Honor Magic 7 Lite Review
Pros
- Incredible battery life
- Speedy charging
- Useful software features
- Minimal bloatware
Cons
- Not great for gaming
- Only one good camera
- Still on Android 14
Key Features
-
Review Price: £399
-
Gigantic battery Despite being a slim and lightweight phone, the Honor Magic 7 Lite has a huge 6600mAh battery capacity. It's enough to last well over two days on a charge.
-
Handy software features Honor's Magic OS software has some really handy features. Magic Portal lets you drag information from one app to another, while Magic Capsule gives you quick access to timers and media controls at all times.
-
Speedy and reliable unlocking This is one of the only phones in its class to come with 3D face unlock and a speedy under-display fingerprint scanner. It makes unlocking your phone quick and easy at all times.
Introduction
Honor’s impressive Magic 7 Pro may have soaked up most of the attention, but it’s not the only phone the brand launched to kick off 2025. There’s also a much more affordable handset called the Honor Magic 7 Lite, and surprisingly, it boasts an even bigger battery.
That’s right. For around £399 (about 36% of the cost of the Magic 7 Pro), you can get a massive 6600mAh silicon-carbon battery. That’s one of the largest on the market today, and I’m not just talking about mid-rangers.
However, cutting-edge battery tech comes at a cost, and surely compromises were made to hit such an appealing price point. I wanted to find out precisely what you’re missing out on and, crucially, what it’s like to live with.
After shoving it in my pocket for the last week, here are my thoughts on the Honor Magic 7 Lite.
Design
- 7.98mm thick & 189g
- Plastic frame and rear
- IP64-rated, drop-resistant up to 2m
At first glance, the Honor Magic 7 Lite immediately reminds me of Huawei’s latest Mate 70-series phones. There’s something very familiar about that large circular camera hob and thick symmetrical bezel.
However, while this phone might look like it’s all about the cameras, looks can be deceiving. The phone almost looks like it has four cameras on the rear, but there are actually only two, and only one with decent specifications. More on those a little later.
The phone feels very light and slim in the hand, mostly thanks to the sweeping lateral curves on the front and back. I moved into the phone after testing the thick, boxy Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, and it was a refreshing change to use a phone you can barely feel in your pocket.
The frame is made from plastic with a glossy metallic sheen, and the rear feels like some kind of plastic, too. You’d never be able to tell by looking at it; it looks premium and expensive, but you can tell it’s not as soon as you pick it up.
I have the Titanium Purple option in for testing, and it’s also available in Titanium Black. As far as I’m aware, these are just the names of the colours; I don’t imagine you’ll find any trace of actual titanium in the build of this phone.
However, just because it’s made from plastic doesn’t mean it’s not durable, quite the opposite, in fact. Honor says the device is essentially immune to drops of up to 2 metres, and it’s also IP64 rated, so a splash of water will do no harm – just don’t take this one swimming with you.
Screen
- 6.78-inch 120Hz 1224×2700 OLED
- 4000nits peak brightness
- In-display fingerprint reader and 3D face unlock
The Honor Magic 7 Lite has an impressive display with slim (mostly) symmetrical bezels all around. From the front, you could easily mistake it for a flagship device. Curved-edge displays may have fallen out of favour, with most brands adopting micro curves or flat displays instead, but I must admit, they still look great.
My biggest complaint is that it’s quite easy to accidentally touch the screen, as there’s not much meat on the side rails. So, on occasion, you can find yourself tapping things you didn’t mean to.
Otherwise, it’s a lovely display. It’s extremely bright with vibrant colours and the deep inky blacks that only OLED can deliver.
The 120Hz refresh rate is extremely smooth when you’re scrolling, and it can dynamically switch down to 60Hz to save some battery as appropriate. It won’t dip all the way to 1Hz like a pricier LTPO panel, but with a big battery like this, that’s not likely to matter.
I was surprised to see that this phone has both a 3D face unlock and an under-display fingerprint scanner. It’s not an ultrasonic scanner like the Pro version, but it’s so quick that I had to double-check. So, no matter how you prefer to unlock your phone, you’re well equipped with this handset.
The phone has dual stereo speakers, which isn’t a given at this price, and I’m always pleased to see that. Unfortunately, though, they’re not the most impressive drivers. There’s a distinct lack of low-end response, and while the phone can get loud, it sounds a little distorted when you crank it up.
