If you’ve been eyeing Honor’s latest foldable and asking “should I jump from the V3 to the V5?”, you’re not alone. I’ve lived with both, ran them through my everyday routines, poked at the software, and snapped more photos than my camera roll cares to admit. Here’s the good, the bad, and the “maybe wait” — in plain English.
Design & In-Hand Feel
Side by side, V5 and V3 are near twins. The V5 adds a snazzier hinge pattern and feels a touch more squared on the rails, but both keep those comfy rounded edges that spare your palms (unlike some sharper competitors). Specs say the V5 (gold model) is 9.2 mm closed and the V3 is 9.0 mm; the white V5 slims to 8.8 mm. In practice? You’d be hard-pressed to tell without calipers.
Where you will notice a change is the camera island: the V5’s bump is a bit chunkier — on purpose. We’ll talk cameras in a minute.
A small but smart speaker change
Honor moved the V5’s speakers to opposite ends. On the V3, they’re on the same side, so it’s easy to muffle both when gaming. The V5’s split layout means even if one is covered, the other stays loud and clear. Tiny tweak, real-world win.
Screens & Outdoor Visibility
Both claim 5,000-nit peak brightness outdoors, and both ship with anti-reflective front protectors. In direct sun, they’re surprisingly readable and, to my eyes, basically a draw. If anything, the V5 may look a hair brighter at peak — but again, it’s subtle. Crease visibility is low on both.
Open them up and the diagonals are nearly identical (7.95″ on V5 vs 7.92″ on V3). The cover screens are rated the same, too (6.43″). Translation: no practical size advantage either way.
Specs at a glance (V3 vs V5)
| Category | Magic V3 | Magic V5 |
|---|---|---|
| Launch (global) | Shown at IFA 2024; global units followed | Global launch Aug 28, 2025 |
| Dimensions (folded) | 156.6 × 74.0 × 9.2 mm | 156.8 × 74.3 × 8.8 mm |
| Thickness (unfolded) | 4.35 mm | 4.1 mm |
| Weight | 226 g | 217 g |
| IP rating | IPX8 (water) | IP58 (dust) + IP59 (high-pressure water) |
| Chipset / GPU | Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 / Adreno 750 | Snapdragon 8 Elite / Adreno 830 |
| Software at launch | Android 14, MagicOS 8.0 | Android 15, MagicOS 9.0/9.0.1 |
| Update policy | 4 OS upgrades + 5 yrs security (reported) | 7 yrs OS & security (EU/UK; may vary) |
| RAM / Storage (global) | Typically 12 GB / 512 GB | Typically 16 GB / 512 GB |
| RAM / Storage (China) | Up to 16 GB / 1 TB | 12/256, 16/512, 16/1 TB (1 TB gets larger battery) |
| Inner display | 7.92″ LTPO OLED, 2344×2156, 1–120 Hz, stylus support | 7.95″ LTPO OLED, 2352×2172, 1–120 Hz, stylus support |
| Outer display | 6.43″ LTPO OLED, 2376×1060, 1–120 Hz | 6.43″ LTPO OLED, 2346×1060, 1–120 Hz |
| Peak brightness | Cover up to 5000 nits | Dual 5000 nits (inner & outer) |
| PWM dimming | Inner up to 3840 Hz, outer 4320 Hz | High-freq PWM on both (up to 4320 Hz) |
| Stylus | Magic Pen on both screens | Magic Pen on both screens |
| Rear cameras | 50 MP main (IMX906, f/1.6, OIS) + 50 MP periscope 3.5× (OIS) + 40 MP ultrawide | 50 MP main (f/1.6, OIS) + 64 MP periscope 3× (OIS) + 50 MP ultrawide |
| Front cameras | 20 MP (inner) + 20 MP (cover) | 20 MP (inner) + 20 MP (cover) |
| Video | Up to 4K/60 (rear; region/updates may affect modes) | Up to 4K/60 |
| Battery (global) | 5150 mAh (Si-carbon) | 5820 mAh (Si-carbon) |
| Battery (China, 1 TB) | — | 6100 mAh (typ., rated 5950) |
| Wired / wireless charging | 66 W / 50 W | 66 W / 50 W |
| Connectivity | 5G Sub-6, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.3, NFC, IR | 5G Sub-6 (wider bands), Wi-Fi 7 with 6 GHz, Bluetooth 6.0, NFC, IR |
| Biometrics | Side fingerprint + face unlock | Side fingerprint + face unlock |
Under the Hood
In swiping, launching, and day-to-day stuff, both feel equally fluid. The V5’s Elite chip does pull ahead in heavier workloads and longer exports (think 4K video rendering), and the bigger battery helps. But the V3’s no slouch — it’s already outpaced several “newer” rivals and doesn’t throttle like some flagships.
