Reviews

LG V60 ThinQ 5G Dual Screen review: 2020’s most underrated phone

Zero gimmicks, plenty of practical features

Published

May 7, 2020

Chay Lazaro

Two months ago LG unveiled its third phone to come with the Dual Screen case. With foldable smartphones sold at a premium and Android flagship smartphones retailing for over US$1000, the V60 ThinQ has become a compelling choice, now more than ever.

The phone’s full name is LG V60 ThinQ 5G Dual Screen, but for the sake of brevity I will refer to it as the V60 from here on out.

Outdated but solid looks

The V60 comes in a rather large package. It’s one of the biggest phones we’ve had the opportunity of reviewing this year. Its size is not for everyone and I personally prefer smaller form factors.

Since it’s not pretending to be a pocketable phone made for one-handed use, I found that my behavior and habits when it comes to using a smartphone changed with the V60. I no longer hold my phone in one hand when I go out for a supermarket run and instead keep it in my tote. I found myself being less glued to the screen — no longer mindlessly scrolling Instagram and Twitter — and only picking the phone up when I do need to use it.

Size and heft aside, the phone looks and feels premium with its glass and metal build, chamfered edges, and light gold accents around the camera and around the phone. They are subtle but make a world of difference.

The phone also comes in Classy White, with silver accents.

Volume buttons and Google Assistant button are found on the left, while the power button is on the right. I had the Google Assistant button turned off from day one since I don’t use voice assistants but I really wish that this was remappable to something else.

I did turn on the option to open the camera by double pressing either the power or volume down button. I also turned on the option to launch Screen off memo by double pressing the volume up button. This way when I’m making coffee in the morning and find out I’m out of milk, I can quickly take note of it without getting distracted by the notifications on my phone yet.

There are four microphones, double the number than on its predecessors. Having four microphones allows you to record natural ambient sound from various directions. There is also a new feature called Voice Bokeh, that minimizes background noise and boosts the user’s voice. There’s also ASMR mode in case anyone finds that useful.

At the bottom there are speaker grilles, USB-C port, and a 3.5mm headphone jack! Just when you think brands don’t care, LG actually listens or at least they insist that it’s a feature that’s always going to be there.

While we’re on the subject, just like its predecessors the V60 still has Quad DAC support. This means you can enjoy high-quality sound closer to the original. It’s a shame our unit does not come bundled with headphones. I remember getting a pair of Bang and Olufsen headphones from LG flagships before.

“This has the most impressive battery life of a phone that I’ve ever used.”

When you turn the phone around, you’ll see that the phone looks nothing like a 2020 flagship smartphone. When you think of the best phones other brands have on offer this year, what they all have in common is a great emphasis on immersive displays that curve on the edges. Some even fold or unfold to become bigger devices.

For LG’s top of the line smartphone, that’s not the case. It doesn’t have a smooth refresh rate that every Android flagship we’ve reviewed so far has.

Even though it looks a bit dated and not eyecatching, I don’t mind the flat display, bezels, and the notch. None of those take away from the experience. It’s still a solid phone with a good display, just not the best one out there.

“More importantly, LG opted to let go of those rather gimmicky features so that it can keep the one feature that every other manufacturer seems to have compromised on this year: price.”

If Apple bringing back the iPhone 8 chassis in 2020 is any indication, not everyone needs a phone with new looks and the latest and greatest display technology can offer.

The Dual Screen I never knew I needed

Despite the display and design being ordinary by today’s standards, what sets it apart from competition is the Dual Screen case. If you’ve seen our videos on the V50 and G8X last year, you’d know that we are fans of the idea.

The huge 6.8-inch Full HD+ OLED display doubles when you use the Dual Screen case. You also get a third 2.1-inch Cover Display that shows the time and notifications. When you’re getting a call, it would show up here as well.

The back is more rugged than previous iterations. Its ridges reminds me of a Rimowa luggage.

Just like on a foldable phone where you get a phone that expands to a tablet for things like multitasking, there are many practical use cases for the Dual Screen. I enjoyed using it for every possible scenario and see myself using this form factor in the long term.

I typed more than half of this review on Google Docs while the phone is in what I’d like to call laptop mode. LG’s Smart Keyboard converts the phone into a mini laptop — when you move a document to the second screen by swiping three fingers, the keyboard shows up on the main display automatically as soon as you tap edit.