Cameras
- 108MP main camera (1/1.67-inch sensor)
- 5MP ultrawide
- 16MP selfie camera
The cameras on the Magic 7 Lite are mostly the same as those on the Magic 6 Lite. The only difference is that the 2MP macro shooter has been removed. I have no complaints here; I doubt anyone was using that frequently, as the results were fairly shocking.
This means you get a very capable primary camera, but the ultrawide isn’t going to impress too much. The selfie camera is decent, but it’s nothing special either. I’d say it’s on par with most mid-range devices. Only the primary camera has autofocus, while the ultrawide and selfie are fixed. I think the addition of autofocus would really help elevate these auxiliary lenses.
Despite a lack of hardware innovation, I do think the image processing has improved a little. The colours are more consistent across the cameras, though the primary camera outshines the others with its detail and sharpness.
As usual, the best results will be had in daylight, and at night you’ll find yourself contending with motion blur and grainyness. The 5MP ultrawide is best avoided in these conditions, but the selfie camera and main sensor do a pretty decent job.
When it comes to video shooting, you can capture up to 4K 30fps or 1080p 60fps on the main camera. The other lenses max out at just 1080p 30fps. The stabilisation is pretty terrible at 4K, but less so at 1080p and the microphones aren’t the most impressive. If you shoot a lot of videos, this might not be the one for you.
Performance
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 1
- 8GB RAM, 512GB storage
- Snappy everyday performance
Oddly, the Magic 7 Lite runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 1, the same chip as last year’s Magic 6 Lite. It does, at least, have a healthy 8GB of RAM and a generous 512GB of storage to go along with it – more than most phones in this price range.
I wasn’t particularly impressed with the Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 when I reviewed last year’s model, so it’s safe to say my expectations were low for this one. In benchmark tests, it’s immediately apparent that this phone lags behind some similarly priced rivals from the likes of Poco and OnePlus.
It’ll run most games decently, so long as you turn down all the graphical options, but it’s definitely not an appropriate phone for keen gamers. Of course, if your game of choice is something like Pokemon TCG, this phone will give you no trouble.
Outside of gaming, I was pleasantly surprised by the day-to-day smoothness of this phone. You can expect to see an animation stutter or two on rare occasions, but it doesn’t feel slow or underpowered when you’re navigating the OS or scrolling social media. If that’s all you need, it’s perfectly adequate.
Software
- Magic OS 8, based on Android 14
- Magic Capsule and Magic Portal
- Minimal bloatware
Another slight oddity is that this phone ships with Magic OS 8, which is based on Android 14 rather than the Android 15-based variety on its Pro sibling. It should get the update at some point, as Honor promises 5 years of OS upgrades and security patches for this handset, but it’s worth noting that you’ll be starting one step behind.
I’m not sure what the reasoning behind this is, but buyers shouldn’t worry too much in any case, as the styling and feature set are very similar. Compared to the Magic 7 Pro, the only things I missed were Circle to Search with Google and the “Knuckle to Portal” gesture, both of which seem to be absent here.
You still get Magic Portal, and you can use it like Circle to Search by dragging an image into Google Chrome for a quick reverse image search. It’s just not quite as quick or intuitive as Circle to Search. Hopefully, we’ll see that added when the Magic OS 9 update finally arrives.
Magic Portal has other uses, too, and my favourite is the ability to drag an address into Maps for quick directions. Unlike a lot of the new AI features that phones are touting, this is one that I actually find myself using regularly. It’s undeniably handy.
I also love the Magic Capsule, which is essentially a clone of Apple’s Dynamic Island. There’s nothing particularly novel about the way it functions, but it gives you very quick access to your media controls and timers, no matter what you have running in the foreground, and I love that.
I was also impressed by the minimal amount of bloatware that comes pre-installed on this device. Yes, there are still some unwanted apps to clean up, but there aren’t many. It’s a much better showing than many similarly priced rivals.
Battery life
- 6600 mAh battery
- 66W wired charging
- No charger in the box
The gigantic battery is, without a doubt, the biggest draw of this device. Excluding the ultra-rugged apocalypse-ready phones that are the size of house bricks, this phone boasts one of the largest battery capacities around. No small feat considering how slim it is.
This is thanks to the cutting-edge silicon-carbon battery tech, which allows manufacturers to squeeze more milliamp hours into a significantly smaller package. Combined with a low-power, high-efficiency chip like the Snapdragon 6 Gen 1, you know this thing will last an age.
