Honor Magic V5 review: Best foldable phone for design, battery and everyday use

The Honor Magic V5 is a sleek foldable that combines premium design, powerful cameras, smooth performance, and excellent battery life, making it one of the most compelling foldable smartphones of 2025.

Honor’s Dawn Gold finish catches the light beautifully, giving the Magic V5 a distinctive premium look. Picture: Noel Campion.

Foldable smartphones are still carving out their place in the market, and while the Honor Magic V3 was the first foldable I felt confident to use like a regular phone, the new Honor Magic V5 has me wondering if I should switch from my candybar-style phone. Over the past few weeks, I’ve been using it as my main device, and it has impressed me with its class-leading design, powerful hardware, and a few software quirks that both delight and frustrate in equal measure.

Design and build