An earlier model of this Honor Magic 8 Pro article outlined a extreme drawback I discovered with vital purple fringing on pictures from the ultrawide digicam. Honor recognized the fringing as a fault with my first assessment unit and despatched me new assessment samples to check. Having subsequently examined two further Magic 8 Pro fashions, I can confidently say that this explicit digicam drawback shouldn’t be a problem on ultimate retail handsets. But I do nonetheless have complaints about this cellphone’s digicam, and since it is a flagship handset with a excessive worth, I undoubtedly anticipated extra.The Magic 8 Pro is Honor’s first main Android cellphone of 2026, and it is has some potent tech, together with the newest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor, which delivered a few of the finest scores I’ve ever seen in our benchmark checks. I just like the show, too. The Magic 8 Pro has options like 100W quick charging, numerous AI abilities and a beneficiant seven years of software program and safety assist. But I wasn’t blown away by the cellphone’s battery life regardless of its giant capability. Plus, the exceptionally heavy-handed picture processing on the digicam signifies that this cellphone falls down in two vital areas for me. At £1,099 within the UK, this cellphone wanted to impress greater than it does. Honor does not formally promote its telephones within the US, however for reference, that worth converts to roughly $1,480. The digicam is the massive problem for me, so let’s begin there.Honor Magic 8 Pro: Problematic digicamI’ve shot tons of of pictures throughout three fashions of the Honor Magic 8 Pro, and in all honesty, I have never been in a position to take many pictures that I particularly like. This wasn’t helped by my first handset having early teething troubles, however even placing that apart, this cellphone digicam didn’t stay as much as my expectations in any respect. All pictures proven right here have been taken utilizing the substitute fashions that are the identical items that individuals are in a position to purchase in shops. On paper, the digicam {hardware} is strong: A 50-megapixel most important digicam leads the best way, backed up by 50-megapixel ultrawide and a 200-megapixel telephoto with a lens that gives 3.7x optical zoom and 10x hybrid. But the {hardware}’s not the issue — it is Honor’s software program processing that is ruining the enjoyable right here.
Enlarge Image
Honor Magic 8 Pro, most important digicam. Andrew Lanxon/CNETI’ll begin off with this shot above of a avenue in Edinburgh. At first look, it is positive — the picture has an honest publicity (albeit with overly brightened shadows) and correct colours. It’s really one of many higher pictures I’ve taken with the cellphone.
Enlarge Image
Honor Magic 8 Pro, most important digicam, element crop. Andrew Lanxon/CNETBut a better look exhibits that issues begin to crumble. An disagreeable hazy halo surrounds the tower block, together with digital artifacts, the place the cellphone is clearly attempting to each cut back picture noise whereas additionally growing the sharpness.
Enlarge Image
iPhone 16 Pro, most important digicam. Andrew Lanxon/CNETHere’s a comparability from the iPhone 16 Pro. The shadows have not been lightened as a lot, which provides the picture a extra pure really feel.
Enlarge Image
iPhone 16 Pro, most important digicam, element crop. Andrew Lanxon/CNETPunch into the iPhone’s picture, and it is clear that Apple is processing the small print much less. There is sort of no fuzzy halo across the tower and no artifacts from noise discount or sharpening. The particulars on the brickwork look higher too.
Enlarge Image
Honor Magic 8 Pro, ultrawide digicam. Andrew Lanxon/CNETSwitching to the Honor’s ultrawide digicam does not assist issues, with extra haloing across the tower and particulars which have a bizarre oil portray impact as a result of digital sharpening.
Enlarge Image
Honor Magic 8 Pro, most important digicam. Andrew Lanxon/CNETAgain, this picture above seems to be positive. It has a strong publicity and a shade steadiness that I really assume seems to be fairly good.
Enlarge Image
Honor Magic 8 Pro, most important digicam, element crop. Andrew Lanxon/CNETBut once more I see proof of heavy-handed digital processing, with the sky trying virtually minimize out in opposition to the perimeters of the buildings. If it appears like I’m nitpicking, it is as a result of I’m. This cellphone is pricey, and an elite price ticket ought to include elite efficiency.Shall we take a look at some extra examples? Of course!
