Honor Magic V5 vs Samsung Galaxy S26+

Honor Magic V5

Honor

8.3

Great

Samsung Galaxy S26+

Samsung

Pre-Release Hands-On

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 S26+

The S26+ adopts a more "Ultra-like" design with less rounded corners for a unified family look. The Armor Aluminum frame and Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protection are solid. At ~7.3mm thin and ~190g, it's comfortable to hold.

The more angular design brings it closer to the Ultra aesthetic — Samsung is creating a more unified design language across the S26 family

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What Reviewers Agree On

The $100 price increase from $999 to $1,099 is difficult to justify given the incremental hardware upgrades
Camera hardware is essentially unchanged since the Galaxy S23+ — three years of the same sensors
One UI 8.5 AI features and software polish are genuinely improved across the board
Build quality and display remain excellent for the price tier
A solid upgrade for S23 or older owners, but poor value for recent Samsung flagship users

Deal Breakers

No Privacy Display — the most exciting S26 feature is Ultra-exclusive
Return of the Exynos/Snapdragon split after the S25 used Snapdragon globally
$100 price hike with recycled camera hardware

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 S26+

The 6.7-inch QHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel with 1-120Hz adaptive refresh rate is familiar territory — essentially the same excellent display as the S25+. No Privacy Display here; that remains an Ultra exclusive.

The 6.7-inch QHD+ panel continues to be one of the best in its class with vibrant colors and excellent brightness
No Privacy Display on the S26+ is a real missed opportunity — the best S26 feature is locked to the Ultra