Here’s 6 key innovations where the HONOR Magic V3 stands out against the Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max

Smartphone buyers in Malaysia seeking an innovative flagship phone are spoiled for choice, with two of the most recently launched flagship phones standing out from the crop of offerings in the market. In one corner of the ring is the recently released iPhone 16 series spearheaded by the iPhone 16 Pro Max while in the other corner is the new HONOR Magic V3 foldable. Both have their adherents though those looking for a new, technologically innovative alternative for their money are gravitating towards the latter.

The titular iPhone 16 Pro Max has  its charms including improved performance when compared to its predecessors and specifications with a proven, well-established form factor with the key differentiator being the inclusion of a new camera button and a Desert Titanium colourway.  

On the other hand the new HONOR Magic V3 foldable hosts a slew of unique features and new technologies that make it the slimmest and lightest foldable phone on the planet though that’s just the tip of the iceberg of what HONOR’s latest foldable has to offer.  Here’s 6 unique innovations where the HONOR Magic V3 stands out against the iPhone 16 Pro Max.

HONOR Magic V3 – Slimmer Build and Lighter Design While Being a Foldable Too

Where the iPhone 16 Pro Max has a traditional candybar form factor, the new HONOR Magic V3 is a foldable design that has the same dimensions as a normal sized phone with a front 6.43-inch 120Hz LTPO OLED display. The magic happens when you unfold the HONOR Magic V3, revealing a main 7.92-inch 120Hz LTPO AMOLED folding display. In effect, the HONOR Magic V3 gets you a tablet-sized device in a conventional pocket-sized form factor which is quite a feat of engineering.

While it would be logical to assume that the more mechanically sophisticated and ultralight HONOR Magic V3 with two displays would be the heavier design, HONOR’s foldable is actually the lighter of the two, measuring in at a mere 4.4mm thin when unfurled and just 9.3mm thin when folded down while weighing just 226g. On the other hand, the Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max is surprisingly heavier by 1g at 227g while achieving a middle ground at about 8.3mm thickness. 

HONOR Magic V3 – AI capabilities out of the Box

One of the most defining factors of a flagship phone today is its integration of AI capabilities.  At its global launch, much was said of the iPhone 16 Pro Max and its marque feature of Apple Intelligence.

Several of its features like Cleanup to selectively erase parts of a phone, Visual Intelligence where it uses the iPhone’s camera to glean details off a sign or menu or even identify an object in frame, Writing Tools where it can intelligently rewrite text based on prompts as well as creating summaries from audio recordings and transcripts are all AI features that will be deployed in a series of updates in the coming months.

Rather than wait, the HONOR Magic V3 foldable already has its AI capabilities and features ready to roll straight out of the box. HONOR’s AI Eraser feature is able to delete unwanted parts of an image while HONOR’s Circle to Search Mode with Google enables users to circle, highlight or tap any image, text or video to find out more. 

For audio-to-text conversion, the ability to identify different speakers and even multi-language translation, the HONOR Magic V3’s built-in HONOR Notes app is on hand to help like an attentive secretary.

Better yet, the unique foldable design of the HONOR Magic V3 means that its Face-to-Face Translation mode allows the user and a subject to use view translated text on the front and main display simultaneously with live audio translations too for better clarity. Even better, HONOR’s Magic Portal feature allows for knuckle circle gestures to circle text or images and easy access to selected apps and Google Image search.

HONOR Magic V3 – Powerful Cameras

Apple’s iPhones are renowned for their imaging capabilities though the HONOR Magic V3 foldable has a camera array that can give it a run for its money with flagship-grade imaging capabilities and several tricks up its sleeves that give it an edge for capturing still images. 

The iPhone 16 Pro Max has a rear triple camera array that consists of a primary 48MP F/1.8 camera with sensor-shift OIS, a 48MP ultra wide angle camera and a 12MP F/2.8 telephoto camera with up to 5x optical zoom and 25x digital zoom. 

In the case of the HONOR Magic V3, you get a triple camera setup built around a primary 50MP F/1.6 camera with a brighter aperture and OIS, a 40MP F/2.2 ultra wide angle camera and a 50MP F/3.0 telephoto camera with 3.5x optical zoom but with the ability to go up to a whopping 100x digital zoom. 

