Verdict on the Honor Magic V6
The Honor Magic V6 claims to be the best foldable smartphone. And in many respects, it lives up to that claim. However, the changes compared to its predecessor, the Magic V5, aren’t obvious in every area. For example, the camera changes are primarily at the software level and in the ISP, while the only noticeable changes to the displays are on the cover panel. In particular, the foldable display could have used an upgrade in brightness to make it easier to read on sunny days.
When it comes to the battery, however, Honor goes all out and offers the largest battery capacity in a foldable. While the global version tested here has a capacity of 6,660 mAh, some models in China even reach up to 7,150 mAh. Either way, that’s impressive, especially given the V6’s slim design. So far, the Honor foldable is also the only one to offer full IP69 certification.
The Magic V6 is rounded out by fast charging, whether wired or wireless. The battery is also said to last longer than those of the competition. It also features a built-in IR blaster and a high-speed USB port that even includes a desktop mode. Both displays are compatible with an active stylus, though this must be purchased separately and currently offers only a limited range of functions.
In testing, the Magic V6 delivers snappy system performance and is well-equipped for the promised seven years of updates. However, the slim design appears to pose challenges for cooling the SoC, as not all 3DMark stress tests could be completed - some were aborted due to overheating. So far, though, this hasn’t had a negative impact on everyday use.
Honor has made the fold line on the inner display slightly flatter, but it’s still noticeable and remains visible. Oppo does a much better job of this with the Find N6.
Pros
Cons
Price and availability
The Honor Magic V6 can be purchased directly from Honor.
- $1,590.00Honor Magic V5 5G MBH-N49 (GSM, International Version) Folding Screen | 512GB Storage 16GB RAM Dual-SIM Factory Unlocked Android 15 Smartphone (Black)
- $1,500.00Honor Magic V5 5G MBH-N49 (GSM, International Version) Folding Screen | 512GB Storage 16GB RAM Dual-SIM Factory Unlocked Android 15 Smartphone (Dawn Gold)
- $1,168.91Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, Unlocked Android Smartphone, 256GB, Privacy Display, Galaxy AI, AI Camera, Super Fast Charging 3.0, Durable Battery, 2026, US 1 Year Warranty, White
Table of Contents
- Verdict on the Honor Magic V6
- Specifications: Honor Magic V6
- Body and features - Just as thick as the iPhone 17 Pro Max
- Communication - Foldable with Wi-Fi 7 and 5G
- Cameras - Versatile camera trio in the Magic V6
- Foldable Display - 5,000 nits, but even brighter would be great
- Cover-Display - More brightness
- Performance, emissions and battery life
- Notebookcheck overall rating
- Possible alternatives at a glance
Specifications: Honor Magic V6
Body and features - Just as thick as the iPhone 17 Pro Max
Since last year, foldables are no longer bulky smartphone behemoths; instead, nearly all of them have achieved thicknesses that no longer pose any limitations compared to a traditional smartphone. Honor is driving this development and the accompanying miniaturization, making the Magic V6 the slimmest smartphone on the market - if you choose the white model. When folded, it’s just as thick as an iPhone 17 Pro Max, and when unfolded, it measures just 4.0 mm. The build quality is impressive, and the foldable phone still feels sturdy. In our red model, the V6 also has a velvety feel.
The features leave little to be desired. Both displays support input with an optional stylus, and the fast USB port handles display output, including desktop mode. Furthermore, the Magic V6 is the only foldable that is IP69 certified. The only thing we’re missing is UWB.
Communication - Foldable with Wi-Fi 7 and 5G
The voice quality of the Honor Magic V6 is very good when held up to the ear and features natural voice transmission. It also does a good job of suppressing ambient noise; only with loud street noise does some sound occasionally get through, and the user’s voice sounds a bit muffled.
All modern wireless standards are supported; in our test, the V6 showed only slightly weaker transmission rates when receiving in the 6-GHz band. We’ll check this again after an update.
