Huawei Honor Magic: surprisingly fast charging and artificial intelligence. First impressions of the Honor Magic2 smartphone: the return of sliders Honor Magic Watch

The "senior" Honor with a magical name first appeared in 2016 - and did not officially reach Russia, despite the excellent representation of the brand here. It’s worth saying right away that the same is waiting for Honor Magic2 - it is already known that this is a device designed exclusively for the Chinese market. But at the same time, a very interesting device, which we managed to get acquainted with immediately after the announcement. We will do a full review later, today - first impressions.

Two weeks ago, Huawei introduced its flagship Mate 20/Mate 20 Pro, the first smartphone based on the new Kirin 980 platform, which flaunts especially powerful artificial intelligence and a triple rear camera with the ability not only to zoom in the frame, but also to get a wider viewing angle. And now - the next move is already behind the Honor brand. Magic2 is the second smartphone with Kirin 980 and here not only the rear camera received three lenses and sensors, but also the front one! Moreover, in addition to this, the design of the slider and the completely new YoYo voice assistant. Sounds like a royal flush, but it's not quite as smooth.

Although it is the slider mechanism that works really smoothly and pleasantly - Magic2 can deliver tactile pleasure, while emitting characteristic clicks: only they do not come from inside the case, but from the lower speaker. Simulation, but appropriate. Moreover, the slider here is completely mechanical, and not electronic, as in OPPO Find X - the back of the case must be slightly pushed up so that the front cameras appear above the screen. At the same time, the rear ones are always in place - you do not need to push the Honor Magic 2 apart to take any picture. Xiaomi also applied exactly the same solution in its Mi MIX 3, I also managed to talk with him for a short time - and, I must say, Honor did better. The mechanism works more clearly, you need to make less effort, and the risk of dropping the phone from your hand, intercepting it in order to move it apart, is minimal.

It's even a little strange, considering that traditionally for Honor the case is almost entirely made of glass (only the edges are made of metal) - fingers cling well to the mirrored back, using Magic2 is convenient. Due to the use of this mechanism, the “bangs” disappeared, and the 6.39-inch display almost completely occupied the front panel - the frames are almost invisible, only there is a relatively large influx from below.

When the Honor Magic2 is pulled apart, the face recognition system is automatically activated - in the "regular" version it is standard, using only the front camera, in the special version of Magic2 3D - with a three-dimensional scanner. This, again, is convenient - the only problem is that after recognition, you get directly into the camera application in order to quickly take a selfie. If you don't want that scenario, you can unlock the smartphone using the on-screen fingerprint scanner, but it works, like the Mate 20 Pro, and is mediocre in both speed and accuracy (although it takes longer to get a clearer impression).

Having unlocked the Honor Magic2, the user should not get into the usual EMUI, but into the Magic UI shell specially designed for this series. Alas, there is only a Chinese version, and I had no opportunity to get acquainted with it, especially since they provided a gadget flashed under EMUI for testing. But it is in Magic UI that the main feature of the flagship Honor is hidden - the YOYO voice assistant. He, of course, does not know Russian today (but knows ten others) and was generally excluded from the smartphone that we got for the test, but, judging by the long story at the presentation, he can do more than Siri or Google Assistant: from voice translation "on the fly" to the ability to unlock a smartphone by simply recognizing the voice of the "owner", and he does this even in a noisy environment. To fully get to know YOYO, you need to wait for its Russian version - when it appears, no one reports, but there is definitely hope.

However, the platform installed in Magic2 gives him not intelligence, of course, but quite good mental abilities even without YOYO. In addition to the traditional way of using AI in smartphones - to improve photos (or “enhancement”, here it’s up to anyone) - Honor showed, for example, an application that assesses the condition of your skin in real time: how old you look, how hydrated it is and etc. Moreover, Honor even has a certificate that this method is accurate enough. There will be more neural network applications to come, as long as we have smartphones that are capable of this. Honor, of course, compared the Magic 2 to the power of working with neural networks with the iPhone - but not the Xs, which is built on the A12 platform with a dedicated Neural Engine module, but with last year's iPhone X. The receiver is not the most honest.

In terms of its performance outside of AI scenarios, the Kirin 980 can easily compete with the Apple A11 or Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, bypassing them, for example, in 3D graphics. But even today there is no dominance - we will talk more about this in the upcoming Mate 20 Pro review.

At the same time, the memory is in full order: operational or 6 or 8 GB, non-volatile - from 128 to 512 GB (the latter is in the Magic2 3D version). This is a truly powerful smartphone without much compromise. More precisely with one - there is no slot for a microSD memory card. For the 128 GB version, it is quite relevant, so there is something to regret, even if a little.

About the display, I have already said a few words above, I will add - this is a 6.39-inch AMOLED 19: 9 format with Full HD + resolution.

Cameras - a rare case - are not the most interesting thing in this smartphone. The rear ones are made according to the scheme tested in Huawei Mate 20 Pro: each of the three is responsible for its focal length, providing a pretty good optical zoom. Two of them are 16 megapixels (f / 1.8 and f / 2.2), the third is black and white at 24 megapixels (f / 1.8). Unfortunately, there is no optical stabilizer, and the level of shooting is approximately the same as that demonstrated by Honor 10 - with the addition of an additional wide-angle mode.



