Honor Magic5 vs. iPhone 14 Pro Max: A Head-to-Head Flagship Battle
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing a seamless ecosystem and consistently excellent camera performance, the iPhone 14 Pro Max remains the safer bet. However, the Honor Magic5 offers a compelling alternative with its blazing-fast 66W charging and potent Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, making it ideal for power users who value speed and customization.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Honor Magic5 | Apple iPhone 14 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 - China | 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, 66 - A2894, A2896 |
| 5G bands | 1, 3, 5, 8, 28, 38, 41, 77, 78 SA/NSA - China | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 70, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 - A2894, A2896 |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G | HSPA, LTE, 5G, EV-DO Rev.A 3.1 Mbps |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| CDMA2000 1xEV-DO | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 70, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 - A2895 | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2023, February 27 | 2022, September 07 |
| Status | Available. Released 2023, March 31 | Available. Released 2022, September 16 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front, glass back or eco leather back | Glass front, glass back, stainless steel frame |
| Dimensions | 161.4 x 75.5 x 7.8 mm (6.35 x 2.97 x 0.31 in) | 160.7 x 77.6 x 7.9 mm (6.33 x 3.06 x 0.31 in) |
| SIM | · Nano-SIM· 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 | 191 g (6.74 oz) | 240 g (8.47 oz) |
| - | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 6m for 30 min) Apple Pay (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX certified) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | - | Ceramic Shield glass |
| Resolution | 1224 x 2688 pixels (~439 ppi density) | 1290 x 2796 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~460 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.73 inches, 110.2 cm2 (~90.4% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.7 inches, 110.2 cm2 (~88.3% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | OLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1600 nits (peak) | LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED, 120Hz, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 1000 nits (typ), 2000 nits (HBM) |
| - | Always-On display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x3.2 GHz Cortex-X3 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A715 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A710 & 3x2.0 GHz Cortex-A510) | Hexa-core (2x3.46 GHz Everest + 4x2.02 GHz Sawtooth) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8550-AB Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm) | Apple A16 Bionic (4 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 740 | Apple GPU (5-core graphics) |
| OS | Android 13, MagicOS 7.1 | iOS 16, upgradable to iOS 26.1 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 16GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM | 128GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM, 512GB 6GB RAM, 1TB 6GB RAM |
| UFS | NVMe | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Color spectrum sensor, LED flash, HDR, panorama | Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama) |
| Single | 12 MP, f/2.4, 100˚ (ultrawide), 1.22µm | 12 MP, f/1.9, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6", PDAF, OIS (unconfirmed) SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor) |
| Triple | 54 MP, f/1.9, (wide), 1/1.49", PDAF 32 MP, f/2.4, (telephoto), PDAF, OIS, 2.5x optical zoom 50 MP, f/2.0, 13mm, 122˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.5", AF | 48 MP, f/1.8, 24mm (wide), 1/1.28", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF, sensor-shift OIS 12 MP, f/2.8, 77mm (telephoto), 1/3.5", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 3x 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, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS, HDR10, 10-bit video | 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120/240fps, 10-bit HDR, Dolby Vision HDR (up to 60fps), ProRes, stereo sound rec. |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 12 MP, f/2.4, 100˚ (ultrawide), 1.22µm | 12 MP, f/1.9, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor) |
| Video | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps | 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS |
| 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 | 5.3, A2DP, LE |
| Infrared port | Yes | - |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a) | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, QZSS |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG | Lightning, USB 2.0 |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6/7, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, hotspot |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| - | Ultra Wideband (UWB) support Emergency SOS via satellite (SMS sending/receiving) | |
| 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 |
| Type | Li-Po 5100 mAh | Li-Ion 4323 mAh (16.68 Wh) |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Black, Glacier Blue, Green, Purple, Orange | Space Black, Silver, Gold, Deep Purple |
| Models | PGT-AN00, PGT-N09 | A2894, A2651, A2893, A2895, A2896, iphone15,3 |
| Price | About 900 EUR | € 530.79 / $ 489.81 / £ 446.75 |
| SAR | - | 1.15 W/kg (head) 1.07 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | - | 0.99 W/kg (head) 0.98 W/kg (body) |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 121h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | - | -24.3 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 955884 (v9) GeekBench: 5423 (v5.1) GFXBench: 54fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Honor Magic5
- Significantly faster 66W wired charging
- Potentially superior sustained performance with Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
- More open and customizable Android operating system
- Camera details are lacking for a thorough comparison
- Long-term software support may not match Apple’s commitment
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
- Industry-leading video recording capabilities
- Seamless integration with the Apple ecosystem
- Guaranteed long-term software updates and support
- Slower charging speeds compared to the Honor Magic5
- Less customization options within the iOS ecosystem
Display Comparison
The iPhone 14 Pro Max boasts a measured peak brightness of 1760 nits, ensuring excellent visibility even in direct sunlight. While the Honor Magic5’s display specs aren’t provided, Honor typically employs high-quality OLED panels. The iPhone’s infinite (nominal) contrast ratio delivers deep blacks and vibrant colors. The lack of PWM frequency data for the Magic5 raises potential concerns for users sensitive to flicker, while the iPhone’s ProMotion technology (LTPO) dynamically adjusts refresh rates up to 120Hz for smoother scrolling and animations, a feature likely mirrored on the Magic5 but without confirmation.
Camera Comparison
Both phones excel in photography and videography, but their approaches diverge. The iPhone 14 Pro Max is renowned for its cinematic mode and consistently high-quality video recording. The Magic5’s camera specs are not detailed enough to make a direct comparison, but Honor has been aggressively pushing camera technology in recent years. Without sensor size or aperture information for the Magic5, it’s difficult to assess its low-light performance relative to the iPhone. The iPhone’s image processing prioritizes natural colors and detail, while Honor often leans towards more vibrant, saturated images. The absence of details on the Magic5’s camera system makes a definitive assessment impossible.
Performance
Both devices utilize 4nm fabrication processes, but their architectural approaches differ significantly. The iPhone 14 Pro Max’s A16 Bionic features a hexa-core CPU with two high-performance Everest cores clocked at 3.46 GHz, complemented by four efficiency-focused Sawtooth cores. The Honor Magic5, powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, employs an octa-core configuration (1x3.2 GHz Cortex-X3, 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A715, 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A710, 3x2.0 GHz Cortex-A510). While core count isn’t everything, the Snapdragon’s architecture is designed for sustained performance, potentially offering an edge in prolonged gaming sessions due to its more balanced core distribution. The iPhone’s tightly integrated hardware and software optimization, however, often translate to exceptional real-world responsiveness.
Battery Life
Both the Honor Magic5 and iPhone 14 Pro Max achieve an impressive endurance rating of 121 hours, suggesting comparable battery life under similar usage conditions. However, their charging capabilities differ dramatically. The Honor Magic5 supports 66W wired charging, allowing for a significantly faster recharge compared to the iPhone 14 Pro Max’s wired charging (PD2.0, 50% in 30 min). The iPhone offers 15W wireless charging via MagSafe and Qi2 (requiring iOS 17.2), while the Magic5 provides 5W reverse wired charging, a useful feature for topping up accessories. The faster charging speed of the Magic5 is a clear advantage for users who frequently need to quickly replenish their battery.
Buying Guide
Buy the Honor Magic5 if you need exceptionally fast charging, a more open operating system with greater customization options, and prioritize raw processing power for demanding tasks. Buy the Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max if you prefer a polished, integrated ecosystem, industry-leading video recording capabilities, and long-term software support with guaranteed updates.