With my regular use, I consistently got over two days on a charge, and if I used the phone sparingly, three days or more would be a realistic prospect. It’s a perfect companion for a weekend camping trip, as you’re very unlikely to need a charger.
When the battery eventually runs down, you won’t have to wait an age for it to charge, either. It supports up to 66W fast charging with the right adapter, but that isn’t included in the box. The adapter is sold separately for around £25, but Honor currently offers it as a free gift with the phone on the UK website.
The 66W charger will take you from dead to 50% charged in just under half an hour, while a full charge takes just under an hour. There is a lot of battery to charge up, after all. I would have loved to see wireless charging, as we’re starting to see more phones in this price range that offer the feature, but not this time. Maybe next year.
Should you buy it?
You want a slim phone with endless battery
Simply put, you’ll have a hard time finding another phone that’s this slim and lasts this long. If you can’t stand a bulge in your pocket, and you hate charging, this is a match made in heaven.
You love gaming
The Honor Magic 7 Lite has a slightly older and relatively low-spec processor. It can run games, but it’s not a perfect experience. Keen gamers should look elsewhere.
Final Thoughts
The Honor Magic 7 Lite is a pretty unique device. On the one hand, there aren’t many meaningful upgrades over the previous model, it’s still running the Snapdragon 6 gen 1, there are no camera upgrades, and (at the time of writing) it’s not even on the latest version of Android.
What has changed is the battery capacity. With a whopping 6600mAh cell inside, this is one of the longest-lasting smartphones that money can buy, and for a lot of people, that’s one of the most important factors. Speedy 66W charging, 3D face unlock and a durable design all add to the appeal, too.
If photography and gaming are high priorities, there are lots of better options in this price range. Devices like the Realme 14 Pro+, Redmi Note 14 Pro+ and Poco X7 Pro offer better specifications for the money. But can they last as long? Not a chance.
If you mainly use your phone for social media and staying connected, and battery life is a key priority, this could be a great fit.
Trusted Score
How we test
We test every mobile phone we review thoroughly. We use industry-standard tests to compare features properly and we use the phone as our main device over the review period. We’ll always tell you what we find and we never, ever, accept money to review a product.
Find out more about how we test in our ethics policy.
- Used as a main phone for a week
- Thorough camera testing in a variety of conditions
- Tested and benchmarked using respected industry tests and real-world data
FAQs
The Honor Magic 7 Lite is not fully waterproof, but it does have an IP64 rating. This means the phone is dust-tight and can withstand splashes of water from all directions.
Honor promises five years of OS upgrades and security patches, which means the software will stay relevant until 2030.
Test Data
| Honor Magic 7 Lite Review | |
|---|---|
| Geekbench 6 single core | 938 |
| Geekbench 6 multi core | 2774 |
| 1 hour video playback (Netflix, HDR) | 4 % |
| 30 minute gaming (light) | 5 % |
| Time from 0-100% charge | 59 min |
| Time from 0-50% charge | 29 Min |
| 30-min recharge (no charger included) | 51 % |
| 15-min recharge (no charger included) | 23 % |
| 3D Mark – Wild Life | 614 |
| GFXBench – Aztec Ruins | 11 fps |
| GFXBench – Car Chase | 15 fps |
Full Specs
| Honor Magic 7 Lite Review | |
|---|---|
| UK RRP | £399 |
| USA RRP | Unavailable |
| CA RRP | Unavailable |
| Manufacturer | Honor |
| Screen Size | 6.78 inches |
| Storage Capacity | 256GB, 512GB |
| Rear Camera | 108MP + 5MP |
| Front Camera | 16MP |
| Video Recording | No |
| IP rating | IP65 |
| Battery | 6600 mAh |
| Fast Charging | No |
| Size (Dimensions) | 75.5 x 8 x 162.8 MM |
| Weight | 189 G |
| Operating System | Android 14 (MagicOS 8) |
| Release Date | 2025 |
| First Reviewed Date | 21/02/2025 |
| Resolution | 1224 x 2700 |
| HDR | No |
| Refresh Rate | 120 Hz |
| Ports | USB-C |
| Chipset | Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 |
| RAM | 6GB, 8GB |
| Colours | Titanium Purple, Titanium Black |
| Stated Power | 66 W |
The post Honor Magic 7 Lite Review appeared first on Trusted Reviews.
Source Trusted Reviews ,Home Appliances Reviews
About Products Reviews
No comments