This time around we’ll be comparing Samsung’s brand new book-style foldable with the best one available from HONOR… globally. In other words, we’re comparing the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 vs HONOR Magic V2. Do note that the HONOR Magic V3 did launch at this point, but it’s currently limited to China. That device is expected to go global in September, during IFA. For the time being, though, the HONOR Magic V2 is the best the company has to offer outside of its homeland.
Even though the Magic V3 launched, the HONOR Magic V2 is still a compelling phone. We’ll first list the specifications of these two smartphones, and will then move to compare them across a number of different categories. We will check out the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and HONOR Magic V2 designs, displays, performance, battery life, cameras, and audio performance. So, let’s get to it, shall we?
Specs
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 & HONOR Magic V2, respectively
– Screen size (main):
7.6-inch Foldable Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X display (120Hz, HDR10+, 2,600 nits)
7.92-inch Foldable LTPO OLED (120Hz, HDR10+, IMAX Enhanced, 1,600 nits)
– Screen Size (cover):
6.3-inch Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X (120Hz, 1,600 nits)
6.43-inch LTPO OLED (120Hz, 2,500 nits)
– Display resolution (main):
1856 x 2160
2156 x 2344
– Display resolution (cover):
2376 x 968
2376 x 1060
– SoC:
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
– RAM:
12GB (LPDDR5X)
16GB (LPDDR5X)
– Storage:
256GB/512GB/1TB (UFS 4.0)
512GB (UFS 4.0)
– Rear cameras:
50MP (wide, f/1.8 aperture, Dual Pixel PDAF OIS), 12MP (ultrawide, 123-degree FoV), 10MP (telephoto, 3x optical zoom)
50MP (wide, f/1.9 aperture, PDAF, OIS, Laser AF), 50MP (ultrawide), 20MP (telephoto, 2.5x optical zoom, OIS, PDAF)
– Front cameras:
4MP (under display, main display, f/1.8 aperture), 10MP (cover display, f/2.2 aperture)
16MP (wide, f/2.2 aperture)
– Battery:
4,821mAh
5,000mAh
– Charging:
25W wired, 15W wireless, 4.5W reverse wireless (no charger)
66W wired, 5W reverse wired (charger included)
– Dimensions (unfolded):
158.7 x 139.7 x 5.8mm
156.7 x 145.4 x 4.7-4.8mm
– Dimensions (folded):
153.5 x 68.1 x 12.1 mm
156.7 x 74.1 x 9.9-10.1mm
– Weight:
239 grams
231/237 grams
– Connectivity:
5G, LTE, NFC, Wi-Fi, USB Type-C, Bluetooth 5.3
– Security:
Side-facing fingerprint scanner
– OS:
Android 14 with One UI 6.1.1
Android 13 with MagicOS 7.2
– Price:
$1,699
€1,999
– Buy:
Galaxy Z Fold 6 (Samsung / Best Buy)
HONOR Magic V2 (HONOR)
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 vs HONOR Magic V2: Design
These two smartphones are fairly different when it comes to the design. They are both book-style foldables, but both look and feel different in the hand. The HONOR Magic V2 is a bit taller and wider, though it has larger displays, so that is expected. It is, however, thinner, considerably, and that is especially noticeable when the phone is folded. It is over 2mm thinner when folded, and almost a mm when unfolded. On top of that, both its vegan leather and glass models are lighter than the Galaxy Z Fold 6.
The HONOR Magic V2 feels more like a regular smartphone when you hold it, compared to the Galaxy Z Fold 6. The phone comes in glass and vegan leather models, as already mentioned, and the vegan leather variant is lighter by 6 grams. The Galaxy Z Fold 6, on the flip side, comes in a glass model only. Frames on both smartphones are made out of metal, of course. Both smartphones do fold flat. The Galaxy Z Fold 6 does have flat sides, while the HONOR Magic V2 does not.
Cover displays on both smartphones have a centered display camera hole. The one on the Magic V2 has an aspect ratio like a regular smartphone, the Galaxy Z Fold 6’s cover panel is a bit more narrow. The main display on the Galaxy Z Fold 6 includes an under-display camera, while the HONOR Magic V2’s has a display camera hole. The display crease on the Magic V2 is less noticeable than on the Galaxy Z Fold 6, by the way.
The Galaxy Z Fold 6 does have an official water resistance rating, which is not something we can say for the HONOR Magic V2. Both of these phones feel great to use, but entirely different.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 vs HONOR Magic V2: Display
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 has a 7.6-inch Foldable Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X display. That panel has a refresh rate of up to 120Hz, and it supports HDR10+ content. Its brightness goes up to 2,600 nits. The screen-to-body ratio is at around 91%, while the resolution is 1856 x 2160. The cover display measures 6.3 inches, and it’s a Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X panel. This display’s refresh rate goes up to 120Hz too. The max brightness is 2,600 nits, while the Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protects this display. The resolution on this panel is 2376 x 968.
