Honor launched the Magic8 series in China last month, with an international release set for November 28, but there was one part missing. Earlier this year, we heard about a third member of the family, which is nowhere to be seen yet. Despite that, some new details are now available about it.
Honor Magic8 Mini could set a new standard for small phones
Honor may try a different spin on the ultra-slim smartphone idea with the Magic8 Mini. According to a Weibo post (source in Chinese) by prolific leaker Digital Chat Station, the device is likely to be under 6 mm thick and feature a 6.3-inch flat display with 1.5K resolution and an LTPO panel.The leaker says that it could be the first ultra-slim small-screen flagship smartphone on the market. Despite the small size, the device may pack a 5,500 mAh battery, which is a much larger capacity than both the iPhone Air and the Galaxy S25 Edge.
In fact, that’s 10% more than the rumored capacity of the Galaxy S26 Ultra. Despite packing a relatively gigantic 6.9-inch display, Samsung’s ultra-flagship is likely to feature a 5,000 mAh battery. In all fairness, the iPhone 17 Pro Max and Pixel 10 Pro XL also feature batteries that are only slightly larger than 5,000 mAh.
Of course, there are compromises
Honor Magic 7 Pro. | Image credit – PhoneArena
While the Magic8 Mini could be positioned as a compact flagship, the device won’t match all specs of its larger siblings. Honor may use the MediaTek Dimensity 9500 chipset and downgrade the main camera from a 200MP sensor to a 1/1.5″-type sensor with a 50MP resolution. The device may also feature a telephoto camera with unconfirmed specs.
Honor won’t be the only Chinese company to launch a relatively smaller flagship device. OnePlus is rumored to launch the OnePlus 15T, which might be known as OnePlus 15s outside of China, with a 6.3-inch display and a large battery. That device is unlikely to be as thin as the rumored Magic8 Mini, though.
What does “mini” even mean?
Compared to the 6.9-inch ultra flagships, a 6.3-inch device may feel small. However, calling a 6.3-inch smartphone “mini” feels wrong to me. I am glad that we can have such a device with a large battery and a thin body, but I’ll be even happier if we can shrink those displays further.
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Ilia, a tech journalist at PhoneArena, has been covering the mobile industry since 2011, with experience at outlets like Forbes Bulgaria. Passionate about smartphones, tablets, and consumer tech, he blends deep industry knowledge with a personal fascination that began with his first Nokia and Sony Ericsson devices. Originally from Bulgaria and now based in Lima, Peru, Ilia balances his tech obsessions with walking his dog, training at the gym, and slowly mastering Spanish.
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