What makes for a good phone?

That is a multimillion-dollar question, and one the jury is still out, but Porsche Design thinks it may have provided the answer in its latest collaboration with Honor on the Magic V2 RSR.

Without further ado, let’s break down what its ‘answer’ looks like.

Hardware:

For smartphone companies, the intersection between creating durable yet sleek and not too heavy or bulky ‘outerwear’ for their devices is a slippery slope to navigate. Not to mention, the phones still have to have a modern aesthetic, and for pricey models like the Porsche Design Magic V2 RSR, they have to also look like they are worth the price.

Close up of hand holding the Porsche Design Magic V2 RSR — **Porsche Design has collaborated with Honor on a smartphone that combines the DNA of both brands in a way that they feel sets it apart. Image courtesy of Porsche Design**

Using a mix of materials, Porsche Design appears to have navigated this slope excellently. For the screen of its version of the Magic V2 RSR, the team chose to go with a rhinopower nanocrystal glass that it says improves its resistance — up to 10 times more wear-resistant and 10 times more drop-resistant— keeping the screen like brand new even without the aid of a screen protector.

The caseback is made from a mix of plastic, aluminium alloy and stainless steel, amongst other materials, while the back-facing camera is protected by 3D glass framed by titanium. Yet, in all this, the foldable phone manages to weigh a mere 234g. For context, the Samsung Galaxy S204 Ultra weighs 233g while its Galaxy Z fold 5 weighs 253g. It may not be as light as the iPhone 15 Pro which weighs 187gms, but for a fold, the weight of the Porsche Design Magic V2 RSR is impressive.

And of course, it has an IPX4 water resistance rating.

Software:

The last time anyone had the patience to deal with a slow-processing phone was at the height of the Blackberry era, and even then, we were so over it.

Side view of the Porsche Design Magic V2 RSR — ***Porsche Design has managed to keep the foldable Magic V2 RSR light and sleek. Image courtesy of Porsche Design***

The Porsche Design Magic V2 RSR is fitted with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor that increases its maximum main frequency to 3.36GHz. Which, in layman’s terms means that the smartphone responds to actions relatively fast and without using too much battery power and overheating like a 20-year-old ‘metal mobile’ with a cranky radiator.

Camera:

No one is buying a phone with a bad camera these days. Not Gen Z, X, or any other generation alive today.

It is no surprise then that this Porsche-designed smartphone has three lenses: the ultra-wide, the wide angle and the telephoto lens with 50MP, 50MP and 20MP respectively. And its 16 MP wide-angle dual front camera means that whether you’re taking selfies or are on a video call, the camera’s quality is good enough to avoid making you resemble a pixelated cartoon character from 80s in your photos.

Memory, storage operating system and battery:

Most modern smartphones have ditched expandable external memory which means that anything less than 512gb is unacceptable unless you have a robust cloud storage space. And not even then is anything less than 512gb acceptable.

Thankfully, the Porsche Design Magic V2 RSR got the memo and comes with 16gb memory and 1TB storage space. Battery is a 5,000 mAh silicon-carbon that Porsche says can keep you running for the whole day, while its OS is Honor’s MagicOS 7.2, based off on Android 13.

Aesthetics:

Of course, it would not be Porsche-designed if it did not include elements from the Porsche auto.

The Porsche Design Magic V2 RSR with the 911 — *The Porsche Design Magic V2 RSR gets its inspiration from the 911. Image courtesy of Porsche Design*

Borrowed elements include the Porsche-style flyine that runs the length of the phone’s back and immediately brings to mind the 911. It also helps to improve grip and handling so it isn’t just some fancy addition to remind you of a supercar.

Then there is the user interface that is once again reminiscent of the 911. The charging screen looks just like the dashboard of a Porsche auto, while the dark theme is very Porsche. Other Porsche elements appear all around, including in parts that are not immediately visible.

The Magic V2 RSR in pocket — ***Like its other projects, Porsche Design went extra on the Magic V2 RSR while still keeping things chic and simple. Image courtesy of Porsche Design***

And even if all these were somehow missing, the fact that its accessories include a Porsche Design case, 2 chargers, 2 USB cables, a pen and case is enough proof that this Magic V2 RSR is every bit as Porsche as a Porsche. Because what mobile phone company is including all these very extra accessories?

All of which brings us to the original question: is the Porsche Design Magic V2 RSR a good phone? Or is it a great phone that is a model of what a modern mobile phone should be?