The HONOR Magic V3 folding phone claims to be the thinnest in its class. Arthur Fuentes, ABS-CBN News

MANILA— HONOR officially unveiled its third-generation folding phone at the IFA tech expo in Berlin, Germany, on Sept. 6 this year.

I have been testing the V3 for several weeks now, and I must say this is the best folding phone I’ve come across so far. Pair it with a nice foldable keyboard and you got yourself a laptop substitute that can fit in a clutch bag. If you fancy yourself a digital nomad, this could be the gadget you need to gift yourself this Christmas.

HONOR launches ‘thinnest’ folding phone

Billed as the thinnest foldable yet, the Magic V3 impressed even jaded tech journalists who crowded around the HONOR exhibit at IFA. Also on display then at the Berlin tech expo were the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold, and the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6, but those foldables looked absolutely chunky when compared to the V3.

The  V3 had a thickness of just 9.2 mm. In contrast the Pixel had a claimed folded depth of 10.5 mm, while the Galaxy was 12.1 mm thick. Differences of 1 or 3 mm might seem minuscule, but it is a difference that you will feel when you are actually gripping these phones in your hand.At 226 grams, the V3 is also much lighter than the Pixel’s 257 grams and even the Galaxy’s 239 grams. Amazingly, HONOR managed to pack a huge 5150mAh battery into such a slim package. Meanwhile, the Pixel has a 4,650 mAh battery and the Galaxy an even smaller 4400 mAh. As the huge screens of folding phones demand a lot of power, having a bigger battery is definitely a plus for the V3 here. As a bonus, the V3 also now supports 50W wireless charging–a feature that was absent from the V2.

The fingerprint sensor on the power button is fairly accurate, although it can be overly sensitive. Sometimes merely holding the phone in your hand can trigger the sensor and cause the phone to vibrate.

The HONOR Magic V3 paired with a foldable wireless keyboard. Arthur Fuentes, ABS-CBN News 

Despite the slimness, the V3 is also tougher, according to HONOR. The company says the V3 has been “armored with aerospace-grade fibers, which enhance the impact resistance by 40 times.” The inner screen has also been made more scratch and impact-resistant through the use of a “silicon gel” with the characteristics of a "non-Newtonian fluid."

Specs-wise this is all flagship stuff– a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip, 12GB of RAM and 512 GB of storage. Both the outer and inner displays are OLED with a 120Hz framerate. The cameras are also superb–with a 50-megapixel wide camera with f/1.6 aperture and optical image stabilization (OIS), a 40MP ultra-wide lens at f/2.2, and a 50MP telephoto at f/3.0 also with OIS. You can shoot 4K video at up 60 fps with this phone. 

The HONOR Magic V3 and a foldable keyboard fit in a small bag. Arthur Fuentes, ABS-CBN News

The outer screen’s selfie camera is 20MP at f/2.2, which is the same spec as the selfie shooter on the inner screen. Both are punchhole cameras–none of that ‘under the screen’ nonsense. Both selfie cameras can also capture 4K at 30 fps.

But if you’re not satisfied with those specs, the main cameras can also be used for selfies. On selfie mode, you just tap the top left icon on the camera app, unfold and voila–you have all the power of the top-level main cameras at your disposal.

Photos taken with the V3 are almost as good as on HONOR’s bar phone flagship Magic6 Pro.

Berlin, Germany shot with the HONOR Magic V3. Arthur Fuentes, ABS-CBN News

Berlin, Germany shot with the HONOR Magic V3. Arthur Fuentes, ABS-CBN NewsBerlin, Germany shot with the HONOR Magic V3. Arthur Fuentes, ABS-CBN News

Berlin, Germany shot with the HONOR Magic V3. Arthur Fuentes, ABS-CBN News

Berlin, Germany shot with the HONOR Magic V3. Arthur Fuentes, ABS-CBN News

Berlin, Germany shot with the HONOR Magic V3. Arthur Fuentes, ABS-CBN News

Berlin, Germany shot with the HONOR Magic V3. Arthur Fuentes, ABS-CBN News

UP Diliman shot with the HONOR Magic V3. Arthur Fuentes, ABS-CBN News

Foldables have come a long way since they were first introduced years ago. From being weird curiosities to gadgets for bragging, foldables have transitioned into devices that can actually be used for work.

I have actually been using the V3 to write this review. I first paired it with a foldable keyboard, and then with my Apple Magic Keyboard. (While I liked the coolness factor of a keyboard that folds into something no larger than a phone, the more spacious layout of the Apple keyboard made typing much easier.) The included protective case has a nifty kickstand built in. While I sometimes miss the bigger screen of a laptop, there is something about writing on a much smaller screen that allows you to just focus on the task at hand.

If you need to write an article, a paper, or just shoot emails, a foldable like the V3 is more than enough. Actually, the smaller screen may even be better as it takes away the temptation of opening more and more browser tabs. You can just focus on what you are writing. And since this thing is so easy to carry, you can really work from anywhere–bring a portable keyboard, find a table in a cafe, and start grinding.

The HONOR Magic V3 paired with a foldable wireless keyboard. Arthur Fuentes, ABS-CBN News 

Of course, if what you're working on demands having several apps open at once, a foldable phone isn't going to work. But if you're a writer plowing through a first draft, this thing is great.

Content creators will also love the camera capabilities of the phone as well as its flagship processor, large memory, and generous storage. You can quickly shoot, edit,t and publish quality audio and video from this device.

But there is a tradeoff. You can't make a gadget this slim and light and still pack it with a big enough battery that would last you through the day. For normal phone use, like using the outer screen to browse the web, social media, or casually watch videos, this phone will last you through the day. But if you use the bigger screen, battery life goes down much faster. Better pack a power bank if you intend to use this as a laptop substitute.

All in all, this phone is gorgeously designed and very powerful. It would make for a great laptop backup if you pair it with a keyboard.

But if you still have the V2, there's no big compelling reason to make the switch to the V3, as HONOR's second-generation phone is still very sleek, and still packs more than enough oomph to satisfy most power users. However, if you are making the jump into the foldableverse, this phone is a standout choice.  

The HONOR Magic V3 is available on Shopee.