Foldables have had an identity crisis for years. They wanted to be the future yet often behaved like prototypes pretending to be ready. Big screens, dramatic hinges and flashy launch events were the order of the day. Plenty of excitement but not enough reliability. So with every new foldable in 2025, I went in with the same mindset. Admire where the tech is heading, nitpick at the usual compromises and that’s that.
The HONOR Magic V5 refused to let that happen.
Mainly because it didn’t try to reinvent what a phone should be. It simply behaved like a device that understood its purpose. And that alone made it different. Foldables have been trying to prove something for so long that they forgot to feel natural. The Magic V5 felt natural on day one.
That was the first sign that this year’s foldable category had a real frontrunner.
A foldable that behaved like a flagship, not a science project
The Magic V5 carried itself with confidence. A somewhat flashy confidence in that gold colourway, along with the usual theatrics we’ve come to expect from this segment. But it also proved to be highly refined, thin, light and comfortable in ways foldables rarely are. They built a device that didn’t feel like a compromise the moment you closed it, and didn’t feel delicate the moment you opened it.
Most importantly, it didn’t remind you every few minutes that you were using a foldable. It blends seamlessly into your daily routine and lets you switch between compact and expansive without friction. It delivered the fluidity and stability you expect from a high-end slab phone, but with the bonus of a tablet-sized canvas when you needed it.
Now let me tell you, I love the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7. It was the device that actually convinced me that a foldable could replace my iPad. Great technology however, does it’s job while fading into the background. On most days with the Magic V5, I didn’t even realise I was carrying a foldable until I needed to actually open it. In it’s closed form factor, it feels so incredibly natural and that, I think is what sets it apart. The Galaxy Z fold 7 is ultra slim, lightweight and insanely well built but those boxy edges instantly shouts, open me.
Most foldables are interesting, exciting even. Very few are practical.
The Magic V5 did both.
The consistency that separated it from the rest
When I test foldables, I look for the same cracks that have haunted the category from the start. Battery endurance. Slowdowns and heat management. And perhaps most importantly, software behaving like it is still catching up. None of these issues are minor. They shape your entire experience whether you notice it or not.
The Magic V5 surprised me because it kept holding its composure. And not just during the honeymoon phase but through real everyday use. Through long workdays, heavy multitasking, and the kind of on-the-go demands that tend to expose weaknesses very quickly.
A device that made switching away feel like a step backward
This is the same test that defined the OPPO Find X9 Pro’s win as smartphone of the year. Take the device out of rotation and see how you feel. If your next phone suddenly feels heavier, less fluid, less adaptable or simply less enjoyable, the previous device was doing something special.
Switching away from the Magic V5 was jarring. Slab phones started to feel restricted. Other foldables felt a bit incomplete. The V5 had set a new expectation for what this form factor should feel like, and it was obvious.
Why it wins Foldable Phone of the Year 2025
This award is not about the biggest screen, the strongest hinge or the most dramatic marketing angle. It is about the foldable that delivered the best overall experience. The foldable that matured beyond gimmick territory or AI hype and respected real-world use.
The HONOR Magic V5 made foldable phones feel normal in the best possible way. It elevated the category by refusing to participate in the compromise Olympics that have defined so much of this space. It delivers balance, reliability and refinement with a touch of design extravagance.
It is the foldable that finally feels complete.
And that is why it stands at the top.
The HONOR Magic V5 is our GeekChoice Foldable Phone of the Year 2025. Not because it folded or dazzled or revolutionised the category. But because it stayed true to what a smartphone should be and to me, that’s were the real “Magic” lies.
