HONOR has announced that its latest flagship, the Magic 7 Pro, is set to launch in Ireland this February, priced at €1300. The Chinese phone maker launched in Ireland in 2023, but this is the biggest launch for the phone maker in the country to date.
The high-end smartphone arrives with a focus on artificial intelligence, photography, and performance, aiming to return a true competitor to the Irish market for Apple and Samsung. I’m currently tested the Magic 7 Pro out and will be back with a full review, but for now, what can you look forward to?
AI That Does More
One of the Magic 7 Pro’s big focuses is Artificial Intelligence (AI). The company already manufacturers excellent hardware. The addition of incredible software and AI features should make for a match made in heaven.
The Magic 7 Pro is powered by HONOR’s new MagicOS 9.0, bringing AI features to everyday tasks. One that I’m excited to test out is From real-time translation for up to 13 languages. Translation is easily one of the best use cases of AI and my early view of HONOR’s translation is that it’s powerful, capable of translating conversations in real-time.
AI also allows you to take notes and summarise meeting minutes too. The potential of the Magic 7 Pro bridges both personal and profession life thanks to AI.
HONOR has struck a deal with Google too, with the Gemini app coming preinstalled on the phone. Gemini is another powerful AI tool to add to your arsenal, particularly if you link it to other Google services like Maps and, in particular, Gmail. Regardless, the inclusion of Gemini is a clear effort from HONOR to take on Apple which has aligned to OpenAI’s Chat GPT in a similar fashion.
Cameras Built for Creativity
There’s going to be a lot for me to test out with this camera. HONOR is promising a wealth of modes and features, sandwiched between top-spec hardware and AI-supported software. The Magic 7 Pro features a 50MP main camera, a 50MP wide-angle lens, and a 200MP telephoto camera designed for impressive night shots and distant subjects.
With AI-powered tools like “Super Zoom” (up to 100x) and motion-sensing capture, HONOR is targeting both casual and serious photographers, giving enough point and shoot support on the surface, but settings to diving into the detail with too.
The HONOR Magic 7 Pro features the AI HONOR IMAGE ENGINE. This is the first time a mobile phone camera has combined device-based and cloud-based AI models. This system incorporates a Light and Shadow Portrait Model, the Capture Enhancement Model, and the Telephoto Enhancement Model to deliver an intelligent and refined photography experience.
Also AI-powered is the Harcourt Portrait Mode. These provide creative tools for capturing beautifully lit, striking portraits, while the AI Enhanced Portrait feature ensures ultra-high-definition shots that preserve the true colours and details of every subject.
I know that all sounds like a lot, but basically, this is a sort of revolutionary device in how it approaches mobile photography. I’m looking forward to seeing how that plays out in practice and how well it strikes a balance between technology and reality in search of the perfect photo. I’m also looking forward to seeing just how well it takes photos without AI support and what difference that makes.
Performance and Power
The Magic 7 Pro is one of the first phones to launch with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite chip. The Snapdragon 8 Elite chip should deliver a powerful, but power-efficient experience on the Magic 7 Pro, particularly important as the device is so heavily motivated by AI, including on-board AI.
The Snapdragon 8 Elite is great for AI-based tasks such as real-time rendering, photography, and app interactions. It should also offer some excellent power management.
Speaking of power, HONOR has outlined some incredible charging specs for the Magic Pro 7, supporting 100w wired fast charging and 80w wireless charging. These are, of course, charger dependent. However, you can generally be looking at a very fast charge, with the fastest charge clocked at 0-100% in just 33 minutes.
Price and Availability in Ireland
I’m excited to say that the HONOR Magic 7 Pro is coming to Ireland in February. You’ll be able to buy the device SIM-free for €1300 from Harvey Norman or on contract from Three, with that pricing TBC. Understandably, that’s a considered purchase and I’m looking forward to writing the full review for the Magic 7 Pro and, most importantly, whether that price tag can be justified or not.
HONOR has also confirmed the Magic 7 Lite will be available in Ireland. This should be a very exciting smartphone at a more palatable €369 for lighter users.
