Honor Magic 5 Pro is a smartphone camera speed demon
Expect record-setting AI-assisted snappers and a stunning screen
Plenty of phones have started using algorithms to help improve their camera image processing, but Honor is going a step further for its latest high-end hero. The Honor Magic 5 Pro uses AI to speed up all aspects of its trio of rear snappers, including startup and focusing – so there can be no excuse for blurry shots, no matter how fast your subjects are moving.
Officially revealed at the firm’s Mobile World Congress event alongside a global variant of the Magic Vs foldable, the new flagship has three 50MP sensors: one wide-angle, one ultrawide, and a telephoto good for 3.5x optical zoom. It’ll also digitally magnify up to 100x, and relies on bespoke “Falcon capture” algorithms to maximise focus and shutter speed. All three sit inside a sizeable circular bump, which is an evolution on the styling seen in last year’s Magic 4 Pro.
Honor has also stepped up its Super HDR processing, which is now built into every camera mode instead of coming separately like on previous models. It takes contrast and brightness calibration frames, as well as multiple exposures, for what the firm says are more lifelike and impactful images than you’ll get from its rivals.
Elsewhere Honor has taken no shortcuts, fitting a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 CPU, 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. That’s powered by a 5100mAh battery which supports 66W wired charging, or 50W wirelessly through a compatible Qi pad. It’ll also reverse wireless charge your other tech if you’ve got juice to spare.
The 6.81in curved edge AMOLED screen uses LTPO tech, for 120Hz smoothness without the associated battery drain, and the 2838×1312 resolution panel supports rapid 2160Hz dimming for flicker-free use, even at low brightness levels. At the other end of the scale it maxes out at a peak 1800 nits, which is more than enough to do justice to HDR content. A new Circadian night mode also reduces blue light around your sleeping patterns, and has been given the thumbs up from testing body TUV for its sleep-friendly viewing.
A dual-width punch-hole selfie camera returns from the Magic 4 Pro, bringing face unlocking that can actually be used as biometric security for things like banking apps courtesy of a dedicated sensor. There’s also an in-display fingerprint sensor, and Honor has even kept the IR blaster around – honestly, we figured this would vanish long before the 3.5mm headphone port, but here we are.
The whole thing is IP68 dust and water resistant, with a frosted finish (on the Meadow Green version, at least) that should help keep fingerprint smudges under control. There’s also a black version for the colour-averse.
It’s running Honor’s MagicOS 7.1 on top of Android 13, and should be in line for four years of operating system upgrades and security updates.
The Honor Magic 5 Pro will go on sale in the UK from May, although there’s currently no word on pricing. Given its predecessor started out at £950, we’re expecting something similar for 2023.
Tom Morgan-Freelander
Deputy Editor