Honor announced the launch of the Magic 8 Series in China positioning the lineup as its first self-evolving AI smartphones including the Magic 8 and Magic 8 Pro. The series integrates advanced AI capabilities through the YOYO Agent supporting over 3 000 scenarios such as photo management and email composition with a dedicated AI button for quick access. Both models feature the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor 12GB or 16GB RAM up to 1TB storage and run on MagicOS 10 based on Android 16.
The Magic 8 Pro includes a 200MP telephoto camera and 6.71 inch OLED display with 6 000 nits peak brightness. Pre-orders began October 15 2025 with prices starting at RMB 4 499 for the Magic 8 and RMB 5 699 for the Magic 8 Pro shipping from October 23 2025 in China and global availability planned later in 2025.
Honor has been on a bit of a roller coaster since the whole Play Store debacle, but it seems that the brand has been hitting the right notes off late, so, let’s take a look at whether the Magic 8 series continues their good streak in the market.
Table of Contents
Hardware upgrades and Performance benchmarks
The Magic 8 Pro equips the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 with Hexagon NPU for GPU NPU heterogeneous AI processing enabling up to 45 percent faster AI tasks and frame generation for enhanced gaming. It features 12GB or 16GB LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 4.0 storage up to 1TB with cooling via vapor chamber and graphite sheets for sustained performance. The 6.71 inch OLED LTPO display resolves at 1256 x 2808 pixels with 120Hz refresh rate 4320Hz PWM dimming and 6 000 nits peak brightness supporting HDR10 Plus.
The Magic 8 uses a 6.78 inch display with 1224 x 2800 resolution maintaining similar refresh and brightness specifications. Both models include IP68 IP69 and IP69K ratings for water and dust resistance with ultrasonic fingerprint scanner and 3D face unlock. The silicon carbon battery in the Magic 8 Pro measures 7 200mAh in China or 6 270mAh globally with 100W wired and 80W wireless charging. The Magic 8 battery capacity reaches 7 000mAh.
The Magic 8 and Magic 8 Pro measure 162.4 x 75.3 x 8.8 mm for the Pro and 162.5 x 75.3 x 8.9 mm for the base model weighing 213 grams each. Color options include Glacier White Sky Cyan Black and Sunrise Gold with aluminum frames and glass backs. The AI button locates on the left side below the volume rocker customizable for quick access to functions.
AI features and capabilties
The YOYO Agent serves as the core AI system handling over 3 000 scenarios including automatic photo deletion of blurry images expense summaries and email drafting from inbox data. Activated via the side mounted AI button it supports one tap functions double press for camera and long press for YOYO Video Call providing real time object recognition and information gathering similar to Google Lens. The agent operates in context aware modes such as screen on for interactions and screen off for voice commands.
Additional AI includes Magic Color engine for color processing in photos AI anti shake for stable zoomed images and AI Super Zoom up to 100x magnification. The MagicOS 10 interface features translucent design with customizable themes and integrates with Honor’s ecosystem for cross device continuity.
What about the camera?
The Magic 8 Pro camera array includes a 200MP 1/1.4 inch f/2.6 telephoto sensor with 3.7x optical zoom OIS and up to 100x digital zoom 50MP 1/1.3 inch f/1.6 main sensor with OIS and 50MP f/2.0 ultra wide macro lens with 122 degree field of view. AI enhancements encompass portrait mode with natural bokeh AI super macro for close ups and 4K 60fps video with AI stabilization. The front facing 50MP sensor supports 4K video and 3D depth for secure facial recognition. The Magic 8 mirrors the rear setup with a 50MP main 50MP ultra wide and 50MP telephoto all with OIS. Processing utilizes the Snapdragon ISP for computational photography ensuring low light performance and color accuracy. The system supports RAW output and integration with YOYO Agent for scene analysis.
Pre-orders opened October 15 2025 in China with the Magic 8 starting at RMB 4 499 for 12GB/256GB up to RMB 5 499 for 16GB/1TB. The Magic 8 Pro prices range from RMB 5 699 for 12GB/256GB to RMB 6 699 for 16GB/1TB. International launch follows later in 2025 with European pricing expected around €1 099 for the Pro similar to the Magic 7 series. Availability includes Honor stores and partners like JD.com in China and Amazon in select regions. Warranty covers 24 months with options for extended coverage.
