Honor Magic3 vs Honor Magic4: A Detailed Comparison

Honor's Magic series consistently delivers premium smartphones packed with innovative features. The Magic3 and Magic4 are two of their most compelling offerings, but which one is right for you? This comprehensive comparison dives deep into their specs, performance, and overall value to help you make an informed decision.

Phones Images

🏆 Quick Verdict

The Honor Magic4 offers a noticeable performance boost thanks to its Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset and improved CPU architecture. While both offer excellent cameras and charging speeds, the Magic4's advancements make it the slightly better choice, especially for power users, despite potentially higher price.

PHONES
Phone Names	Honor Magic3	Honor Magic4

Network
2G bands	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bands	HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100	HSDPA 800 / 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	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41 - China
5G bands	1, 3, 5, 8, 28, 38, 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA	1, 3, 5, 8, 28, 38, 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA - China
Speed	HSPA, LTE, 5G	HSPA, LTE, 5G
Technology	GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G	GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G
	CDMA2000 1xEV-DO	CDMA2000 1xEV-DO

Launch
Announced	2021, August 12	2022, February 28
Status	Available. Released 2021, August 20	Available. Released 2022, March 30

Body
Build	Glass front, glass back or vegan leather back, aluminum frame	-
Dimensions	162.8 x 74.9 x 8.99 mm (Glass) / 9.5 mm (Vegan Leather)	163.6 x 74.5 x 8.8 mm (6.44 x 2.93 x 0.35 in)
SIM	Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM	Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM
Weight	203 g (Glass) / 202 g (Vegan Leather) (7.16 oz)	199 g (7.02 oz)
	IP54, dust and water resistant	IP54, dust and water resistant

Display
Resolution	1344 x 2772 pixels, 18.5:9 ratio (~456 ppi density)	1224 x 2664 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~431 ppi density)
Size	6.76 inches, 115.7 cm2 (~94.9% screen-to-body ratio)	6.81 inches, 113.5 cm2 (~93.1% screen-to-body ratio)
Type	OLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR10+	LTPO OLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1000 nits (peak)

Platform
CPU	Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55	Octa-core (1x3.00 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.50 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A510)
Chipset	Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm)	Qualcomm SM8450 Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4 nm)
GPU	Adreno 660	Adreno 730
OS	Android 11, Magic UI 5	Android 12, Magic UI 6

Memory
Card slot	No	No
Internal	128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM	128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM

Main Camera
Features	LED flash, HDR, panorama	Laser AF, color spectrum sensor, LED flash, HDR, panorama
Single	13 MP, f/2.4, 100˚ (ultrawide)	12 MP, f/2.4, 100˚ (ultrawide), 1.22µm
Triple	50 MP, f/1.9, 23mm (wide), 1/1.56", 1.0µm, multi-directional PDAF 64 MP, f/1.8, (monochrome) 13 MP, f/2.2, 120˚ (ultrawide)	50 MP, f/1.8, 23mm (wide), 1/1.56", 1.0µm, multi-directional PDAF 50 MP, f/2.2, 122˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.5" 8 MP, f/3.4, (periscope telephoto), PDAF, OIS, 5x optical zoom
Video	4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS	4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS, HDR10, 10-bit video

Selfie camera
Features	HDR	HDR
Single	13 MP, f/2.4, 100˚ (ultrawide)	12 MP, f/2.4, 100˚ (ultrawide), 1.22µm
Video	1080p@30fps	4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps

Sound
3.5mm jack	No	No
35mm jack	No	No
Loudspeaker	Yes, with stereo speakers	Yes, with stereo speakers
	-	24-bit audio stereo recording

Comms
Bluetooth	5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD	5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD
Infrared port	-	Yes
NFC	Yes	Yes
Positioning	GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a)	GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a)
Radio	No	No
USB	USB Type-C 3.1, OTG	USB Type-C 3.1, OTG
WLAN	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct

Features
Sensors	Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass	Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass

Battery
Charging	66W wired 5W reverse wired	66W wired 5W reverse wired
Type	Li-Po 4600 mAh	Li-Po 4800 mAh

Misc
Colors	Golden Hour (Vegan Leather), Blue Hour (Vegan Leather), Black, White	Black, White, Cyan, Gold
Models	ELZ-AN00	LGE-AN00
Price	About 670 EUR	About 900 EUR

Honor Magic3

Excellent camera system
Flagship performance (Snapdragon 888)
Fast 66W charging
Premium design
Reverse wireless charging

Slightly older chipset compared to Magic4
May be harder to find new

Honor Magic4

Latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset
Improved CPU architecture
Potentially better display
Enhanced image processing
Future-proofed

Potentially higher price
May experience some thermal throttling under heavy load

Display Comparison

Both phones feature a 6.8-inch OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, offering vibrant colors and smooth scrolling. The Magic4 likely has slightly improved brightness and color accuracy due to advancements in display technology, but the difference is subtle. Both support HDR10+.

Camera Comparison

Both phones boast impressive camera systems. The Magic3 features a 50MP main sensor, 13MP ultrawide, and 8MP telephoto. The Magic4 likely has a similar setup, potentially with improved image processing and low-light performance due to the newer chipset and software optimizations. Both offer excellent video recording capabilities.

Performance

The Magic4's Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4nm) provides a significant performance advantage over the Magic3's Snapdragon 888 (5nm). The newer CPU architecture (Cortex-X2 vs Cortex-X1) and improved GPU result in faster app loading, smoother multitasking, and better gaming performance. Expect the Magic4 to handle demanding tasks with greater ease.

Battery Life

Both devices have a 4600mAh battery and support 66W wired charging, allowing for a full charge in around 35-40 minutes. Reverse wireless charging is also available at 5W on both. Battery life is comparable in real-world usage, lasting a full day for moderate users.

Buying Guide

The Honor Magic3 is a great option for users seeking a flagship experience at a potentially lower price point. It still delivers excellent performance and a fantastic camera system. The Honor Magic4 is ideal for those who demand the absolute best performance, appreciate the latest technology, and are willing to pay a premium for it.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Is the Honor Magic4 worth the upgrade from the Magic3?

If you prioritize performance and the latest technology, the Magic4 is a worthwhile upgrade. However, the Magic3 remains a capable flagship, and the difference may not be significant for everyday use.

❓ Which phone has better gaming performance?

The Honor Magic4, with its Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset, offers significantly better gaming performance than the Magic3.

❓ What is the difference in camera quality?

While both have excellent cameras, the Magic4 likely benefits from improved image processing and low-light performance thanks to its newer chipset and software.