Honor has just launched its latest foldable phone, the Magic V5, and it’s already making headlines, mostly for how thin it is. In fact, Honor is calling it the thinnest foldable phone in the world right now. But as with most things in tech, the details matter, and that claim comes with a few asterisks.

The Magic V5 measures just 8.8mm thick when folded and 4.1mm when open, which makes it slightly thinner than the Oppo Find N5 by just 0.1mm. That’s a tiny difference most people won’t notice, but technically, it gives Honor bragging rights.

However, that title only applies to the Ivory White version of the phone. Other colors — like black, reddish brown, and gold — use different materials and end up being a little thicker at 9mm. And none of this includes the camera bump, which is more pronounced on the Magic V5 than on some other foldables. So if you’re judging thickness based on what you actually feel in your hand or see on a table, the “world’s thinnest” claim gets a bit fuzzy.

Still, at 217g, it’s also one of the lightest foldables around, which helps with portability.

Specs-wise, the Magic V5 isn’t just relying on its slim build to get attention. It’s powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, paired with up to 16GB of RAM and 512GB or even 1TB of storage, depending on the model.

Battery life is a standout here too. The standard version comes with a 5,820mAh battery, and the higher-end model bumps that up to 6,100mAh. That’s significantly more than most other foldables offer. Charging is fast, with 66W wired and 50W wireless support, so you won’t be stuck tethered to a wall for long.

Like most foldables, the Magic V5 has two displays — a smaller outer screen and a larger fold-out one inside. The outer screen is 6.43 inches, and the inner display stretches to 7.95 inches. Both use OLED panels, both run at 120Hz, and both hit up to 5,000 nits of peak brightness. That should make them easy to see even in bright daylight, which isn’t always the case with foldables.

There’s also a carbon fiber layer built into the inner display to help with durability. And the new hinge design is supposed to make the phone more resistant to drops and scratches. According to Honor, it’s more durable than its predecessor, though how that holds up in real-world use remains to be seen.

The phone also carries IP58 and IP59 ratings, meaning it has some protection against dust and water, a feature you don’t always find on folding phones.

Around back, you’ll find a triple camera system: a 50MP main lens, a 50MP ultra-wide, and a 64MP periscope telephoto that offers 3x optical zoom. On the front, there are two 20MP selfie cameras — one on the outer screen and one inside.

The cameras are capable, but the large circular housing does add some bulk. That’s where the phone’s “thinness” starts to feel less convincing in everyday use. Still, the camera setup is on par with what you’d expect from a modern flagship phone.

The Magic V5 is launching first in China, but Honor says a global release is on the way. Pricing hasn’t been announced yet, but based on previous models, it could land around £1,699.99 (roughly $2,100).

The launch timing is interesting — Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 7 is expected to debut next week, and early rumors suggest it might be just slightly thicker than the Magic V5, but a touch lighter. That should make for a tight race between the two when it comes to specs, size, and design.

Meanwhile, Apple’s next phone is rumored to be incredibly thin, but it won’t be foldable, at least not yet.

The Honor Magic V5 doesn’t completely reinvent the foldable, but it shows just how far the category has come. We’re now at the point where manufacturers are competing over fractions of millimeters, while still packing in flagship-level features.

For users, the takeaway is simple: this phone offers serious hardware in a form factor that’s easier to carry than earlier foldables. Whether that’s enough to win over new buyers will depend on price, availability, and how it holds up over time.

Either way, Honor has made its move, now we’ll have to see how the rest of the foldable world responds.