Robert Triggs / Android Authority
TL;DR
- HONOR has launched the Magic 7 Pro globally, along with the Magic 7 RSR Porsche Design variant.
- The new phone has a 200MP periscope camera and uses a cloud-based AI model to improve shots at 30x or higher.
- The Magic 7 Pro has a starting price of ~$1,340.
HONOR’s Magic series of flagship Android phones has long delivered impressive hardware, taking the fight to Samsung, Google, and others. The company has already launched the Magic 7 Pro in China and is now launching the device in global markets.
The Magic 7 Pro brings top-shelf hardware once again, with core specs including the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, a 5,850mAh silicon-carbon battery, 100W wired charging, and 80W wireless charging. Unfortunately, the European variant drops down to a 5,270mAh battery, making for a significant capacity decrease.
HONOR is also upping the durability ante, primarily due to the addition of both IP68 and IP69 ratings. The 6.8-inch 120Hz OLED screen (1,600 nits global peak brightness) still offers NanoCrystal Shield protective glass for improved drop protection, although the company has shied away from comparisons to Gorilla Glass.
The display once again hosts two biometric authentication features: 3D face unlock in the pill-shaped cutout and an ultrasonic in-display fingerprint sensor. The latter is a welcome upgrade over the optical scanner used on the Magic 6 Pro and should allow users to unlock their phones with wet fingers. Either way, HONOR continues to be one of the few Android makers offering 3D face unlock today.
What about the Magic 7 Pro cameras?
Robert Triggs / Android Authority
HONOR’s latest flagship phone has some impressive camera hardware too. The rear cameras consist of a 50MP main camera (1/1.3-inch) with a variable aperture (f/1.4 to f/4.0), a 50MP ultrawide sensor (f/2.0), and a 200MP 3x periscope camera (1/1.4-inch, f/2.6).
The telephoto camera, in particular, benefits from plenty of additions. This includes 6x “Seamless Zoom” (HONOR’s term for cropped zoom at lossless resolution), Harcourt Portrait mode (up to 6x), a so-called HD Super Burst mode for higher quality burst images at 10fps, and a vivo-style stage mode. HONOR says the latter mode uses AI to correct colors and restore details in stage/concert scenarios.
Unsurprisingly, the manufacturer is also offering a few other AI-related camera features. Perhaps the most notable addition is an AI Super Zoom feature, which uses a cloud-based AI model to improve zoom quality at 30x or higher. However, the brand says this feature will only be available via a firmware update after January 2025. The brand is otherwise reliant on on-device algorithms for improving zoom below 30x. Nevertheless, we’re interested to see what kind of image quality improvements are possible with this cloud-based approach, making for a stark departure from Google’s on-device Zoom Enhance feature.
Other features include an AI model to improve details in portrait mode, the return of AI motion-sensing capture for fast-moving subjects, and a 50MP selfie camera.
Magic OS: Now with even more AI
Robert Triggs / Android Authority
HONOR is also bringing a host of other AI features to its Magic OS 9 skin. This includes an improved Magic Portal cross-app sharing feature, the ability to detect potential deepfakes during video calls (coming later), translation functionality, and the now ubiquitous AI Notes app with audio transcription and meeting summary capabilities.
Other AI features include object erasing, the ability to clip subjects out of photos (available “after early January”), and Gemini assistant integration. The phone is also running Android 15, so don’t be surprised to see more new software features compared to the Magic 6 Pro.
HONOR Magic 7 Pro pricing and availability
Robert Triggs / Android Authority
Keen on buying HONOR’s latest conventional flagship phone? The Magic 7 Pro is available to pre-order in the UK for £1,099.99 (~$1,342) for the 512GB model. This puts it in the same price window as the 512GB Galaxy S24 Plus. The Chinese brand also confirmed a European price of €1,299.99 (~$1,340).
The Magic 7 Pro is also joined by the Magic 7 RSR Porsche Design variant, and the two have a few differences. For one, the Porsche model has a more angular rear cover and a hexagonal rear camera housing, while the Pro has a flatter back and rounded-off camera housing. The RSR variant also offers a wider aperture for the 200MP telephoto camera (f/1.88 versus f/2.6), suggesting better low-light image quality. Unfortunately, there’s no word on pricing for this model just yet, but Porsche Design models typically have a super-expensive price tag.
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