It’s obviously not an ideal or long term work setup. I made so many typos and probably took longer to write than I would have on a laptop.

When we first tried this on the V50 last year I thought it was just a cute novelty. Now, I think of it as a practical backup for when my laptop is about to die and I don’t have access to an outlet to charge. It’s also a good alternative when I’m flying economy and the tray table is too small for my 13-inch Mac — for when travel becomes possible again.

Of course you can always do all of this typing without the dual screen but I especially love that I can easily access the formatting tools that I use heavily when writing scripts.

Since the V60 screen is larger, typing also feels a bit more comfortable compared to the V50 and G8X. It would be a lot more comfortable if the keyboard was extended a bit more horizontally since there’s actually plenty of space on the edges.

If Microsoft Office is what you use, the Dual Screen supports that too. Creating Excel sheets is manageable and it allows you to open documents simultaneously, which is especially helpful when you want to make cross references.

Oh and because all of us are in quarantine, there is something for those who are having virtual meetings that will appreciate. You can use the V60 for your zoom meetings or happy hours like you would a laptop, while still being able to take some notes on the second screen if necessary.

One of my favorite features is one that’s also built-in on the LG Smart Keyboard. When browsing Instagram and Twitter, or reading an article on one screen, I can easily send a screenshot using another chat app on the other screen, without it every being stored on the phone.

I can always do this without the case, by taking a regular screenshot, switching between two apps, then attaching the screenshot but with it built-in, screenshots will cease from taking up space in my gallery and instead will go directly to their intended recipient. This feature is especially helpful since I am guilty of taking a lot of screenshots that always end up as clutter in my gallery.

There is also pen support for the V60 and the dual screen. Any Wacom AES pens will work for a more traditional note taking or document signing experience. This makes the V60 the only “foldable” to have pen support.

But enough about work and productivity, that’s not all I use my phone for.

For people like me, nothing beats holding and turning pages on an actual book. Since we’re in isolation and bookstores are closed, the Dual Screen is the closest thing I can get to that experience. Document reader app Librera can mimic that by splitting two pages on each screen.

When you open an e-book, use book mode and switch to two pages. You also need Wide Mode for LG, a third party app that you can get on the Google Playstore. This way you can have the view of two pages on both screens just like you would on a real book. More than anything, this is what I see myself using the V60 for the most.

The case also makes watching Netflix a lot more convenient. I can just prop it up like I would a laptop or put it in tent mode so I don’t have to hold it when I’m in bed. I do this as well when I’m catching Governor Cuomo’s daily briefings while having coffee in the morning.

When I’m cooking in the kitchen and following a certain recipe, I can have both the video and the website open at the same time.

I am the most casual of gamers, if I could even be considered one. For the purposes of reviewing the V60, however, I downloaded a lot of games so I can try Game Mode. This gives me a virtual joystick that I can customize whichever way I want to depending on the game I’m playing.

I used it on one of my childhood favorites, Street Fighter, and reached the fourth and final free stage — something I could never do without the virtual joystick.

With a little bit of tinkering, I was also able to replicate the Nintendo DS experience on the V60. With third party apps Drastic DS and Wide Mode, I was able to play games like the Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass, Pokemon Diamond, and New Super Mario Bros.

Selfie monitor is perfect for Instagram boyfriends and girlfriends. Being single and in isolation, this is not something I was able to take full advantage of at the moment but I see myself using this when taking photos of my friends when we can travel again one day.

There’s also reflective mode, which changes the color tone of the second screen from white to warm. It acts as an additional light source when your selfies are a little too dark, which I’m sure SuperSaf will appreciate. 😝

Three lenses, zero gimmicks

Speaking of selfies and photos, the V60 has three rear cameras: A 64MP wide angle lens, a 13MP ultra wide angle lens, and a time of flight sensor. Up front is a 10MP selfie camera.

Now you’re probably thinking, where’s the zoom lens? Newsflash: unlike other Android flagships that have insane zoom capabilities, LG didn’t include a dedicated lens for it. Instead, when you zoom in, the V60 crops the 64MP image into a 16MP one.

Here’s what it looks like at 1x, 2x, 5x, and 10x.

Some of you would argue that ultra wide angle is more useful than an optical zoom lens so if you’re on the other side of that argument, you should look elsewhere; the V60 is not for you.

Otherwise the V60 takes great photos during the day outdoors and indoors.

I am a fan of the V60’s color reproduction. Oranges and reds on other smartphones tend to be oversaturated, but the V60 photos look as natural as possible and closer to real life.

