Huawei’s Honor Magic is basically a sexier P9

We’ve already seen Xiaomi’s Mi Mix make its debut, but now it’s time for Huawei‘s Honor sub-brand to reveal a gorgeous handset. To that end, we’ve got the Huawei Honor Magic.

The Honor Magic packs the same capable Kirin 950 octacore processor as the P9 and Mate 8 (four A72 cores and four A53 cores), 4GB of RAM, 64GB of storage, 2900mAh battery and dual 12MP f/2.2 main cameras. It’s a pity it’s not using the Kirin 960 then, but it’s still a powerful handset on paper.

There is one major downside to using the Kirin 950 though (less capable GPU aside), as it doesn’t support 4K recording.

But the smartphone stands out from other Huawei devices by having a 5.09-inch 2560×1440 AMOLED screen. The screen is curved as well, making for an aesthetically pleasing design, akin to the S7 Edge (review). Huawei has also implemented “WiseScreen” tech, allowing the phone’s screen to turn on when you pick it up and turn off when you put it in your pocket.

Interestingly enough, there’s also a facial recognition system at play, which only reveals message notifications to a “pre-registered” face. Here’s hoping it’s more secure than Android 4.0’s Face Unlock feature, which could be spoofed with a photo at launch.

Otherwise, the phone also packs a AI-driven function to keep Android smooth over time, much like the Mate 9. Of course, time will tell whether this feature actually works.

The 2900mAh battery isn’t huge, but the company is implementing its own fast-charging tech (dubbed Huawei Magic Power), which delivers 70% capacity from 20 minutes of charging. In fact, Huawei claims 40% battery capacity from just 10 minutes of charging.

As for other specs, you can expect USB Type-C connectivity, a 3.5mm audio jack and dual-SIM support.

Expect to pay RMB3699 (R7448 as a straight conversion) for the Honor Magic.