Enlarge Image
Honor Magic 8 Pro, most important digicam. Andrew Lanxon/CNETThe particulars on this sundown scene really do not look as overcooked as within the earlier pictures, however the Magic 8 Pro has brightened the shadows a lot that it is misplaced a number of the good temper and drama that was current within the second.
Enlarge Image
iPhone 17 Pro, most important digicam. Andrew Lanxon/CNETEven the iPhone 17 Pro lightened issues a bit, however nowhere close to to the identical extent, leading to a way more natural-looking picture.
Enlarge Image
Honor Magic 8 Pro, most important digicam. Andrew Lanxon/CNETIt’s not that the digicam cannot take a superb shot — the {hardware} is greater than succesful. Look at this instance. The JPEG above has suffered by the hands of the cellphone’s processing, with unnaturally brightened shadows, crunchy particulars and overly vibrant colours.
Enlarge Image
Honor Magic 8 Pro, most important digicam, edited uncooked model. Andrew Lanxon/CNETAnd above is identical scene, taken as a DNG uncooked picture utilizing the cellphone’s Pro mode and adjusted in Adobe Lightroom. I’ve maintained the good depth of the shadows, added virtually no additional picture sharpening and stored the colours at a pure stage. I really actually like this shot and it goes to point out that this cellphone is completely able to taking good pictures — it is the picture processing within the digicam that is going too arduous.
Enlarge Image
Honor Magic 8 Pro, 3.7x telephoto digicam. Andrew Lanxon/CNETCase in level, I took the shot above overlooking Edinburgh utilizing the 3.7x telephoto lens. It’s overly vivid — each within the highlights and within the shadows — whereas the noise discount and sharpening have resulted in crunchy particulars that look disagreeable, particularly when considered shut up.
Enlarge Image
Honor Magic 8 Pro, 3.7x telephoto digicam, edited uncooked file. Andrew Lanxon/CNETYet the DNG uncooked file above seems to be nice. I’ve barely touched this one because it did not want a lot. The drama of the sundown has been maintained with sturdy shadows and particulars that have not been destroyed by software program.
Enlarge Image
Honor Magic 8 Pro, 10x zoom. Andrew Lanxon/CNETPushing the zoom to its 10x hybrid produced the decent-looking picture above of a lighthouse. But guess what.
Enlarge Image
Honor Magic 8 Pro element crop (left) vs iPhone 17 Pro (proper). Andrew Lanxon/CNETThat’s proper, the Magic 8 Pro’s picture processing (left) has given it harsh, crunchy particulars that look disagreeable in comparison with the extra pure look of the iPhone 17 Pro’s picture (proper).
Enlarge Image
Honor Magic 8 Pro, most important digicam. Andrew Lanxon/CNET
Enlarge Image
Honor Magic 8 Pro, ultrawide digicam.
Enlarge Image
Honor Magic 8 Pro, 3.7x telephoto digicam. Andrew Lanxon/CNET
Enlarge Image
Honor Magic 8 Pro, most important digicam. Andrew Lanxon/CNETI did say I’d taken some that I like, and positive, these pictures above are fairly respectable and never overly troubled by picture processing, in my view.
Enlarge Image
Honor Magic 8 Pro, most important digicam. Andrew Lanxon/CNETBut at night time, the picture processing demon exhibits its hand but once more. The picture above is overly saturated with particulars misplaced in some areas because of noise discount whereas different areas have been over sharpened. Maybe it is a one off?
Enlarge Image
Honor Magic 8 Pro, most important digicam. Andrew Lanxon/CNETNope! The colours have been critically ramped up within the picture above whereas the noise discount and sharpening have once more had their enjoyable with the small print.
Enlarge Image
iPhone 17 Pro, most important digicam. Andrew Lanxon/CNETHere’s how the iPhone 17 Pro dealt with the identical scene. It’s way more pure.
Enlarge Image
Honor Magic 8 Pro, most important digicam. Andrew Lanxon/CNETAnd here is a bizarre one — the software program smoothed out a number of element on the buildings, giving them an unnatural clean look, however but there’s nonetheless an enormous quantity of picture noise within the sky and the darkish elements of the river.
