Hadlee Simons / Android Authority
TL;DR
- A side-by-side comparison shows that the Galaxy Z Fold 7 may actually be thinner than the Magic V5.
- HONOR claims the Magic V5 measures 8.8mm, while the Galaxy Z Fold 7 measures 8.9mm.
- The unique way the company measured the Magic V5 may explain the discrepancy.
When Samsung launched the Galaxy Z Fold 7, it impressed with a thickness of just 8.9mm. This measurement was enough to have it tie with the OPPO Find N5 for the world’s thinnest book-style foldable. However, just before Samsung’s launch, HONOR stole some of the Galaxy Z Fold 7’s thunder by releasing the Magic V5. Thanks to a 0.1mm difference, the Magic V5 was able to snatch the title of world’s thinnest for itself. But after some side-by-side comparisons, some are starting to question who the real champion of thinness is.
On X (formerly Twitter), well-known leaker Ice Universe posted a video of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 next to the HONOR Magic V5. In the video, the tipster conducts a test by placing a flat card on top of both phones. Here we can see the card is angled slightly upward toward the Magic V5. When he places his finger down on the edge of the card on the Magic V5 side, we see the card lift up off the Galaxy Z Fold 7. No lift occurs when a finger is placed down on the opposite edge.
There is no accurate measuring tool, but we can still draw a rigorous conclusion: Galaxy Z Fold7 is the thinnest folding mobile phone in the world.
I switched the positions of two mobile phones during the test, and the results remained the same, which showed that the factors of… pic.twitter.com/irlNgKOtH0
For further emphasis, the tipster places a ping-pong ball on the card. Regardless of where the ball is placed, it rolls toward the Galaxy Z Fold 7 every time. The same results occur when swapping the positions of the two phones. This suggests that Samsung’s foldable may actually be thinner than HONOR’s foldable.
So what’s going on here? How would this be possible when the Galaxy Z Fold 7 measures 8.9mm and HONOR says its phone measures 8.8mm? It appears the answer could be how HONOR got its measurement.
Spotted by SamMobile, HONOR’s global landing page for the Magic V5 admits that the number does not include the inner or outer protective screens. This measurement also doesn’t include the raised part of the camera. While it’s not uncommon to exclude the camera bump from this measurement, it is unusual to also exclude the protective layers of the display. Not including the protective layers may have given HONOR the leeway it needed to claim the 8.8mm measurement.
In his conclusion, Ice Universe claims that the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is the true title holder of world’s thinnest foldable. With the extra publicity that comes with being known as the slimmest foldable around, it’s no surprise that brands are fighting to be king of the hill. However, trying to claim that title by omitting certain measurements isn’t exactly a great look.