Not only do you get longer digital zoom capabilities, the HONOR Magic V3 also benefits from Studio Harcourt art filters, enabling it to capture stylish images in Harcourt’s signature style and the ability to be folded up halfway up enables the HONOR Magic V3 to act as its own tripod for even more creative photography options. The iPhone 16 Pro Max also has its own set of portrait modes that mimic specific lighting setups with about half a dozen to choose from so both are strong contenders in their own right.

Those who capture more videos than photos will gravitate towards the iPhone 16 Pro Max’s setup that allows for up to 4K@120fps video and Cinematic mode though the HONOR Magic V3’s rear cameras are no slouch with 4K@60fps video capabilities and have the edge for photography.

HONOR Magic V3 – Foldable Form Factor for Expanded Functionality

A traditional candybar form factor phone is limited by the fact that it only has one main display up front and while the iPhone 16 Pro Max is larger than its predecessor the 15 Pro Max with a 6.9-inch Super Retina XDR OLED screen, it’s still not enough to comfortably read or work on especially for large spreadsheets and documents without pinch-zooming back and forth.

The HONOR Magic V3 is the best of both worlds. When folded down, the front-facing 6.43-inch 120Hz LTPO OLED display has the dimensions of a standard candybar phone for day to day tasks like texts, social media browsing and the like. When serious work needs to be done, the HONOR Magic V3 has the option of unfolding to reveal a much larger, tablet-sized 7.92-inch 120Hz LTPO OLED display to comfortably work on documents, spreadsheets, watch movies and more. 

Even better, the HONOR Magic V3 has an array of additional features and modes that leverage the large main folding display including split screens for simultaneous multitasking, split-screen shopping mode, AI Face-to-Face translation and more. The foldable form factor also enables the HONOR Magic V3 to act as its own tripod to capture hyperlapse videos or even for video calls too, making it exceptionally versatile indeed.

HONOR Magic V3 – Bigger battery and a bundled charger too

One of the most critical aspects of any flagship device is what kind of battery life it has; there’s no point having a ton of bells and whistles if it lasts barely more than half a day. The iPhone 16 Pro Max has a large 4,685mAh battery with a quoted ability to charge to 50% in 30 minutes with a 20W or higher USB-C charger though no charger is included with the phone itself. 

On the other hand, the HONOR Magic V3 hosts a larger 5,150mAh battery that utilises  more sophisticated silicon carbon technology for greater endurance along with 66W wired charging with the ability for a full 0%-100% charge in just 40 minutes. Best of all, the HONOR Magic V3 also comes with a compatible 66W fast charger to enjoy fast charging speeds straight out of the box.

HONOR Magic V3 – Built Tough for Added Peace of Mind 

The Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max has a chassis made of titanium that has an IP68 dust and water resistance rating for dust resistance and allowing it to survive up to 6 metres of freshwater for up to 30 minutes with a display protected by their Ceramic Shield coating that’s rated for twice the durability of smartphone glass.

Belying its design as a foldable phone, the HONOR Magic V3 gets an edge with a surprising level of durability. The front display of the HONOR Magic V3 has a scratch and cut resistant NanoCrystal Shield coating while the inner main folding display has a Nanoscale Anti-Scratch coating that’s five times more scratch resistant than normal folding panels. For added peace of mind, the HONOR Magic V3 also has a free 365-day screen protection policy that lets you change the inner and outer screen free of charge.

The HONOR Magic V3’s chassis also has a respectable IPX8 water resistance rating too, allowing it to resist up to 2.5 metres of immersion in freshwater for up to 30 minutes while featuring a slimmer yet more durable steel hinge that is rated to withstand over 500,000 folds which means that it will work for years to come.

Should you get the HONOR Magic V3 or the iPhone 16 Pro Max?

The Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max and the new HONOR Magic V3 both have their charms. For those looking to a more versatile, more technologically innovative smartphone with AI capabilities out of the box, the HONOR Magic V3 priced at RM6,999 makes for a strong case though to be fair, the Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max remains still a solid choice for those already invested in Apple’s ecosystem.

You can check out our prior HONOR Magic V3 review here and HONOR’s official site to purchase the HONOR Magic V3 here.

[This feature is brought to you by HONOR]