Foldable phones are already cool by themselves, but HONOR has managed to make them even cooler with the HONOR V Purse.

From a concept, the device was immediately launched as a market-ready device in just a few weeks. Now, we’re taking a deeper look into it. Can it pass as a daily driver or is it just pure novelty? We’ll find out in our HONOR V Purse review.

HONOR V Purse Specs

  • Android 13, MagicOS 7.2
  • Dual SIM, Dual standby
  • 7.71-inch foldable 2K OLED display, 2348 x 2016 pixel resolution, 479ppi
    • Folded: 6.45-inch OLED display, 2348 x 1088 pixel resolution, 401ppi
  • 90Hz refresh rate, 1600 nits peak brightness
  • 2.4GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G octa-core processor
  • Adreno 642L GPU
  • 16GB RAM
  • 256GB/512GB internal storage, non-expandable
  • 8-megapixel front camera
  • 50-megapixel (f/1.9, PDAF) + 12-megapixel (ultra-wide) rear cameras, LED flash
  • Stereo speakers, No headphone jack
  • Side-mounted fingerprint scanner
  • HSPA+, 4G LTE, 5G
  • WiFi 6, dual-band
  • Bluetooth 5.2
  • GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS
  • NFC
  • USB Type-C
  • Dimensions: 156.5 x 135.6 x 4.3mm (unfold) | 156.5 x 74.7 x 8.6mm (folded)
  • Weight: 214g
  • Colors: Blue, Gold, Black
  • 4,500mAh non-removable battery, 35W wired, 5W reverse wired charging

Design and Build Quality

The main highlight of the HONOR V Purse is its unique accessory that allows you to carry it like — as the name suggests — a purse. Unfortunately, the review unit that we got here didn’t come with the said attachment.

It features a wrap-around foldable display and comes with special wallpapers that makes it look like an actual purse whenever you attach the strap (if you have it).

Oh, and there’s a distinct button on the back that detaches the latch before you can open the device in full-screen. Fold it back and the latch performs a satisfying click that’s similar to an actual purse. Pretty realistic.

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The whole form factor is the same as the HUAWEI Mate Xs 2. The large 7.71-inch display can be folded outwards, so you can have a more compact 6.45-inch display on the front, and a decent screen space on the back if you want to use the rear cameras for selfies.

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Unfolded, the device is really thin, but there’s a thick edge on the side to house the cameras, the latch, the HONOR logo, and a couple of hardware within.

That said edge is 8.6mm, which is the whole thickness of the device when folded, making it thinner than most foldable phones and just about the thickness of a regular brick phone.

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The hinge feels well-built and firm. You can feel it locking in place when fully opened, and it needs extra force to fold it back in — this can feel iffy if you’re new to the device as you’d feel the resistance might break the whole device.

Now, the question is, will the HONOR V Purse easily break when you drop it? With a device that’s predominantly a display, it definitely looks fragile. But that’s the inevitable curse of foldables like this.

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But if you get past that, and you like to own a fancy foldable phone, you’d appreciate the sturdy hinge, sleek design, compact build, and that unique purse accessory of the HONOR V Purse.

Taking a tour, it has the 7.71-inch 2K OLED foldable screen on the front with an 8-megapixel selfie camera on the top-right, sitting in a punch-hole.

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It also has the speaker grill and a microphone on both the top and bottom of the device. There’s also the USB-C port down here, sitting on the edge.

The left side has the SIM tray for two nano SIM cards, the volume controls and a lock/power switch that works as a fingerprint scanner. The physical buttons do the job, but they feel a bit flimsy compared to others.

Display and Sound Quality

The HONOR V Purse boasts a large 7.71-inch foldable 2K OLED main display with a total resolution of 2348 x 2016 pixels. When folded, you’re getting a tall 6.45-inch OLED screen with a 2348 x 1088 pixel resolution. It has a high 90Hz refresh rate with 1,600 nits peak brightness.

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Display quality is gorgeous to look at, especially when consuming content and gaming. Unfolded, you get a lot of room for multitasking with apps running side-by-side.

Folded, the tall display is great for basic tasks like replying to messages, video calls, or browsing through social media feeds.

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You can also fine-tune the color modes and temperature in the settings. Plus, adjust the Eye Comfort Modes to prevent unwanted eyestrain.

Meanwhile, the audio quality from the two speakers is fine, but do feel underpowered. They offer above-average volume and audible stereo separation but have subpar clarity.

Hardware and Performance

It may have a flagship appeal, but the HONOR V Purse only has a midrange Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G processor. We already know it’s underwhelming, but considering how thin the device is and how manageable the thermals are, we’ll cut them some slack.