| Networking | |
| Honor Magic V6 | |
| iperf3 transmit AXE11000 | |
| iperf3 receive AXE11000 | |
| iperf3 transmit AXE11000 6GHz | |
| iperf3 receive AXE11000 6GHz | |
| Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 | |
| iperf3 transmit AXE11000 6GHz | |
| iperf3 receive AXE11000 6GHz | |
| Huawei Mate X7 | |
| iperf3 transmit AXE11000 | |
| iperf3 receive AXE11000 | |
| Oppo Find N6 | |
| iperf3 transmit AXE11000 | |
| iperf3 receive AXE11000 | |
| iperf3 transmit AXE11000 6GHz | |
| iperf3 receive AXE11000 6GHz | |
| Average 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax/be | |
| iperf3 transmit AXE11000 | |
| iperf3 receive AXE11000 | |
| iperf3 transmit AXE11000 6GHz | |
| iperf3 receive AXE11000 6GHz | |
| Average of class Smartphone | |
| iperf3 transmit AXE11000 | |
| iperf3 receive AXE11000 | |
| iperf3 transmit AXE11000 6GHz | |
| iperf3 receive AXE11000 6GHz | |
Cameras - Versatile camera trio in the Magic V6
On paper, there are no nominal changes to the cameras; only the aperture of the ultra-wide-angle sensor is slightly smaller at f/2.2 compared to the Magic V5 (f/2.0), though this isn’t noticeable in practice.
The Magic V6 impresses with a good and flexible camera setup that’s additionally supported by AI when zooming. At extreme focal lengths, the images look more like paintings than photos, but at 30x magnification, this actually yields better results.
When it comes to video, the Honor foldable also delivers good image quality, though unfortunately it lacks a Pro mode. Additionally, frame rates above 60 FPS are only supported in slow-motion mode (Full HD at 120 or 240 FPS only). Users filming in Super Night mode can also opt for 24 FPS.
| Aspect ratio | Resolution | |
|---|---|---|
| Photo | 4:3 / 16:9 / 1:1 / Full | 12 / 50 MPix |
| Video (main camera) | 16:9 / 21:9 | HD (30 / 60 FPS)Full HD (30 / 60 FPS)Ultra HD (30 / 60 FPS) |
| Video (front camera) | 16:9 / 21:9 | HD (30 FPS)Full HD (30 / 60 FPS)Ultra HD (30 FPS) |
Image comparison
Choose a scene and navigate within the first image. One click changes the position on touchscreens. One click on the zoomed-in image opens the original in a new window. The first image shows the scaled photograph of the test device.
HauptkameraHauptkameraUltraweitwinkel5-facher ZoomLow-Light
Foldable Display - 5,000 nits, but even brighter would be great
The Honor Magic V6’s display has hardly changed from its predecessor, but in our tests, it significantly exceeds its rated peak brightness of 5,000 cd/m². However, since this brightness is only available for HDR content, it’s hardly relevant outdoors. Here, the APL18 value is more important, and it’s precisely this value that’s comparatively low on the V6, which can also be noticeable in everyday use.
The Magic V6’s eye-protection features are commendable, including high-frequency PWM dimming, which minimizes discomfort for people with sensitive eyes.
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Center on Battery: 1291 cd/m²
Contrast: ∞:1 (Black: 0 cd/m²)
ΔE ColorChecker Calman: 1.4 | ∀{0.5-29.43 Ø4.72}
ΔE Greyscale Calman: 2.4 | ∀{0.09-98 Ø4.97}
99.8% sRGB (Calman 2D)
Gamma: 2.26
CCT: 6804 K
| Honor Magic V6 OLED, 2352x2172, 8" | Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 2184x1968, 8" | Huawei Mate X7 OLED, 2416x2210, 8" | Oppo Find N6 OLED, 2480x2248, 8.1" | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Display | 28% | -28% | -31% | |
| APL18 Peak Brightness (cd/m²) | 1229 | 2570 109% | 1467 19% | 1353 10% |
| HDR Peak Brightness (cd/m²) | 5773 | 2708 -53% | 1496 -74% | 1697 -71% |
| Response Times | -20% | -8% | 0% | |
| Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% * (ms) | 0.65 ? | 0.67 ? -3% | 0.71 ? -9% | 0.52 ? 20% |
| Response Time Black / White * (ms) | 0.84 ? | 1.4 ? -67% | 0.93 ? -11% | 1.05 ? -25% |
| PWM Frequency (Hz) | 120 | 240 | 360 | 180 |
| PWM Amplitude * (%) | 15.15 | 13.73 9% | 15.59 -3% | 14.43 5% |
| Screen | -15% | -1% | 7% | |
| Brightness middle (cd/m²) | 1291 | 1311 2% | 1005 -22% | 1179 -9% |
| Black Level * (cd/m²) | ||||
| Colorchecker dE 2000 * | 1.4 | 2.4 -71% | 1.4 -0% | 1.6 -14% |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 max. * | 3.5 | 3.4 3% | 3.1 11% | 2.9 17% |
| Greyscale dE 2000 * | 2.4 | 2.2 8% | 2.2 8% | 1.6 33% |
| Gamma | 2.26 97% | 2.03 108% | 2.25 98% | 2.24 98% |
| CCT | 6804 96% | 6413 101% | 6890 94% | 6662 98% |
| Brightness (cd/m²) | 1307 | 1021 | 1184 | |
| Brightness Distribution (%) | 95 | 97 | 98 | |
| Total Average (Program / Settings) | -2% /
-7% | -12% /
-9% | -8% /
-4% |
* ... smaller is better
Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)
| Screen flickering / PWM detected | 120 Hz Amplitude: 15.15 % Secondary Frequency: 4347 Hz |  | |
The display backlight flickers at 120 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) . The frequency of 120 Hz is very low, so the flickering may cause eyestrain and headaches after extended use. In comparison: 52 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 7778 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 343500) Hz was measured. | |||
Measurement series with fixed zoom level and different brightness settings (The amplitude curve at minimum brightness looks flat, but this is due to the scaling. The info box shows the enlarged version of the amplitude at minimum brightness.)
