TECNO’s growth over the past years has been spectacular, and the brand is sending off another successful year. Part of the Transsion Holdings group along with Infinix and itel, Tecno has been making the rounds in developing markets for several years, and the manufacturer has released some of the best phones in 2024.
From the Phantom V Fold2 and V Flip2 foldables to its Camon 30 and Powa 6 series, Tecno strengthened itself across its device portfolio, but we also saw some shortcomings and the more pressing matter of expanding its global presence.
Winner: Phantom V Fold2 and V Flip2
Despite still being a fairly new player in the foldable market, Tecno’s Phantom V Fold2 and V Flip2 were major upgrades over their predecessors. Tecno made a big leap in design with both devices, but the V Fold2 stood out.
A full 50 grams lighter and significantly thinner than the first-generation V Fold, the V Fold2 is in a completely different league in terms of hardware. The updated touch-friendly vegan leather back, more traditional camera island, and additional IP54 rating are all great additions. We should also mention the added stylus support, the new 50MP ultrawide camera and the latest Android 14 interface, which is more optimized for the larger screen format.
The V Flip2 actually feels like a more polished product, with a usable 3.64-inch cover screen, updated 50MP ultrawide camera, larger 4,720 mAh battery, and class-leading 70W fast charging.
At INR 79,999 ($945/€890) for the V Fold2 and INR 34,999 ($415/€390) for the V Flip2, these are some of the most affordable folding phones out there, but sadly Tecno hasn’t figured out global availability Which we hope will be fixed with the next generation Phantom.
Winner: Camon 30 Premier
High-end features that are above its price range – that’s the essence of the Camon 30 Premier which was one of the pleasant surprises in the midrange segment. It features an LTPO OLED, a capable Dimensity 8200 Ultimate chipset, and a great trio of 50MP cameras, including a 3x optical periscope shooter, which isn’t something you’ll find without the INR 39,999 ($470/€450) price. Let’s see within the limits.
With a premium design, solid battery life, 70W charging, and an excellent speaker setup, the Camon 30 Premier is a device that deserves more recognition. Hopefully, Tecno will expand into more markets in 2025, and the Camon 40 Premier will build on the excellent value package offered by the Camon 30 Premier.
Winner: Tecno Powa 6 Pro
Like the Camon 30 Premier, Tecno’s gaming-focused Powa 6 Pro was another feature-rich midranger that caught our attention for its price/performance ratio.
It has a distinctive design with transparent back elements, angular shape and an LED strip for notifications. The 120Hz AMOLED, updated 108MP main cam and larger 6,000 mAh battery with faster 70W charging were some nice additions compared to the Powa 5 Pro. The reliable Dimensity 6080 paired with feature-rich HiOS 14 based on Android 14 and the generous retail package leaves little to be desired in the €300 price range.
Loser: Spark 20 Pro+
Tecno’s Spark series offers some great budget devices, and while the Spark 20 Pro+ is a decently priced midranger, we had a few complaints. The MediaTek Helio G99 inside the phone is now starting to show its age, and the lack of any software update policy is something that needs to be addressed.
We also felt that the 6.78-inch curved AMOLED display was hampered by the lack of HDR support and a relatively low 549 nits of brightness. Coupled with the fact that our review unit shipped with HiOS 13.6 instead of the newer version 14 and some Wi-Fi stability issues, we felt the Spark 20 Pro+ could have been better executed.
Loser: Global Availability
From its impressive selection of midrange Camon and Powa series phones to the affordable Phantom V Fold and V Flip series, TECNO has been making great phones that outperform established brands. The brand has a well-established presence in emerging markets, but with Western markets still to be seen, we can only hope that it will arrive sooner rather than later.
Loser: Phantom X2 Pro successor
It’s been over two years since Tecno launched its Phantom X2 Pro and its 2.5X pop-out portrait camera, which we absolutely loved. We’re left wondering why Tecno hasn’t brought a successor for so long, but hopefully that will change in 2025.
Tecno recently announced its EVS Dynamic Snapshot and Tap Any Zoom Prism telephoto camera developments that look like they belong to the Phantom X3 Pro.
techno camon 30 premiere
| 512GB 12GB RAM | ₹ 30,000 |
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techno pova 6 pro
| 256GB 12GB RAM | €307.34 |
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