From left to right: from ultra wide to 2x zoom

Naturally, a switchable artificial intelligence is supported, which can recognize up to five simultaneous scenarios for one plot, “twisting” the picture taking into account all of them. I did not notice any other specifics of the camera for Magic2.

Front cameras are even more interesting - first of all, in quantity. There are also three of them: at 16 megapixels (f / 2.0) and two at 2 megapixels - both for more correct operation of software bokeh. Why two at once, no one could explain, but I didn’t understand in the process of a short acquaintance - in terms of quality, the processing of the background of the Honor Magic2 is even inferior to the same Huawei Mate 20 Pro with a single front camera. But directly on the quality of shooting - no questions, an excellent level.

Another feature that has moved, though from the first Magic, is 40W fast charging (10V, 4A). With its help, a smartphone with a 3500 mAh battery charges 85% in half an hour, and half in 15 minutes.

Like the Mate 20 Pro, the Magic2 received a dual GPS receiver that allows you to more quickly and accurately determine your location and record your movement track, as well as a Wi-Fi module with a theoretical data reception rate of 1.7 Gbps. There is NFC, infrared and Bluetooth 5.0. But there is no mini-jack, as it is easy to see in the photographs - despite the fact that there is no moisture protection either. This fashion, to be honest, is tiring.

Honor Magic2 will be available in three gradient colors: red, black (both in our pictures) and blue. Alas, it will be available, I repeat, only in China, Honor has no plans to bring the model to other markets yet. And it would be, to be honest, not bad, the prices, as is usually the case with Honor, are very pleasant. For the younger version of 6/128 GB, they ask for 3,799 yuan (about 36,000 rubles), for the 8/128 GB version - 4,299 yuan (40,600 rubles), for the 8/256 GB version - 4,799 yuan (45,350 rubles), for the Magic2 3D version for 8/512 GB - 5,799 yuan (54,800 rubles).

The first Magic, which will officially appear in Russia, will most likely be the next, third, version - and this will happen next year. In the meantime, it remains only to either click your tongue and choose another smartphone, or order it in a Chinese store, with Chinese firmware, devoid of Google Play.

Information about the make, model, and alternative names of a particular device, if any.

Design

Information about the dimensions and weight of the device, presented in different units of measurement. Used materials, suggested colors, certificates.

Width Width information refers to the horizontal side of the device in its standard orientation during use.	69.9 mm (millimeters) 6.99 cm (centimeters) 0.23 ft 2.75in
Height Height information refers to the vertical side of the device in its standard orientation during use.	146.1 mm (millimeters) 14.61 cm (centimeters) 0.48 ft 5.75in
Thickness Information about the thickness of the device in different units of measurement.	7.8 mm (millimeters) 0.78 cm (centimeters) 0.03 ft 0.31in
The weight Information about the weight of the device in different units of measurement.	145 g (grams) 0.32 lbs 5.11oz
Volume Approximate volume of the device, calculated from dimensions provided by the manufacturer. Refers to devices with the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped.	79.66 cm³ (cubic centimeters) 4.84 in³ (cubic inches)
Colors Information about the colors in which this device is offered for sale.	The black White
Housing materials The materials used to make the body of the device.	Metal

SIM card

The SIM card is used in mobile devices to store data that certifies the authenticity of mobile service subscribers.

Mobile networks

A mobile network is a radio system that allows multiple mobile devices to communicate with each other.

GSM GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) is designed to replace the analogue mobile network (1G). For this reason, GSM is often referred to as a 2G mobile network. It is enhanced by the addition of GPRS (General Packet Radio Services) and later EDGE (Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution) technologies.	GSM 850 MHz GSM 900 MHz GSM 1800 MHz GSM 1900 MHz
CDMA CDMA (Code-Division Multiple Access) is a channel access method used in communications in mobile networks. Compared to other 2G and 2.5G standards such as GSM and TDMA, it provides higher data transfer rates and the ability to connect more consumers at the same time.	CDMA 800 MHz
TD-SCDMA TD-SCDMA (Time Division Synchronous Code Division Multiple Access) is a 3G standard for mobile networks. It is also called UTRA/UMTS-TDD LCR. It is developed as an alternative to the W-CDMA standard in China by the China Academy of Telecommunication Technology, Datang Telecom and Siemens. TD-SCDMA combines TDMA and CDMA.	TD-SCDMA 1880-1920 MHz TD-SCDMA 2010-2025 MHz
UMTS UMTS is short for Universal Mobile Telecommunications System. It is based on the GSM standard and belongs to 3G mobile networks. Developed by 3GPP and its biggest advantage is to provide more speed and spectral efficiency with W-CDMA technology.	UMTS 850 MHz UMTS 900 MHz UMTS 1700/2100 MHz UMTS 1900 MHz UMTS 2100 MHz
LTE LTE (Long Term Evolution) is defined as fourth generation (4G) technology. It is developed by 3GPP based on GSM/EDGE and UMTS/HSPA to increase the capacity and speed of wireless mobile networks. The subsequent development of technologies is called LTE Advanced.	LTE 700 MHz Class 17 LTE 800 MHz LTE 850 MHz LTE 900 MHz LTE 1700/2100 MHz LTE 1800 MHz LTE 1900 MHz LTE 2100 MHz LTE 2600 MHz LTE-TDD 1900 MHz (B39) LTE-TDD 2300 MHz (B40) LTE-TDD 2500 MHz (B41) LTE 850 MHz (B26) LTE 700 MHz (B12) LTE 800 MHz (B18) LTE 800 MHz (B19) LTE 700 MHz (B28)

