Honor Magic 6 Pro Review: Is It Worth Buying in 2024?

There’s something almost magnetic about a phone that promises cutting-edge hardware at a price that undercuts the established king. The Honor Magic 6 Pro is exactly that kind of device, packing a 180MP periscope camera and a novel silicon-carbon battery into a glass-and-metal body that goes toe-to-toe with the Galaxy S24 Ultra. But as with any challenger, the real question isn’t just what it has—it’s what it gives up to get there.

Display: 6.8-inch OLED ·
Processor: Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 ·
Battery: 5600 mAh ·
Main Camera: 50 MP + 50 MP + 180 MP periscope ·
Release Date: January 2024 (announced)

Six specs, one pattern: Honor leads on hardware capacity—bigger battery, higher-resolution telephoto—while Samsung counters with refinement and a mature ecosystem.

Is the Honor Magic 6 Pro any good?

Performance and camera quality

• The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (NanoReview (tech comparison site)) delivers flagship-tier speed across both gaming and multitasking.
• DxOMark’s main camera score ranks the Magic 6 Pro at 160, two points ahead of the S24 Ultra’s 158 (NanoReview (tech comparison site)).
• Zoom performance is a clear differentiator: DxOMark’s zoom score is 160 vs. the S24 Ultra’s 145 (NanoReview (tech comparison site)).
• However, WIRED (renowned tech and culture publication) calls the phone “innovative but inconsistent,” pointing to occasional software quirks that undermine the hardware promise.

Battery life and charging speed

• The 5600 mAh silicon-carbon battery delivers 28 hours and 35 minutes of real-world use, compared to the S24 Ultra’s 26 hours and 30 minutes—a full 8% improvement (NanoReview (tech comparison site)).
• Wired charging hits 80W, over 1.7x faster than Samsung’s 45W; wireless charging reaches 66W, more than 4x the S24 Ultra’s 15W (PhoneArena (mobile tech authority)).

What this means: A full charge takes roughly half the time of the S24 Ultra. For anyone on a tight schedule, that’s a tangible win—but only if you carry Honor’s proprietary charger.

Comparison to Galaxy S24 Ultra

• Display: Samsung’s 1440p panel (501 PPI) beats Honor’s 1280p (453 PPI) for sharpness (PhoneArena (mobile tech authority)).
• Brightness: Honor’s 1575 nits peak exceeds Samsung’s 1436 nits (NanoReview (tech comparison site)).
• Both share Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, so raw performance is nearly identical.

The pattern: hardware wins in battery and zoom, but software polish remains the trade-off.

What are the cons of buying the Honor Magic 6 Pro?

Software inconsistencies

• WIRED (renowned tech and culture publication) flags “inconsistent” performance, with occasional stutters in MagicOS.
• Pokde.Net’s review dubs it “The Honorable Ace” but notes the learning curve for users used to stock Android.

Lack of widespread carrier support

• In Ireland, major carriers like Airtel (Indian telecom operator) may not stock the phone, limiting in-store warranty options.
• Refurbished units from refurbed.ie (certified refurbished marketplace) may carry limited warranty—check terms before buying.

Potential learning curve for MagicOS

• MagicOS is based on Android but layers custom gestures and a different notification layout.
• Users coming from stock Android or One UI may find it takes a week or two to adjust.

The catch: support infrastructure lags behind hardware specs.

How old is the Honor Magic 6 Pro?

Release date and market timeline

Announced in January 2024 and released globally in March 2024 (GSMArena (established mobile database)). As of now, it’s less than a year old—putting it firmly in the “current-gen” category for 2024 flagships. It competes directly with late 2023 and early 2024 flagships like the Galaxy S24 Ultra, Xiaomi 14 Pro, and OnePlus 12. The hardware remains state-of-the-art, with silicon-carbon battery tech being a unique selling point that few rivals have matched.

Current relevancy in 2024

The implication: If you buy today, you’re getting a phone that’s still in its first-year cycle. The depreciation curve will be steepest in months 12–18, so it’s worth considering if you plan to keep it for two years or more.

What is the price of the Honor Magic 6 Pro?

Official pricing and variations

Honor’s official website does not list a specific price for the Irish market. European pricing historically lands between €1,099 and €1,299 for the top configuration.

Refurbished and Amazon deals

• Refurbished models available on refurbed.ie (certified refurbished marketplace) starting around €750–€850.
• Amazon Germany often lists new units around €1,099 with free shipping to Ireland.

Price in Ireland

• Third-party Irish retailers may charge a premium of 5–10% over EU averages.
• No official Honor store in Ireland—buyers rely on online import or refurb channels.

Why this matters: The savings from refurbished models can be over €300, but you lose the one-year manufacturer warranty unless the seller offers their own coverage.

Are Honor and Huawei the same?

Honor’s independence from Huawei

Honor was a sub-brand of Huawei until 2020, when it became an independent company (Wikipedia (encyclopedic reference)). Today it operates separately with its own supply chain and software direction.

Impact on software and services

• Honor phones run MagicOS based on Android, not HarmonyOS.
• Full access to Google Play Services—no workarounds needed.

Trust and security

Honor UK’s security page (Honor’s official security division) outlines privacy measures and compliance with European data standards. The separation from Huawei means no ban-related restrictions on Google services.

The pattern: Independence has been a net positive for Honor users—better software compatibility, clearer security commitments, and the ability to innovate freely on hardware.

Timeline

• 2020 — Honor becomes independent from Huawei (Wikipedia (encyclopedic reference))
• January 2024 — Honor Magic 6 Pro announced (GSMArena (established mobile database))
• March 2024 — Global release (GSMArena (established mobile database))

The pattern: Honor’s release timing aligns with Samsung’s, setting up a direct flagship clash.

Confirmed facts vs. what’s unclear

The pattern: the confirmed list outnumbers the unclear, supporting a confident but not definitive buy recommendation.

“The Honor Magic 6 Pro is the Honorable Ace—a device that packs flagship hardware at a price that challenges the Galaxy S24 Ultra, even if the software experience takes some getting used to.”

— Pokde.Net (Southeast Asian tech review outlet)

“It’s innovative but inconsistent. When the Magic 6 Pro works well, it’s one of the best cameras on a phone. But those moments of brilliance are punctuated by odd bugs that shouldn’t exist on a €1,100 device.”

— WIRED (renowned tech and culture publication)

For Irish buyers weighing the Honor Magic 6 Pro against the Galaxy S24 Ultra, the decision comes down to priorities. If you want the longest possible battery life, the fastest charging, and a zoom camera that outperforms everything else at the price—and you’re willing to accept a less polished software experience—the Magic 6 Pro is the smarter pick. If you value carrier support, ecosystem integration, and a display that’s sharper on paper, Samsung remains the safe hand. The choice for Irish shoppers is clear: take the innovation and accept the edge, or stick with the proven winner and pay for the privilege.

For a deeper look at its variable-aperture camera and battery performance, check out our full Honor Magic 6 Pro review on SG Bulletin.

Frequently asked questions