A few days ago, Honor officially unveiled its latest flagship duo the Honor Magic8 and Honor Magic8 Pro. The phones have already gone on sale in China, and Honor has confirmed that a global launch is also on the horizon. But the big question remains: are these new models worth your attention (and your money)?
Let’s dive deep into what’s new, what’s improved, and whether the Magic8 series is the right pick for you.
Power-Packed Performance with Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5
Both the Magic8 and Magic8 Pro come equipped with Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset one of the fastest mobile processors available in 2025.
This ensures buttery-smooth performance whether you’re gaming, multitasking, or using AI-powered tools.
Adding to the innovation, Honor has introduced a dedicated AI button, giving users quick access to smart features and AI-driven shortcuts a step that shows the company’s growing focus on AI integration.
Bigger Batteries, Smaller Bodies
One of the most impressive upgrades this year is in the battery department.
Despite having slightly smaller displays, both phones pack significantly larger batteries than last year’s Magic7 lineup.
• Magic8 Pro: 6.71" OLED | 7,200mAh / 6,270mAh
• Magic8: 6.58" OLED | 7,000mAh
For comparison, last year’s Magic7 Pro had a 5,850mAh unit so this is a major step up in endurance, perfect for power users and gamers.
Camera Upgrades and Trade-offs
Honor Magic8 Pro
The Magic8 Pro continues to feature a 50MP main camera with a large 1/1.3” sensor. However, the variable aperture (f/1.4–2.0) is gone replaced by a fixed f/1.6 aperture.
On the plus side, the telephoto camera gets a huge boost with a 200MP 1/1.4” sensor and a 3.7x optical zoom (up from 3x).
Honor Magic8
The regular Magic8 also packs a punch but has some compromises.
It now features a 50MP main sensor that’s smaller (1/1.56” instead of 1/1.3”). The telephoto lens remains at 3x magnification but swaps in a 64MP sensor instead of last year’s 50MP.
So, while both models deliver strong imaging performance, serious mobile photographers might lean toward the Magic8 Pro.
Pricing and Variants
Honor kept the pricing identical to the previous year’s lineup in China — which is great news if you were expecting a hike. Here’s the current pricing:
Configuration: Honor Magic8 | Honor Magic8 Pro
• 12GB + 256GB: CNY 4,499 ($630) | CNY 5,699 ($800)
• 12GB + 512GB: CNY 4,799 ($670) | CNY 5,999 ($840)
• 16GB + 512GB: CNY 4,999 ($700) | CNY 6,199 ($870)
• 16GB + 1TB: CNY 5,499 ($770) | CNY 6,699 ($940)
If global pricing stays close to these figures, the Magic8 Pro could be one of the most competitive flagships of 2025.
Time to Vote: Would You Buy the Honor Magic8 or Magic8 Pro?
With sleek designs, powerful new processors, and massive batteries, the Honor Magic8 series looks promising. However, the camera downgrade on the standard Magic8 and the removal of the variable aperture on the Pro might raise some eyebrows.
So, what do you think?
Would you buy the Honor Magic8 Pro, stick with the standard Magic8, or wait for other 2025 flagships like the Galaxy S25 Ultra or Xiaomi 15 Ultra?
0 Comments