Review of Honor Magic VS: Foldable Perk and Quirks

(Image credit- Trusted Reviews) Despite being in its fourth generation, Samsung's Galaxy Fold series has so far encountered minimal competition in much of the world. When looking for a smartphone-sized foldable that can expand to the size of a small tablet outside of China, Samsung has been the only viable option. In China, consumers have a choice of tablet-style foldable devices from companies like Xiaomi, Vivo, and Oppo. Along with Google's Pixel Fold, which will begin arriving to customers in the latter part of the month, Honor has also made it's Magic VS foldable available outside of China. While Samsung and Google's smartphones go head-to-head on pricing, Honour is attempting to undercut it. The Magic VS has a starting price of £1,399 (€1,599, or around $1,738), which is a slight but noticeable saving from Samsung's Z Fold 4's starting price of £1,649 (€1,799, or $1,799). In addition, the Honor Magic VS is thinner and is expected to endure more folding cycles. [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="2040"] Image credit- The Verge[/caption] The Magic VS appears to be a terrific value based on its specs. Although this is Honor's second attempt at a foldable (its first model, the Magic V, was only available in China), the Magic VS has a number of flaws that make it difficult to justify its asking price. Its 120Hz OLED cover display size has a lot to do with that. The screen is 6.45 inches in size, has 1080p resolution, and has a 21.3:9 aspect ratio. When folded, the gadget measures 72.6 mm in width and 160.3 mm in height. If you're keeping score, it makes the Magic VS slightly larger and taller than the Z Fold 4 (67.1mm by 155.1mm), and the folded gadget is moreover marginally slimmer. Additionally, it folds cleanly with no noticeable gaps, giving the impression that you are holding a device that is generally symmetrical. The Magic VS has a 7.9-inch inner screen that is significantly larger and more responsive than Samsung's most recent foldable (it is 90Hz rather than 120Hz) but has a slightly higher resolution (2272 1984). Although it has a 10.3:9 aspect ratio, which theoretically makes it slightly taller than it is broad (also known as portrait), in reality, it feels more like a square. [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Image credit- Hitech Century[/caption] The screen wrinkle is rather noticeable when you hold the phone at an angle, and there isn't any stylus functionality as on Samsung's most recent foldable. Similar to previous folding smartphones, the crease is less noticeable when the phone is in use, and the screen is generally clear and vibrant. However, the screens do feel a touch slow in their default "dynamic" refresh rate mode, and I believe they may have been set to a lower refresh rate by default to conserve battery life. Also read: How Google’s Magic Photo Tool Can Improve Your Photos While the "Medium" 90Hz refresh rate level didn't seem to have much of an effect on power life, it felt considerably better. Although technically capable of 120Hz, the external screen has never lacked responsiveness. There is ample of screen real estate for apps to utilize whether the Magic VS is open or closed, but weight is a trade-off. The Magic VS weighs 267 grams, which is much more than most conventional handsets and four grams heavier than the Galaxy Fold 4. That has certain disadvantages but is logical given that you are essentially lugging around a small tablet. The weight of the Magic VS can bother you if you frequently carry your phone in a back pocket while running.