Foldables have come a long way since the launch of the first Galaxy Fold or the Huawei Mate X in 2019. Former foldable devices were by no means as good in hand as the normal candy bar phones. On one side, they were heavy and thicker, and on the other, their durability and reliability were questionable.
But over the years, the folding mechanism has improved quite a bit, making a foldable phone a considerable option compared to a normal candy bar phone. Although Samsung had the lead in the foldable market for a while, other brands are now catching up both in hardware and software levels.
According to the word on the street, Samsung hasn’t changed the design of their foldable much for the last two generations, while others are committed to holding tags like ‘thinnest foldable ever’ and so on.
So, we wanted to find out if the Galaxy Z Fold 5 holds its own against its competitors like the Honor Magic V2, the thinnest foldable in the market right now, and also with the biggest battery.
Both brands have different strategies in making their devices, and no one is actually better in every aspect than the other.
Galaxy Z Fold 5 lacks the in-hand feel of Honor Magic V2
The Honor Magic V2 prioritizes the in-hand feel. The device is only 9.9 mm thick when closed, barely thicker than a single-slab phone. It also weighs only 231 grams, even lighter than both the iPhone 14 Pro Max and Galaxy S23 Ultra, leaving the Z Fold 5 in the dust here.
In simple words, the Honor Magic V2 is barely distinguishable from a single-slab phone in hand.
In contrast, the Galaxy Z Fold 5 still has a thicker and heavier form factor. It weighs 253g and is 13.4mm thick, though slightly thinner and lighter than its previous generation, thanks to Samsung’s new water-drop hinge mechanism. But still, the latest Galaxy Fold not only differentiates itself in multitasking capabilities but also in its physical design. This characteristic is neither preferred nor mandatory for a foldable smartphone today.
Samsung’s foldables are now very well-built, durable, and reliable for sure, but carrying it in the pocket is also a use case, and a slightly thinner device wouldn’t be a bad option. That is exactly what the Honor Magic V2 offers. Also, despite having more space for the display to fold, the Galaxy Fold 5 still has a deeper crease than the Honor Magic V2.
Now, let’s discuss the main intent of having a foldable device: multitasking.
Galaxy Z Fold 5 vs Honor Magic V2: multitasking capabilities?
Samsung has been working on their foldables for 5 generations now, with software features for multitasking capabilities as their top priority. Likely, this is an area where Samsung takes the lead. The Galaxy Fold 5 was literally tagged as ‘PC-like power in your pocket’ by a company official at the launch event. But is it really this powerful?
The Galaxy Fold 5 can run 3 applications in split-screen mode, with an additional two applications in a floating window. In comparison, the Honor Magic V2 supports one less application in split-screen mode. Both of the devices are powered by the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip, so there are no compromises in horsepower in either of them.
The Galaxy Z Fold 5 is also optimized with a wider variety of applications to utilize the partially folded condition, which they call ‘Flex mode.’ You get separate control elements on half of the screen for a larger variety of applications compared to Honor’s Magic V2.
However, you won’t regret choosing the Honor Magic V2 for system apps like the camera or gallery, regarding the customized controls. It’s about the wide support for flex mode applications, which Samsung has been working with app developers on throughout the years.
When it comes to the hinge, the Galaxy Z Fold 5 remains firm at almost any angle you can use the phone. In contrast, the hinge of the Honor Magic V2 can only stay firm between 60°-110°. While the 60°-110° range is more than enough for most use cases, the craftsmanship behind the hinge mechanism of the Fold 5 is worth noting.
Honor Magic V2 has bigger battery with faster charging
Despite being only 4.7mm thick when unfolded, Honor’s Magic V2 houses a larger 5000mAh battery compared to the 4400mAh one in the Galaxy Z Fold 5. This is made possible due to the silicon anode battery technology that Honor is using.
The Magic V2 also comes with 66W charging support, with the charger included in the box, in contrast to Samsung’s standard 25W charging in the Galaxy Z Fold 5. However, the Galaxy Fold 5 supports 15W wireless charging, which the Magic V2 doesn’t, due to its aggressively thin form factor.
So which one should you consider?
Honestly, it depends on your preferences and what you expect from a foldable device.
If you are considering a foldable phone solely for productivity purposes and have no issue with the phone being slightly thicker or heavier, then the Galaxy Z Fold 5 will be perfect for you among all the foldables in the market.
However, there are people who like the idea of their regular phone unfolding and providing double the screen size but are not necessarily willing to accept a thicker device. If you are one of them, the Honor Magic V2 is no doubt a better option for you as it provides 90% of what the Galaxy Z Fold 5 offers while becoming a regular phone when folded.