The ultra wide angle camera, which LG first put on the G5 a few years ago, takes excellent photos as well.

At night the V60 also takes pretty good shots, especially when you switch to Night View, LG’s version of night mode.

Just note that when you take photos at night with the case on, it will create these line streaks from lights.

The front-facing camera also takes decent selfies as long as you have ample lighting.

Impressive battery life

The LG V60 comes with a huge 5000 mAh battery. That’s necessary because the secondary display actually draws power from it when it’s in use. When the phone’s battery is below 15% you won’t be able to use the dual screen anymore.

Battery life of course varies depending on usage; some apps just consume more juice than others. With the dual screen attached the V60 lasts an entire day of heavy use or about 9 hours of screen on time. That’s an hour of Netflix, Instagram, and Words with Friends 2, half an hour of YouTube, browsing, and reading Becoming using Librera, 2 hours of writing this review on Google Docs, and more.

Without the dual screen case, the 5000 mAh battery lasts more than 2 days — one time I got a whopping 12 hours of screen on time.

When it finally conked out, the bundled charger takes less than two hours to fully charge the 5000 mAh battery. The phone also supports Qi wireless charging and it works even with the case on. It’s just not as fast as those we’ve seen on the Mi 10 Pro and the OnePlus 8 Pro.

Needless to say, this has the most impressive battery life of a phone that I’ve ever used.

Disappointing biometrics

On a quick and more negative note, my biggest gripe about the V60 is its slow and unreliable in-display fingerprint scanner. This is also the only biometric security option available on the phone.

Is the LG V60 ThinQ your GadgetMatch?

First, let me get this out of the way: to my knowledge no other flagship smartphone has a 3.5mm headphone jack and Quad DAC support. So audiophiles, if those are important to you, the LG V60 is your GadgetMatch.

For everyone else, consider what’s important to you and your needs. LG did not included features that a lot of 2020 flagships are prioritizing like the edge to edge curved display, high refresh rate, and out of this world zoom camera capabilities.

The Korean company did, however, keep the things that other folks find to be essential: a big battery, the headphone jack, an ultrawide angle lens, water and dust resistance, and wireless charging.

More importantly, LG opted to let go of those rather gimmicky features so that it can keep the one feature that every other manufacturer seems to have compromised on this year: price.

You can get the LG V60 at US$ 799.99 from T-Mobile and US$ 899.99 if you want the Dual Screen case included. The T-Mobile version of the phone is optimized for Sub-6 5G networks, while Verizon offers the version optimized for mmWave networks which have faster speeds starting at US$ 949.99.

Do you need two screens? Nope. All of us can do virtually any mobile computing task on one slab of glass. You can do almost anything on the V60 too even without the case.

The add-on experience — the option to add a secondary screen, use your wired headphones, as well as a third party stylus — plus its top of the line specs, are things that you will not get from any other phone.

What you’re buying when you get the LG V60, is the choice to take your multitasking, productivity, and entertainment to another level whenever you want to.

Reviews

The realme P4 Power: realme’s midrange power play?

A power bank and a phone — and more

Published

June 19, 2026

Manila Connoisseur

Whenever a brand slaps a “long battery life” label on a box, we take it with a grain of salt.

Even as smartphone battery capacities have become larger as of late, endurance is still subjective. It’s heavily dependent on your daily screen time, signal strength, and other habits.

But when a smartphone lands on your desk with a gargantuan 10,001mAh battery, then that subjectivity basically goes right out the window.

That’s what the realme P4 Power chiefly brings to the Philippine market for the first time, in the brand’s P series relatively quiet debut in the country.

It’s here to eliminate low-battery anxiety and render your bulky external power banks completely obsolete.

Tether-less freedom

We wielded this device for weeks as a primary daily driver, and the endurance is nothing short of black magic.

The daily rotation included endless social media scrolling, video streaming, continuous navigation, and a relentless stress test: serving as a portable Wi-Fi hotspot for up to three separate devices simultaneously.

Through all that usage, the phone flat-out refused to die. I didn’t consciously “try” to drain it. I just know it would last an entire day for up to the wee hours.

When acting as a multi-device router, the chassis does heat up slightly, but it never crosses into alarming or uncomfortable territory.

It simply sips power, providing a level of tether-less freedom that no standard 5,000mAh or 6,000mAh smartphone can replicate.

