as videos and music.

The Magic5 Pro makes it easy to consume content, thanks to its large, bright, and color-accurate display, and watching movies and videos has never been as immersive on a mobile device as on the Magic5 Pro. The speakers are excellent, the vibration motor is just right, and the battery can last more than a day on a single charge. There’s also 66W fast wired and 50W fast wireless charging, with the option to reverse wireless charge other devices and accessories.

There’s not much to nitpick about, and if you’re a fan of HONOR’s design and user interface, you’ll feel right at home. The Magic5 Pro is also joining the few flagship devices that’ll continue receiving OS updates for three years, and security patches for up to five years, in line with other competitive smartphones from Samsung, OPPO, OnePlus, and Google.

There are only a few issues with the Magic5 Pro, and they’re more like nitpicks than actual problems. Some of these might not apply to everyone, but they’re still worth mentioning. First, and foremost, it’s the design. The Magic5 Pro looks beautiful; however, it’s extremely slippery. I recommend using a case, as using it with one hand is impossible.

The second is that while the screen looks amazing, the curved edges can make it challenging to use. I used the device for more than two weeks but couldn’t get used to the curved edges, which was especially tricky when attempting to type quickly. The software has a few odd features and limitations, but none seem deal-breaking for average users. Still, the 15-minute limitation for 4K videos seems unreasonable, and we hope HONOR changes it in a future software update.

That said, the HONOR Magic5 Pro is an excellent smartphone with plenty of power, beautiful hardware, and great features. HONOR priced the Magic5 Pro at a price that makes it easy to recommend, especially as it costs less than most other competing flagship smartphones from brands like Apple, Google, and Samsung.