Honor Magic Vs vs. Google Pixel Fold: A Deep Dive into Foldable Supremacy

The foldable phone market is maturing, and the Honor Magic Vs and Google Pixel Fold represent two distinct approaches. The Magic Vs, leveraging established foldable tech, aims for a balance of price and performance. The Pixel Fold, Google’s first foray, prioritizes software integration and a refined user experience. This comparison will dissect their core components to determine which foldable delivers the most compelling package.
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🏆 Quick Verdict

For the average user prioritizing battery life and raw performance, the Honor Magic Vs emerges as the winner. Its Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset and 85-hour endurance rating offer a significant advantage. However, the Pixel Fold’s software experience and Google’s camera processing are strong contenders for those deeply embedded in the Google ecosystem.

PHONES
Phone Names Honor Magic Vs Google Pixel Fold
Network
2G bandsGSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bandsHSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
4G bands1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 34, 38, 39, 40, 411, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 66, 71
5G bands1, 3, 5, 8, 28, 38, 41, 77, 78 SA/NSA1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 14, 20, 25, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 71, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 257, 258, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave
SpeedHSPA, LTE, 5GHSPA, LTE, 5G
TechnologyGSM / CDMA / HSPA / CDMA2000 / LTE / 5GGSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G
 CDMA2000 1x CDMA2000 1xEV-DO
Launch
Announced2022, November 232023, May 10
StatusAvailable. Released 2022, December 30Available. Released 2023, June 27
Body
BuildGlass front, glass back or eco leather back, magnesium alloy frame, titanium alloy folding mechanismGlass front (Gorilla Glass Victus) (folded), plastic front (unfolded), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus), aluminum frame
DimensionsUnfolded: 160.3 x 141.5 x 6.1 mmFolded: 160.3 x 72.6 x 12.9 mmUnfolded: 139.7 x 158.7 x 5.8 mmFolded: 139.7 x 79.5 x 12.1 mm
SIMNano-SIM + Nano-SIMNano-SIM + eSIM
Weight261 g / 267 g (9.21 oz)283 g (9.98 oz)
 -IPX8 water resistant
Display
Resolution1984 x 2272 pixels (~382 ppi density)1840 x 2208 pixels (~378 ppi density)
Size7.9 inches, 199.5 cm2 (~87.9% screen-to-body ratio)7.6 inches, 183.3 cm2 (~82.7% screen-to-body ratio)
TypeFoldable OLED, 1B colors, 90Hz, HDR10+, 800 nitsFoldable OLED, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1000 nits (HBM), 1450 nits (peak)
 Cover display: OLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1200 nits, 6.45 inches, 1080 x 2560 pixels, 431 ppiCover display: OLED, 120Hz, HDR, Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 5.8 inches, 1080 x 2092 pixels, 17.4:9 ratio, 408 ppi 1200 nits (HBM), 1550 nits (peak)
Platform
CPUOcta-core (1x3.0 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.5 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A510)Octa-core (2x2.85 GHz Cortex-X1 & 2x2.35 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55)
ChipsetQualcomm SM8475 Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 (4 nm)Google Tensor G2 (5 nm)
GPUAdreno 730Mali-G710 MP7
OSAndroid 13, MagicOS 7.1 - InternationalAndroid 12, MagicOS 7 - ChinaAndroid 13, upgradable to Android 15, up to 5 major Android upgrades
Memory
Card slotNoNo
Internal256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM
 -UFS 3.1
Main Camera
FeaturesDual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR, panoramaLaser AF, Dual-LED flash, HDR, panorama
Triple54 MP, f/1.9, 27mm (wide), 1/1.49", 1.0µm, PDAF 8 MP, f/2.4, 81mm (telephoto), PDAF, 3x optical zoom, OIS 50 MP, f/2.0, 13mm, 122˚ (ultrawide), AF48 MP, f/1.7, 25mm (wide), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 10.8 MP, f/3.1, 112mm (telephoto), 1/3.1", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS, 5x optical zoom 10.8 MP, f/2.2, 121˚, (ultrawide), 1/3.0", 1.25µm
Video4K@30/60fps (10-bit), 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS, HDR10+4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, 10-bit HDR
Selfie camera
FeaturesHDRHDR, panorama
Single16 MP, f/2.5, 24mm (wide)8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm Cover camera: 9.5 MP, f/2.2, 24mm (wide), 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF
Video1080p@30fps, gyro-EIS4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps
Sound
3.5mm jack NoNo
35mm jackNoNo
Loudspeaker Yes, with stereo speakersYes, with stereo speakers
Comms
Bluetooth5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD
Infrared portYes-
NFCYesYes
PositioningGPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5)GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS
RadioNoNo
USBUSB Type-C 3.1, OTG, Display Port 1.2USB Type-C 3.2, OTG
WLANWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi DirectWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct
Features
SensorsFingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compassFingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer
 -Ultra Wideband (UWB) support
Battery
Charging66W wired 5W reverse wiredWired, PD3.0 Wireless
TypeLi-Po 5000 mAhLi-Po 4821 mAh
Misc
ColorsCyan, Black, OrangePorcelain, Obsidian
ModelsFRI-AN00, FRI-NX9G9FPL
PriceAbout 2940 EUR€ 670.87 / $ 389.26 / £ 899.99
Tests
Battery life Endurance rating 85h -
Camera Photo / Video-
Display Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)-
Loudspeaker -23.4 LUFS (Very good) -
Performance AnTuTu: 831175 (v9) GeekBench: 3971 (v5.1), 4497 (v6) GFXBench: 50fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)-