Mobile technologies and data rates

Communication between devices in mobile networks is carried out through technologies that provide different data transfer rates.

Operating system

The operating system is the system software that manages and coordinates the operation of the hardware components in the device.

SoC (System on a Chip)

System on a chip (SoC) includes all the most important hardware components of a mobile device in one chip.

SoC (System on a Chip) A system on a chip (SoC) integrates various hardware components such as a processor, graphics processor, memory, peripherals, interfaces, etc., as well as the software necessary for their operation.	Huawei HiSilicon KIRIN 950
Technological process Information about the technological process by which the chip is made. The value in nanometers measures half the distance between the elements in the processor.	16 nm (nanometers)
Processor (CPU) The main function of the processor (CPU) of a mobile device is the interpretation and execution of instructions contained in software applications.	4x 2.3 GHz ARM Cortex-A72, 4x 1.8 GHz ARM Cortex-A53
Processor bit depth The bit depth (bits) of a processor is determined by the size (in bits) of registers, address buses, and data buses. 64-bit processors have higher performance than 32-bit processors, which, in turn, are more productive than 16-bit processors.	64 bit
Instruction Set Architecture Instructions are commands by which the software sets/controls the operation of the processor. Information about the instruction set (ISA) that the processor can execute.	ARMv8-A
Number of processor cores The processor core executes program instructions. There are processors with one, two or more cores. Having more cores increases performance by allowing many instructions to be executed in parallel.	8
Processor clock speed The clock speed of a processor describes its speed in terms of cycles per second. It is measured in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz).	2300 MHz (megahertz)
Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) The graphics processing unit (GPU) handles calculations for various 2D/3D graphics applications. In mobile devices, it is used most often by games, consumer interface, video applications, etc.	ARM Mali-T880 MP4
Number of GPU cores Like the CPU, the GPU is made up of several working parts called cores. They handle the graphical calculations of different applications.	4
GPU clock speed Speed is the clock speed of the GPU and is measured in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz).	900 MHz (megahertz)
The amount of random access memory (RAM) Random access memory (RAM) is used by the operating system and all installed applications. Data stored in RAM is lost when the device is turned off or restarted.	4 GB (gigabytes)
Type of random access memory (RAM) Information about the type of random access memory (RAM) used by the device.	LPDDR4
Number of RAM channels Information about the number of RAM channels that are integrated into the SoC. More channels means higher data rates.	dual channel
RAM frequency The frequency of RAM determines its speed, more specifically, the speed of reading / writing data.	1333 MHz (megahertz)
	i5 processor

Built-in memory

Each mobile device has a built-in (non-removable) memory with a fixed amount.

Screen

The screen of a mobile device is characterized by its technology, resolution, pixel density, diagonal length, color depth, etc.

Type/technology One of the main characteristics of the screen is the technology by which it is made and on which the image quality of information directly depends.	AMOLED
Diagonal For mobile devices, the screen size is expressed in terms of its diagonal length, measured in inches.	5.09in 129.29 mm (millimeters) 12.93 cm (centimeters)
Width Approximate Screen Width	2.5in 63.38 mm (millimeters) 6.34 cm (centimeters)
Height Approximate Screen Height	4.44in 112.68 mm (millimeters) 11.27 cm (centimeters)
Aspect Ratio The ratio of the dimensions of the long side of the screen to its short side	1.778:1 16:9
Permission Screen resolution indicates the number of pixels vertically and horizontally on the screen. Higher resolution means sharper image detail.	1440 x 2560 pixels
Pixel Density Information about the number of pixels per centimeter or inch of the screen. Higher density allows information to be shown on the screen in clearer detail.	577 ppi (pixels per inch) 226ppm (pixels per centimeter)
Color depth Screen color depth reflects the total number of bits used for the color components in a single pixel. Information about the maximum number of colors the screen can display.	24 bit 16777216 flowers
Screen area Approximate percentage of screen space on the front of the device.	70.16% (percentage)
Other characteristics Information about other functions and features of the screen.	capacitive Multitouch Scratch resistance
	3.0D curved glass screen

Sensors

Different sensors perform different quantitative measurements and convert physical indicators into signals that are recognized by the mobile device.

Main camera

The main camera of a mobile device is usually located on the back of the case and is used for taking photos and videos.

