![\"Honor](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/0_EditedMKD-09542-copy.jpg\")
Honor Magic 8 Pro smartphone (Image: Mark Kavanagh)<\/p>\nWatch out Samsung and Google as Honor\u2019s new Android powerhouse is coming for you with an array of new features<\/p>\n
18:17, 08 Jan 2026Updated 18:38, 08 Jan 2026<\/p>\n
Honor Magic 8 Pro smartphone (Image: Mark Kavanagh)<\/p>\n
Honor <\/a>is back, Back, BACK! The Chinese smartphone <\/a>firm has just launched its new non-folding flagship handset, Magic 8 Pro.<\/p>\n I\u2019ve been lucky enough to have had the opportunity to spend the last few weeks testing this photography powerhouse out ahead of its launch.<\/p>\n It comes just months after Honor <\/a>wowed the world with its latest superslim folding device, Magic V5 – one of the most accomplished cutting-edge smartphones of 2025.<\/p>\n READ MORE: OnePlus Watch Lite review: is this the best budget smartwatch for 2026?<\/a><\/p>\n READ MORE: Dyson’s AI-powered robot vacuum with AI kickstarts 2026 alongside two more new cleaning machines<\/a><\/p>\n Magic V5 stood tall and proud alongside folding phones from tech behemoths Samsung and Google, and now Honor aims to repeat the feat by stealing the march on Samsung\u2019s next flagship smartphone which is likely to launch in the coming weeks.<\/p>\n The firm seems to be promoting the Magic 8 Pro on the strength of its 200MP telephoto lens <\/a>and 6,270mAh dual-cell battery, but in testing I found this a well-rounded device that offered much more besides.<\/p>\n It will go on sale in Harvey Norman<\/a> this month priced \u20ac1,299 for 512GB of storage and 12GB of RAM, with network operator Three set to stock the device from February onwards. That\u2019s a competitive price compared to other flagships with 512GB storage and 12GB of RAM.<\/p>\n Yes it\u2019s a lot of cash to splash on a brand you may not be as familiar with as Apple, Samsung or Google but bear in mind that you get the same post-purchase customer service from Honor which has a partnership with Fonfix outlets nationwide, just like the big three.<\/p>\n Should you buy an Honor Magic 8 Pro<\/a>? I\u2019ve outlined the pros and cons below\u2026<\/p>\n Honor Magic 8 Pro in everyday use In recent years, I grew tired of the look of black slab phones with minimalist designs that seemed to copy each other.<\/p>\n However, with Magic 8 Pro I actually chose the black model from a range of test samples because it looked so refined and elegant. This is the only colour available in stores in Ireland, but online you can get it in cyan blue and sunrise gold options. But, in my subjective opinion, the black looks best.<\/p>\n It\u2019s robustly made with an aluminium frame around the sides where on the right you\u2019ll find the volume rocker, power button and a new button which launches Honor AI <\/a>with one tap and opens the camera with a double tap. You can then half-press the button to focus the camera.<\/p>\n The phone is rated IP68, IP69 and IP69K for dust and water resistance and the screen is protected by the firm\u2019s Nano Crystal Shield drop protection. I\u2019ve been using it without a case and after one month there is no sign or any marks or micro-scratches.<\/p>\n On the rear is a larger than average circular camera module that grabs your attention and provides a natural resting place for your index finger when you are holding the phone.<\/p>\n Around the front is a stunning gently curved 6.71in OLED display with an outstanding 6,000 nits of HDR peak brightness along with a range of best-in-class eye care protection features. It is a 120Hz refresh rate panel with LTPO tech that automatically adjusts the refresh rate depending on your usage in order to improve your battery efficiency. It\u2019s a crisp and colourful screen that you can see and read easily from all viewing angles, even when outdoors.<\/p>\n The brains of this beauty is the incredibly fast and fluid Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 Mobile Platform system-on-a-chip (SoC) which has unreal power. You\u2019ll find it in other flagship smartphones too, and benchmark tests show, as you might expect, that Magic 8 Pro is one of the fastest handsets on the planet. Benchmark tests tell only half the story, however, but in everyday use Magic 8 Pro is super smooth and handles everything you can throw at it with ease including graphically intensive games at the most demanding settings. Productivity hounds will love it too. If you use your phone a lot for work, Magic 8 Pro won\u2019t let you down. The phone runs Android 16<\/a> out of the box, with MagicOS 10 atop (which borrows from Apple\u2019s Liquid Glass styling). In fairness, Honor\u2019s operating system software has improved greatly in recent years.