Honor Magic 6 Pro Review: The Devil is in The Detail

For an organization that was identified for reasonable smartphones, Honor places plenty of emphasis on high-end gadgets lately.  

The foldable Magic V2 is perhaps its most groundbreaking gadget, however the Magic 6 Professional isn’t far behind by way of ambition. 

At £1,099/€1,299, it’s Honor’s most costly smartphone in Europe, although that may change if the Magic 6 Final ever makes it out of China. 

Sadly for Honor, the likes of Apple, Samsung and Google all make compelling gadgets round this value. And pretty much as good because the cameras are on the Magic 6 Professional, most individuals might be higher off with a special gadget. 

See our information to the very best smartphones you should buy for the highest options.

Design & Construct

• Premium glass and aluminium design
• Large rear digicam module
• IP68 score

The design of the Magic 6 Professional makes it very clear what Honor desires you to concentrate on. Its big rear digicam module dominates the again of the telephone, taking on virtually half of your complete area on the again. 

Regardless of needing area for 3 lenses and a flash, Honor may’ve achieved this with out making it look so outlandish. In case you wanted to know, this can be a digicam first, smartphone second gadget. 

Dominik_Tomaszewski / Foundry

Dominik_Tomaszewski / Foundry

Dominik_Tomaszewski / Foundry

The way in which the Magic 6 Professional appears will divide opinion, however I truly fairly prefer it. It’s very clear that this can be a critical little bit of pictures package, but the glass surrounding the digicam module nonetheless blends seamlessly into the again of the telephone. I additionally discovered that my finger rests slightly below it very naturally. 

The remainder of the again feels boring by comparability, particularly within the muted ‘Black’ end, which appears extra like gray in individual. You possibly can change issues up by going for ‘Epi Inexperienced’ as an alternative, with a matt coating on each avoiding any seen fingerprint smudges. 

I nonetheless wouldn’t advocate going case-free, although, given the Magic 6 Professional’s tendency to slip out of your pocket or off a desk. Extra grip may be very a lot wanted. 

A case additionally offers safety, although sturdiness is already good. The telephone feels very well-made, with a mix of robust aluminium and glass that exhibits no indicators of wear and tear and tear after greater than two weeks of utilization. 

Honor makes use of its personal ‘Large Rhinoceros Glass’ on the show, which is supposedly in a position to ship even higher shock and drop resistance than Gorilla Glass. Nevertheless, it’s value noting that there’s a pre-applied display protector that’s liable to accumulating scratches.

Dominik_Tomaszewski / Foundry

Dominik_Tomaszewski / Foundry

Dominik_Tomaszewski / Foundry

Like most flagships, the 6 Professional additionally has an IP68 score, which means it could actually survive submersion in as much as 1.5mm of water (for as much as half-hour) and is totally protected in opposition to mud.  

A weight of 224g makes the telephone really feel premium, although I want it was only a bit lighter. At 9.7mm, it’s not notably slim both, although that is usually the case on big telephones like this. 

Elsewhere, the vibration motor on the Magic 6 Professional is strong, and delivers practical haptic suggestions whereas gaming, typing or just navigating apps. 

Display screen & Audio system

• 6.8-inch OLED show
• 120Hz refresh price
• Twin stereo audio system

The Magic 6 Professional has one of many greatest telephone shows round, but additionally the most effective. 

Its 6.8-inch panel is on par with the Galaxy S24 Extremely by way of dimension, although curved moderately than flat edges make it simpler to carry than Samsung’s telephone. As an OLED, you get the mix of vibrant colors and deep blacks that make it excellent for gaming or watching movies. 

Dominik_Tomaszewski / Foundry

Dominik_Tomaszewski / Foundry

Dominik_Tomaszewski / Foundry

A 120Hz refresh price isn’t absolutely the highest round, however only a few apps can go above that anyway. Every part nonetheless feels silky-smooth and responsive, even when on the default ‘Dynamic’ mode. As an LTPO display, this enables it to maneuver between 1-120Hz relying on what you’re doing, serving to to preserve battery life. 

Once more, the Full HD+ (2800 x 1280) is a small step down from the 1440p and even 4K shows on some telephones, however I doubt you’ll discover. Element and readability are nonetheless superb, even within the elective greyscale ‘eBook mode’. 

I used the Magic 6 Professional exterior extensively, together with on shiny sunny days. Visibility was glorious all through, with a most recorded brightness (with auto adjustment turned off) of 780 nits coming into its personal. 

The Magic 6 Professional’s show isn’t the very best at school in anybody space, however it has no weaknesses both. 

Inside the display is an optical fingerprint scanner. Whereas I’d just like the goal space to be greater, it’s one of many higher ones I’ve tried, constantly and shortly unlocking the telephone.  

