Honor has been knocking on the door of true flagship competition for years. The Magic4 and Magic5 were devices that looked great on paper but didn’t quite live up to the hype in everyday use. But credit where it’s due — Honor has been listening. Each generation has seen meaningful improvements, and with the Magic6 Pro, it finally feels like they’ve nailed it. This isn’t just another premium Android phone; it’s the first Android device with Google Mobile Services (GMS) that can genuinely go toe-to-toe with Samsung in South Africa.
A premium feel without the gimmicks
I have the Black Magic6 Pro which looks and feels every bit like a high-end device. It’s got a curved 6.8-inch OLED display with a crisp 1312 x 2848 resolution and an adaptive 120Hz refresh rate. In short? The screen is bright, smooth, and sharp — exactly what you’d expect from a flagship in 2024.
The build quality is impressive. Honor has kept things sleek without making the phone a fingerprint magnet, and while curved displays aren’t for everyone, the Magic6 Pro’s slight curve strikes a nice balance between aesthetics and usability.
Fast, fluid and future-proof
Under the hood, the Magic6 Pro is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, paired with 12GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. Performance is what you’d expect from a premium device — fast, fluid, and capable of handling anything you throw at it. Apps open instantly, multitasking is seamless, and gaming performance is top-tier.
Battery life is another win here. With a 5,600mAh battery, you’re easily getting a full day (or more) of use, and 80W wired charging means you’re not stuck waiting around for it to top up. Even the 66W wireless charging feels ahead of what most flagships offer.
Honor’s best camera yet
Cameras have always been an area where Honor shows promise but doesn’t quite deliver — until now. The Magic6 Pro’s triple-camera system is seriously impressive:
- 50MP main sensor with Optical Image Stabilisation (OIS)
- 50MP ultra-wide sensor for expansive shots
- 180MP periscope telephoto lens with 2.5x optical zoom and up to 100x digital zoom
The main sensor is excellent, capturing sharp images with great dynamic range. The periscope lens, while not reaching Samsung’s zoom capabilities, still holds up well in real-world use. Even at higher zoom levels, details are decent. And for selfies, the 50MP front camera — paired with a 3D depth sensor — delivers crisp, well-exposed shots.
A legitimate flagship contender
The Magic6 Pro is the most polished and competitive device Honor has ever released. It’s no longer just a phone with great specs — it’s a flagship that actually delivers where it matters. If you’re in South Africa and looking for a high-end Android phone that isn’t a Samsung or a Pixel import, the Magic6 Pro is finally worth serious consideration.