And I have just one question: why couldn’t Samsung and Apple make this phone?
So what’s that mysterious super-phone and is it even real?
Yes, it is, and it’s the Honor Magic 8 Pro Air, the first in the world “Pro Air” phones.
The first good small phone in a long while
There one more thing about this phone that stands out. It’s not only thin and light, it’s also more compact than its rivals.
While the Galaxy S25 Edge comes with a 6.7-inch screen and the iPhone Air features a 6.5-inch display, the screen on the Honor is just 6.3-inches, so it’s also physically not as wide and not as tall. This makes it one of the best contenders for the title of the best small phone of 2026.
Little details like the included case in the box are also very much appreciated. It’s not just any case, it’s a special one that doesn’t wrap all around, leaving the sides exposed and not adding any extra thickness for a more airy feel.
And in terms of materials, it’s not quite as premium as the iPhoe Air which has a titanium body, but you still have a very durable frame with a very thin glass panel on the back.
Naturally, one big question arises: but is it durable? And how strong is it? Well, Honor held a special launch event where the company had dancers perform on a stage, which was resting on… Honor Pro Air phones. And I think that is quite a good evidence for its durability.
The camera advantage
I also find it quite embarrassing for Apple and Samsung to see how Honor has managed to include three full cameras on the back of this phone, while those bigger players only manage to feature one or two.
With the Honor Magic 8 Pro Air, you have a wide, ultra-wide and even a telephoto camera on the back.
The main camera is not capsized either, it features a 1/1.3-inch sensor size, so basically the same as on an iPhone Pro Max or Galaxy Ultra. The telephoto camera also has a very usable 3.2X lens, perfect not only long-distance shots, but also portraits.
Plus, there is a camera button too, just like on the iPhone Air, and I’ve really grown to like this little addition.
The battery advantage
Judging by a few recent launches, making a phone thin and light is not all that hard, but doing so without any major battery compromises is the real challenge.
Well, not if you ask Honor. The company was able to include a massive for the size 5,500 mAh battery, 75% bigger than the one on the iPhone Air. And that is just a very sad number for Apple.
| Model | Battery size |
|---|---|
| Honor Magic 8 Pro Air | 5,500 mAh |
| iPhone Air | 3,149 mAh |
| Galaxy S25 Edge | 3,900 mAh |
And all of this while there is still a physical SIM card slot inside. Remarkable!
Charging speeds, as you’d expect from a Chinese phone, are also excellent.
Despite the challenges of the extremely thin form factor, the Honor Magic 8 Pro Air still supports 80W fast wired charging and even 50W wireless.
Come to think of it, the only real downside of this phone is the slow USB 2.0 charging speed (but expectedly, the iPhone Air suffers from the same problem).
Final Words
Ultimately, the Honor Magic 8 Pro Air leaves me with a mix of awe and frustration.
Putting together an extremely slim phone with a 5,500 mAh battery and a triple camera system is an outstanding achievement. The frustration? Well, it exposes the limitations of the iPhone and Galaxy even more. Honor’s phone is not just slightly better, its hardware seems years ahead.
