Honor Magic8 vs Honor Play 40
The Honor Magic8 (2025) runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, while the Honor Play 40 (2023) runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 480+ 5G. By overall MobileRank rating, the Honor Magic8 leads — 88/100 vs 35/100 (a 53-point difference). Key differences: the Honor Magic8 has the bigger battery (7000 mAh vs 5200); the main camera is 50 MP vs 13 MP; the Honor Magic8 is faster in AnTuTu (4,037,547 vs 477,542); the Honor Magic8 has NFC for contactless payments, the Honor Play 40 doesn't; the Honor Play 40 is noticeably lighter (188g vs 205g).
Profile comparison
Category scores
Honor Magic8
Honor Play 40
What makes Honor Magic8 better?
- Higher AnTuTu: 4037547 vs 477542
- Better Geekbench Single: 3639 vs 746
- Better Geekbench Multi: 11047 vs 1816
- Bigger battery: 7000 vs 5200 mAh
- Faster charging: 90W vs 10W
- Better main camera: 50MP vs 13MP
- Higher refresh rate: 120Hz vs 90Hz
- Higher performance (98/100 vs 41/100)
- Better camera (87/100 vs 10/100)
- Longer battery life (85/100 vs 48/100)
- Better display (85/100 vs 44/100)
What makes Honor Play 40 better?
- Lighter: 188g vs 205g
- Better portability (62/100 vs 56/100)
Comparison verdict
Comparing the Honor Magic8 vs the Honor Play 40, the Honor Magic8 scores 53 points higher (88/100 vs 35/100). In the "performance" category, the Honor Magic8 leads (98/100 vs 41/100). In the "camera" category, the Honor Magic8 leads (87/100 vs 10/100). In the "battery" category, the Honor Magic8 leads (85/100 vs 48/100). In the "performance" category, the Honor Magic8 significantly outperforms the Honor Play 40 (98/100 vs 41/100). In the "display" category, the Honor Magic8 significantly outperforms the Honor Play 40 (85/100 vs 44/100). In the "camera" category, the Honor Magic8 significantly outperforms the Honor Play 40 (87/100 vs 10/100). In the "battery" category, the Honor Magic8 significantly outperforms the Honor Play 40 (85/100 vs 48/100). In the "portability" category, the Honor Play 40 is a bit better (62/100 vs 56/100).
Specs comparison
| Specification | Honor Magic8 | Honor Play 40 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 480+ 5G | |
| AnTuTu | 4037547 | 477542 | |
| Geekbench Single | 3639 | 746 | |
| Geekbench Multi | 11047 | 1816 | |
| Display | 6.6" Dynamic OLED | 6.6" TFT LCD | |
| Resolution | 2760x1256 | 720x1612 | |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz | 90 Hz | |
| Battery | 7000 mAh | 5200 mAh | |
| Charging | 90W | 10W | |
| Wireless charging | 80W | 0W | |
| Main camera | 50 MP | 13 MP | |
| Ultrawide | 50 MP | 0 MP | |
| Telephoto | 64 MP | 0 MP | |
| Front camera | 50 MP | 5 MP | |
| RAM | 12GB | 6GB / 8GB | |
| Storage | 256GB | 128GB / 256GB | |
| OS | Android 16 | Android 13, Magic OS 7.1 | |
| Brightness (peak) | 6000 nits | — | |
| NFC | yes | no | |
| Protection | IP68 | — | |
| Dimensions | 157.1×74.0×8.0 mm | 163.3×75.1×8.4 mm | |
| Weight | 205 g | 188 g | |
| Launch price | $625 | — |
Camera comparison
Honor Magic8
- Main: 50MP f/1.9
- Ultrawide: 50MP
- Telephoto: 64MP
- Front: 50MP
Honor Play 40
- Main: 13MP f/1.8
- Front: 5MP
Display comparison
Honor Magic8
- 6.6" Dynamic OLED
- Resolution: 2760x1256
- Refresh rate: 120 Hz
Honor Play 40
- 6.6" TFT LCD
- Resolution: 720x1612
- Refresh rate: 90 Hz
Battery and charging
Honor Magic8
- 7000 mAh
- Wired: 90W
- Wireless: 80W
Honor Play 40
- 5200 mAh
- Wired: 10W
- No wireless charging
Overall performance score
We compared Honor Magic8 and Honor Play 40, covering their specs and all relevant benchmarks.
Honor Magic8 leads Honor Play 40 by 745.5% in our overall performance rating.
Benchmarks
Launch prices and where to check today's
Honor Play 40
Price unknownDetailed category analysis
performance
In the "performance" category, the Honor Magic8 significantly outperforms the Honor Play 40 (98/100 vs 41/100).
display
In the "display" category, the Honor Magic8 significantly outperforms the Honor Play 40 (85/100 vs 44/100).
camera
In the "camera" category, the Honor Magic8 significantly outperforms the Honor Play 40 (87/100 vs 10/100).
battery
In the "battery" category, the Honor Magic8 significantly outperforms the Honor Play 40 (85/100 vs 48/100).
portability
In the "portability" category, the Honor Play 40 is a bit better (62/100 vs 56/100).
Frequently asked questions
Which is better: the Honor Magic8 or the Honor Play 40?
The Honor Magic8 significantly outperforms the Honor Play 40 by 53 points (88/100 vs 35/100).
What is the rating of the Honor Magic8 and the Honor Play 40?
The Honor Magic8 has a MobileRank rating of 88/100, the Honor Play 40 — 35/100.
Which has the better camera: the Honor Magic8 or the Honor Play 40?
The Honor Magic8 leads on camera score (87/100 vs 10/100).
Which is more powerful: the Honor Magic8 or the Honor Play 40?
The Honor Magic8 leads on performance (98/100 vs 41/100).
Should you choose the Honor Magic8 over the Honor Play 40?
The Honor Magic8 is a better fit for gamers and power users, mobile photography enthusiasts, those who care about battery life, budget-conscious buyers.