Sensor type	CMOS (complementary metal-oxide semiconductor)
Diaphragm	f/2.2
Flash type The most common types of flashes in mobile devices cameras are LED and xenon flashes. LED flashes give a softer light and, unlike brighter xenon flashes, are also used for video shooting.	Double LED
Image resolution One of the main characteristics of mobile device cameras is their resolution, which indicates the number of pixels in the horizontal and vertical direction of an image.	3968 x 2976 pixels 11.81 MP (megapixels)
Video resolution Information about the maximum supported resolution for video recording by the device.	1920 x 1080 pixels 2.07 MP (megapixels)
Information about the maximum number of frames per second (fps) supported by the device when shooting video at the maximum resolution. Some of the main standard shooting and video playback speeds are 24p, 25p, 30p, 60p.	30 fps (frames per second)
Characteristics Information about other software and hardware features related to the main camera and improving its functionality.	autofocus Burst shooting digital zoom geo tags panoramic shooting HDR shooting Touch focus Face recognition Adjusting the white balance ISO setting Exposure compensation Self-timer Scene Selection Mode
	6-element lens Secondary rear camera - 12 MP (monochrome) 720p@120fps

Additional camera

Additional cameras are usually mounted above the screen of the device and are mainly used for video calls, gesture recognition, etc.

Sensor type Digital cameras use photo sensors to take pictures. The sensor, as well as the optics, is one of the main factors in the quality of a camera in a mobile device.	CMOS BSI (backside illumination)
Diaphragm Aperture (f-number) is the size of the aperture opening that controls the amount of light reaching the photosensor. A lower f-number means the aperture is larger.	f/2.4
Image resolution Information about the maximum resolution of the secondary camera when shooting. In most cases, the resolution of the secondary camera is lower than that of the main camera.	3264 x 2448 pixels 7.99 MP (megapixels)
Video resolution Information about the maximum resolution supported when shooting video with the optional camera.	1920 x 1080 pixels 2.07 MP (megapixels)
Video - frame rate/frames per second. Information about the maximum number of frames per second (fps) supported by the optional camera when shooting video at the maximum resolution.	30 fps (frames per second)
	Pixel size - 1.4 µm

Audio

Information about the type of speakers and audio technologies supported by the device.

Radio

The radio of the mobile device is a built-in FM receiver.

Location determination

Information about navigation and location technologies supported by the device.

WiFi

Wi-Fi is a technology that provides wireless communication for short distance data transmission between different devices.

Bluetooth

Bluetooth is a standard for secure wireless data transfer between different types of devices over short distances.

USB

USB (Universal Serial Bus) is an industry standard that allows different electronic devices to communicate.

Headphone jack

This is an audio connector, which is also called an audio jack. The most widely used standard in mobile devices is the 3.5mm headphone jack.

Connecting devices

Information about other important connection technologies supported by the device.

Browser

A web browser is a software application for accessing and viewing information on the Internet.

Browser

Information about some of the key features and standards supported by the device's browser.

HTML
HTML5
CSS 3

Audio file formats/codecs

Mobile devices support various audio file formats and codecs that store and encode/decode digital audio data, respectively.

Video file formats/codecs

Mobile devices support various video file formats and codecs, which store and encode/decode digital video data, respectively.

Battery

Mobile device batteries differ from each other in their capacity and technology. They provide the electrical charge they need to function.

Capacity The capacity of a battery indicates the maximum charge it can store, measured in milliamp-hours.	2900 mAh (milliamp-hours)
Type of The type of battery is determined by its structure and, more specifically, by the chemicals used. There are different types of batteries, with lithium-ion and lithium-ion polymer batteries being the most commonly used in mobile devices.	Li-polymer (Li-polymer)
Adapter output power Information about the electrical current (measured in amps) and electrical voltage (measured in volts) supplied by the charger (power output). Higher power output ensures faster battery charging.	5 V (volts) / 8 A (amps)
Fast charging technology Fast charging technologies differ from each other in terms of energy efficiency, maintained output power, control over the charging process, temperature, etc. The device, battery and charger must be compatible with fast charging technology.	Magic Power Fast Charging
Characteristics Information about some additional features of the device's battery.	fast charging Fixed

Huawei Honor Magic 2 is a powerful slider smartphone with six cameras. The device received a flagship processor, as well as support for artificial intelligence. The presentation of the device took place at the end of October 2018.

Appearance and ergonomics

Huawei Honor Magic 2 is made in a slider form factor. If you need to access the front camera and multimedia speaker, then you need to push the second half of the gadget up a little. The case is made of glass panels, between which there is a glossy metal frame. Moreover, there are no “bangs” and “chins” in front, since the screen almost completely occupies the entire front side. There are only tiny bezels around the edges. It is noteworthy that the fingerprint scanner is built into the display itself. The frameless screen is covered with a protective 2.5D glass.

The vertical block with the main triple camera is located in the upper corner of the back of the case. Two lenses are connected to the flash, and the third module is located just below. At the bottom there is a USB Type-C connector. the gadget got a special glass on which there are almost no traces. At the same time, the surface is relatively slippery, so you need to use the phone very carefully.

