Honor Magic V5 Outsmarts Samsung’s Foldables – And It’s Thinner Too

In the ever-intensifying race to own the foldable phone spotlight, Samsung was just about to bask in its glory with the announcement of the all-new Galaxy Z Fold 7—until Honor crashed the party. And how? With the Honor Magic V5, now touted as the world’s thinnest foldable smartphone.

Samsung had been gearing up to reveal its latest innovation, claiming a slim profile of just 4.54 mm when unfolded. But Honor stole the headlines by showing off a foldable measuring a mere 4.1 mm. That’s not just thinner—it’s redefining how compact foldables can get. So much so that one might joke about whether the next spec battle will include having a thinner CEO.

Sure, that kind of thinness means the 3.5mm headphone jack is still absent—though realistically, no one expected its return. After all, reintroducing the headphone jack might cut into Samsung’s Galaxy Buds sales, and that’s not happening anytime soon.

In a lighthearted jab, one might imagine Bixby—the long-forgotten AI assistant—pining for attention: “I thought I was your Galaxy Bud.” Cute, but let’s focus on the real tech.

One of the most astonishing differences between the two devices is battery life. While Samsung’s Fold Z7 is rumored to feature a 4,400mAh battery, Honor claims the Magic V5 packs a huge 5,820mAh cell—all within that incredibly thin chassis. That alone feels like engineering wizardry, perhaps even literal magic.

Samsung, however, might still have a win in the camera department. While the Magic V5 sports a rather bold rear design—one could say it resembles a tiny UFO docked on its back—Samsung is sticking to its more familiar vertical camera array. The real comparison in image quality will have to wait until both devices are in consumers’ hands, but for now, Samsung may hold a slight design and aesthetic edge, at least in weight. Despite the size of its battery, Honor’s camera bump does add heft, giving Samsung’s phone a chance to shine as the lighter option.

As for colors, Honor offers a decent palette: black, white, reddish brown, and gold. But Samsung teases something a little more exclusive—a “green mint” finish, which might be limited to online orders only. And in classic marketing spin, if budget cuts creep in, buyers might only get a literal mint in their shipping box.

Honor’s marketing material even takes things further, portraying the Magic V5 as being hidden behind a thin sheet of paper—a poetic (if misleading) attempt to showcase its slimness. At 4mm, it’s more comparable to cardboard than traditional paper, but when you’re going for shock and awe, accuracy sometimes takes a back seat to style.

So, is Honor’s bold entrance with the Magic V5 a game-changer? It certainly adds pressure to the competition. With thinner profiles, massive batteries, and aggressive marketing, brands like Honor are turning up the heat—and Samsung knows it.

Whether or not Samsung manages to hold its ground with the Fold Z7, it’s clear the foldable war is far from over. One thing is certain: for those keeping tabs on the next big thing in mobile, the Honor Magic V5 has made its presence felt—loudly and thinly.