The HONOR Magic V2, on the flip side, has a 7.92-inch Foldable LTPO OLED main display. Its resolution is 2156 x 2344, while this display has a refresh rate of up to 120Hz. It can project up to 1 billion colors, while it’s IMAX Enhanced. HDR10+ content is supported too, while its peak brightness is 1,600 nits. The cover display measures 6.43 inches, and it offers a resolution of 2376 x 1060. This display has a refresh rate of up to 120Hz. It can project up to 1 billion colors and supports HDR10+ content. This display is protected by the nanocrystal glass 2.0.
You’ll be well-equipped when it comes to displays, regardless of which phone you end up choosing. All four of these panels are quite compelling. They’re vivid, have good viewing angles, and do get bright enough. Their touch response is also very good. The Galaxy Z Fold 6 does have an edge when it comes to the brightness of the main display, though the Magic V2’s is also quite bright. The Magic V2, on the other hand, has the advantage of having a less visible crease, so… each of them have their advantages.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 vs HONOR Magic V2: Performance
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy SoC fuels the Galaxy Z Fold 6. That is an overclocked version of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. Samsung’s foldable also includes 12GB of LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 4.0 flash storage. The HONOR Magic V2, on the other hand, is fueled by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor. The phone is also equipped with 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 4.0 flash storage.
We did not notice a considerable different performance-wise. Both smartphones are very fluid. That goes for both regular day-to-day performance and gaming, actually. The chips used here are both very powerful. Both phones open apps really fast, and are great for multitasking too. The Galaxy Z Fold 6 does have a software build that caters to foldables more, though. That is something that HONOR can still improve.
Games work great on both smartphones. That goes for less demanding games, and those truly demanding, such as Genshin Impact. Yes, both phones will get quite warm during gaming, but we did not notice any throttling or anything like that during our testing. They both handled demanding titles really well.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 vs HONOR Magic V2: Battery
There is a 4,400mAh battery included inside the Galaxy Z Fold 6. The HONOR Magic V2, on the other hand, has a 5,000mAh battery pack. HONOR used a silicon-carbon battery in order to make this happen in such a compact body. Despite the fact it has a bigger battery, these two do offer similar battery life. Do note that the HONOR Magic V2 also has larger displays, both of them, so that plays a role too.
Getting over 7 hours of hands-on time was doable on both phones for us, with ease. That may be different in your case, as there are a lot of factors included here. Both phones do include two displays, so it all depends on which display you end up using more. We used the cover display more on both phones, easily, about two-thirds of the time to achieve such battery life. We did not do that intentionally, of course. We also did not play games all that much, other than for testing.
When it comes to charging, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 is more versatile, while the HONOR Magic V2 charges faster. The Galaxy Z Fold 6 supports 25W wired, 15W wireless, and 4.5W reverse wireless charging. The HONOR Magic V2, on the flip side, supports 66W wired and 5W reverse wired charging. Also, it’s worth noting that the HONOR Magic V2 includes a charger, while the Galaxy Z Fold 6 does not.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 vs HONOR Magic V2: Cameras
Each of these two smartphones has three cameras on the back. The Galaxy Z Fold 6 has a 50-megapixel main camera, in addition to a 12-megapixel ultrawide unit (123-degree FoV), and a 10-megapixel telephoto camera (3x optical zoom). The HONOR Magic V2 includes a 50-megapixel main camera, a 50-megapixel ultrawide camera, and a 20-megapixel telephoto unit (2.5x optical zoom).
Neither of these two smartphones are the best out there when it comes to smartphone photography. That is actually true for book-style foldables too. Still, they both do a good job in that regard. The Galaxy Z Fold 6 is arguably better overall, though. It’s a more reliable camera device, from our experience. It does tend to make photos pop more, and it does a good job of preserving details across lighting scenarios. The HONOR Magic V2 can miss the mark more often, even though it does a good job in general.
Both phones do good in low light, though there is some noise to speak of on both. Also, they both light up the scene quite a bit, so the images don’t look all that natural in low light. They do look good, though. Neither phone is great when it comes to keeping light flares in check, but the Galaxy Z Fold 6 does a better job.
Audio
Yes, stereo speakers are included on both smartphones. The ones on the Galaxy Z Fold 6 are slightly louder, but the difference is so miniscule that you may not even notice it. The sound quality is good on both sides.
You will not find a 3.5mm headphone jack on either of these two smartphones. Their Type-C ports are your options for wired audio connections. Alternatively, you can use Bluetooth 5.3 for wireless connections, as both smartphones are equipped with it.
2024-08-03 15:05:10