It is more convenient to use the gadget with two hands. The device looks very attractive and impressive even against the background of other flagships. Available colors: blue, red, grey. Dimensions: height - 157.3 mm, width - 75.1 mm, thickness - 8.3 mm, weight - 206 g.

Display

The Honor Magic 2 features a 6.39-inch AMOLED bezel-less display. With an aspect ratio of 19.5:9, its resolution is 2340 by 1080 pixels. The Magic Slide screen covers almost 95% of the front panel area. It is covered with curved glass.

Thanks to proprietary technologies, the image becomes very rich and vibrant. The colors are incredibly realistic. A colorful picture is complemented by excellent viewing angles. There is an anti-reflective layer that allows the user to comfortably view the screen outdoors. The oleophobic coating will also please, leaving almost no fingerprints.

Hardware and performance

Smartphone Honor Magic 2 received a very powerful Kirin 980 processor, which was created using a 7-nm process technology. It consists not only of four Cortex-A55 cores with a frequency of 1800 MHz, but also has two more powerful Cortex-A76 clusters with a maximum clock frequency of 2600 MHz. This eight-core chip is also equipped with a Mali-G76 MP10 graphics accelerator.

The device comes in a variety of versions. The younger modification has 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of ROM. More advanced models get 8 GB of RAM and 128 or 256 GB of internal memory. It is also planned to release a premium version with a large amount of internal memory in the amount of 512 GB. There is support for microSD cards up to 256 GB, so you can expand the free space without any problems.

The gadget has a battery with a capacity of 3500 mAh and SuperCharge fast charging function. Out of the box, the device is based on the Android 9.0 operating system with a preinstalled EMUI 9.0 shell. There is an exclusive Yoyo voice assistant, as well as comprehensive support for artificial intelligence.

The still unoptimized version of the chipset at the time of writing is gaining more than 250,000 points in the AnTuTu test. And this applies to the cheapest model. In reality, the performance is at the level of flagship smartphones. Any tasks are processed instantly. Games run at maximum graphics settings.

Communication and sound

Huawei Honor Magic 2 has a loud multimedia speaker. It can only be accessed after opening the slider. In the headphones, the sound quality is quite high, low frequencies are felt. The conversational speaker copes quite well with the transfer of the voice of the interlocutor. There is support for two SIM cards, LTE-A Cat 21, Bluetooth 5.0, NFC and aptX HD.

Camera

The presence of several triple cameras in Huawei Honor Magic 2 is striking. At the back is a camera with a main 16-megapixel module with an aperture of 1.8 and an additional 16-megapixel sensor with an aperture of 2.2, as well as a 24-megapixel sensor (f / 1.8 aperture). There is support for AI technology, there is an LED flash. You can shoot videos in 4K resolution. A huge number of special scenes have been prepared for the user so that the photos are of excellent quality under any conditions.

The front camera consists of a main 16-megapixel lens with f / 2.0 aperture, as well as two 2-megapixel sensors (aperture 2.4). She knows how to scan faces, and does it in full 3D quality for maximum security.

conclusions

Honor Magic 2 is an unexpectedly productive and technologically advanced smartphone in the increasingly popular slider form factor. The device has an extremely attractive design, and also has six cameras for advanced shooting. It should be noted and a truly frameless screen, which is devoid of various protrusions.

Pros:

Productive hardware and AI support.
Triple chambers on both sides.
Very beautiful appearance.
There is NFC and USB Type-C.
Excellent display without protrusions.

Minuses:

The slider mechanism may not be to everyone's liking.
There is no headphone jack.
Not all programs are yet optimized.