You would possibly want to make use of face unlock, although, given it’s now safe sufficient for use to authenticate purchases and log in to banking apps. 

The front-facing digicam combines with a devoted 3D sensor to make it doable, and it’s completely seamless. It even works nicely at midnight, making this the closest factor we’ve seen to Face ID on an Android telephone. 

Dominik_Tomaszewski / Foundry

Dominik_Tomaszewski / Foundry

Dominik_Tomaszewski / Foundry

Nevertheless, you’ll must put up with an annoyingly giant cut-out on the prime of the show. Whereas watching movies, it actually interrupts the viewing expertise. Is that this a worthwhile trade-off for a seamless unlocking expertise? That comes down to non-public desire, however it’s for me. 

The Magic 6 Professional has stereo audio system, although it doesn’t depend on the earpiece for normal audio. Sound is obvious and crisp in all situations, with extra bass than you would possibly count on for a tool of this dimension. 

Dominik_Tomaszewski / Foundry

Dominik_Tomaszewski / Foundry

Dominik_Tomaszewski / Foundry

Specs & Efficiency

• Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset
• 16GB RAM, 512GB inner storage
• 5G and dual-SIM help

Honor hasn’t made any compromises with regards to efficiency on the Magic 6 Professional. 

Not solely do you get Qualcomm’s top-of-the-line Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, the one mannequin accessible within the UK affords a bumper 16GB of RAM. 

Dominik_Tomaszewski / Foundry

Dominik_Tomaszewski / Foundry

Dominik_Tomaszewski / Foundry

Mixed, they make sure the Magic 6 Professional delivers among the greatest efficiency you’ll get on any smartphone. Throughout most on a regular basis duties, it feels just like the telephone has an embarrassing quantity of energy in reserve. 

Throughout in depth testing, I primarily used it for internet looking, messaging, watching movies, taking numerous pictures and the occasional name. All through all of that, there wasn’t even a touch of hesitation or slowdown, which may’t be mentioned for all flagship telephones.  

As anticipated, this nice efficiency makes the Magic 6 Professional a potent gaming machine. Throughout three titles identified to be very demanding – Name of Responsibility: Cellular, EA Sports activities FC Cellular and Asphalt 9: Legends – gameplay remained {smooth} and responsive, with no noticeable dropped frames.  

Even throughout gaming periods, the again of the telephone solely will get barely heat to the contact, and by no means turns into uncomfortable. Except you’re actually critical about cell gaming (through which case I’d advocate a devoted gaming telephone), it will fulfill all of your efficiency wants. 

Honor Magic 6 Professional benchmarks

Whereas there’s no help for expandable storage, the 512GB on supply right here is greater than sufficient for most individuals. You possibly can put two SIM playing cards in as an alternative to utilize that 5G help, whereas there’s additionally Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.4 and NFC right here. 

Cameras

• 50Mp variable aperture primary lens
• 180Mp periscope telephoto
• 50Mp ultrawide
• 50Mp selfie with separate 3D depth sensor

Honor isn’t pulling any punches with regards to digicam {hardware} on the Magic 6 Professional. There are a complete of 4 lenses throughout the back and front, plus a separate 3D depth sensor. 

Dominik_Tomaszewski / Foundry

Dominik_Tomaszewski / Foundry

Dominik_Tomaszewski / Foundry

Let’s begin with the 50Mp primary lens, which is the one you’ll most likely use most frequently. It has a variable aperture, which means it’ll mechanically transfer between f/1.4 and f/2.0 focal lengths relying on the scene. 

There are two key advantages in comparison with a daily lens. The primary is in difficult lighting situations, the place the sensor can regulate how a lot mild it permits with a purpose to maximise element. 

And I’ve to say, the Magic 6 Professional is the very best low-light smartphone digicam I’ve ever tried. Even in very dimly lit scenes, photographs are nonetheless brimming with element and noise is saved to a minimal. It additionally manages to brighten the picture with out trying synthetic, one thing many telephone cameras wrestle with. 

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

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The opposite is for portrait-style photographs, the place you have got additional management over the extent of background blur – together with after the shot was taken. Once more, the Magic 6 Professional excels on this space, and its edge detection is second to none. 

After all, this primary lens may be very succesful for normal pictures, too. Even within the default 12.5Mp mode (the place a course of generally known as pixel binning has mixed 4 pixels into one), element and dynamic vary are excellent. 

Publicity is dealt with nicely, and colors are likely to pop. My solely grievance is it’s not notably true to life, although this saturated look is well-suited for sharing on social media. 

