Honor’s next-gen foldable is primed to take on the Galaxy Z Fold 7

Shenzhen, China-based technology company Honor has officially launched its book-style folding Magic V5 phone within several key European markets, including the UK, France, and Germany. The handset, which first arrived on store shelves in mainland China back in July, is listed with an MSRP of £1,699.99 / €1,999 (roughly $2,335 USD). For the price, the phone comes with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of internal storage, with colorway options of ivory white, black, dawn gold, and reddish brown.

Coinciding with the release of the Magic V5, Honor is also launching its MagicBook Art 14 laptop and its MagicPad3 tablet in Europe, for prices of £1,499.99 / €1,699 (roughly $1,985 USD) and £599.99 (roughly $811 USD), respectively. The Magicbook Art 14 is available in mocha brown, sunrise white, and emerald green variants, while the MagicPad3 can be purchased in a choice of gray or white.

“This launch marks a significant milestone as we push the boundaries of innovation across smartphones, PCs, and tablets. Together, we’re creating an interconnected portfolio of intelligent companions that empower individuals and amplify their potential,” says James Li, CEO of Honor in a press release.

The Magic V5 packs in a lot of tech

Honor’s latest foldable competes head-on with Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 7

Honor’s latest-and-greatest high-end tablet and laptop are exciting pieces of kit, to be sure, but it’s the company’s Magic V5 foldable that has me particularly intrigued. When compared head-on with Samsung’s recently-released Galaxy Z Fold 7, the V5 offers a larger battery pack with Silicon-carbon tech, faster wired and wireless charging speeds, an ever-so-slightly thinner frame when closed, and more robust IP water and dust resistance certifications.

Honor’s push into Western markets is exciting — competition drives down prices, and the cost of foldable phones remains one of the main hurdles standing in the way of their mainstream adoption. There’s no word on whether the Magic V5 will land on North American shores, but I sure hope it does at some point. The Galaxy Z Fold 7, the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, and the OnePlus Open are all excellent phones in their own right, but I feel that the more cooks there are in the foldable kitchen, the better.