Honor Magic V5 vs Samsung Galaxy A36 5G

Honor Magic V5

Honor

8.3

Great

Samsung Galaxy A36 5G

Samsung

6.8

Decent

What Reviewers Agree On

World's thinnest book-style foldable with a nearly invisible crease — remarkable engineering
Battery life is exceptional for a foldable — comfortable two-day use for many reviewers
Display quality on both inner and outer screens is among the best in any foldable
IP58/IP59 water resistance beats Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7's IP48
MagicOS software is the weakest aspect — lacks polish compared to Samsung One UI

Deal Breakers

MagicOS lacks polish — cluttered homescreen, rough UI patches, and pre-installed apps
Weak 10MP selfie cameras (inner and outer) are lacking in almost every situation

Detailed Comparison

Design & Build

Honor Magic V5

A stunning achievement in foldable engineering. At 4.1mm unfolded and 217g, the Magic V5 lays completely flat with a nearly invisible crease and feels like a normal phone when folded. IP58/IP59 water resistance outclasses Samsung, and S Pen support adds versatility. The large camera bump does cause wobble on flat surfaces.

World's thinnest book-style foldable at 4.1mm unfolded / 8.8mm folded — remarkable engineering feat
At 217g it's extremely light for a large-screen foldable — comfortable one-handed use when folded
IP58/IP59 water resistance significantly better than Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7's IP48 rating
Large camera bump causes significant wobble when used unfolded on a flat surface

Samsung Galaxy A36 5G

The A36 5G punches above its weight in design, with a clean aesthetic that mirrors Samsung's flagship lineup. Build quality is solid for the price with a polycarbonate back that still manages to look sleek.

Clean, modern design that takes cues from the flagship S25 series — doesn't look like a budget phone

TechTalkTown may earn a commission from purchases made through links below. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This does not influence our reviews. Learn more.

Buy Honor Magic V5

AmazonCheck price

Buy Samsung Galaxy A36 5G

AmazonCheck price

People Also Compare

Honor Magic V5 vs Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra Samsung Galaxy A36 5G vs Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra Honor Magic V5 vs Samsung Galaxy S26+Samsung Galaxy A36 5G vs Samsung Galaxy S26+Honor Magic V5 vs Samsung Galaxy S26 Samsung Galaxy A36 5G vs Samsung Galaxy S26 Honor Magic V5 vs Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold Samsung Galaxy A36 5G vs Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold Honor Magic V5 vs OnePlus 15 OnePlus 15 vs Samsung Galaxy A36 5G

Browse all products

Display

Honor Magic V5

Honor arguably offers the best foldable displays in the market. The 7.95-inch LTPO OLED inner display hits 5,000 nits peak brightness, and both panels support Dolby Vision with 4,320Hz PWM dimming for exceptional eye comfort. The crease is nearly imperceptible in daily use.

7.95-inch inner LTPO OLED with 5,000 nits peak brightness — among the brightest foldable displays ever
4,320Hz PWM dimming on both displays — best in class for eye comfort and reduced flicker
Crease is nearly imperceptible in daily use — the display lays completely flat when opened
Some third-party apps including Google YouTube display UI glitches on the inner folding display

Samsung Galaxy A36 5G

The 6.6-inch Super AMOLED display is the A36's strongest feature. Samsung's AMOLED expertise trickles down effectively here, delivering punchy colors and smooth scrolling that outclass most budget competitors.

Super AMOLED display delivers rich, vibrant colors that punch well above the $299 price point
120Hz refresh rate makes the UI feel smoother than the processor sometimes allows
FHD+ resolution is sharp enough for the screen size — text and images look crisp

Battery Life

Honor Magic V5

Exceptional battery life for a foldable. The 5,820mAh silicon-carbon battery (industry-first 15% silicon-carbon technology) delivers comfortable two-day use for many reviewers. GSMArena measured nearly 12 hours of active use. 66W wired and 50W wireless charging provide fast top-ups.

GSMArena measured 11 hours 52 minutes active use — exceptional endurance for a foldable phone
Multiple reviewers report comfortable two-day battery life — 5,820mAh is larger than an iPad mini
66W wired charging and 50W wireless charging provide fast and flexible top-ups

Samsung Galaxy A36 5G

Battery life is one of the A36's genuine strengths. The 5,000mAh battery combined with the efficient (if slow) processor means the phone easily lasts a full day and often stretches into day two.

Excellent battery life — the combination of efficient chip and large battery means consistent two-day endurance for light users
Even heavy users will get through a full day without anxiety
25W charging is painfully slow by 2025 standards — a full charge takes well over an hour