Best of MWC 2024: HONOR Magic6 Pro

Outstanding camera performance meets well-executed hybrid software.

The HONOR Magic6 Pro was one of the most attention-grabbing smartphones at MWC 2024… for a good reason. HONOR announced the global variant of the device at MWC 2024, and this is one of those phones that you should pay attention to. We’ve been using it for a couple of weeks now, and our review is already out. The HONOR Magic6 Pro is a step up compared to its predecessor, and not only does it offer great cameras, but it shines in various other aspects, which is why we’ve decided to give it one of our MWC 2024 awards.

Sleek, comfortable, and easy to recognize

The HONOR Magic6 Pro is a large phone, there’s no denying it. It’s a very comfortable phone to use, though. HONOR has been doing a great job when it comes to ergonomics for quite some time now. The company’s phones are usually really well-designed, and they are a pleasure to handle. The same is the case here. The glass model is more slippery, but we spent the most time with the vegan leather model. The backplate on the phone is very soft, and it does add the much-needed grip. The phone does seem a bit smaller than it actually is thanks to the design, which is a good thing.

It does have a pill-shaped hole on the front, but that cutout has a purpose. The 3D facial scanning on this phone is great, and the ToF 3D camera sits up there, along with a regular front-facing camera. Even the phone’s rear-facing camera island is easy to set apart from the competition. The entire package looks very nice, and even the bezels around the display seem to be uniform, or at least very close to that. They’re also very thin, which only adds to the premium feel of the device.

Android & iOS under the same roof

I talked about MagicOS 8.0 at length in the full review for a very good reason. HONOR has been dancing on both Android and iOS sides of things for quite some time now, in regards to software. Until now, however, the software did feel a bit unfinished. The MagicOS 8.0 improved things quite a bit. Everything got an extra level of polish, and it actually feels like you’re getting both Android and iOS as part of MagicOS 8.0. You are getting all the Android features you’d expect, but you’re also getting some iOS-like functionality that many of you will appreciate. This combo works really well under the MagicOS 8.0 roof, to be quite honest.

When it comes to iOS, the 3D facial scanning and the pill-shaped hole are reminiscent of iOS, and the facial scanning works just as well, if not better. HONOR even added some software functionality that includes that pill-shaped hole, just like Apple did. Your lock screen notifications are pulled to the bottom, to be easier to reach, and the notification toggles are separated from your notification shade. All of that reminds us of iOS. However, you can swipe across the home screen to access your notification shade, which is a touch of Android, for ease of use. Speaking of which, swiping on the left 2/3 of the screen will have that effect, while doing the same on the right 1/3 will access the quick toggles screen. This solution is very effective and smart, as you’ll be accessing your notifications more frequently.

The animations in MagicOS 8.0 are outstanding, and the overall software experience is very fluid. You do get a ton of Always-On Display options, and the same goes for lock screen options. MagicOS 8.0 is a very nice mix of both Android and iOS-like functions, and it felt really nice to use.

Outstanding cameras & fast charging

The HONOR Magic6 Pro is a camera-centric phone. HONOR customized the main camera, which also offers variable aperture, and it does a great job in terms of performance. The same goes for the 180-megapixel periscope telephoto camera. We’ve enjoyed using this phone for our picture-taking needs, and for the most part, it does a great job. You do get three very capable cameras on the back, and the selfie camera is also very good, which is something that most companies don’t really care about. That’s not the case here.

The battery life also proved to be great, but if you end up needing a charge in the middle of the day, you do get access to 80W wired and 66W wireless charging. Both of those charging methods are very fast. Presuming you have the right charger, you can top-up the phone in no time. We’re only scratching the surface here. The bottom line is, the HONOR Magic6 Pro is an outstanding smartphone, and it won one of our awards for a reason.