Four moving parts instead of ninety-two, engineered to last a decade
In the ongoing human pursuit of devices that fold the boundary between utility and elegance, Honor has introduced the Magic Vs — a second-generation foldable smartphone designed not merely to iterate, but to challenge. Unveiled in late November 2022, the device distills years of engineering reflection into a lighter, more durable form, arriving as a quiet but deliberate answer to the dominant voices in the foldable market. Its ambition is not only technical but philosophical: that simplicity in construction can yield greater resilience, and that refinement, not raw power, may define the next chapter of portable computing.
- Honor's Magic Vs enters a foldable market long dominated by Samsung, carrying a redesigned hinge that reduces 92 moving parts down to just four — a counterintuitive simplification that Honor claims yields stronger, longer-lasting results.
- The persistent crease problem that has haunted foldable phones is directly targeted here, with Honor promising a near-invisible fold line and a hinge rated for 400,000 folds — roughly a decade of heavy daily use.
- A stylus accessory called the Magic Pen gives the Magic Vs a capability Samsung's Galaxy Fold line lacked at this point, adding a productivity dimension that could sway buyers weighing their options.
- Priced from $1,050 to $1,520 and set to reach global markets in early 2023, Honor is positioning itself not as a budget alternative but as a genuine premium competitor on the world stage.
Honor's two-day product launch in November 2022 centered on the Magic Vs, the company's second attempt at a foldable smartphone and a direct response to what it sees as unresolved weaknesses in Samsung's approach to the form factor.
The most striking engineering achievement is the hinge. Where the original Magic V used 92 separate components, the Magic Vs achieves the same function with just four, through a single-piece processing method. The result is a lighter device, a reduced crease when folded, and a hinge Honor says can endure over 400,000 folds — the equivalent of about ten years of daily use.
The internal display stretches to 7.9 inches with OLED technology and HDR10+ support, while the outer screen runs at a faster 120Hz refresh rate. Powering it all is Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chip, with storage configurations ranging from 8GB RAM and 256GB storage up to 12GB and 512GB. The triple rear camera system is led by a 54-megapixel Sony sensor, joined by a 50-megapixel ultra-wide and an 8-megapixel telephoto. A 5,000mAh battery charges fully in under 50 minutes at 66 watts.
Perhaps most notably, Honor introduced the Magic Pen stylus — a Bluetooth accessory that Samsung's competing Fold lineup did not offer — signaling a push into productivity territory. Pricing begins at approximately $1,050 for the base model and climbs to $1,520 for a limited Ultimate edition in black and gold. Global availability was confirmed for the first quarter of 2023, though regional pricing remained unannounced at launch.
Honor held a two-day product launch on November 23rd, 2022, and the centerpiece was the Magic Vs, the company's second-generation foldable smartphone. It arrives as a direct answer to what Honor sees as shortcomings in Samsung's approach to the form factor—a device that aims to be thinner, lighter, and more refined than what came before.
The most visible change is physical. The Magic Vs weighs less than its predecessor, the Magic V, and the reason is engineering: a completely redesigned hinge mechanism. Where the original Magic V relied on 92 separate hinge elements, the new model uses a single-piece processing approach that reduces the moving parts to just four. This simplification sounds counterintuitive, but Honor claims it actually improves durability. The company tested the hinge in the lab and says it can withstand over 400,000 folds—roughly ten years of use if you fold the phone about 100 times daily. The hinge also produces what Honor describes as a negligible crease when the device is closed, a persistent complaint about foldables.
Inside, the Magic Vs carries Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 processor, which is powerful enough for demanding tasks, though not the absolute flagship chip available at the time. Storage comes in three configurations: 8GB of RAM with 256GB of storage, 12GB with 256GB, or 12GB with 512GB. The inner display measures 7.9 inches with an OLED panel running at 2272×1984 resolution and a 90Hz refresh rate. The outer screen is smaller at 6.45 inches but faster, with a 120Hz refresh rate and 2560×1080 resolution. Both displays support HDR10+ and can render a billion colors.
A notable addition is stylus support. Honor introduced the Magic Pen, a Bluetooth-connected stylus that works with the Magic Vs—a feature that Samsung's Galaxy Fold line did not offer at this point. The camera system consists of three rear lenses: a 54-megapixel main sensor using Sony's IMX800, a 50-megapixel ultra-wide that also serves as a macro lens, and an 8-megapixel telephoto with 3x optical zoom. The front-facing camera is 16 megapixels with an f/2.45 aperture. Honor did not disclose specs for the inner display's selfie camera.
The battery capacity is 5,000 milliamp-hours, and the charging speed is aggressive: 66 watts of power can refill the battery completely in 46 minutes. The device runs Magic OS 7.0, based on Android 12.
Pricing reflects the premium positioning. The base model with 8GB and 256GB storage costs 7,499 Chinese yuan, roughly $1,050. The 12GB/256GB version is 7,999 yuan ($1,120), and the top-tier 12GB/512GB model reaches 8,999 yuan ($1,260). An exclusive Ultimate edition, available in black and gold, carries a price of 10,888 yuan ($1,520) and includes 12GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. Pre-orders began immediately, with general sales starting November 30th. Honor confirmed that the device would reach global markets in the first quarter of 2023, though no specific territories or pricing for those regions were announced at the event. The Magic Vs comes in three standard colors—black, orange, and cyan—with the Ultimate edition limited to black and gold.
Notable Quotes
The device can withstand over 400,000 folds, giving it about 10 years of durability at average daily use— Honor (lab testing claim)
The Magic Vs comes with an advanced hinge that enables the device to close without any gap— Honor (announcement)
The Hearth Conversation Another angle on the story
Why redesign the hinge so dramatically? Ninety-two elements down to four seems like a radical simplification.
It's actually the opposite of cutting corners. Fewer moving parts means less friction, less wear, and paradoxically, better durability. The single-piece processing technology is more expensive to manufacture, but it lets the phone close without gaps and reduces that visible crease everyone complains about.
And the stylus—that's a direct shot at Samsung, isn't it?
Absolutely. Samsung's foldables didn't have stylus support, which was a real limitation for people who wanted a productivity device. Honor saw an opening and built the Magic Pen into the design from the start.
The Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 isn't the newest chip, though. Why not wait for the next generation?
Speed to market matters. The 8+ is still incredibly capable—it handles everything most people throw at it. Waiting six months for a marginally faster processor would have meant missing the window to compete this year.
What about that crease? Is it really negligible, or is that marketing language?
Honor tested it rigorously, and the engineering is sound. The hinge mechanism is genuinely better. Whether it's truly negligible in real use—that's something reviewers will have to verify. But the design is a real step forward from the first Magic V.
The price is steep for a phone that's not quite flagship in every spec.
It's positioned as a premium device, and foldables are still a luxury category. You're paying for the engineering, the form factor, and features like stylus support that competitors don't offer. For the right user, that justifies the cost.