Honor Magic V2 vs. Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max: A Clash of Form Factors and Power
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing longevity and a polished ecosystem, the Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max is the clear winner. Its significantly longer battery life (16:01h active use) and the raw power of the A17 Pro chipset outweigh the Magic V2’s foldable novelty. However, the Magic V2’s 66W charging is a compelling advantage for those who value speed.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Honor Magic V2 | Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 53, 66 - A3106 |
| 5G bands | 1, 3, 5, 8, 28, 38, 41, 77, 78 SA/NSA | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 53, 66, 70, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 - A3106 |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G | HSPA, LTE, 5G, EV-DO Rev.A 3.1 Mbps |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / CDMA2000 / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2023, July 12 | 2023, September 12 |
| Status | Available. Released 2023, July 27 | Available. Released 2023, September 22 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front, glass back or eco leather back, magnesium alloy frame, titanium alloy folding mechanism | Glass front, glass back, titanium frame (grade 5) |
| Dimensions | Unfolded: 156.7 x 145.4 x 4.7 mm or 4.8 mmFolded: 156.7 x 74.1 x 9.9 mm or 10.1 mm | 159.9 x 76.7 x 8.3 mm (6.30 x 3.02 x 0.33 in) |
| SIM | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | · Nano-SIM + eSIM + eSIM (max 2 at a time; International)· eSIM + eSIM (8 or more, max 2 at a time; USA)· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM (China) |
| Weight | 231 g or 237 g (8.15 oz) | 221 g (7.80 oz) |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | - | Ceramic Shield glass |
| Resolution | 2156 x 2344 pixels (~402 ppi density) | 1290 x 2796 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~460 ppi density) |
| Size | 7.92 inches, 201.6 cm2 (~88.5% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.7 inches, 110.2 cm2 (~89.8% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Foldable LTPO OLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1600 nits (peak) | LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED, 120Hz, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 1000 nits (typ), 2000 nits (HBM) |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x3.19 GHz (INTL) / 1x3.36 GHz (CN) Cortex-X3 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A715 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A710 & 3x2.0 GHz Cortex-A510) | Hexa-core (2x3.78 GHz + 4x2.11 GHz) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8550-AB Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm) - IntlQualcomm SM8550-AC Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm) - China | Apple A17 Pro (3 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 740 | Apple GPU (6-core graphics) |
| OS | Android 13, upgradable to Android 14, MagicOS 8 | iOS 17, upgradable to iOS 26.1 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 256GB 16GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM, 1TB 16GB RAM | 256GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 8GB RAM, 1TB 8GB RAM |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Multi-zone Laser AF (8x8 dToF), color spectrum sensor, LED flash, HDR, panorama | Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama) |
| Triple | 50 MP, f/1.9, (wide), PDAF, OIS 20 MP, f/2.4, 62mm (telephoto), PDAF, 2.5x optical zoom, OIS 50 MP, f/2.0, 13mm (ultrawide), AF | 48 MP, f/1.8, 24mm (wide), 1/1.28", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF, sensor-shift OIS 12 MP, f/2.8, 120mm (periscope telephoto), 1/3.06", 1.12µm, dual pixel PDAF, 3D sensor‑shift OIS, 5x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF TOF 3D LiDAR scanner (depth) |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps (10-bit), 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS, HDR10+, OIS | 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120/240fps, 10-bit HDR, Dolby Vision HDR (up to 60fps), ProRes, 3D (spatial) video, stereo sound rec. |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR, Dolby Vision HDR |
| Single | 16 MP, f/2.2, (wide) | 12 MP, f/1.9, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor) |
| Video | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps, gyro-EIS | 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 35mm jack | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.3, A2DP, LE, aptX HD | 5.3, A2DP, LE |