When it is finally time to recharge the device, it supports 80W SUPERVOOC charging so you won’t have to spend hours waiting.

Even if you don’t replenish it back up to 100%, an hour’s worth of charging should keep you going the extra distance.

Immersive visuals, casual performance

The massive battery pairs beautifully with a expansive 6.8-inch 144Hz AMOLED display. With a high, 453ppi pixel density and 1280 x 2800 resolution, media consumption and gaming become highly engaging — at least from a visuals standpoint.

There is a wider aspect ratio so you don’t get a comically long phone, and a curved screen. We aren’t typical fond of this but the curvature seems subtle, meaning no accidental edge touches.

When it comes to performance, the MediaTek Dimensity 7400 Ultra chipset handles everyday tasks and casual, less-demanding titles with absolute ease.

However, when jumping into competitive matches of Call of Duty: Mobile or exploring the heavy landscapes of Honkai: Star Rail, you will encounter frame drops and stuttering from time to time.

It’s never jarring enough to ruin your match or hinder what you’re trying to do, but it does occasionally disrupt an otherwise smooth gaming experience.

If anything, there’s Championship Mode and GT Mode to optimize the device for such tasks. Bypass Charging is a bonus so you can keep playing without the risk of device overheating.

Audio is loud but somewhat flat, but I didn’t expect much.

Heavy, mecha-inspired tank

That display curvature is part of the phone’s overall aesthetic. Around the back, the realme P4 Power embraces its “all about power” persona with a distinct, machine-inspired design language.

The upper half where the camera island is located, in particular, look aggressive and sharp, as if a nod to mobile gaming. The colorway for this unit is silver metallic.

However, housing a 10,000mAh cell requires a serious physical compromise: weight. This phone is significantly, undeniably heavy.

The sheer heft is a constant reminder of the juice it carries, to the point where switching back to a “normal” smartphone yields a stark, instantly noticeable contrast in your hand and pockets.

Reliable main camera, lagging selfies

For its camera package, the realme P4 Power comes with a dependable 50MP main camera with a Sony IMX882 sensor.

I didn’t exactly “test” the camera but just naturally used it whenever I was out and about. Hence, I ended up with plenty of food, product reviews, and random finds.

Performance is decent, with the 1x to 1.5x range being the sweet spot. Compared to budget devices, there is definitely more detail and texture.

Color reproduction is likewise amenable, with some depth and acceptable clarity. But camera-centric mid-rangers can obviously offer punchier, more “popped-up” contrast.

With OIS, video recording is likewise smooth. It’s usable for casual vlogging, although lighting is still the catch. You’ll need an extra tofu light for instance, which sacrifices the portability of the phone itself.

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The selfie camera, meanwhile, also lags compared to older realme number series devices I’ve used. Sharpness, vividness, and color accuracy are lacking.

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Built to survive the elements

As an added bonus, realme didn’t sacrifice ruggedness for the sake of capacity. The handset comes armed with a familiar IP69 rating for dust and water resistance, including high-pressure water jets and submersion.

We took it out on outdoor jogs, and heavy sweat didn’t cause a single issue. Even when dealing with moisture, the display’s touch optimization remained responsive.

Is this your GadgetMatch?

The realme P4 Power sits right in the competitive PhP 25,999 price bracket. In an era where smartphone prices are continuously climbing, it still offers a value proposition as an all-around mid-range device.

Think of it as buying a standard mid-ranger plus a power bank, minus the double pocket clutter. Long-term battery degradation remains to be seen but it seems the device is a fair purchase for power users.

It’s a close call, but the P4 Power is still a Swipe Right especially if your lifestyle demands endless battery life above all else.

Reviews

HONOR Watch 6 Review: Less guessing, more knowing

Beyond educated guesses

Published

June 18, 2026

Rodneil Quiteles

After a week with the HONOR Watch 6, I realized I liked having data on things I normally would just leave to uneducated guesses.

I love seeing my sleep metrics, knowing if my heart is actually racing, and seeing notifications on the fly. These are things I find truly helpful in how I go about life currently. That’s why I can already see myself using the watch beyond the review period.

The thing is, I wasn’t expecting any of this.

The first thing that jumped out at me when I first wore the HONOR Watch 6 was that it barely felt like it was there. I was half expecting it to be this chunky-feeling thing. But it wasn’t. I was pleasantly surprised.