There are two AI options inside the digicam app, although neither are notably efficient. The AI Images mode recognises what you need to take a photograph of and adjusts the scene accordingly, however I can’t inform the distinction in comparison with a daily shot. 

And the AI Movement Sensing is supposed to maintain topics in focus whereas transferring round so much, however it didn’t cease photos of a canine from being blurry most of the time. 

Nevertheless, for zoom photographs the 180Mp, f/2.6 periscope telephoto may be very spectacular. It solely affords 2.5x optical zoom, however can crop in on 180Mp photographs to provide you 5x with none noticeable drop-off in picture high quality – that is very spectacular. 

Even 10x photographs are very usable, although I wouldn’t advocate going far past it. The 100x digital zoom is simply there for the sake of it. 

Sadly, the 50Mp, f/2.0 ultrawide lens isn’t fairly pretty much as good. The 122-degree discipline of view may be very helpful in some situations, although it lacks the optical picture stabilisation (OIS) of the opposite cameras. Because of this, photographs are liable to trying blurry and a few dynamic vary is misplaced. The contrasty colors are additionally much more pronounced right here. 

Dominik_Tomaszewski / Foundry

Dominik_Tomaszewski / Foundry

Dominik_Tomaszewski / Foundry

The 50Mp selfie digicam delivers clear, crisp selfies, whether or not you need the practical background blur or not. Even when it’s principally pitch black, the display illuminates your face and captures a really first rate picture. 

I believe the 3D depth sensor subsequent to it helps quite a bit, even when its primary objective is for the safe face unlock. 

In case you’re critical about pictures, there are a great deal of pro-level pictures options right here – together with the power to manually regulate that aperture. However normally, that is additionally a wonderful level and shoot digicam, which is crucial factor for most individuals.  

All 4 lenses can seize detailed video in 4K, although OIS on the primary and telephoto sensors makes them higher suited to something with plenty of motion. 

So, is the Magic 6 Professional the very best digicam telephone you should buy? Maybe not – the Google Pixel 8 Professional, Samsung Galaxy S24 Extremely, iPhone 15 Professional Max, Xiaomi 14 Extremely, Oppo Discover X7 Extremely and Vivo X100 Professional all have one thing to say about that – however it’s not far off. 

Battery Life & Charging

• 5600mAh carbon-silicon battery
• 100W wired charging, 66W wi-fi
• No charger in field

The Magic 6 Professional doesn’t have your common battery. Firstly, moderately than the same old lithium-ion cell, it’s produced from a mix of carbon and silicon. 

The principle advantage of that is the power to suit a bigger battery into the identical area. And the telephone’s 5600mAh capability is among the many greatest round. 

That doesn’t assure nice battery life, however I’m happy to substantiate that the Magic 6 Professional is among the longest-lasting smartphones you should buy. 

For most individuals, this can be a two-day telephone most of the time. Even on these demanding days, with numerous cell knowledge, utilization, excessive brightness and GPS, you’ll often finish the day with cost to spare.  

I can’t let you know how a lot of a reduction it was to go away for a full day of sightseeing in Barcelona and never have to fret in regards to the battery working out.  A rating of 14 hours and 52 minutes within the PCMark battery check displays this – it’s nicely above common.

The charging state of affairs is a bit more difficult. Whereas the Magic 6 Professional helps wired speeds of as much as 100W, the required charger isn’t included within the field. 

Dominik_Tomaszewski / Foundry

Dominik_Tomaszewski / Foundry

Dominik_Tomaszewski / Foundry

The one one I had accessible was at 65W, which solely reached 10% in quarter-hour and 22% after half an hour. In different phrases, frustratingly sluggish. 

It’s the same story for wi-fi charging, the place most Qi chargers can’t output on the Magic 6 Professional’s most of 66W. Reverse wi-fi charging is on the market too, however a lot slower. 

Software program & Apps

At launch, the Magic 6 Professional runs Honor’s MagicOS 8.0 pores and skin. It’s primarily based on Android 14, however differs from the inventory model on Pixel telephones in a number of methods. 

Dominik_Tomaszewski / Foundry

Dominik_Tomaszewski / Foundry

Dominik_Tomaszewski / Foundry

The one you’ll discover first is the ‘Magic Capsule’, which most individuals will recognise as a replica of the iPhone’s ‘Dynamic Island’. Its performance is presently just like Apple’s model, permitting you to shortly management music and timers and reply to notifications or incoming calls. 

A future software program replace will mean you can work together with it utilizing your eyes, however I don’t see it offering any profit to the consumer expertise. 

Nevertheless, I do genuinely imagine that that is the very best answer if you’d like two sensors on the entrance of your telephone. Fairly than being wasted area, the Magic Capsule is genuinely helpful in some conditions. 

