HONOR Magic4 Pro: full review

HONOR best buy 2022 flagship review

Highest level specifications for HONOR Magic4 Pro with an excellent video/photo compartment

This post is my complete final review of the HONOR Magic4 Pro, HONOR's top smartphone launched in early June on the European market but which had already been talked about for months. I was lucky enough to spend intense weeks with it, taking it with me to Austria, on a trek in the Tuscan hills, around Florence and even to the sea. So let's see how it performed in all of these scenarios, including my normal workdays and training sessions in the gym.

In this article you will find the following topics about HONOR Magic4 Pro:

•          technical specifications,

•          complete unboxing,

•          battery life,

•          exclusive functions,

•          photographic sector,

•          video sector,

•          views of Florence,

•          what did not convince me,

•          final considerations.

HONOR Magic4 Pro: technical specifications

HONOR Magic4 Pro is a true flagship built with premium materials and an obsessive research in design perfection. Symmetry reigns supreme, with the 6.81" Quad-Curved OLED screen for an immersive visual experience, and the Muse's Eye that houses 3 photographic lenses and 2 sensors for professional videos and photos.

Excellent performance is guaranteed by the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 gen 1 mobile platform, 8GB of RAM and 256GB of physical memory, flanked by HONOR OS Turbo X, Link Turbo X and GPU Turbo X technology.

Features of interest clearly visible at first sight are also the double stereo speakers and the IR sensor.

Unboxing video at the link https://www.hihonor.com/global/club/topicdetail/topicid-112647/

https://www.youtube.com/*?v=RgJNd8BRphk

HONOR Magic4 Pro: battery life

HONOR Magic4 Pro is equipped with a 4600mAh battery: HONOR declares that HONOR Magic4 Pro recharges to 100% in just 30 minutes, and with wireless charging it reaches 50% charge in just 15 minutes.

HONOR Magic4 Pro has two interesting features that beat the competition: the 100W Wired and Wireless HONOR SuperCharge use a 100W wired charging and a 100W wireless charging.

I followed the performance of the battery for 2 different days: in one day of travel I touched the 5 hours of screen on about 15 hours of activity; in a working day I exceeded the 5 hours of screen turned on about 16 hours of activity.

Definitely HONOR Magic4 Pro is not a batteryphone but this is not even its purpose: the 100W fast charge allows you to boost the battery even in extreme cases.

During the recharges I have never encountered abnormal heating: possibly from the Developer Options you can limit the temperature during the recharge phase.

All the details can be found in the post https://www.hihonor.com/global/club/topicdetail/topicid-113464/

The wireless charging base and 135W transformer are sold separately or with a dedicated bundle during the offers on hihonor.com

HONOR Magic4 Pro: exclusive functions

HONOR Magic4 Pro is equipped with a 3D depth camera (ToF 3D Depth Camera) that uses 3D facial recognition biometrics to provide high levels of security and protection. The front camera sensors of the HONOR Magic4 Pro can be used to unlock the screen and keep it from turning off while we are looking at it.

The settings to activate this feature can be found at the link https://www.hihonor.com/global/club/topicdetail/topicid-113796/

https://www.youtube.com/*?v=UEysiptSiRA

HONOR Magic4 Pro is equipped with an IR remote control, a “not so used” function that is being supplanted by dedicated apps to control home automation. By opening the Tools folder you will find the "Remote Control" app or the "AI Space" app: with both you can add and configure an appliance that can then be used as a common remote control.

To see what the Remote Control and AI Space apps look like, find the details at the link https://www.hihonor.com/global/club/topicdetail/topicid-121763/

HONOR Magic4 Pro: the photographic and video sector

HONOR Magic4 Pro has one of the most complex and complete photo and video systems I've ever seen, both on the hardware side with quality lenses and sensors, and on the software with exclusive functions of excellence.

With HONOR Magic-Log Movie Master technology and AI Film Effects, HONOR Magic4 Pro allows you to shoot cinema-level movies, even in 4K LOG quality at 10bit and 60fps.

With the Cinematic 3D LUT, HONOR Magic4 Pro supports the advanced setting of recording and editing parameters, allowing you to create content with professional colors and atmospheres.

I loved the dynamic focus with face recognition during shooting both for photos and videos: successfully tested by shooting karate matches on the tatami mat.