I have the silver model with the brown leather strap, and it feels light to wear. That was key for me because what I really wanted to track more than anything was my sleep.

The only time I really started to notice that I was wearing it practically all the time was around the fifth or sixth day. And honestly, that says a lot because I tend to want to take off most of the smartwatches I’ve used in the past.

A smartwatch that fits daily life

The brown leather strap is inoffensive in the best possible way. It blends well with both casual wear and smart casual outfits, which made it easy to keep on throughout the week.

In fact, I think it looks more at home during everyday life than during intense workouts.

That’s why I found myself looking at the HONOR Watch 6 less as a fitness watch and more as a health tracker that looks nice and tells me if there’s a proverbial fire I need to put out — or if she remembered me that day.

The display also quietly did its job.

Of course it’s a TWICE notification

You know, I didn’t even think about it. Whenever I needed to check the time or glance at a notification, I simply gestured as anyone would to look at their watch. No matter where I was, what I needed to see was readily visible.

That’s probably the highest compliment I can give a smartwatch display. It never gave me a reason to think about it.

Managing attention without reaching for my phone

Oof. I cannot overstate how many notifications I get on any given day.

As a Managing Editor with occasional side hustles, notifications come from multiple messaging apps. One moment I’m tracking production progress on WhatsApp, the next I’m checking what the team is discussing on Telegram. Then there are the emails, Messenger messages from friends, and the “… sent you a reel” notifications that have recently dropped in frequency to my dismay.

I don’t always want to pull out my phone to check these.

What I appreciated most about the HONOR Watch 6 is that notifications are grouped by app, and each one provides a clean preview. It gives me enough information to quickly assess what needs attention and what can wait.

For someone who is constantly juggling attention, that proved surprisingly useful.

Replacing guesses with data

The feature I was most interested in wasn’t fitness tracking.

It was sleep tracking.

Some time ago, a friend of mine started tracking her sleep and it helped her better regulate her energy throughout the day. I am nowhere near that level of discipline, but I was curious.

Between traveling across time zones, late-night coverage, doomscrolling, revenge bedtime procrastination, and everything else life throws at us, I honestly wasn’t sure if I was getting enough sleep.

What I learned is that I tend to wake up at least once in the middle of the night. Not for anything, really. I just do.

The mornings that felt best were often the nights where my sleep wasn’t interrupted. I know that sounds obvious, but if you’re not actively paying attention, these are the kinds of patterns you can easily miss.

The same goes for heart rate tracking.

During a particularly stressful stretch, I noticed my heart rate was consistently elevated. It wasn’t exactly surprising, but seeing the data attached to the feeling made it feel more real.

That’s what I found myself appreciating most about the HONOR Watch 6. It didn’t magically solve anything. It simply helped me replace assumptions with information.

Battery life that quietly impressed

As of taking the photos, the battery life is at 39% – still coming off the first initial charge.

I charged the watch the moment I unboxed it. Seven days later, it was sitting at 59%.

During that time, I wore it constantly. Notifications were enabled. Health tracking was enabled. I tracked a handful of kettlebell workouts and wore it while sleeping.

I wasn’t exactly pushing the watch to its limits, but I also wasn’t babying it.

The result was a battery experience that quickly faded into the background. That’s exactly what I want from a smartwatch.

Everything else

To be completely honest, I didn’t have the time or bandwidth to thoroughly test every feature.

My workout sessions were limited to a few kettlebell workouts and my usual walking. That said, the breadth of sports tracking available here is impressive. If you can think of an activity, there’s a good chance the HONOR Watch 6 can track it.

Pairing was also straightforward. The initial setup process and software updates went smoothly, even if updates immediately after unboxing remain one of my least favorite parts of testing any device.

My one annoyance came from using the watch with multiple HONOR phones. At times, notifications would arrive twice or arrive at slightly different times depending on which device was relaying them. There’s probably a setting that solves this. I just didn’t have the opportunity to dig deeper.

Same notification, two different phones

As for features like AI Recorder and NFC payments, I simply didn’t encounter situations where they became essential to my routine. That’s not necessarily a criticism. It may simply reflect how different people use smartwatches.

Is the HONOR Watch 6 your GadgetMatch?

Something I don’t think we’ve talked about enough is that the HONOR Watch 6 also works well with an iPhone.

If you don’t particularly like the look of the Apple Watch but still want a smartwatch on your wrist, this is a viable alternative.

