Honor is set to continue its push in the flagship phone market with the highly anticipated Magic 8 series.
Following the success of the Magic 7 lineup, the upcoming Magic 8 series is expected to bring significant upgrades in design, performance, and battery technology.
While official details remain scarce, industry speculation and past trends provide a glimpse into what we can expect from the Honor Magic 8 series.
When will the Honor Magic 8 Series be released?
Given the release pattern of previous models, it’s likely that the Magic 8 series will debut in China first, followed by a global launch.
The Magic 7 and Magic 7 Pro were officially launched in October 2024, with global availability beginning with the Magic 7 Lite in January 2025.
If Honor follows a similar timeline, the Magic 8 series could be announced around October or November 2025, with international availability starting in early 2026.
However, official details remain scarce, so these are speculative timelines based on past launches.
Foundry | Alex Walker-Todd
As usual, we expect to see four models: standard, Lite, Pro and Ultimate. However, we might see the Magic 8 RSR Porsche Design as well.
Additionally, according to a Chinese leaker Digital Chat Station (via the Notebook Check), Honor is also working on a new compact flagship this time, potentially named the Magic 8 Mini Pro.
Here’s when previous generations were launched in Europe:
However, it’s unclear if the regular Magic 8 will arrive in Europe, as both the Magic 6 and the Magic 7 are not available to date.
Additionally, don’t expect that any of these phones will ever be available in North America – Honor doesn’t sell its devices there.
How much will the Honor Magic 8 Series cost?
The pricing of the Magic 8 series remains unconfirmed, but we can make educated predictions based on the previous generation.
The Magic 7 Pro launched at £1,099.99 in the UK, while the RSR Porsche Edition was priced at €1,799 (approx. £1,514.61).
Given Honor’s push for premium flagship devices, it’s reasonable to expect the Magic 8 Pro to be priced similarly or slightly higher, potentially reaching £1,200 for the base model.
Foundry | Alex Walker-Todd
The standard Magic 8 could be priced closer to £900-£1,000, while any Porsche Design variant would likely exceed £1,500.
If the rumoured Magic 8 Pro Mini model is real, it might offer a more affordable alternative, possibly under £900.
What specs and features will the Honor Magic 8 Series have?
Design
Honor is expected to continue its premium design approach with the Magic 8 series, incorporating high-quality materials and sleek aesthetics.
The company has been pushing ultra-thin and lightweight designs, particularly in its foldable line-up, and we could see further refinements in the Magic 8 Pro and Ultimate models.
Foundry | Alex Walker-Todd
The introduction of a Magic 8 Pro Mini could indicate a more compact design, catering to users who prefer smaller smartphones without compromising on flagship performance.
Display
The Magic 7 Pro featured a 6.8-inch LTPO AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and a peak brightness of 5,000 nits.
Given this, the Magic 8 series is likely to maintain or even enhance these specifications.
Foundry | Alex Walker-Todd
If a Magic 8 Pro Mini does launch, it could feature a more compact display in the 6.3-inch range, making it a unique offering in the flagship phone market.
Performance
As per the Notebook Check, Honor is heavily tipped to equip all flagship Magic 8 series models with the Snapdragon 8 Elite processor. This would place it among the most powerful Android phones of 2025.
However, given the expected release date, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2 may already be available. If Honor decides to use the same chipset for the second time in a row, it could fall behind the competition.
Foundry | Alex Walker-Todd
Paired with up to 16GB of RAM and storage configurations reaching 1TB, the Magic 8 series is expected to deliver top-tier performance.
AI-driven enhancements through Honor’s MagicOS 9.0 (or its 2025 successor) could also optimise power efficiency, gaming performance, and multitasking capabilities.
Cameras
Honor has been investing heavily in camera technology, and the Magic 8 series is likely to continue this trend.
The Magic 7 Pro featured a 50Mp main camera with a variable aperture, a 200Mp periscope zoom lens, and a 50Mp ultrawide sensor.
Foundry | Alex Walker-Todd
We can expect Honor to further refine these features, potentially introducing a larger sensor for improved low-light performance and enhanced AI processing.
The front camera system will likely retain its pill-shaped notch with a high-resolution selfie sensor and 3D face scanning technology for secure facial recognition.
Battery & Charging
According to Digital Chat Station, Honor is reportedly exploring ultra-large batteries, with some devices in 2025 expected to feature 7,000mAh capacities.
If this extends to the Magic 8 series, we could see a significant increase in battery life compared to previous models.
Foundry | Alex Walker-Todd
Fast charging is expected to remain a priority, with 100W wired and possibly 80W or higher wireless charging speeds.
Honor may also introduce improved battery efficiency through software optimisations in MagicOS.
Software
The Magic 8 series will almost certainly launch with MagicOS 9 or MagicOS 10, based on Android 15 or Android 16.
Enhanced security and longer software support (potentially five years of updates) are expected to be key features of the software experience.
Foundry | Alex Walker-Todd
This is all we currently know. In the meantime, check out the best upcoming phones to find out what the Magic 8 series will be up against.