Stylus Support (Yes, on Both)
The Honor stylus works on the outer and inner screens of both V5 and V3. Writing feels quick and responsive, the eraser button is handy, and the tip glides without chewing up the protector. If you sketch thumbnails, markup PDFs, or annotate screenshots, this is a big quality-of-life feature — and crucially, it’s not a V5 exclusive.
Software & AI: Same Brain, New Tricks (Mostly)
MagicOS on the V5 and V3 feels virtually identical: same layouts, same stacked widgets, same gestures. Even the camera app UI mirrors across devices. The V3 has gained many of the AI edits the V5 touts:
- Cutout: Long-press to auto-select a subject and save it as a sticker/cutout on both phones.
- Outpainting: Extend canvas to “recenter” yourself — neat for portraits. The V5 goes a step further by letting you move your cutout across a newly extended background inside the editor. It’s convenient, not essential.
- AI Eraser: Removing logos/plates/stray objects works on both and looks clean.
- AI writing/grammar assist: Functional but slow. It fetches from the web, and even on the V5 it isn’t instant. Nice to have, not a reason to upgrade.
Cameras: Numbers vs. Results
On paper, the V5’s telephoto is 64 MP vs. 50 MP on the V3. In practice, image quality is more “family resemblance” than “generation leap.”
- Portraits: Both can deliver pleasing bokeh if you set them up right. Sometimes the V3 traces fine edges (like hair and ears) a tad more naturally; the V5 can “beautify” a touch by default.
- Standard & mid-zoom (3–10×): Nearly a wash. Exposure and white balance differ slightly scene-to-scene, but neither runs away with it.
- Long zoom (50–100×): Not much in it. Some sets even favored the V3 for retained detail.
- Night video: In mixed testing the V3 often held its own and, in some clips, edged the V5 on clarity. Lens-flare control varies by scene.
Bottom line: the V5 isn’t a dramatic camera upgrade over the V3. It’s a nudge, not a leap. Check out the Photo Gallery for Images.
Multitasking: One Meaningful Difference
Both do split screen beautifully. The big distinction:
- V5 can run three side-by-side apps at once, each resizable (including those slick 90/10 focus swaps).
- V3 tops out at two apps + a floating window. You still multitask fine, but the V5’s true triple split is objectively more powerful if you live in spreadsheets, docs, and chat at the same time.
Connectivity & Speeds
On my Wi-Fi, speeds varied with network mood (and will for you too), but both kept up within shouting distance. Radio band support is comparable; in real use, coverage felt the same. I wouldn’t pick either based on bars.
So… Should You Upgrade?
If you already own the V3 and you love it, here’s the honest read:
Reasons to stay put
- Everyday speed and smoothness feel the same.
- Cameras are very close in most scenarios.
- Stylus works on both inner and outer screens either way.
- The V3 still competes toe-to-toe with 2024/25 foldables.
Reasons to consider the V5
- You want triple-app split multitasking regularly.
- You do heavy video exports or long processing tasks and want the Elite chip’s headroom.
- The bigger battery matters to you.
- You prefer the new hinge design and split speakers (gamers, hi).
Value check: if you can snag a V3 near ~$1,000 and the V5 sits closer to ~$2,000, the math is brutal. The V3 remains a phenomenal buy and, for many people, the smarter one. If you’re new to foldables, the V3 is a fantastic entry that doesn’t feel “last-gen.”
Final Word
The V5 is the sleeker, slightly faster refinement; the V3 is the value wrecking ball that still punches above its weight. For most users, the upgrade isn’t necessary. For power multitaskers, creators exporting 4K often, or anyone craving maximum battery and that speaker layout, the V5 earns its keep.
Now I want to hear from you: did you jump from V3 to V5? Seeing real-world differences? Anything I missed that changed your mind either way? Drop your experiences in the comments — and if you’re cross-shopping other foldables, I’ve got battles you’ll want to see next.