2024 Honor Roll: Celebrating the Top Performers and Identifying Disappointments in the Year’s Most Impactful Trends
Honor’s 2024: A Year of Consistency and Innovation
As we close the books on 2024, it’s clear that Honor has solidified its position as a major player in the tech world. With a lineup of impressive smartphones, tablets, and laptops, the brand has won us over with its dedication to innovation and quality.
The Winners
One of the standout devices of the year was the Magic V3, a foldable so ahead of its time that it redefines the term. With its astonishing thinness and lightweight design, this 8-inch powerhouse fits easily into your pocket. But it’s not just about looks – the Magic V3 packs a punch with its 6.43-inch cover screen, 7.92-inch main display, and powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset. Add to that a trio of capable cameras, solid software, and a decent battery, and you’ve got a device that’s hard to ignore.
Another top performer was the Magic6 Pro, a flagship Android phone that pierced the radar early in 2024. With its impressive 6.7-inch LTPO OLED display, top-tier Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, and exceptional camera capabilities, including a 180MP periscope lens, this phone stood out from the crowd. Its 3D face unlock system, a rare feature in the Android world, is the cherry on top. We can only hope that its successor, the Magic7 Pro, will make its way to global markets soon.
Lastly, the MagicBook Art 14 wowed us with its stunning 14.6-inch OLED 120Hz touchscreen and striking aluminum chassis. With its lightweight 980-gram design and Intel Core Ultra 5 chip, this laptop is a joy to use. The titanium keyboard and large glass trackpad are a treat, and the 60Wh battery easily powers a full day of work.
The Losers
While Honor’s hardware continues to impress, there are a few areas where the brand fell short. International availability remains a significant issue, with many devices, such as the non-Pro Magic6, Magic V Flip, and X50 GT, stuck in China. The brand’s latest Magic7 series phones have been available in China for months, but there’s no word on their global release dates.
MagicOS, often compared to iOS, is another area for improvement. While the latest MagicOS 9.0 looks promising, it still lags behind established rivals like Samsung’s One UI and Google’s Pixel UI. We need to get our hands on the global version to see if it has finally caught up.
Lastly, flagship smartwatches from Honor are few and far between, with the Honor Watch 5 and Watch GS 4 the only options for 2024. Given the brand’s expertise in crafting premium devices, a flagship smartwatch with WearOS would be a natural fit, potentially shaking up the market.
As we look to the future, Honor has a lot to build on. With its impressive hardware and software, the brand is positioned to continue to thrive in an ever-changing tech landscape. But for now, we’ll have to be content with what we’ve seen so far – a year of consistency and innovation from Honor.