Specifications Huawei Honor Magic 2

General characteristics
Model	Huawei Honor Magic 2
Date of announcement and start of sales	October 2018 / November 2018
Dimensions (LxWxH)	157.3 x 75.1 x 8.3 mm.
The weight	206
Available colors	blue, gray and red
Operating system	Android 9.0 (Pie) + EMUI 9.0
Connection
Number and type of SIM cards	one, Nano-SIM / two hybrid, Nano-SIM, dual stand-by
Communication standard in 2G networks	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - SIM 1 & SIM 2 (dual-SIM only); CDMA 800 & TD-SCDMA - for China
Communication standard in 3G networks	HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
Communication standard in 4G networks	LTE band 1(2100), 2(1900), 3(1800), 4(1700/2100), 5(850), 6(900), 7(2600), 8(900), 12(700), 17 (700), 19(800), 34(2000), 38(2600), 39(1900), 40(2300), 41(2500)
Compatibility with telecom operators	MTS, Beeline, Megafon, Tele2, Yota
Data transfer
WiFi	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, hotspot
Bluetooth	5.0, A2DP, aptX HD, LE
GPS	yes, A-GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSS
NFC	there is
infrared port	No
Platform
CPU	octa-core HiSilicon Kirin 980 (2×2.6 GHz Cortex-A76 & 2×1.92 GHz Cortex-A76 & 4×1.8 GHz Cortex-A55)
GPU	Mali-G76 MP10
Inner memory	128/256 GB
RAM	6/8 GB
Ports and Connectors
USB	3.1, Type-C 1.0 reversible connector, USB On-The-Go
3.5mm jack	No
Memory card slot	yes, up to 256 GB (combined with SIM 2 slot)
Display
Display type	AMOLED capacitive touch screen, 16M colors
Screen size	6.39 inches (~84.8% of device face)
Display protection	2.5D glass
Camera
Main camera	triple, 16 MP (f/1.8, PDAF) + 16 MP (f/2.2) + 24 MP (B/W, f/1.8)
Functionality of the main camera	LED flash, panorama, HDR
Video recording	[email protected], [email protected], [email protected]
Front-camera	triple, 16 MP (f/2.0) + 2 MP (f/2.4, depth sensor) + 2 MP (f/2.4, depth sensor), HDR, video recording [email protected]
Sensors and Sensors
illumination	there is
Approximations	there is
Gyroscope	there is
Compass	there is
Hall	there is
Accelerometer	there is
Barometer	No
Fingerprint scanner	there is
Face ID	there is
Battery
Battery type and capacity	LiPo 3500 mAh
Battery mount	fixed
Equipment
Standard kit	Magic 2:1 USB cable: 1 SIM eject tool: 1 User manual: 1 Warranty card: 1 Type-C headphone adapter: 1 Charger: 1

Prices

Video reviews

In Russia, the first Honor Magic model, which was shown two years ago, has never officially gone on sale, I think that the fate of Magic 2 will turn out the same way. Honor is a subsidiary of the big Huawei, and it is often perceived not as a separate brand, but as an additional product line, although this is not entirely true, there are more differences than you can imagine. These are different legal entities, different teams that duplicate all functions, from R&D to sales. Perhaps the closest analogy could be the existence of OPPO / Vivo within the parent company BBK Corporation, when they are de facto and de jure independent, but use all the developments and their lineups are as similar as possible. It is not easy to understand the relationship between Honor and Huawei, the confusion is created by the similarity of devices, the same components that the companies use. But still there are differences between them, and in the Magic flagship they are fully manifested.

What is Magic? This is a device that is being created as a testing ground for technologies that need to be tested not only in laboratories, but also in the outside world. If such technologies show their viability, then they are used in mass models, both from Honor and Huawei. The Magic's positioning is straightforward, it's a device for technology fans, enthusiasts who want to get something out of the ordinary. For example, the presence of a graphene battery will not excite a traditional buyer. Twice the lifespan? So what? Does it respond better to temperature changes? And again the question mark. For an ordinary person, these are just unnecessary details; for him, completely different characteristics and quantities come to the fore. For the tech enthusiast, this is the opportunity to own something that is unusual and makes their device stand out from others.

Therefore, models named Magic are a test of technology, aimed at those who are ready to become a tester of a new, obviously grateful audience. The price of the issue here fades into the background, but these models are not mass-produced by definition, they were not created as such. Relatively small runs make it possible to use those components that are not available for mass production (the same graphene in the first generation), to gain experience in real operation. I like the very concept of this kind of devices, it is right for the target audience.

Oddly enough, the announcement of Magic 2 took place at IFA in Berlin, then they showed a picture of the device, but did not begin to talk about the technical characteristics. There was one sample at the Huawei booth, you could twist it in your hands, but they didn’t let it be photographed, this was closely monitored by a specially assigned person. Then there was a feeling that Honor wants to overtake other companies, for example, Xiaomi, that they have prepared models similar in concept, the latter have Mi MIX 3. Therefore, the official announcement on October 31 can be considered a full-fledged launch of the device.

The presentation took place at the Bird's Nest Olympic Stadium in Beijing, where, in fact, we got acquainted with the device. Let's take a look at Magic 2 and see what technology manufacturers are betting on.

Magic 2 - screen, cameras and performance

One of the problems of our time for smartphones has become the growth of the diagonal of screens, as well as the need to place the front camera and various sensors. And if the sensors can be packed under the display glass, then it is impossible to hide the camera there without losing a piece of the image. The concept of many Chinese companies and the answer to this challenge is the creation of a slider design. The screen is made movable vertically, shift the halves, and a cutout appears, which houses the front camera. Since the slider is active, it is possible to avoid wasting energy when scanning the world around waiting for the user's face, as is done in the iPhone. Alternatively, some Chinese companies have made a pop-up camera module, but from a mechanical point of view, this is not a very optimal design. The slider is more reliable, easier to implement, but the obvious disadvantage is that the case cannot be made as thin as in a conventional candy bar, and you may have to partially sacrifice battery capacity.

In the closed state, it is impossible to determine that you have a slider in front of you, nothing in the device gives out such a design.

Please note that the other day Xiaomi announced a model similar in design - Mi MIX 3, it also uses a slider.

