Honor made the Magic7 Pro official in China a month ago. A high-end smartphone with a robust technical sheet, the Magic7 Pro will not arrive in France until January 2025. That is to say at the same time as Samsung's future premium phones. What is this natural competitor to the Galaxy S25 Ultra worth? Answer in this guide.
Earlier this year, we published the Magic6 Pro review. This is Honor's third high-end smartphone since the separation of the Chinese brand and Huawei, after the Magic4 Pro and the Magic5 Pro. And with each iteration, Honor has managed to improve the quality of its products. Thanks to its powerful platform, its high battery life, its excellent photo results and its sleek design, the Magic6 Pro is one of our favorite smartphones of 2024.
Read also – Apple iPhone 16 Plus test: the most unloved of the siblings has not said his last word
But a successor is already there. At least in China. THE last October 31a few days after the officialization of the Snapdragon 8 Elite, Honor presented the Magic7 Pro. And since then, it has been available in all stores across the country. Obviously, the phone will not be released this year in France. In fact, we will have to wait until January to see it land on the shelves of French brands. An arrival which will not be easy, since, according to rumors, Samsung would also have planned to launch its Galaxy S25 during this period.
What are the arguments of the Magic7 Pro against the Galaxy S25 Ultra, but also the Find X8 Pro from Oppo, the iPhone 16 Pro Max from Apple or even the Pixel 9 Pro XL from Google? This is what we wanted to discover when handling the Chinese version of the smartphone. A version which is almost identical to the one which will be released in France, with the exception of the installed OS (not forgetting the applications), the configuration (storage and RAM) and the accessories delivered in the box (charger and case). Almost anecdotal changes. The international version should therefore not be far from it.
The Magic7 Pro looks a lot like the Magic6 Pro
Discovering the ergonomics of the Magic7 Pro, we very quickly see similarities between this phone and its predecessor. The format is identical. The screen looks identical. The shell materials do not change (notably the NanoCrystal Shield at the front). The IP69 certification is still relevant today. The design of the photo module is very similar, with this octagonal outline that is not quite rounded, but not quite straight either.
The technical elements around the phone are placed in the same places. We are therefore pleased to find the two almost symmetrical speakers whose power is quite high. And there are no additional keys, unlike Oppo with the Find X8 Pro or Apple with the iPhone 16. On the other hand, we notice that the rear side is flatter and that the edges are less rounded.
The Magic7 Pro is available in four colors, but only three will make the trip to France: blue, gray and black. The white version, which you can see in these photos, is very classic. So it's not a big loss. We much prefer the gray version (present here too), with its ribbed effect. The material on the back of the phone is polished mineral glass. It does not retain fingerprints.
At the front, the screen still measures 6.8 inches for a ratio and definition that do not change. The same goes for brightness and refresh rate. The side borders are still as wide, but they are a little less rounded. The horizontal pill-shaped punch is still present on the front, in the middle of the upper border. It integrates a selfie sensor and a “time of flight” camera for 3D facial recognition. Still at the biometric level, a fingerprint reader is always positioned under the screen. But it is no longer an optical sensor: it becomes ultrasonic, making it more precise and more responsive.
The Magic7 Pro benefits from a powerful processor and a large battery
Inside the smartphone, you find the Snapdragon 8 Elite, with these second generation Oryon cores. In the version we are testing, it is accompanied by 16 GB of RAM to which is added 16 GB of virtual memory, taken from the storage. This platform offers great power, as you can see in the screenshots opposite, whether with 3DMark or Antutu. It's not always at the level of a ROG Phone 9 Pro, but it's sufficient for all uses.
The platform does not heat up too much, with 3DMark reaching 45°C in stress tests. Sure, the heat is felt on the metal edges, but we've experienced much worse, even recently. On the other hand, to avoid excessive overheating, the platform is restricted. The stability of the platform is only 61%, while a ROG Phone will rise above 90%. Still inside the Magic7 Pro, we find an Honor S1 chip for data security and an Honor H2 chip for energy management.
On the battery side, the phone is equipped with a 5850 mAh silicon carbon battery. A little more than the Magic6 Pro, for autonomy which should increase slightly. The battery is compatible with 100 watts wired and 80 watts wireless fast charging. The Magic7 Pro is therefore almost as fast as its illustrious predecessor, the Magic4 Pro which was compatible with 100 watt fast charging, both wired and wireless. Honor promises a full charge in 37 minutes. Do you still need the charger for that…
Artificial intelligence is everywhere in the Magic7 Pro, even in photos
The OS installed here is MagicOS 9.0. This version is based on Android 15 and is very similar to the interface we have in France. For MagicOS 9.0, Honor has mainly strengthened the integration of artificial intelligence at the heart of the system. Magic Portal is back, of course, in version 2.0 with more interaction. In its international version, Gemini should be accessible there without the need to open a third-party application. Real-time translation. Magic eraser and magic clipping. AI-powered avatar and deepfake detection on Facebook and WhatsApp, this is what awaits you in the Magic7 Pro.
You also find the generative models in photos. Indeed, the Magic7 Pro has a telephoto module with a 200 megapixel sensor and 3x optical zoom. The optical zoom here goes up to 100x. Technically, this module is only a slightly improved version of that of the Magic6 Pro. But, in terms of image processing, it is now associated with a generative AI model which will improve details in digital zoom. There are two distinct models: a local model for photos taken with a ratio between 12x and 30x; and a cloud model that will process photos taken at a ratio greater than 30x. The result is quite astonishing under the 30x ratio. Afterwards, AI does not perform miracles…
Beyond this very difficult exercise, the Magic7 Pro takes beautiful photos, especially with its main sensor. It's bright, colorful, detailed and natural. Textures are preserved, in particular by its main sensor. But the secondary sensors are not left out, even if the ultra-wide-angle is always darker (with a direct impact on details and sharpness in the evening).
The smartphone is compatible with “Harcourt” portrait modes, as with the Honor 200 Pro. Face retouching is enabled by default and artificial intelligence tends to smooth the skin, erasing texture from details. European algorithms should logically be less aggressive.
We spent 24 hours with the Magic7 Pro. And throughout this time, the experience was of very good quality, despite the cultural and linguistic barrier of this Chinese version. The smartphone is very nice, but we can't help but think that it's more of an “update” to the Magic6 Pro. Whether in terms of the photo, the platform, the fingerprint reader and the battery. Will the Magic7 Pro be worth it? Response in January with a definitive international version and a price!
Related News :