The HONOR Watch 6 is for people who want useful technology that blends into everyday life. It looks good enough for casual outings and nicer occasions alike, while still offering the usual smartwatch essentials like health tracking, workout monitoring, notifications, and long battery life.

After about a week with the HONOR Watch 6, I realized I liked having data on things I normally would just leave to uneducated guesses.

Smartwatches aren’t for everyone. But if you fancy having one, the HONOR Watch 6 is an easy swipe right.

It has the right features, excellent battery life, and a design that fits comfortably into many parts of daily life.

That’s really all most people need.

Reviews

HONOR Magic V6 review: The best version of a book-style foldable?

Little left to sacrifice

Published

June 11, 2026

Rodneil Quiteles

Before I learned when the HONOR Magic V6 review embargo would lift, I had already become aware of the possibility of upcoming wide foldables.

The idea immediately caught my attention because it seemed to address one of the few remaining questions I have about today’s book-style foldables.

They’re excellent productivity devices. The larger, almost square-like display is perfect for multitasking, reading, editing documents, and working with multiple apps at once.

But much of the content we consume today isn’t square.

It’s vertical: Reels. Shorts. TikToks. Fancams.

Or it’s widescreen: YouTube videos. Movies. TV shows.

Book-style foldables can absolutely play these types of content. But when unfolded, they don’t always make the best use of the additional screen space because of their aspect ratio.

That thought lingered in the back of my mind while testing the HONOR Magic V6.

What surprised me was that despite that lingering question, the Magic V6 still made a compelling case for the current form factor. In fact, if the goal is to create a foldable that feels as close as possible to a regular flagship smartphone while still unfolding into a tablet, HONOR may have come closer than anyone else.

The HONOR Magic V6 is priced at RM 7,699 in Malaysia, with pre-orders running from June 4 to 11, 2026 and bundled gifts worth up to RM 3,797.

That’s flagship foldable money. Fortunately, the Magic V6 spends very little time reminding you that it’s a foldable and most of its time convincing you it’s simply a very good smartphone.

It feels like a regular smartphone

The HONOR Magic V6 looks and feels almost too much like a standard slab smartphone that you almost forget it can unfold into a larger screen.

That’s perhaps the most impressive thing about the device.

Most certainly, I felt the Galaxy S26 Ultra more when carrying it compared to the Magic V6. Despite being a foldable, it never feels cumbersome in daily use.

One of the subtle improvements I appreciated most was the button placement.

This is one of those low-key things you don’t really think about at first but becomes important over time. There’s little to no adjustment required when moving from a regular smartphone to the Magic V6 because the buttons sit exactly where you expect them to.

I use it alongside both the HONOR Magic8 Pro and Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra and the transition feels seamless. That’s something I can’t quite say about the OPPO Find N6, whose power button still sits at a height that feels a little awkward.

Folded, the Magic V6 doesn’t feel like a compromise compared to a traditional flagship.

It simply feels like a regular flagship smartphone.

Unfolded, it feels natural too. The display even feels larger than the Galaxy Z Fold7 and HONOR Magic V5 that I used previously.

And that’s where the appeal of a book-style foldable continues to shine.

Productivity remains the killer feature

The larger display became particularly useful during several production shoots.

I found myself timekeeping to make sure we stayed on schedule while simultaneously checking scripts and production notes. It’s one of those situations where the larger screen immediately proves its value.

On another occasion, I handed the unfolded device to a project lead so she could review a script while planning shots for the day.

It immediately made her stop and consider whether she should get a foldable herself.

Moments like these highlight the unique advantage of book-style foldables.

The larger screen doesn’t just exist for the sake of being larger. It enables workflows that simply aren’t as comfortable on a conventional smartphone.

That’s why, despite my growing curiosity about where foldables go next, the Magic V6 reminded me why this category became appealing in the first place.

Battery confidence is underrated

An overwhelming yes.

That’s my answer when asked whether the battery capacity translates into confidence.

The Magic V6 is an endurance beast.

I never worried about using it folded or unfolded throughout the day. I never worried about taking photos, multitasking, or spending extended periods on the larger display.

For the most part, I simply knew that no matter what I did during a normal day, I’d still have enough battery to get home or reach somewhere I could recharge.

As someone who tends to become conscious about battery life once it drops below 50 percent, that’s saying something.

I also noticed myself worrying about the battery less the more time I spent with the device. I got used to how much power it consumed depending on what I was doing throughout the day.

