The largest hurdle to utilizing a foldable each day is the scale; though current-gen merchandise are lighter than their predecessors, they’re nonetheless considerably heavier and bulkier than common telephones. Honor addressed this problem with the Magic V2; the foldable weighs the identical because the Galaxy S24 Extremely, and at 9.9mm when folded, it’s simply as thick as a standard cellphone.
The svelte design of the Magic V2 offers it an enormous benefit over its rivals, and having used the system for a month now, I can confidently say that more often than not, it does not even really feel like a foldable. Honor is leveraging the design as soon as once more to create the final word model of the Magic V2, the Porsche Design Magic V2 RSR.
This model of the Magic V2 was made in collaboration with Porsche Design, and whereas the basics are unchanged, there are many small tweaks that give the Magic V2 RSR its distinctive character. The important thing design trait is the flyline digital camera module that appears slightly distinctive; there’s a big glass panel that exhibits off the digital camera modules to a higher extent than the usual variant, and the body across the housing is made out of titanium.
The common Magic V2 seems to be good in its personal proper, however the V2 RSR has a bolder aesthetic because of the bigger digital camera housing. There are different design prospers; the flyline extends down the again — making a wedge down the center — and it is meant to evoke similarities to the bonnet of a Porsche 911.
Honor is promoting the foldable in a single colour choice, Agate Gray. Clearly, there is a Porsche homage right here as properly, with the metallic gray colour featured within the model’s sports activities vehicles. The colour seems to be nice, and the matte texture may be very completely different to the frosted glass end that you simply get with the usual mannequin.
You get a customized case within the package deal in addition to a stylus, and the latter is especially helpful as it really works on each the inside and outer screens. There is not any solution to tuck the stylus contained in the Magic V2 RSR — the cellphone simply is not giant sufficient — however the truth that you get the stylus within the field is a nifty addition.
The stylus has good strain sensitivity and allows you to take notes even when the display screen is off, similar to Samsung’s telephones. Different additions embrace customized icons based mostly on Porsche’s vehicles, backgrounds, and sound results. General, there’s a lot to love on the design entrance, and in the event you’ve had your eye on the Magic V2, you need to take into account getting this mannequin.
Whereas I just like the design modifications, the big digital camera module on the again means the cellphone may be very wobbly when on a desk; attaching the case mitigates this to an extent, and I like to recommend utilizing it.
In any other case, the Porsche Design Magic V2 RSR is equivalent to the usual mannequin. You get the identical nice hinge that is made out of titanium, and it has a easy articulation and stays open at varied angles, and the digital camera interface splits into two, providing you with the power to take attention-grabbing pictures.Â
My favourite use case of the Magic V2 RSR is the Hover mode that mainly turns the foldable into the most costly clock on the earth. Simply go away the inside display screen unfolded at an angle, and you will get a big clock as soon as the display screen switches off — just like StandBy mode in iOS 17. It is a fairly nice function, and I used it on a regular basis.
One of the best a part of the Magic V2 RSR is the screens; you get a 6.43-inch outer display screen together with an enormous 7.92-inch inside display screen, and more often than not, I simply used the outer display screen to get again to messages and browse emails. The inside display screen is right to learn, and the thinness of the foldable makes an enormous distinction on this space — it is only a smidgen heavier than my Kindle Oasis whereas providing a bigger display screen. In the event you’re planning on studying books, the e-book mode turns the display screen monochrome.
Each screens have 120Hz refresh, wonderful colour vibrancy, and are among the many brightest on this class. What’s significantly attention-grabbing is that Honor is collaborating with Gameloft to allow 120fps gaming in Asphalt 9: Legends; the function is not stay as of writing, and is about to be accessible beginning February 19. I am going to replace this publish in per week to share extra on the way it holds up on this space.
Switching over to the {hardware}, the Magic V2 RSR makes use of the identical Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 as the usual mannequin, and whereas I’d have appreciated to see the 8 Gen 3, Qualcomm’s older silicon nonetheless has rather a lot to supply. What’s nice concerning the Magic V2 RSR is that it is bought in a single configuration with 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage, so there are completely no points right here.
The battery is one other space the place Honor completely does an awesome job; the Magic V2 RSR has a 5000mAh unit that lasts over a day with ease, and even with heavy use, I did not should cost the foldable earlier than the tip of the day. The 66W charging tech means a full cost takes a smidgen over an hour.
Honor hasn’t modified the cameras both, so that you get the identical 50MP principal digital camera, 50MP wide-angle lens, and 20MP zoom lens with 2.5x optical zoom. I’d have appreciated a number of tweaks across the digital camera UI — just like what you get on the Hasselblad-based OnePlus 12 — however the interface is equivalent to the usual mannequin.
That stated, you get terrific images in any scenario, and the Magic V2 RSR is correct up there with the likes of the Pixel Fold and OnePlus Open. Pictures are usually overly saturated at instances, however they appear nice however, and the foldable does an excellent job in low-light situations as properly.
Coming to the software program, the Magic V2 RSR suffers from the identical points as the usual mannequin; it runs Android 13 out of the field, there aren’t many foldable-focused options accessible, and the interface is in want of an overhaul. Aside from that, it is respectable sufficient to make use of, and I’ve no points on this regard.
Honor hasn’t shared what the Magic V2 RSR shall be accessible for — that info is about to be revealed at Cellular World Congress. That stated, the cellphone retails for 15,999 RMB in China, or the equal of $2,225. Contemplating the usual model of the Magic V2 prices €1,999 ($2,132) in international markets, it is secure to imagine that the V2 RSR shall be nearer to €2,299 ($2,475) as soon as it begins hitting cabinets outdoors China.
That is some huge cash, however you are additionally getting what’s arguably one of many finest foldables at this time. The Magic V2 is a good cellphone in and of itself, and the Porsche Design additions take it to the subsequent stage.