Dominik_Tomaszewski / Foundry

Dominik_Tomaszewski / Foundry

Dominik_Tomaszewski / Foundry

Magic Capsule makes use of AI to an extent, however there are additionally different devoted synthetic intelligence options. 

Magic Portal is by far essentially the most spectacular, permitting you to seamlessly drag and drop textual content and pictures from one app to a different. I used to be in a position to begin Google Maps navigation to an deal with shared in Gmail or search Google utilizing a picture from the Gallery with only one step. 

Not many third-party apps are supported proper now, however this could proceed to get higher over time. 

Dominik_Tomaszewski / Foundry

Dominik_Tomaszewski / Foundry

Dominik_Tomaszewski / Foundry

AI Privateness Name is designed to cut back sound leakage whereas on the telephone, serving to your personal conversations to remain that. Whereas not excellent, it does a greater job in that regard than most telephones I’ve tried, whereas nonetheless guaranteeing glorious name high quality. 

There’s additionally Magic Ring, which lets you simply share info between Honor gadgets or use the Magic 6 Professional’s digicam as a pill or laptop computer webcam.  

Alongside helpful app options, straightforward textual content extraction from pictures, air gestures and the power to sense whenever you’re taking a look at it, the Magic 6 Professional already has a complete suite of AI options. 

Dominik_Tomaszewski / Foundry

Dominik_Tomaszewski / Foundry

Dominik_Tomaszewski / Foundry

Nevertheless, the consumer expertise as a complete isn’t essentially the most pleasing. With so many vibrant icons, fixed pop-ups and annoying bloatware, MagicOS feels very cluttered. 

After I first arrange the telephone, all of it felt a bit overwhelming. Over time, you will get it trying and dealing the best way you need it to, however I discovered this requires turning off some elective options. 

All these choices additionally make it tough to search out key options or choices. Discovering issues in settings or just trying to find apps took approach longer than it wanted to. 

Dominik_Tomaszewski / Foundry

Dominik_Tomaszewski / Foundry

Dominik_Tomaszewski / Foundry

Is that this a dealbreaker for you? It isn’t for me, however that is removed from perfect. 

There may be excellent news with regards to software program help, which is the very best it’s ever been on an Honor telephone. From its late 2023 launch in China, the Magic 6 Professional will get 4 years of OS updates and 5 years of safety updates, which may be very respectable if not market-leading. 

Worth & Availability

As you most likely guessed, the Magic 6 Professional is an costly telephone.  

The one model accessible in Europe, providing 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage, prices £1,099/€1,299. 

Within the UK, you should buy one from the Honor website and through Amazon.

Nevertheless, there’s no possibility to purchase on contract, so that you’ll must afford the upfront value after which get a SIM-only deal for those who don’t have one already. 

And like all Honor gadgets, the telephone isn’t being offered within the US. You would possibly have the ability to import one, however there’s no assure it’ll work with US carriers. 

At this value, the Magic 6 Professional goes toe-to-toe with the very best flagship telephones round. The Google Pixel 8 Professional (from £999), Samsung Galaxy S24 Extremely (from £1,249) and iPhone 15 Professional Max (from £1,199) are all nice choices, and all three have extra inexpensive options of their lineups. 

Do you have to purchase the Honor Magic 6 Professional?

Probably, however provided that you’re a really particular sort of smartphone consumer.  

One who takes numerous pictures, and cares in regards to the high quality being on par with the very best digicam telephones round.  

Somebody who wants top-tier efficiency and shows, and likes the thought of the iPhone’s Dynamic Island and Face ID however on Android. 

If that’s you, and also you don’t thoughts the excessive asking value, the Magic 6 Professional is perhaps the telephone for you.  

But when it feels a bit costly, you don’t notably just like the design or a slick software program expertise is vital to you, there are higher choices elsewhere. 

Specs

• Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset  
• 12GB RAM 
• 512GB inner storage 
• 6.8-inch, 2800 x 1280 LTPO OLED show, 120Hz 
• 50Mp, f/1.4-f/2.0 variable aperture primary digicam with OIS  
• 50Mp, f/2.0 ultrawide digicam  
• 180Mp, f/2.6 2.5x telephoto digicam with OIS  
• 50Mp, f/2.0 front-facing digicam with 3D depth sensor  
• 5600mAh battery  
• 100W wired charging  
• 66W Qi wi-fi charging  
• 5G  
• Twin stereo audio system  
• Wi-Fi 7  
• Bluetooth 5.3 
• NFC  
• IP68 water and mud resistance  
• Magic OS 8.0 (primarily based on Android 14)  
• 162.5 x 75.8 x 8.9 mm 
• 225g