Compared to the Galaxy Z Fold7 and HONOR Magic V5, the Magic V6 feels like it has more endurance.

It also charges faster.

The media consumption question

Did the Magic V6 make me watch more videos than I normally would on a phone?

Not really.

Most of my phone-based video consumption consists of Reels, Shorts, and the occasional K-pop fancam. Longer content usually happens elsewhere. If I’m watching a movie, a series, or even a lengthy YouTube video, I’d much rather do it on a TV or tablet.

For the purposes of this review, I spent some time watching aespa Karina’s “Lemonade” facecam. I figured if there was any content I’d naturally watch on a phone, it would be that.

Folded and held in hand, it’s your typical smartphone viewing affair. In fact, the cover display is still a little narrower than I personally prefer.

You can also prop it up in Flex Mode and watch hands-free, which works surprisingly well when you’re sitting at a desk or table.

When unfolded, things become a little more complicated.

You can watch content in its original aspect ratio and live with the black bars. At night, they practically disappear. In brighter environments, they’re much more noticeable.

You can also pinch to zoom and fill more of the display. This works particularly well for content where the subject stays near the center of the frame. Facecams like Karina’s are a perfect example.

Why is Karina giving so much Shego vibes here?

The challenge is that much of today’s content exists in either 9:16 or 16:9 formats, while book-style foldables unfold into something much closer to a square.

The result is that the additional screen space isn’t always utilized as efficiently as you might expect.

That’s not really a criticism of the Magic V6 itself.

Rather, it’s one of the reasons I’ve become interested in the idea of wide foldables. The Magic V6 excels at productivity because of its aspect ratio. Whether that same aspect ratio remains ideal for modern media consumption is a question I continue to think about.

Cameras that don’t feel like a compromise

The camera system is one of the standout features of the device.

For a foldable, it takes really good photos. Photos I wouldn’t hesitate to post immediately on social media.

I’ve become particularly fond of HONOR’s Authentic Filter and used it extensively throughout my testing. The images look excellent and carry a look that I genuinely enjoy.

I still notice some limitations once I move beyond 6x zoom, but realistically, most users won’t spend much time there.

For everyday photography, the Magic V6 delivers more than enough.

That’s important because it removes one of the traditional compromises associated with foldables. Check out the samples below.

Witcher in Concert night

Food with friends

Taipei streets part 1

Middle Name Coffee and Space

Taipei streets part 2

Instil Coffee

Taipei streets part 3

Taipei at night + Bar Shock

Taipei at night + Backstreet Bar

Side gig

Sushi Party

Apple-friendly and easy to live with

One of the more pleasant surprises was how useful the Apple ecosystem features turned out to be.

Funny story.

I attended a sushi party where one of the guests happened to be an engineer who liked tinkering with hardware. He brought a small development board loaded with chips and components. When powered on, it mimicked the pairing process of AirPods and attempted to communicate with nearby Apple devices.

As he was scanning the room for iPhones, he was surprised to see his setup interacting with the HONOR Magic V6 I was carrying.

It’s a small anecdote, but it serves as a real-world reminder of how much effort HONOR has put into making the device work alongside Apple’s ecosystem.

More practically, I’ve regularly used the Magic V6 to move files between the phone and my MacBook Pro M4. The process is straightforward and useful enough that it naturally became part of my workflow.

The same can be said about durability.

The funny thing is people often comment about how not-so-careful I am with my devices. It’s not that I don’t take care of them. I simply carry a lot of gear at once and sometimes toss things into my bag without thinking too much about it.

Despite that less-than-careful handling, the Magic V6 hasn’t sustained any significant or noticeable damage.

Is the HONOR Magic V6 your GadgetMatch?

The HONOR Magic V6 is the fulfillment of the book-style foldable promise.

It’s a standard-sized smartphone that unfolds into something larger. It unlocks productivity and multitasking capabilities exactly the way you imagine it would.

The weight, thickness, and handling are about as close as you’re going to get to a regular smartphone. What’s remarkable is that HONOR achieved this while also delivering excellent battery life, fast charging, and a camera system that rarely feels like a compromise.

It won’t stop me from being curious about where foldables go next.

But it did remind me how good today’s foldables have already become.

If we’re judging the HONOR Magic V6 based on what a book-style foldable is supposed to be, there is very little left to sacrifice. That’s why I’m giving the Magic V6 the GadgetMatch Seal of Approval.