Display Response Times
| ↔ Response Time Black to White | ||
|---|---|---|
| 0.84 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 0.4475 ms rise |  |
| ↘ 0.394 ms fall | ||
| The screen shows very fast response rates in our tests and should be very well suited for fast-paced gaming. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 3 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (19.8 ms). | ||
| ↔ Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey | ||
| 0.65 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 0.321 ms rise |  |
| ↘ 0.3245 ms fall | ||
| The screen shows very fast response rates in our tests and should be very well suited for fast-paced gaming. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.165 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 2 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (31 ms). | ||
Cover-Display - More brightness
For the external display, Honor has once again increased the brightness across the board and now achieves an excellent value of 2,505 cd/m² in APL18 testing; for HDR, it’s said to reach up to 6,000 cd/m², though we weren’t quite able to squeeze that much out of the smartphone.
The cover panel also supports high-frequency PWM dimming at 4,320 Hz.
| Honor Magic V6 OLED, 2420x1080, 6.5" | Oppo Find N6 OLED, 2616x1140, 6.6" | Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 2520x1080, 6.5" | Huawei Mate X7 OLED, 2444x1080, 6.5" | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Screen | ||||
| Brightness middle (cd/m²) | 1909 | 1180 | 1348 | 1572 |
| Black Level * (cd/m²) | ||||
| Colorchecker dE 2000 * | 1.1 | 1.5 | 2.2 | 1.1 |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 max. * | 2.7 | 2.7 | 2.9 | 3.1 |
| Greyscale dE 2000 * | 2 | 2.2 | 2.3 | 4.1 |
| Gamma | 2.28 96% | 2.26 97% | 2.04 108% | 2.26 97% |
| CCT | 6747 96% | 6710 97% | 6461 101% | 6980 93% |
| Brightness (cd/m²) | 1175 | 1346 | 1570 | |
| Brightness Distribution (%) | 97 | 94 | 96 |
* ... smaller is better
| Display / APL18 Peak Brightness | |
| Huawei Mate X7 | |
| Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 | |
| Honor Magic V6 | |
| Oppo Find N6 | |
| Display / HDR Peak Brightness | |
| Honor Magic V6 | |
| Huawei Mate X7 | |
| Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 | |
| Oppo Find N6 | |
Performance, emissions and battery life
| Jetstream 2 - 2.2 Total | |
| Honor Magic V6 | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 (2 - 480, n=12) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (2 - 480, n=87, last 2 years) | |
| Huawei Mate X7 | |
| Oppo Find N6 | |
| Honor Magic V6 | Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 | Huawei Mate X7 | Oppo Find N6 | Average 512 GB UFS 4.1 Flash | Average of class Smartphone | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AndroBench 3-5 | -34% | 22% | -2% | -13% | -42% | |
| Sequential Read 256KB (MB/s) | 3921.41 | 4080.35 4% | 4365.76 11% | 3861.06 -2% | 3642 ? -7% | 2244 ? -43% |
| Sequential Write 256KB (MB/s) | 3992.25 | 2239.55 -44% | 4112.78 3% | 3531.83 -12% | 3184 ? -20% | 1926 ? -52% |
| Random Read 4KB (MB/s) | 411.38 | 403.69 -2% | 463.43 13% | 446.52 9% | 413 ? 0% | 310 ? -25% |
| Random Write 4KB (MB/s) | 667.68 | 51.23 -92% | 1071.05 60% | 637.68 -4% | 496 ? -26% | 362 ? -46% |
(±) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 44.2 °C / 112 F, compared to the average of 35.3 °C / 96 F, ranging from 21.9 to 247 °C for the class Smartphone.
