Honor Magic8 Pro vs. Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra: A Deep Dive into Android Flagship Power

The Honor Magic8 Pro arrives with a bold claim: the fastest Android experience thanks to Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5. But does this new silicon truly outperform the established champion, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3? We dissect both phones, focusing on real-world performance, display quality, camera capabilities, and charging speeds to determine which flagship reigns supreme.
Phones Images

🏆 Quick Verdict

For users prioritizing raw processing power and blazing-fast charging, the Honor Magic8 Pro edges out the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra. However, the S24 Ultra’s superior battery life, refined software experience, and consistently excellent camera system make it the more well-rounded choice for the average user.

PHONES
Phone Names Honor Magic8 Pro Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
Network
2G bandsGSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bandsHSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
4G bandsLTE1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - International
5G bandsSA/NSA1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 26, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 75, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - International
SpeedHSPA, LTE, 5GHSPA, LTE (up to 7CA), 5G
TechnologyGSM / HSPA / LTE / 5GGSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G
Launch
Announced2025, October 152024, January 17
StatusAvailable. Released 2025, October 23Available. Released 2024, January 24
Body
BuildGlass front (NanoCrystal Shield), fiber-reinforced plastic backGlass front (Corning Gorilla Armor), glass back (Corning Gorilla Armor), titanium frame (grade 2)
Dimensions161.2 x 75 x 8.3 mm (6.35 x 2.95 x 0.33 in)162.3 x 79 x 8.6 mm (6.39 x 3.11 x 0.34 in)
SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM + eSIM + eSIM (max 2 at a time) - International· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM - China· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM + eSIM + eSIM (max 2 at a time) - INT· Nano-SIM + eSIM + eSIM (max 2 at a time) - USA· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM - CN
Weight219 g (7.72 oz)232 g or 233 g (8.18 oz)
Display
ProtectionNanoCrystal Shield (INT); Giant Rhino Glass (China)Corning Gorilla Armor
Resolution1256 x 2808 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~458 ppi density)1440 x 3120 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~505 ppi density)
Size6.71 inches, 108.3 cm2 (~89.6% screen-to-body ratio)6.8 inches, 113.5 cm2 (~88.5% screen-to-body ratio)
TypeLTPO OLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, 4320Hz PWM, Dolby Vision, HDR Vivid, 1800 nits (HBM), 6000 nits (peak)Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 2600 nits (peak)
Platform
CPUOcta-core (2x4.6 GHz Oryon V3 Phoenix L + 6x3.62 GHz Oryon V3 Phoenix M)8-core (1x3.39GHz Cortex-X4 & 3x3.1GHz Cortex-A720 & 2x2.9GHz Cortex-A720 & 2x2.2GHz Cortex-A520)
ChipsetQualcomm SM8850-AC Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 (3 nm)Qualcomm SM8650-AC Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4 nm)
GPUAdreno 840Adreno 750 (1 GHz)
OSAndroid 16, up to 7 major Android upgrades, MagicOS 10Android 14, up to 7 major Android upgrades, One UI 8.0
Memory
Card slotNoNo
Internal256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM, 1TB 16GB RAM256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 1TB 12GB RAM
Main Camera
FeaturesLaser AF, color spectrum sensor, LED flash, HDR, panoramaLaser AF, LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama
Quad-200 MP, f/1.7, 24mm (wide), 1/1.3", 0.6µm, multi-directional PDAF, OIS 10 MP, f/2.4, 67mm (telephoto), 1/3.52", 1.12µm, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom 50 MP, f/3.4, 111mm (periscope telephoto), 1/2.52", 0.7µm, PDAF, OIS, 5x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, Super Steady video
Triple50 MP, f/1.6, 23mm (wide), 1/1.3", 1.2µm, multi-directional PDAF, OIS 200 MP, f/2.6, 85mm (periscope telephoto), 1/1.4", 0.56µm, multi-directional PDAF, OIS, 3.7x optical zoom 50 MP, f/2.0, 12mm, 122˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.88", 0.61µm, dual pixel PDAF-
Video4K@24/30/60/120fps, 1080p@24/30/60/120/240fps, gyro-EIS, OIS, HDR, 10-bit video8K@24/30fps, 4K@30/60/120fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS
Selfie camera
Features-HDR, HDR10+
Single50 MP, f/2.0, 21mm (wide), 1/2.93", 0.6µm, PDAF TOF 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor)12 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3.2", 1.12µm, dual pixel PDAF
Video4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps
Sound
35mm jackNoNo
Loudspeaker Yes, with large amplitude stereo speakersYes, with stereo speakers
Comms
Bluetooth6.0, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive, aptX Lossless, LHDC 5, Auracast, ASHA5.3, A2DP, LE
Infrared portYes-
NFCYesYes
PositioningGPS (L1+L5), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a+B2b), GALILEO (E1+E5a+E5b), QZSS (L1+L5), NavIC (L1+L5), GLONASSGPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSS
RadioNoNo
USBUSB Type-C 3.2, DisplayPort 1.2, OTGUSB Type-C 3.2, DisplayPort 1.2, OTG
WLANWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6/7, dual-band or tri-band, Wi-Fi DirectWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e/7, tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct
Features
SensorsFingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compassFingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer
Battery
Charging100W wired (Global) 120W wired, 100W PPS, 40W UFCS (China) 80W wireless Reverse wireless 5W reverse wired45W wired, PD3.0, 65% in 30 min 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless
TypeSi/C Li-Ion 7100 mAh (Global); 6270 mAh (Europe); 7200 mAh (China)Li-Ion 5000 mAh
Misc
ColorsSunrise Gold, Sky Cyan, Black, WhiteTitanium Black, Titanium Gray, Titanium Violet, Titanium Yellow, Titanium Blue, Titanium Green, Titanium Orange
ModelsBKQ-N49, BKQ-AN90, BKQ-AN10SM-S928B, SM-S928B/DS, SM-S928U, SM-S928U1, SM-S928W, SM-S928N, SM-S9280, SM-S928E, SM-S928E/DS
PriceAbout 960 EUR$ 514.94 / C$ 929.99 / £ 630.00 / € 658.53 / ₹ 84,999
SAR-1.26 W/kg (head)     0.62 W/kg (body)
SAR EU-1.06 W/kg (head)     1.30 W/kg (body)