Enlarge Image
Honor Magic 8 Pro, most important digicam, element crop. Andrew Lanxon/CNETIt’s not tremendous simple to see, but it surely’s even produced these odd sq. patches the place the colours have shifted, presumably an error in how the cellphone processes completely different elements of the scene.
Enlarge Image
iPhone 17 Pro, most important digicam. Andrew Lanxon/CNETThe iPhone 17 Pro’s shot has higher dealing with of noise and better-looking particulars. I do desire the extra cyan tone of the sky within the Honor’s shot, however that is me actually greedy at straws in looking for some positives.
Enlarge Image
Honor Magic 8 Pro, most important digicam. Andrew Lanxon/CNETAnd one other instance of the cellphone producing bizarre noise artifacts.
Enlarge Image
Honor Magic 8 Pro, ultrawide digicam. Andrew Lanxon/CNETNighttime outcomes from the ultrawide digicam are roughly in-line with what I noticed from the iPhone. The Honor’s publicity is a little bit higher, however unsurprisingly, its particulars look far too digitally sharpened.
Enlarge Image
Honor Magic 8 Pro, 3.7x telephoto digicam. Andrew Lanxon/CNETAnd at 3.7x zoom, the Honor’s shot is barely brighter and better distinction than the iPhone 17 Pro’s, however sure, particulars do not look as pure. In all actually, although, neither cellphone has precisely excelled right here. Safe to say then that I’m disillusioned with the Magic 8 Pro’s digicam efficiency total. Like many cellphone producers, Honor is leaning more and more arduous into its software program processing to beat the constraints of small smartphone digicam sensors. But this cellphone is an ideal instance of issues going approach too far. The DNG uncooked recordsdata I took present that the {hardware} is able to taking handsome pictures with pure publicity and clear particulars. Those similar pictures look, to my eye, actually terrible when the cellphone’s picture processing has had a go on them.Photography is, after all, a subjective matter, and what may look good to at least one individual can look terrible to another person. So positive, possibly you’re keen on hyper saturation and shadows which might be barely there. But a few of the larger issues — just like the picture noise in night time scenes or the blurring of particulars that ought to be clear — are goal indicators of dangerous picture processing. So, Honor, I’m begging you immediately now: You have an awesome digicam right here — please cease ruining it along with your software program. At least its show seems to be good. Andrew Lanxon/CNETHonor Magic 8 Pro: Display and processor performanceMoving on to one thing extra constructive now, I do just like the cellphone’s 6.71-inch show. It’s vivid and vibrant, which makes it simply seen underneath harsh out of doors sunshine and permits colourful YouTube movies to pop properly. It’s beautiful for gaming, too, due to its max 120Hz refresh charge that may dynamically shift to 1Hz to assist cut back the load in your battery. Honor Magic 8 Pro efficiency in contrast Honor Magic 8 Pro 3,705 11,333 8,036Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra 3,053 9,707 6,950Oppo Find X9 Pro 3,171 9,357 7,281
Geekbench 6 (single core)
Geekbench 6 (multi-core)
3D Mark Wild Life Extreme
Note: Longer bars equals higher efficiency.
The cellphone is powered by Qualcomm’s newest Snapdragon Elite Gen 5 processor, which places in a few of the finest scores we have ever seen on our benchmark checks for each processor efficiency and graphics processing. It feels extraordinarily zippy in on a regular basis use. Playing demanding 3D video games like Genshin Impact was no drawback in any respect, even once I cranked the settings to the max. At least its show seems to be good. Andrew Lanxon/CNETHonor Magic 8 Pro: Software and AI additionsThe cellphone runs Android 16 at its core, over which Honor has slapped its personal Magic OS 10 interface. It capabilities mainly like all model of Android, however you can find some additions thrown in, principally within the type of AI instruments, together with ones like Google’s Gemini we’d see on different Android units.The AI Photos Agent lets you use generative AI to upscale, recompose or take away objects from a picture or rework it into a couple of restricted kinds together with “Cartoon” or “Animation,” which I might have assumed are the identical factor. Does it work? Well, I’ll allow you to decide.
Enlarge Image
Honor Magic 8 Pro, selfie digicam. Andrew Lanxon/CNETHere’s my authentic selfie taken with the cellphone.