<\/p>\n Like every other smartphone <\/a>now, there are heaps of Honor AI <\/a>tools and tricks while Google Gemini is fully integrated here and the AI suite can be accessed instantly using the AI button or the Magic Portal. Two unique features include AI Deepfake Detection <\/a>and AI Voice Cloning Detection<\/a> that offer real-time protection against face-swap and voice-clone fraud during calls and video chats. So in theory, if a deepfake fraudster tries to con you out of your life savings, Magic 8 Pro can step in and save the day by alerting you to the face swapping and voice cloning.<\/p>\n Powering all this is a 6270mAh dual-cell silicon-carbon battery <\/a>which is not the largest capacity by any means but it is sufficient to deliver an anxiety-free all-day performance every day and it outlasts some other recent big-name flagships. Even during heavy testing, Magic 8 Pro never failed. If you do run out of juice unexpectedly, fear not as the phone supports 100W wired and 80W wireless charging with compatible chargers. I own a powerful 100W Honor <\/a>SuperCharge brick and it refuels the phone completely in less than 50 minutes which is incredible.<\/p>\n Honor Magic 8 Pro camera system The camera system<\/a> comprises a 200MP Ultra Night Telephoto, 50MP Ultra Night Main Camera and 50MP Ultra Wide Camera on the rear and another 50MP lens around the front.<\/p>\n The 200MP zoom lens<\/a> boasts an f\/2.6 aperture, a large 1\/1.4in sensor, 3.7x optical zoom and 5-axis optical image stabilisation (OIS). There are other 200MP zoom lenses out there, so this isn\u2019t a unique feature. But it is one you will be impressed with if you buy the phone. The 50MP primary lens has a wider f\/1.6 aperture, an even larger 1\/1.3in sensor and OIS. The 50MP ultrawide has an f\/2.0 aperture, 122-degree wide angle field-of-view and can be used for automatically enabled macro photography when you get close to a subject. The top notch 50MP selfie shooter is aided by a 3D depth camera and has an f\/2.0 aperture.<\/p>\n All the cameras <\/a>are supported by a range of software features such as AI Upscale, AI outpainting, AI Eraser, AI Colour and AI Cutout, which have self-explanatory names.<\/p>\n The main camera <\/a>produces generally pleasing top quality images without any help from AI, while the 3.7x optical zoom delivers crisp and colourful portraits and close-ups with plenty of rich detail. It\u2019s also great for manually enabled macro shots. Features such as Magic Colour and AI Moving Photo can be helpful too. Don\u2019t be alarmed by the over-emphasis on AI in the marketing of this phone as we\u2019ve had computational photography on phones for years and this is just an evolution. Magic 8 Pro is a solid point and shoot camera<\/a>, and I was especially pleased by the 10x reach of the zoom lens. This is a phone to carry if you go to a lot of gigs and enjoy capturing a souvenir snap. I was also impressed by the ultrawide shots (often the weakest link on smartphone set-ups), portrait mode, the macro photography capabilities and the lowlight prowess. Video in 4K from the main lens is sharp, smooth and stable.<\/p>\n Honor Magic 8 Pro other features Magic 8 Pro features the latest WiFi 7 and Bluetooth connectivity along with NFC and USB-C Gen 3.2 for fast data transfers and connecting your phone to an external monitor.<\/p>\n If you use your phone a lot for work you will enjoy the ease with which you can transfer files to and from a MacBook<\/a>, Windows PC or an iPhone or iPad.<\/p>\n The phone has an IR blaster which can be used to control your TV and other appliances.<\/p>\n The firm matches Samsung <\/a>and Google <\/a>by promising seven years of Android OS <\/a>upgrades and seven years of security updates.<\/p>\n Honor Magic 8 Pro verdict<\/p>\n Magic 8 Pro is another solid and reliable Honor smartphone<\/a> that takes on its rival flagships with an array of new features. And its competitive pricing means it should enable the relatively new firm to get a stronger foothold in the Irish and European markets. It\u2019s a great way to start the new year.<\/p>\n Honor Magic 8 Pro pricing and availability<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/0_EditedMKD-09552.jpg\")
The black rear of Honor Magic 8 Pro (Image: Mark Kavanagh)<\/p>\n![\"Honor](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/0_EditedMKD-09597.jpg\")
Honor Magic 8 Pro has a new camera and AI button on the right side of the phone(Image: Mark Kavanagh)<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/0_EditedMKD-09563.jpg\")
The large circular camera module on Honor Magic 8 Pro(Image: Mark Kavanagh)<\/p>\n![\"Honor](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/0_EditedMKD-09589.jpg\")
Honor Magic 8 Pro weighs 219g and is 8.32g thick (except where the camera module protrudes)(Image: Mark Kavanagh)<\/p>\n