Honor's Magic 7 Pro is a top-tier Android phone that combines the latest AI features with advanced hardware. It excels in all the important areas. You get a highly versatile camera, impressive battery life, fast charging, smooth performance, and an excellent display. Several subtle but important improvements over its predecessor take this smartphone to the next level.
Chinese phone maker Honor has recently impressed me with its hardware, from last year’s Magic 6 Pro to the incredibly sleek Honor Magic V3. This year, it has focused more on software, adding some welcome refinements. Its significant investment in AI is starting to show, with features that feel more practical in the Magic 7 Pro than in earlier models. It's a pricey flagship at £1,099 ($1,346), and unfortunately, it’s not officially available in the US. But UK and European buyers shouldn't overlook the Magic.
Subtle Refinements
At first glance, the Magic 7 Pro looks similar to the 6 Pro, but I was pleased to find a flatter display and frame. This makes it much more comfortable to use and less prone to accidental touches than curved glass. Honor has reduced the size of the camera module, although it is still large enough to slightly unbalance the phone. After using the Pixel 9, this phone felt large, but it's still manageable. I'm not a fan of the marbled effect on my Lunar Shadow Grey review unit, but it's more interesting than the plain blue or black options.
The 6.8-inch screen is as good as any I've tested. It's bright, smooth, and sharp. It has a resolution of 2,800 x 1,200 pixels, a variable refresh rate of up to 120 Hz, and a brightness of 1,600 nits (up to 5,000 nits for highlights). Videos look great on the 7 Pro, with Dolby Vision and HDR Vivid support, and the speakers are loud and clear without distortion. Honor has also included features to reduce eye fatigue and strain, but they're hard to measure. The only minor annoyance was the large selfie camera cutout, though you quickly get used to it. It's a trade-off I can accept for the convenience of secure face unlock—a rare feature on Android phones, as it even works with banking apps.
There's plenty of power with Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite chip and 12 GB of RAM. As expected, benchmark results are top-notch, and this phone can handle anything. It also offers a generous 512 GB of fast storage, which is more than most phones at this price. The Honor Magic 7 Pro has an IP68 and IP69 rating, meaning it can be submerged in water and withstand water jets or steam.
Inside, a high level of polish is evident throughout. Honor highlights the AI in the Magic 7 Pro, and we'll explore the specific features, but it is integrated throughout the phone. AI enhances the phone app by reducing background noise and making voices clearer, and there's a privacy feature to prevent sound leakage and stop eavesdroppers.