Enlarge Image
Honor Magic 8 Pro, selfie digicam, AI reimagined. Andrew Lanxon/CNETAnd here is what the cellphone’s “Cartoon” AI instrument has completed to me. I do not even want to think about a sarcastic quip; it very a lot speaks for itself. Elsewhere, you may discover instruments like an AI settings agent, the place you possibly can ask do issues like dim your display brightness, and an AI Memories instrument, which largely appears to be a repository for screenshots. You’ll even have Google’s AI instruments like Gemini Live, Gemini Advanced and Circle to Search, the latter of which will be accessed via a devoted button on the aspect of the cellphone. The button, nonetheless, will also be programed to open and function the digicam — very similar to Apple’s digicam management button — and I discover it extra helpful in that kind.Honor has stated that the cellphone will obtain seven years of software program and safety assist, that means this cellphone ought to nonetheless be good to make use of throughout to 2033.Honor Magic 8 Pro: Battery life and charging The Magic 8 Pro has a big battery. Andrew Lanxon/CNETThe cellphone runs on a 6,270-mAh battery, which, whereas sizable, solely gave common outcomes on our battery drain checks. Battery efficiency sits extra alongside telephones just like the Galaxy S25 or Google Pixel 10, but it surely’s an enormous step beneath the iPhone 17 Pro Max or OnePlus 15. It does, nonetheless, provide 100W wired charging, which ought to make it extraordinarily fast to juice it again up, so long as you will have a suitable charger. It additionally gives 80W wi-fi charging, however you may want a proprietary charger to hit these speeds because the cellphone does not assist Qi2.2 equipment. Honor Magic 8 Pro: Should you purchase it?I’m glad I retested this cellphone on a number of items. It confirmed me that the early problem I discovered with the digicam was not an issue, but it surely additionally proved to me that the cameras on this factor nonetheless want a number of work. I’m disillusioned with Honor right here, because the cellphone’s {hardware} might be good, however its picture processing all however ruins in any other case strong pictures. I would not thoughts a lot, however with a flagship worth over £1,000 right here within the UK, I anticipate higher. Sure, you possibly can shoot in uncooked on a regular basis and edit your pictures in Lightroom such as you may with a daily digicam. But you should not have to bypass the cellphone’s efforts to be able to get one thing usable. There’s an opportunity, after all, that you just love saturated pictures with lightened shadows and particulars that seem like they have been given an oil portray filter from a free Play Store modifying app. If that sounds such as you, you then’ll in all probability get on extraordinarily properly with this cellphone. It’s not all dangerous after all, the Magic 8 Pro is vastly highly effective. I like the beneficiant software program assist interval, and whereas a few of Honor’s personal AI additions are pretty redundant, the general interface of the cellphone is nice to make use of. Battery life might actually be higher, however I’ve seen a lot worse. For the excessive worth, I believe your cash is healthier spent on rival Android telephones. Want a greater digicam? Go with the Oppo Find X9 Pro. Want higher battery life? The OnePlus 15 is for you. How we check phonesEvery cellphone examined by CNET’s opinions group was utilized in the true world. We check a cellphone’s options, play video games and take pictures. We look at the show to see if it is vivid, sharp and vibrant. We analyze the design and construct to find out the way it holds up and whether or not it has an IP ranking for water resistance. We push the processor’s efficiency to the extremes utilizing standardized benchmark instruments like Geekbench and 3DMark, together with our personal anecdotal observations navigating the interface, recording high-resolution movies and enjoying graphically intense video games at high-refresh charges.All the cameras are examined in a wide range of circumstances, from vivid daylight to darkish indoor scenes. We check out particular options, like night time mode and portrait mode, and evaluate our findings in opposition to equally priced competing telephones. We additionally take a look at the battery life through the use of it each day, in addition to operating a collection of battery drain checks.We additionally take into account further options, corresponding to assist for 5G, satellite tv for pc connectivity, fingerprint and face sensors, stylus assist, quick charging speeds and foldable shows, amongst others, that may be useful. We steadiness all of this in opposition to the worth to provide the verdict on whether or not that cellphone, no matter its worth, really represents good worth. While these checks might not all the time be mirrored in CNET’s preliminary assessment, we conduct follow-up and long-term testing in most circumstances.