| Infrared port | Yes | - |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5) | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, QZSS, NavIC |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.1, OTG, Display Port 1.2 | USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 2, DisplayPort |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e/7, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, tri-band, hotspot |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 66W wired 5W reverse wired | Wired, PD2.0, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless (MagSafe) 15W wireless (Qi2) - requires iOS 17.2 update 4.5W reverse wired |
| Type | Si/C Li-Ion 5000 mAh | Li-Ion 4441 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Black, Silk Black, Silk Purple, Gold | Black Titanium, White Titanium, Blue Titanium, Natural Titanium |
| Models | VER-AN10, VER-N49 | A2849, A3105, A3106, A3108, iPhone16,2 |
| Price | $ 850.00 / £ 849.00 / € 784.31 | € 758.79 / $ 579.87 / £ 628.29 |
| SAR | - | 1.07 W/kg (head) 1.11 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | 0.85 W/kg (head) 1.29 W/kg (body) | 0.98 W/kg (head) 0.98 W/kg (body) |
Honor Magic V2
- Innovative foldable design
- Extremely fast 66W wired charging
- Unique and eye-catching aesthetic
- Shorter battery life compared to iPhone
- Foldable display durability concerns
- Software optimization may lag behind Apple
Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max
- Exceptional battery life (16:01h active use)
- Powerful A17 Pro chipset
- Mature and polished iOS ecosystem
- Slower wired charging compared to Honor
- Less innovative design
- Higher price point
Display Comparison
The Honor Magic V2 and iPhone 15 Pro Max represent opposite ends of the display spectrum. The iPhone 15 Pro Max boasts a peak brightness of 1787 nits, making it exceptionally visible outdoors, while the Magic V2 reaches 933 nits. The iPhone’s Super Retina XDR display is known for its color accuracy, but the Magic V2’s foldable form factor is its defining feature. While the Magic V2’s crease is minimized, it’s still present, and the durability of foldable displays remains a concern. The iPhone’s Ceramic Shield front cover offers superior scratch resistance. The iPhone's display is also likely to have a higher PWM dimming frequency, reducing flicker for sensitive users.
Camera Comparison
While both phones are capable of taking excellent photos, the iPhone 15 Pro Max likely holds an edge in overall image quality and video recording. Apple’s computational photography is renowned for its natural-looking results. The Magic V2’s camera specs are not detailed enough to make a precise comparison, but the iPhone’s larger sensor and advanced image processing algorithms typically deliver superior dynamic range and low-light performance. The iPhone 15 Pro Max’s video capabilities are particularly strong, offering ProRes recording and cinematic mode. We can assume the iPhone will have more advanced stabilization features.
Performance
Apple’s A17 Pro chipset, fabricated on a 3nm process, delivers a significant performance advantage over the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 found in the Honor Magic V2 (both the international and Chinese variants). The A17 Pro’s hexa-core CPU (2x3.78 GHz + 4x2.11 GHz) is architecturally different, focusing on fewer, more powerful cores compared to the Snapdragon’s octa-core configuration (3.19 GHz/3.36 GHz Cortex-X3). While the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is no slouch, the A17 Pro’s GPU is expected to offer substantially better graphics performance. The iPhone 15 Pro Max benefits from optimized software integration, further enhancing its responsiveness. The 4nm process of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 provides good efficiency, but the A17 Pro’s 3nm node offers even greater thermal efficiency, potentially leading to less throttling under sustained load.
Battery Life
Battery life is where the iPhone 15 Pro Max truly shines. With an active use score of 16:01h, it significantly outlasts the Honor Magic V2’s 10:35h. While the Magic V2 compensates with its 66W wired charging (allowing for a much faster 0-100% charge), the iPhone’s longevity is a major advantage for users who don’t want to constantly worry about plugging in. The iPhone also supports 15W wireless charging (MagSafe and Qi2), while the Magic V2 offers only 5W reverse wired charging, useful for topping up accessories but not a primary charging method. The iPhone’s endurance rating of 118h further underscores its battery efficiency.
Buying Guide
Buy the Honor Magic V2 if you crave a cutting-edge, foldable experience and prioritize incredibly fast charging. It’s ideal for power users who want to stand out and don’t mind potential software quirks. Buy the Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max if you value a seamless user experience, industry-leading battery life, and a mature ecosystem. It’s the safer, more reliable choice for professionals and everyday users.