The new series evolves the “Eye of Muse” camera ring design from last year into the Star Wheel Triple Camera system. Putting aside marketing names, what you need to know is that the camera has moved to a triple 50MP setup.
The main module features a customized
1/1.12” sensor and has a bright f/1.6 aperture. This is a massive upgrade in
terms of light-gathering ability compared to the Magic4 Pro, which had a
1/1.56” sensor and an f/1.8 aperture. Even better, Honor enabled Optical Image
Stabilization on the main camera (the Magic4 Pro skipped OIS). The 50MP ultra
wide-angle (122°) camera also has a brighter aperture, f/2.0 (vs. f/2.2). The
periscope module has changed significantly. It now has a 50MP sensor, the Sony
IMX858, instead of a 64MP. The lens still offers 3.5x optical magnification
(with a brighter f/3.0 lens vs. f/3.5) and brings an Ultra Fusion Computational
Optics system to offer high-quality digital zoom up to 100x.
The camera system gets help from an array
of sensors – a 3D ToF laser for focusing, a multi-spectrum sensor for color
temperature and a flicker sensor – plus advanced software features. Honor has
partnered with the Guinness World Records to make the Magic5 Pro the official
camera to capture the attempt at the World’s Highest Between The Legs Slam Dunk
record. And it did it automatically with the AI Motion Sensor Capture mode. The
IMAX Enhanced Movie Master allows users to shoot and edit videos on their
phones. Speaking of, the phone can record 4K video at 60fps in either HDR10+ or
Magic-Log 10-bit log format.
Having a look around the phone, you will
notice the curved design - that's allegedly been inspired by the works of
architect Antoni Gaudà - the man behind many bold and unusual masterpiece
buildings in Barcelona, where MWC takes place every year. The 6.81” display is
curved on four sides. The large LTPO panel can refresh at up to 120Hz. Like
last year’s model, it has a resolution of 1,312 x 2,848px, giving it a pixel
density of 461ppi.
With an improved design, it can hit a peak
HDR brightness of 1,800 nits (close to double the 1,000 nits peak of the Magic4
Pro). When it needs to go low, it uses high-frequency PWM dimming at 2,160Hz.
The display is also calibrated for color accuracy at two brightness levels –
120 nits for indoors and 800 nits - outdoors. This is a 10-bit panel with
support for HDR10+. It also has a cinematic pedigree with an IMAX Enhanced
certification. Stereo speakers with DTS:X Ultra also boost the entertainment
potential.
On the front, there is a dual sensor
pill-shaped cutout in the upper left corner. One is a 12MP sensor for the
selfie camera (f/2.4, fixed focus), and the other is a 3D depth sensor. This
enables 3D face recognition; there is also a fingerprint reader embedded into
the display. It’s time to mention the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset that runs the
show. Honor paired it with 12GB of LPDDR5X RAM and 512GB UFS 4.0 storage. The
phone launches with MagicUI 7.1 based on Android 13. This will only be a brief
mention since Honor loaded the phone with a lot of custom hardware, too.
The Discrete Display Chipset can help
boost the frame rate in games and has an always-on HDR effect to enhance
videos. The Discrete Security Chipset was co-developed with Qualcomm; it’s the
place where sensitive information like passwords and biometric data (face ID
and fingerprints) is stored. Honor Magic5 Pro unveiled with a custom 1/1.12''
camera sensor, vanilla Magic5 follows
Then there’s connectivity – Honor claims
it has the first Wi-Fi and Bluetooth standalone antenna architecture in the
industry, which should boost Wi-Fi 6 performance by up to 200% and reduces
latency by up to 30%. The phone is powered by a 5,100mAh battery, which is fast
to top up with support for 66W wired and 50W wireless SuperCharge. The
necessary charger is included in the box.