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The processor is paired with a decent 8GB of RAM, which is enough to handle two to three apps running side by side. We also appreciate the large 512GB of storage, so it can store plenty of apps, games, and media files.

But how is the performance in the real world? The short answer is: it’s fine. If you want the best possible performance you can squeeze for the same money, get a traditional brick phone. But for what it is, the HONOR V Purse did provide satisfactory performance.

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It may not have the fastest chip, but its gaming performance was passable. Call of Duty Mobile ran at High graphics quality and frame rates with no noticeable hiccups.

Mobile Legends: Bang Bang also ran well, which is even more enjoyable thanks to the large display. However, with an ultra-thin design, expect thermal issues after extensive playing.

Software and User Interface

The review unit we got runs on Chinese ROM, so some of the features and UI elements will be different from the global version once it comes. Still, there are a couple of interesting things from the Android 13-based MagicOS 7.2.

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First, there’s the keyboard. It’s split in half in full tablet mode, and surprisingly, we were able to easily get used to it with our thumbs. However, when folded, the keyboard feels a little low and uncomfortable to use.

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It also comes with a bunch of always-on display (AOD) settings with different wallpaper styles. In addition, we appreciate how the device can detect if the device is on a table upside down and show the AOD wallpaper and notifications on the back display.

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Split screen mode also works well as you basically have two smartphones stitched together. Individual apps are usable like on a normal phone screen with enough space for everything.

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Of course, there are other benefits of having a rear display. For one, you can use it to take sharper selfies with the rear cameras or enable dual-view, so your subject can preview the shot before you can take it.

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Clearly, the HONOR V Purse’s software has fully taken advantage of its unique form-factor.

Related: HONOR price list in the Philippines

Camera

Unlike HONOR’s killer camera phones, the HONOR V Purse isn’t meant to take the best photos, but it sure captures great ones. That’s all thanks to the 50-megapixel main camera, 12-megapixel ultra-wide, and an 8-megapixel selfie shooter on the display.

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Images from the main 50-megapixel camera look more than fine for social media. Daylight photos have a lot of detail, the colors are good, and the dynamic range does a decent job but could be better.

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50-megapixel main camera
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50-megapixel main camera
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50-megapixel main camera
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50-megapixel main camera
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50-megapixel main camera | Portrait Mode

Low-light shots could also be improved with better processing. While still passable, grains and blurriness could’ve been handled better. Still, if you want to capture and share with the world your dinner or a night by the bay, you definitely can.

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50-megapixel main camera | Night Mode
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50-megapixel main camera | Low Light
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50-megapixel main camera | Low Light

Meanwhile, the 12-megapixel ultra-wide takes impressively sharp photos compared to other ultra-wides we’ve tested, even in low light. Colors and dynamic range are also good enough.

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12-megapixel ultra-wide
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12-megapixel ultra-wide
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12-megapixel ultra-wide
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12-megapixel ultra-wide | Night Mode

Finally, we have the 8-megapixel selfie camera that takes detailed selfies with the right skin tones. It also works well on video calls. But if you need to take a high-quality picture, you can use the primary camera instead and use the rear display as a viewfinder.

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8-megapixel selfie camera
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8-megapixel selfie camera
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8-megapixel selfie camera

Battery

With its thin build, HONOR only managed to cram a 4,500mAh battery on the HONOR V Purse. That said, don’t expect stellar battery performance out of this, especially if you use the large display a lot.

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During our time with it, we were able to end a day with only about 5 to 8% battery left. That’s drastically lower than the other phones we’ve tested. That’s a day of social media, writing articles in full-screen mode, watching videos, and taking a few pictures.

Charging speeds are also not the fastest with the 35W adapter. A full charge took about an hour and a half.

Verdict

The HONOR V Purse is truly one of a kind. Its sleek design and clever accessories that let you carry it like a purse are enough to lure people in. Not to mention the ultra-thin design, great display, capable cameras, and reasonable price tag. It could easily pass as a daily driver and is definitely more than a novelty.

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But if you don’t care about the form-factor, then there are definitely traditional brick phones that offer more specs for the money. Still, there’s no denying that the HONOR V Purse looks cool, and there are some who wouldn’t mind spending money on it.

HONOR V Purse price and availability

The HONOR V Purse is yet to be released on the global stage. As of writing, it’s only available in China, with a starting price of CNY5,999 or around Php46,400 when directly converted to Philippine peso.

Pros

  • Innovative purse-like design
  • Ultra-thin build
  • Large and stunning display

Cons

  • Wrap-around screen feels more fragile than other foldables
  • Underpowered speakers
  • So-so battery life

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