The Honor Magic V3 is a book-style foldable that was among the thinnest and lightest of its generation, opening to a 7.92-inch screen from a body just 9.2mm thick when closed. Now succeeded by the Magic V5, it is a strong buy at a reduced price for anyone who wants a big-screen foldable without the newest premium.
Magic V3: Display
The 7.92-inch foldable LTPO AMOLED runs at 120Hz with a 2156 x 2344 resolution and Dolby Vision support, and the 6.43-inch cover screen is a fully usable 120Hz LTPO OLED so the phone works as a normal handset when shut. GSMArena measured 1,076 nits of maximum brightness, with the 5,000-nit cover-screen peak reserved for HDR.
That measured brightness is modest for a flagship, so bright sunlight will test the inner screen, which as with all book folds has a plastic front.
Magic V3: Camera
The triple camera pairs a 50MP main sensor with OIS, a 50MP periscope telephoto with 3.5x optical zoom and OIS, and a 40MP ultrawide, with matching 20MP cameras inside and on the cover.
Video tops out at 4K, and the sensors are smaller than those in conventional flagships, the physical compromise the thin folding chassis requires.
Magic V3: Battery
The 5,150mAh silicon-carbon battery is large for so thin a foldable, with 66W wired and 50W wireless charging. GSMArena's active use score of 10:05 hours reflects the demands of two large screens.
The newer Magic V5 improved on that endurance with a bigger cell, so buyers who rank battery life highly should weigh the step up.
Magic V3: Size, Weight and Build
Folded, the Magic V3 measures 156.6 x 74mm at 9.2mm or 9.3mm thick and 226g or 230g depending on colour, with an aluminium frame, stylus support and an IPX8 water resistance rating.
The IPX8 rating covers water immersion but carries no certified dust protection, a real consideration for a hinged device, and 230g is heavy in the hand.
Magic V3: Performance
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 with up to 16GB of RAM and UFS 4.0 storage delivers genuine flagship speed, running MagicOS on Android, and the phone has since been updated to newer software.
The chip is now two generations behind Qualcomm's newest, and Honor's update window for this model is shorter than the seven upgrades on its latest phones.
Magic V3: Who Should Buy
Buy the Magic V3 at a discount if you want a genuinely thin, light book-style foldable with a tablet-sized screen, and you do not need the newest chip or the longest battery life. Buyers who want better endurance and stronger sealing in the same format should step up to the newer Magic V5. Buyers comparing contract terms will find current network pricing in the table above.