The quality of the 4K videos can be found at the link https://www.hihonor.com/global/club/topicdetail/topicid-117006/

A complete (or almost) tour of all the various photographic and video settings can be found at the link https://www.hihonor.com/global/club/topicdetail/topicid-118132/

https://www.youtube.com/*?v=Tv3rABpxBW8

HONOR took advantage of the ultra-long zoom craze by inserting in the HONOR Magic4 Pro an optical and digital zoom system that starts from a 0.5x ultra wide angle to reach 100x super telephoto, passing through the intermediate steps of 2x, 3.5x and 10x. HONOR uses the Ultra Fusion Photography algorithm to jointly exploit the optical zoom and the digital zoom, flanked by optical stabilization on the periscopic lens and by the digital one.

The 100x zoom is a function that I wanted to deepen on a beautiful sunny day on the sea of Versilia, you can find my test shots at the link https://www.hihonor.com/global/club/topicdetail/topicid-121164/

My advice is not to go beyond 10x, or at most go up to 30x, in order not to lose definition and vividness of the image. In any case, HONOR Magic4 Pro can compete with other brands that offer similar features, which in my opinion are only for commercial marketing purposes.

HONOR Magic4 Pro: around Florence

We are experiencing hot summer weeks, with very hot afternoons, especially in the city. Florence was no exception and I visited it in the company of the HONOR Magic4 Pro for a photographic tour. Screen turned on at maximum brightness to take photos, data network and GPS active for chat and social networks: an increase in the temperature of the smartphone was foreseeable, but it was neither invasive nor a problem leading to decreases in performance. At the end of the shooting, by reducing the various processes in use, the temperature dropped significantly.

HONOR Magic4 Pro: what didn't convince me

There are some software flaws largely overcome by HONOR, which I did not expect on a top of the range so well cared for.

Using the stock video editor, the application of LUTs to videos recorded in LOG is not possible in the 4K 60fps format and it is not possible to record with a preset LUT in 4K 60fps: I doubt you lack the computing power and I think it is only a software limit. which should be unlocked.

The recording of videos in 4K has a maximum clip length of 15 minutes: this is probably a precautionary limit to avoid videos “started by mistake”, but in this way it is not possible to fully record a live event such as a concert.

Currently there are no following features that some HONOR users used in the past:

•          light trails, light painting, silk effect water;

•          management of blur once the photo is created in Aperture mode.

It is also not possible to manually manage intervals and shooting settings in Timelapse mode.

I have not been able to activate the YoYo assistant.

The HONOR Earbuds 2 lite earphones are not compatible as a remote microphone to record videos (as on HONOR 50): apparently on the Magic4 Pro it is exclusive to the Earbuds 3 Pro.

Unfortunately HONOR Health at the latest update is not compatible with Android 12.

HONOR Magic4 Pro: my final thoughts

HONOR Magic4 Pro has proven to be powerful and reliable in all tested scenarios, from basic use to more professional use. Taken in hand, the weight and dimensions are felt, especially if you come from an entry level or mid-range smartphone: but the feeling is that of having a device with attention to materials, design and shapes.

Magnificent curved screen that helps handling, like the HONOR 50 which is much smaller and lighter. Display with the right brightness, even automatic: I would have only made it a bit brighter at most. No eye strain even in the dark or with text-rich screens.

The battery has always taken me in the evening and there have never been excessive heating that diminished its performance or sudden battery drain.

The game experience of Call of Duty Mobile played at the highest resolutions available, with graphic details never seen in my life on a mobile platform, was very enjoyable. Stereo sound test passed both in games and with video and music streaming (Youtube and Spotify).

All social and messaging apps worked without limitations; very good data reception during calls and navigation. No lag or glitches during video and photo editing.

The aspects that have less convinced me all concern software limitations that can be easily overcome with updates (one of which arrived a few days ago), and I would have preferred greater care in portrait and selfie modes that in my opinion are not up to the other shooting modes. .

They asked me to rate HONOR Magic4 Pro: 8-, which with little it could go to full 8 or maybe more!

My spectacular experience with HONOR Magic4 Pro was short but intense and I have to thank all of HONOR Italy for this precious (in every sense) opportunity. Many of my friends saw me at work with the smartphone in hand and intrigued they asked me questions: from the kids who wanted to see themselves in a selfie, to my peers more interested in performance, to the most attentive to the wallet who instead asked for prices and promotions.

If you want to support my commitment to the HONOR Club, please leave a like and a comment in the various posts and videos, thank you!

Usefull links

HONOR Magic4 Pro https://tidd.ly/3uBu1vh

HONOR Magic4 Lite https://tidd.ly/3yXH9x8

HONOR * GS 3 https://tidd.ly/3OebaNX

HONOR Earbuds 3 Pro https://tidd.ly/3O7Uo2Y