Honor Magic8 Pro

  • Blazing-fast Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor
  • Industry-leading 100W+ wired charging
  • 80W wireless charging capability

  • Battery life potentially lower than S24 Ultra
  • Software experience may be less refined than Samsung’s One UI

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

  • Exceptional all-day battery life (13:49h active use)
  • Bright and vibrant display with LTPO technology
  • Mature and feature-rich One UI software

  • Slower 45W wired charging
  • Processor is a generation behind the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5

Display Comparison

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra boasts a peak brightness of 1447 nits, ensuring excellent visibility outdoors, a crucial advantage over the Magic8 Pro (brightness data unavailable). While the Magic8 Pro’s panel technology isn’t specified, Samsung’s use of LTPO allows for dynamic refresh rate scaling from 1Hz to 120Hz, optimizing battery life. The S24 Ultra’s larger display size and higher peak brightness will be more beneficial for media consumption and outdoor use, while the Magic8 Pro’s display quality remains unknown without further data.

Camera Comparison

Detailed camera analysis is hampered by a lack of specific sensor information for the Magic8 Pro. The S24 Ultra’s camera system is known for its versatility and image processing prowess. While megapixel counts aren’t everything, the S24 Ultra’s larger main sensor (specifications unavailable for Magic8 Pro) and advanced OIS system likely provide superior low-light performance and image stabilization. The S24 Ultra’s video capabilities are also well-established, offering high-resolution recording and advanced features. Without detailed camera specs for the Magic8 Pro, it’s difficult to make a definitive comparison beyond assuming the S24 Ultra holds an advantage.

Performance

The Honor Magic8 Pro’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, built on a 3nm process, features a unique octa-core configuration with Oryon V3 Phoenix cores (2x4.6GHz + 6x3.62GHz). This contrasts with the S24 Ultra’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4nm) utilizing a more traditional core arrangement (1x3.39GHz Cortex-X4 + 3x3.1GHz Cortex-A720 + 2x2.9GHz Cortex-A720 + 2x2.2GHz Cortex-A520). The 3nm node of the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 *should* offer better power efficiency and thermal headroom, potentially leading to sustained performance gains in demanding tasks. However, the S24 Ultra’s optimized software and cooling system could mitigate the architectural advantage of the Magic8 Pro.

Battery Life

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra achieves an impressive 13:49h of active use, demonstrating excellent battery life. The Honor Magic8 Pro’s battery capacity is unknown, but its charging capabilities are a standout feature. Offering 100W wired charging (Global) and up to 120W in China, the Magic8 Pro significantly outperforms the S24 Ultra’s 45W wired charging. The Magic8 Pro also supports 80W wireless charging, dwarfing the S24 Ultra’s 15W Qi wireless charging. While the S24 Ultra’s battery life is superior, the Magic8 Pro’s charging speed allows for incredibly quick top-ups, potentially mitigating concerns about battery capacity.

Buying Guide

Buy the Honor Magic8 Pro if you demand the absolute fastest Android performance available, prioritize 100W+ charging for minimal downtime, and are comfortable with a potentially less polished software experience. Buy the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra if you value all-day battery life, a mature and feature-rich software ecosystem, a consistently excellent camera, and a brighter, more visible display in direct sunlight.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ How much faster is the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 in real-world gaming compared to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3?
While benchmarks suggest a performance advantage for the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, the actual difference in gaming will depend on optimization. The Oryon CPU cores *should* provide smoother frame rates and faster loading times, but the S24 Ultra’s Adreno GPU is highly capable. Expect a noticeable, but not necessarily game-changing, improvement on the Magic8 Pro.
❓ Does the Honor Magic8 Pro’s 100W charging degrade the battery health faster than the S24 Ultra’s 45W charging?
Faster charging *can* contribute to slightly faster battery degradation over the long term, but modern smartphones employ sophisticated charging management systems to mitigate this. The Magic8 Pro’s charging circuitry is likely designed to minimize heat and optimize charging cycles. The convenience of significantly faster charging may outweigh the potential for slightly accelerated degradation.
❓ Is the lack of detailed camera specs for the Honor Magic8 Pro a cause for concern?
Yes, it is. Without knowing the sensor sizes, apertures, and OIS capabilities, it’s difficult to assess the Magic8 Pro’s camera performance accurately. While Honor has a history of producing capable cameras, the S24 Ultra’s established reputation and detailed specifications give it a clear advantage in this area.