Let's look at the technical characteristics of the device and then move on to the discussion:

Android 9 with proprietary EMUI shell
Chipset HiSilicon Kirin 980, 7nm
6/8 GB of RAM, 128 and 256 GB of built-in
6.39 inch AMOLED screen, FullHD+ resolution, 19.5x9, AlwaysOn Display, automatic brightness control
Front camera with depth of field effect, additional shooting modes - 16/20/2 megapixels
Main camera 16/24/16 megapixels, x3 optical zoom
3400 mAh Li-Ion battery, 40 W fast charge (less than an hour to fully charge the battery), wireless charging
Fingerprint sensor built into the screen
NFC, dual-band Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0
Dimensions 157x75x8.3 mm, weight 206 grams

Externally, the Magic 2 resembles the P20 Pro: an iridescent body, the same camera layout on the rear panel. There are no complaints about how the device is assembled. It seems to me that in recent years the build quality has grown among all manufacturers, we have stopped thinking about it at all, since the level is approximately the same everywhere, and this is a qualitatively good level.

There are several color options, check out the colors below.

For those who, like me, are annoyed by the notch in the screen, Magic 2 will be a salvation. The screen occupies almost the entire front surface, no cutouts, as there is a slider design. The sides are minimal, and they are quite comfortable, including to work with the device with one hand.

At all Huawei/Honor presentations, comparison with the iPhone has become a familiar place, because such comparisons favorably emphasize the company's smartphones, while the iPhone loses.

The battery capacity is smaller than in the Mate 20 Pro (where it is 4200 mAh), this is deliberately done to show fast charging in less than an hour. But there is also another point, the HiSilicon Kirin 980 processor, made according to the 7 nm process, is limited in clock frequency (formally everything is exactly the same, at least on paper). In reality, if in the Mate 20 Pro there is a maximum performance setting in the menu, which unlocks the maximum processor frequencies, then in Magic 2 it has been redesigned. In benchmarks, this is clearly visible, since the Magic 2 produces lower numbers. This is done so that the device works no less than the Mate 20 Pro, despite the smaller battery size. On the plus side, the screen resolution is smaller, although the Mate 20 Pro also defaults to FullHD+.

There are almost no changes in the main camera compared to the same P20 Pro, but you should not look for co-branding with Leica here, these are just cameras without any brand. Whether Leica's work affects the quality of shooting is hard to say, but the software is exactly the same, it can do the same things as the latest generation from Huawei. But the modules themselves are very different. In "Spikers" I will share the pictures taken on both devices, so far just a few test shots from the main camera, they did not make any impression on me. Not only the Mate 20 Pro, but the P20 Pro as well as the P20 take better photos. The maximum optical zoom is x2.

The front camera has received new shooting modes, this is also the direction in which many companies are experimenting. It is difficult to judge how important and in demand it is, but manufacturers are trying to do something new. There is a portrait shot with various effects, but they look at least strange. See for yourself and see for yourself.

It is difficult for me to evaluate the YoYo voice assistant due to the fact that I do not know Chinese. And therefore I will only say that it is important to have such an assistant, but how good he is, how applicable, I cannot tell you. Alas. At the presentation, they talked a lot about how Yoyo wins in terms of recognition quality and speed from Siri.

At the moment, only ten languages are supported, the main one is Chinese, and there are also French, English, German, Spanish and some others. There is no Russian, and it will appear at best in a year if Honor agrees with Yandex that Alice will turn into YoYo. Such conversations are going on, and there are chances that this will happen.

From what I liked and what I have not seen yet, I will note the translation in real time during the conversation. That is, you call someone who does not speak your language, and you immediately have a transcript and translation. A subscript appears on the screen. As for me, this is just a chic thing, and if at least it works, it will become an indispensable assistant on trips. Until recently, the same translator from Google made life very easy, but what can I say, today in a tea house in Beijing I communicated exclusively with its help, as well as successfully bargained, giving arguments, and not just showing numbers on a calculator. The fact that now this is also becoming available for phone calls is very cool. This is something that will be implemented by almost all companies in the future, there is no doubt about it.

Yoyo also has an app to estimate the age of your skin and various blemishes. This application has received some approvals from relevant organizations, which serves as proof that it works. For women who take care of themselves, this feature will be interesting.

The quality of voice recognition is also something that Honor takes pride in, but there is another thing that interested me. The Honor 3D model has a built-in analogue of the True Depth camera, which should recognize a person's face, including in complete darkness. This is one Magic 2 version that is the most expensive (8/256 GB). Other devices do not have such recognition.

Another point is the work with FlyPods headphones, the creation of which the company was inspired by swans, they say, their shape is very similar. And it seemed to me that the inspiration came from a product from Apple. We had a funny situation at the demo stand when my colleague took out his AirPods and we started taking pictures of them with FlyPods.

Security at some point wished to return the AirPods put in the pocket, confusing them with the announced headphones. Only by showing the Apple inscription, we were able to avoid some problems. The headphones themselves are available in two versions, three colors for each of them. They look strange, big tubes in the ears, however, I don’t really like AirPods either. But the most important thing is that, despite the support for high-resolution audio, work up to 15 hours on a single charge (I think that, as before, this is 5 hours maximum and two charges from the case), they do not seem expensive.

