Honor Magic8 vs Honor Play
The Honor Magic8 (2025) runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, while the Honor Play (2018) runs on the Hisilicon Kirin 970. By overall MobileRank rating, the Honor Magic8 leads — 88/100 vs 31/100 (a 57-point difference). Key differences: the Honor Magic8 has the bigger battery (7000 mAh vs 3750); the main camera is 50 MP vs 16 MP; the Honor Magic8 is faster in AnTuTu (4,037,547 vs 470,805); the Honor Magic8 has NFC for contactless payments, the Honor Play doesn't; the Honor Play is noticeably lighter (176g vs 205g).
Profile comparison
Category scores
Honor Magic8
Honor Play
What makes Honor Magic8 better?
- Higher AnTuTu: 4037547 vs 470805
- Better Geekbench Single: 3639 vs 420
- Better Geekbench Multi: 11047 vs 1617
- Bigger battery: 7000 vs 3750 mAh
- Faster charging: 90W vs 18W
- Better main camera: 50MP vs 16MP
- Higher performance (98/100 vs 34/100)
- Better camera (87/100 vs 14/100)
- Longer battery life (85/100 vs 16/100)
- Better display (85/100 vs 58/100)
What makes Honor Play better?
- Lighter: 176g vs 205g
- Better portability (79/100 vs 56/100)
Comparison verdict
Comparing the Honor Magic8 vs the Honor Play, the Honor Magic8 scores 57 points higher (88/100 vs 31/100). In the "performance" category, the Honor Magic8 leads (98/100 vs 34/100). In the "camera" category, the Honor Magic8 leads (87/100 vs 14/100). In the "battery" category, the Honor Magic8 leads (85/100 vs 16/100). In the "performance" category, the Honor Magic8 significantly outperforms the Honor Play (98/100 vs 34/100). In the "display" category, the Honor Magic8 notably outperforms the Honor Play (85/100 vs 58/100). In the "camera" category, the Honor Magic8 significantly outperforms the Honor Play (87/100 vs 14/100). In the "battery" category, the Honor Magic8 significantly outperforms the Honor Play (85/100 vs 16/100). In the "portability" category, the Honor Play notably outperforms the Honor Magic8 (79/100 vs 56/100).
Specs comparison
| Specification | Honor Magic8 | Honor Play | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 | Hisilicon Kirin 970 | |
| AnTuTu | 4037547 | 470805 | |
| Geekbench Single | 3639 | 420 | |
| Geekbench Multi | 11047 | 1617 | |
| Display | 6.6" Dynamic OLED | 6.3" IPS LCD | |
| Resolution | 2760x1256 | 1080x2340 | |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz | — | |
| Battery | 7000 mAh | 3750 mAh | |
| Charging | 90W | 18W | |
| Wireless charging | 80W | 0W | |
| Main camera | 50 MP | 16 MP | |
| Ultrawide | 50 MP | 0 MP | |
| Telephoto | 64 MP | 0 MP | |
| Front camera | 50 MP | 16 MP | |
| RAM | 12GB | 6GB | |
| Storage | 256GB | 64GB | |
| OS | Android 16 | Android 8.1 (Oreo); EMUI 8.2 | |
| Brightness (peak) | 6000 nits | — | |
| NFC | yes | no | |
| Protection | IP68 | — | |
| Dimensions | 157.1×74.0×8.0 mm | 157.9×74.3×7.5 mm | |
| Weight | 205 g | 176 g | |
| Launch price | $625 | — |
Camera comparison
Honor Magic8
- Main: 50MP f/1.9
- Ultrawide: 50MP
- Telephoto: 64MP
- Front: 50MP
Honor Play
- Main: 16MP f/2.2
- Front: 16MP
Display comparison
Honor Magic8
- 6.6" Dynamic OLED
- Resolution: 2760x1256
- Refresh rate: 120 Hz
Honor Play
- 6.3" IPS LCD
- Resolution: 1080x2340
- Refresh rate: —
Battery and charging
Honor Magic8
- 7000 mAh
- Wired: 90W
- Wireless: 80W
Honor Play
- 3750 mAh
- Wired: 18W
- No wireless charging
Overall performance score
We compared Honor Magic8 and Honor Play, covering their specs and all relevant benchmarks.
Honor Magic8 leads Honor Play by 757.6% in our overall performance rating.
Benchmarks
Launch prices and where to check today's
Honor Play
Price unknownDetailed category analysis
performance
In the "performance" category, the Honor Magic8 significantly outperforms the Honor Play (98/100 vs 34/100).
display
In the "display" category, the Honor Magic8 notably outperforms the Honor Play (85/100 vs 58/100).
camera
In the "camera" category, the Honor Magic8 significantly outperforms the Honor Play (87/100 vs 14/100).
battery
In the "battery" category, the Honor Magic8 significantly outperforms the Honor Play (85/100 vs 16/100).
portability
In the "portability" category, the Honor Play notably outperforms the Honor Magic8 (79/100 vs 56/100).
Frequently asked questions
Which is better: the Honor Magic8 or the Honor Play?
The Honor Magic8 significantly outperforms the Honor Play by 57 points (88/100 vs 31/100).
What is the rating of the Honor Magic8 and the Honor Play?
The Honor Magic8 has a MobileRank rating of 88/100, the Honor Play — 31/100.
Which has the better camera: the Honor Magic8 or the Honor Play?
The Honor Magic8 leads on camera score (87/100 vs 14/100).
Which is more powerful: the Honor Magic8 or the Honor Play?
The Honor Magic8 leads on performance (98/100 vs 34/100).
Should you choose the Honor Magic8 over the Honor Play?
The Honor Magic8 is a better fit for gamers and power users, mobile photography enthusiasts, those who care about battery life, budget-conscious buyers.