(±) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 41.8 °C / 107 F, compared to the average of 34 °C / 93 F
3DMark stress tests
| 3DMark | |
| Wild Life Stress Test Stability | |
| Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 | |
| Oppo Find N6 | |
| Huawei Mate X7 | |
| Wild Life Extreme Stress Test | |
| Honor Magic V6 | |
| Huawei Mate X7 | |
| Oppo Find N6 | |
| Solar Bay Stress Test Stability | |
| Huawei Mate X7 | |
| Oppo Find N6 | |
| Steel Nomad Light Stress Test Stability | |
| Huawei Mate X7 | |
| Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 | |
| Honor Magic V6 | |
| Oppo Find N6 | |
Honor Magic V6 audio analysis
(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (85.3 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 16.8% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (11.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 4.5% away from median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (7.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 7.7% higher than median
(+) | highs are linear (3.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (17.7% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 14% of all tested devices in this class were better, 8% similar, 77% worse
» The best had a delta of 11%, average was 34%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 35% of all tested devices were better, 8% similar, 57% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 24%, worst was 134%
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 audio analysis
(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (89.5 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 21.4% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (10% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | reduced mids - on average 5% lower than median
(+) | mids are linear (5.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 5.9% higher than median
(+) | highs are linear (4.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (17.1% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 10% of all tested devices in this class were better, 8% similar, 82% worse
» The best had a delta of 11%, average was 34%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 31% of all tested devices were better, 8% similar, 61% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 24%, worst was 134%
| Off / Standby |   0.14 / 0.36 Watt |
| Idle |  0.92 / 1.39 / 1.53 Watt |
    
| |
Key:
min: ,
med: ,
max: Metrahit Energy | |
| Battery runtime - WiFi v1.3 | |
| Honor Magic V6 | |
| Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 | |
| Huawei Mate X7 | |
| Oppo Find N6 | |
Notebookcheck overall rating
The Honor Magic V6 stands out as an extremely slim, superbly equipped foldable with a powerful battery, a versatile camera, and strong everyday performance; however, it has some shortcomings in terms of the inner display’s brightness, cooling under heavy load, and only moderate improvements compared to its predecessor.
Honor Magic V6
- 07/02/2026 v8
Daniel Schmidt
Total Sustainability Score: Possible alternatives at a glance
Image | Model / Review | Price | Weight | Drive | Display |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. 88.1%  | Honor Magic V6 Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 ⎘ Qualcomm Adreno 840 ⎘ 16 GB Memory, 512 GB UFS 4.x | Amazon: 1. $1,590.00 Honor Magic V5 5... 2. $1,500.00 Honor Magic V5 5... 3. $1,168.91 Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, Un... List Price: 2300€ | 224 g | 512 GB UFS 4.1 Flash | 7.95" 2352x2172 403 PPI OLED |
2. 87.2%  | Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy ⎘ Qualcomm Adreno 830 ⎘ 12 GB Memory, 256 GB UFS 4.x | Amazon: List Price: 2099€ | 215 g | 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash | 8.00" 2184x1968 367 PPI Dynamic AMOLED 2X |
3. 84.5%  | Huawei Mate X7 HiSilicon Kirin 9030 Pro ⎘ HiSilicon Maleoon 935 ⎘ 16 GB Memory, 512 GB UFS 4.x | Amazon: List Price: 2099€ | 236 g | 512 GB UFS 4.1 Flash | 8.00" 2416x2210 409 PPI OLED |
4. 86.4%  | Oppo Find N6 Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 ⎘ Qualcomm Adreno 840 ⎘ 16 GB Memory, 512 GB UFS 4.x | Amazon: | 225 g | 512 GB UFS 4.1 Flash | 8.12" 2480x2248 412 PPI OLED |
Transparency
The selection of devices to be reviewed is made by our editorial team. The test sample was provided to the author as a loan by the manufacturer or retailer for the purpose of this review. The lender had no influence on this review, nor did the manufacturer receive a copy of this review before publication. There was no obligation to publish this review. As an independent media company, Notebookcheck is not subjected to the authority of manufacturers, retailers or publishers.
This is how Notebookcheck is testing
Every year, Notebookcheck independently reviews hundreds of laptops and smartphones using standardized procedures to ensure that all results are comparable. We have continuously developed our test methods for around 20 years and set industry standards in the process. In our test labs, high-quality measuring equipment is utilized by experienced technicians and editors. These tests involve a multi-stage validation process. Our complex rating system is based on hundreds of well-founded measurements and benchmarks, which maintains objectivity. Further information on our test methods can be found here.
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