The Pro model, which will appear sometime in early 2019, has a special difference, it measures the sound transmitted over the bone. This is necessary not for sound transmission, but for authorization in applications, financial services. Honor believes that attackers can record your voice and then unlock the phone without your participation, and here it is impossible to fake both the voice and the frequency response that was obtained in the bone. That is a two-way check. And it serves to authorize you in financial applications, this is a kind of new step in biometrics. One of the slides showed how fast the payment process is and what steps are skipped.

And then they even showed a video in which Siri was unsuccessfully asked to pay for something, and the iPhone asked to enter a passcode. In Honor, this is not necessary, since biometric authorization is reliable and allows you to unlock the device.

The price of FlyPods on the slide is for China, feel free to multiply by 10 and get the cost in rubles (8 and 10 thousand rubles, respectively). Officially in Russia, these headphones will not be sold.

As for me, this is really something new and unusual, but I'm not sure that this method of biometrics will take root in the market. Too complicated, plus need an extra accessory.

The positioning of Magic 2 in the Honor line is clear, it is the current flagship. But its relationship with devices from Huawei is somewhat different. Let me remind you that the Mate line is top, respectively, the same Mate 20 (not to be confused with Pro) should be higher in positioning. And the flagship of the P line, namely the P20 Pro, is also higher. Let me remind you that in Russia the price of the P20 Pro is 49,990 rubles. Based on this, we can assume that the Magic 2 should cost 44,990 rubles, that is, slightly cheaper than the P20 Pro. And it looks logical - it is better in some ways (processor and fingerprint sensor, design), comparable in some ways (quality of the main camera), slightly inferior in some ways (formally in terms of battery capacity).

And prices in China look like this (do not forget to multiply by 10 to get the cost).

Overall, I liked the Magic 2, it's a device with a twist, and it looks interesting. There are not so many competitors for him on the market, if you do not take into account mass models. But why not take it? Flagships from Samsung are more expensive, so the difference in price will make the Magic 2 attractive to many (with the same S9+, the difference is at least 15-20 thousand rubles). If you take the line from Apple, then the nearest iPhone Xr simply cannot stand the competition, it is worse in everything, except for the brand, which is still perceived as a fashion brand, but this is already a thing of the past, now it is rather the perception that a person overpaid without thinking for the model. A direct competitor is Xiaomi Mi MIX3, but there are a number of parameters worse, for example, a fingerprint sensor on the rear panel.

The model from Honor turned out to be extremely interesting, in the near future we will have a first look at this device, it is already in our hands. In the meantime, this is all that was at the presentation about the smartphone.

Honor Magic Watch

It is impossible to say something special about the watch, since it is a copy of Huawei Watch GT with a slightly modified design and lower cost. The diameter has decreased, the thickness of the case has become 11 mm, the battery does not last up to two weeks, but only up to a week.

There are many different straps, support for NFC and mobile payments has appeared (how it is organized is not entirely clear). Also for the running mode there is a competition scenario with its own virtual shadow, it looks funny, but how useful it is is not very clear.

The design of watches in black and white cases is slightly different, as you can see in the pictures.

The watch has Lite OS, minimal features, no installation of third-party programs. In a word, a thing in itself, but with a high-quality screen, the design of a familiar watch. The review of Huawei Watch GT will be next week, the video is already on our channel, so you can see and evaluate what kind of product it is. But the Honor Magic Watch will go on sale in January, they will not be available in Russia.

You can see the cost of the watch on the slide.

Budget tablet Honor WaterPlay 8 inches

Without much fanfare, the company also showed the WaterPlay tablet (from the name it is clear that it can withstand immersion in water, IP67 protection). Despite the fact that this is an 8-inch model with an IPS screen with a resolution of 1920x1200 pixels, the company used a metal case. Chipset Kirin 659, 4 GB of RAM, 64 GB of internal memory, dual camera (13 and 5 megapixels), front 8 megapixels. Harman Kardon stereo speakers are quite loud. The battery is 5100 mAh, which is not bad. The USB Type C connector, all the usual functions are there, it is coming to EMUI and Android 8, but it will be updated to a new version by the end of the year. The cost in China is just over $200. The product is nice and good value for money.

Brief impressions

Presentations in China are always very different from those in Europe or the US, and this one was no exception. Another mood, building the presentation itself. But it is interesting and most importantly that the audience was involved. On the other hand, two hours is too much, too much for several products. I liked the smartphone, although it is impossible to call it a win-win option, this is an exploration of possibilities, an exploration of what will be interesting to the audience. None of the announced products will be officially presented in Russia, however, we are interested to see them, as Honor plans to introduce such products on our market next year. The company is developing progressively and is in no hurry to flood the market with its proposals. Let us know what you liked and didn't like about these new products. What do you think of them?

Huawei Honor Magic was officially announced in December 2016 in China. This smartphone belongs to the premium segment. It has a lot of innovations, and also received a remarkable design and a strong technical base.