HONOR Magic 6 Pro: The best AI camera smartphone

HONOR’s latest flagship, the HONOR Magic6 Pro is bursting at the seams with state-of-the-art tech, boasting a battery performance that’s simply unmatched and some ingenious AI features you won’t find elsewhere. It’s unequivocally Honor’s finest standard phone to date, highlighting the significant strides the company has made in both hardware and software domains.

An AI powered Super Camera experience

At the heart of the HONOR Magic6 Pro’s photographic capabilities is its AI-powered Falcon triple-camera system, introducing distinctive capabilities. The 50MP main camera is equipped with standard features like optical image stabilisation, and notably, it brings back an adjustable aperture feature with settings of f/1.4 and f/2, controlled by a physical shutter within the lens that adapts to varying lighting situations or through manual adjustments in Pro mode for enhanced natural bokeh effects.

With an impressive 180MP Periscope Telephoto camera that supports up to 100X digital zoom, users can capture zoomed-in images with exceptional clarity in any sports event. The ensemble is rounded off by a 50MP ultra-wide lens, boasting a 120-degree field of view, complemented by a similarly impressive 50MP ultra-wide front camera, making for a well-rounded photographic toolkit.

With its enhanced capture algorithm and AI Motion Sensing technology, the AI Falcon Camera precisely recognises various scenarios through an AI network trained with over eight million images.

The Magic 6 Pro’s camera system excels in speed, accuracy, and versatility, enriched with features like pro mode, automatic action shots, and a broad range of shooting capabilities. We’ve found that its use of AI is implemented in a way that it even beats Samsung’s latest S24 ultra smartpxhone in this key aspect.

Design and Display

Tracing back through the Honor Magic series lineage, the HONOR Magic6 Pro proudly carries forward the family’s trademark features: a prominent camera setup at the top of its rear and a quad-curved display upfront. Yet, Honor has taken strides to enhance the device’s aesthetic and ergonomic appeal significantly.

Talking about the screen – it’s absolutely stunning. The 6.8-inch LTPO OLED display boasts a refresh rate of up to 120Hz, ensuring that swiping through content is exceptionally smooth. With its quad-curved design and peak brightness reaching up to 5,000 nits, visuals nearly leap off the screen, and yet, Honor has effectively minimised unintended touches with clever software solutions. Additionally, the HONOR Magic6 Pro introduces dynamic PWM dimming at 4320Hz, pulsing the display at significantly quicker intervals to reduce brightness more efficiently than many rivals. This feature is especially beneficial for those who find traditional OLED brightness reduction methods strain their eyes.

Featuring the HONOR NanoCrystal Shield, the HONOR Magic6 Pro boasts exceptional durability and stability. Verified by SGS’s 5 Star Overall Glass Drop Resistance Ability certification in multiple scenarios, the display employs advanced materials with 50 per cent improvement in crystal density, which enhances its shock absorption capabilities by up to 10 times, ensuring utmost durability to withstands accidental drops.

The camera module blends seamlessly into the back design, with sleek curves and refined decorative elements creating a smoother transition that feels integral to the phone’s structure, rather than an afterthought. Moreover, Honor has rebalanced the device to alleviate the top-heavy feel characteristic of its predecessors.

Integrating AI in software

What truly sets the HONOR Magic6 Pro apart is its integration of AI technology, notably through an eye-tracking feature. Its potential was demonstrated impressively by Honor, showing off how it could even control a car with just eye movements. This not only speaks to Honor’s vision for a more interactive and intuitive user experience but also hints at the exciting possibilities of AI in everyday technology.

Honor’s MagicOS offers silky-smooth animations along with truly beneficial AI functionalities. Among these, the Magic Portal feature enables users to select content and text, then drag it to the right side of the screen, unveiling a selection of services with which they might wish to share it.

Magic Portal simplifies the process of transferring elements like text, pictures, videos, and files between apps for immediate use. For instance, when a user receives a party invitation via WhatsApp, they typically need to scrutinize the invite for the address, manually input it into a map application like Google Maps, ensure its accuracy, and then confirm to see the route. However, with Magic Portal, all the user has to do is drag the invitation text from WhatsApp to the screen’s edge, where Magic Portal activates, allowing them to drop the text directly into Google Maps to instantly review the route.

Powerful Battery and Hardware Performance

The HONOR Magic6 Pro is powered by Qualcomm’s high-end Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, along with generous amounts of RAM and storage – specifically, 12GB and 512GB. Performance-wise, it leaves no room for complaints.

The device consistently responds swiftly to any demand placed on it, while maintaining a cool temperature for the most part. This performance is complemented by the latest in connectivity technologies, including Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.3, and even an IR blaster for controlling your TV.

Additionally, it boasts an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance, along with convenient security features such as an optical fingerprint scanner and a biometric face ID system, making it a well-rounded choice.

It is also the first phone sold outside China to feature a silicon-carbon battery, a pioneering move by Honor that promises a greener, safer power source compared to the traditional lithium-ion.

The battery life is one of its best with the 5,600-mAh silicon-carbon battery easily supporting a day’s worth of activities. Paired with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, the HONOR Magic6 Pro offers seamless performance, whether for gaming, multitasking, or media consumption.

Besides its remarkable battery life, Honor enhances the experience with fast charging capabilities, delivering 80W through wired and 66W via wireless methods, utilising its own charging technology for both. Should the battery deplete, you can swiftly recharge from empty to full within approximately 35 to 45 minutes.

Verdict

The Honor Magic 6 Pro embodies the essence of what a flagship phone in 2024 should be with its luxurious design, top-tier specifications, and innovative features. From its soothing sage green design inspired by jewellery and classical timepieces to the impressive Falcon camera system, every detail feels curated for an elevated user experience.

It introduces AI-driven personalisation, making the phone feel like it truly knows you. This is partly due to innovative features such as its Magic Portal, an AI tool poised to greatly reduce the need for manual copying and pasting, all while being supported by stellar hardware and software capabilities alongside a top-tier camera system.

For those prioritising cutting-edge hardware over a software experience as refined as what Samsung and Apple offer, the HONOR Magic6 Pro will not disappoint.