The Honor Magic 7 Pro is an elite package with some minor issues that make it not quite as easy to recommend to everyone, but there is a new kid on the block. The Porsche Design Honor Magic 7 RSR—does this rev up our engines? Well, somewhat surprisingly so.
We’re no strangers to special edition phones, but these partnerships are ordinarily aimed at fans of TV shows, movies, and video games. Car-focused collabs are less common, but they are a very interesting way to add even more sheen to an otherwise simple smartphone.
- Review: The Honor Magic 7 Pro exceeds expectations in a world where Google Pixel exists
Enter the Honor Magic 7 RSR. Admittedly, this isn’t a huge departure from 7 Pro, but it does have some changes that make it a very high-end package. The most notable external change is the Porsche Design team tweaks that sharpen up some elements, reimagine the camera bump, and add a unique purple color to the lineup.
I have to say that this phone feels superb. Weighty, smooth, and sleek all at the same time. It’s heavier than much of the competition, but here it feels like a good thing.
You can instantly tell that every facet of the Honor Magic 7 Pro Porsche Design Edition is set up to offer a premium experience.
The question is, if it’s worth the added premium over the plain old Magic 7 Pro. To be honest, I’m actually not as sure as I was before trying this out for myself. Honor has come a long way in just a few years after breaking free from Huawei, but a €1,799 smartphone themed by an automaker isn’t exactly for everyone. Little touches feel like important refinements to a solid formula, but yes, I can understand why some people would be put off.
Confusion as to who the target audience is aside, little touches here tie everything together, including a new Porsche Design system theme with appropriate icons to tailor the UI. This is still based on Android 15 with MagicOS 9 on top. I haven’t spent a ton of time with many Huawei phones as of late, but there are some EMUI elements that have hung around here for better or worse.
The fact you’re getting all of the best internals is yet another boon. It’s slick, smooth, and MagicOS 9 feels even more at home in this footprint.
The Magic 7 RSR has a few key differences to try and justify the increased price-tag. It ships with an extra 8GB of RAM extra out of the box. This gives you a somewhat insane 24GB RAM to play with,but that’s not all. 1TB of internal storage comes as standard here, so you have plenty of room for all of your files, photos, and anything else for that matter.
The display is improved with a harder NanoCrystal Shield coating, which should select scratches and scrapes even more than the standard version. I can’t say for certain how much difference it will make but display upgrades are always welcome. The panel is still exceptional, getting super bright and feeling slick.
Honor has also made other changes to the Magic 7 RSR including to the camera system. The 3x telephoto has a faster aperture at f/1.88. This will mean that you can get even greater depth of field from the zoom lens than the standard Magic 7 Pro’s f/2.6 3x optical.
That’s not all though. LiDAR autofocus has been added for the first time on an Honor device. I’ve found that I can quickly snap on to a subject – which in most cases is my hyperactive dog – way more reliably than even the Pixel 9 Pro XL. The Honor Magic 7 RSR stands shoulder-to-shoulder alongside the best Android camera systems by virtue of these tweaks and upgrades.
I’ve been harsh on the pricing here. The upside is that you get a lot of extras in the box that soften the blow a little. The unboxing experience is top-tier. There are two chargers, including a UK and EU plug at 100W, plus a color-matching case with a PU leather coating and Porsche Design logos. Even the SIM eject tool has little branded flourishes. More OEMs could learn from this.
We’re getting some incredible smartphone hardware that in years gone by was something that always felt like a problem for Honor devices – at least in my mind. The breakaway from Huawei a few years ago was a concerning time, but the Magic 7 RSR showcases just what the company can do. While the regular Magic 7 Pro is an incredible package, the new model takes the ball and runs with it.
I do wish the update schedule was slated for a little longer than 5 years. Because although that is a big leap from years gone by, for almost $2,000, it would be nice for buyers not to have to worry for the next 7 years. You’ll just have to determine if the exorbitant extra cost is worth it for a few upgrades and a cleaner, car-inspired design.
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