Honor Magic Vs

  • Exceptional battery life (85h endurance)
  • Powerful Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 processor
  • Fast 66W wired charging

  • Camera details are lacking
  • Software experience may not be as refined as Pixel

Google Pixel Fold

  • Seamless Google ecosystem integration
  • Potentially superior camera image processing
  • Wireless charging support

  • Battery life is an unknown quantity
  • Tensor G2 may not match Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 in sustained performance

Display Comparison

The Honor Magic Vs boasts a measured peak brightness of 876 nits, a strong figure for outdoor visibility. While the Pixel Fold’s display specs aren’t provided, Google typically prioritizes color accuracy. The Magic Vs’ infinite contrast ratio (nominal) suggests a deep black level, crucial for immersive viewing. The absence of detailed Pixel Fold display specs makes a direct comparison difficult, but the Magic Vs’ brightness advantage is notable. The hinge mechanism and crease visibility are key differentiators not covered by the provided data, but are critical in the foldable experience.

Camera Comparison

Both devices are listed with 'Photo / Video' capabilities, lacking specific details. However, Google’s Pixel phones are renowned for their computational photography prowess, leveraging AI to enhance image quality. The Pixel Fold likely benefits from Google’s image processing algorithms, potentially delivering superior dynamic range and low-light performance. Without sensor size or aperture information, it’s difficult to assess the hardware capabilities directly. The Magic Vs, while capable, likely relies more on hardware specifications than software optimization in its camera system. The absence of details on features like OIS further complicates a direct comparison.

Performance

The Honor Magic Vs is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 (4nm), a proven performer. Its octa-core CPU configuration – 1x3.0 GHz Cortex-X2, 3x2.5 GHz Cortex-A710, and 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A510 – delivers a balance of power and efficiency. The Google Pixel Fold utilizes the Google Tensor G2 (5nm). While the Tensor G2 excels in AI and machine learning tasks, the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 generally offers superior sustained CPU and GPU performance. The 4nm process node of the Snapdragon contributes to better thermal efficiency, potentially reducing throttling during extended gaming sessions. The Pixel Fold’s CPU configuration (2x2.85 GHz Cortex-X1, 2x2.35 GHz Cortex-A78, 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) prioritizes peak performance on the two X1 cores, but may not match the overall sustained performance of the Snapdragon.

Battery Life

The Honor Magic Vs boasts an impressive endurance rating of 85 hours, indicating excellent battery life. This is a significant advantage over the Pixel Fold, for which battery life data is unavailable. The Magic Vs also supports 66W wired charging, enabling rapid replenishment, alongside 5W reverse wired charging. The Pixel Fold offers wired charging (PD3.0) and wireless charging, but without wattage specifications, it’s difficult to gauge its charging speed relative to the Magic Vs. The combination of a high endurance rating and fast charging makes the Magic Vs a clear winner in the battery department.

Buying Guide

Buy the Honor Magic Vs if you need exceptional battery life for all-day productivity, prioritize raw processing power for demanding tasks like gaming, and seek a more affordable entry point into the foldable market. Buy the Google Pixel Fold if you value seamless integration with Google services, prefer a polished software experience with guaranteed updates, and prioritize a camera system optimized for Google’s computational photography.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Does the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 in the Honor Magic Vs throttle under sustained load, like during extended gaming sessions?
The Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 is known for its improved thermal efficiency compared to previous generations. While some throttling is inevitable, the 4nm process node and Honor’s cooling solutions should mitigate it, allowing for longer gaming sessions with minimal performance drops. However, real-world performance will depend on the specific game and ambient temperature.
❓ How does the Google Tensor G2's AI capabilities translate into real-world benefits for Pixel Fold users beyond camera improvements?
The Tensor G2 excels in on-device machine learning, enabling features like improved voice recognition, faster translation, and enhanced Assistant functionality. It also powers features like Magic Eraser in Google Photos and Live Translate, offering a more intelligent and responsive user experience. These AI-driven features are deeply integrated into the Pixel Fold’s software.
❓ Given the lack of specific battery capacity information for the Pixel Fold, what can we infer about its battery life compared to the Honor Magic Vs?
The Honor Magic Vs’ 85-hour endurance rating sets a high bar. Without comparable data for the Pixel Fold, it’s reasonable to assume it will offer less battery life, especially considering the power demands of its larger display and Tensor G2 chipset. The Pixel Fold will likely rely on software optimizations to manage power consumption, but it’s unlikely to match the Magic Vs’ endurance.