Tecno Powa Curve 2 review: Unique design and long battery life but is it enough?
Tecno has launched Powa Curve 2 in India. At a time when most new phones are coming with secure designs, this device stands out with a unique sci-fi look. But will this be enough to attract buyers? Let’s find out in our full review here on India Today Tech.
tecno pova curve 2 5g review
Pros
- unique design
- good battery life
- good performance
Shortcoming
- performance could be better
- average cameras
If you look at new smartphones in the last few months, you may notice a trend. Almost every phone is protected with a design – usually a boxy frame, and a square or circular camera module. Now, Tecno has taken this blueprint and thrown it out the window with the new Powa Curve 2. This is a phone that looks like nothing else. it is different.
The company says that the Powa Curve 2 is inspired by spacecraft and the universe. And as someone who’s been reading a lot of science fiction lately, the phone caught my eye. But the design alone can’t justify the Tecno Powa Curve 2’s price tag of Rs 27,999. The question is, how good is it as a smartphone? Let’s take a look at our full review here on India Today Tech.
techno pova curve 2 design
The Powa Curve 2 comes with a triangular-shaped camera module with two different cutouts. The camera module itself looks quite unique, and something we don’t see every day. There’s also a triangular design element at the bottom right, adding to the sci-fi theme. And finally there is a band that goes around the entire back, and brings the design together.
Although design is subjective, I found it attractive, especially when most phone manufacturers are playing it safe in this aspect these days. But yes, the Tecno Powa Curve 2 may not be for those who want a clean and sophisticated look. This design will definitely attract people’s attention.
The phone itself is quite thin, at just over 7.4mm. The feel in the hand is good, and when you hold it you notice how slim the device really is. But keep in mind that the frame and back part are made of plastic. The power button comes in orange color with texture, which is quite nice to use.
techno pova curve 2 display
As the name suggests, the Powa Curve 2 has a curved display. It is a 6.78-inch FHD+ AMOLED panel with a 144Hz refresh rate. However, this is a 3D curved panel – the top and bottom are flat. As is the case with most phones, the refresh rate usually sticks to 120Hz and only supports 144Hz in some games.
During my time spent with the device, I found the display to be good. Color accuracy is good, and it’s a good screen for watching videos. The maximum brightness of the screen is 4,500 nits. Although at times, I found the display a bit cumbersome to read in direct sunlight.
Tecno says that the Powa Curve 2 comes with 2,340Hz PWM dimming. But what does it mean? PWM dimming refers to the flicker rate of an OLED display. Every OLED screen flickers, and when we don’t register it, it has an adverse effect on our eyes. The company says that the Curve 2 shines so brightly that our eyes do not feel pressure, especially while using the phone in the dark.
I used the Tecno Powa Curve 2 at night and I didn’t feel any unusual strain on my eyes. But to better test this effect, one may have to use the device for a longer period of time.
Talking about the speaker, you get Dolby Atmos support on the Powa Curve 2. The speakers are loud enough and the streaming experience is good. But most of the sound comes from the bottom speaker, so you’ll need to avoid covering the unit when you hold the device.
tecno pova curve 2 performance
The Pova Curve 2 uses the new MediaTek Dimensity 7100 chipset. Now for those wondering, this chipset typically sits below the Dimensity 7200 and comes with a more efficiency-focused 6nm node rather than the latter’s 4nm process. For reference, the original POWA curve used amplitude 7300.
Tecno says that this device is not meant for gamers, but its performance should be good enough for an average user. During my usage, I found the phone to perform quite well when it comes to switching between apps or multitasking.
You can also play games on the device. I managed to reach 60fps on both BGMI and COD Mobile on low graphics. Although you may not get consistent performance during long sessions, it is good enough for some casual gaming.
On Geekbench, the Pova Curve 2 scored 952 points in single-core and 2,701 points in multi-core. On AnTuTu, the phone managed to deliver a score of 717,994.
But at this price range, more powerful devices exist. You get the OnePlus Nord CE 5 and the Lava Agni 4 with the Dimensity 8350 chipset. Even the battery-centric Realme P4 Power comes with the Dimensity 7400.
tecno pova curve 2 cameras
The Tecno Pova Curve 2 comes with a dual rear camera setup – a 50-megapixel main camera, along with a 2-megapixel macro lens. Although an ultrawide would have been better.
The main camera of the Powa Curve 2 does this. The photos are quite useful, and the descriptions are fine too. Portrait mode is good, edge detection is good. However, sometimes the skin tone feels a little off. A macro lens is fine if you specifically want to capture macro shots.
The front sensor is a 13-megapixel unit. The photos look good and will mostly work. The camera doesn’t make your face ‘pretty’ by default. But the Powa Curve 2 isn’t a camera-focused device, and you might get better results from something like the Nothing Phone 3A.
There is no optical image stabilization (OIS). On the rear camera and selfie shooter, you can record up to 2K at 30fps, or 1080p at 60fps. The quality is satisfactory, but the competition has better video capabilities.
Battery life of Tecno Powa Curve 2
At 7.42mm, the Powa Curve 2 is quite sleek, but it doesn’t come at the expense of battery life. In fact, Tecno has managed to pack a much larger battery than the Curve 1 at 8,000mAh. And this battery makes a difference.
It has one of the largest batteries on the market right now, and for most users, the phone can last up to two days on a single use. Generally, when I used the phone extensively I managed to get to the end of a day with about 20 to 30 percent remaining in the tank. On more normal days, the phone usually has about 50 percent battery left.
When it comes to charging, Tecno provides a 45W charger in the box. Typically, the device will take a little over 90 minutes to fully charge, which is acceptable considering the size of the battery.
TECNO POWA CURVE 2 USER EXPERIENCE
Tecno Powa Curve 2 comes with HiOS 16 based on Android 16. The user interface now comes with a glass-look, along with some nice transparency effects. Although it is not as good as ColorOS, it is a good interface. You also get various options like Game Mode, Side Bar, and Works.
You also get a ‘Dynamic Port’ aka Dynamic Island. The company has implemented this well and you can see the OTP at the top of your screen even without opening the message.
The Pova Curve 2 comes with a custom icon pack that brings white and orange icons to apps, and it works well with the overall space aesthetic.
You also get a depth effect on the home screen, similar to the lock screen effect. And if apps get partially covered by wallpaper, you can still tap on them and open the corresponding apps.
Instead of Gemini, your default AI assistant is Ella, created by Techno. The Ella voice assistant activates when you long press the home button, and works similar to Gemini or ChatGPT. Techno says it is working with many companies for Ella. However, the company claims that Ella keeps all your data on its Indian servers.
You can also switch from Ella to Gemini or any other leading AI model. It also has Circle to Search, Live Captions, etc. – things we expect from a new smartphone.
There is some bloatware too, but only a handful – Facebook, Instagram, PhonePe and Spotify. You can uninstall these apps. But Tecno has a handful of first party apps. Hola Browser also started sending notifications right after I set it up.
tecno pova curve 2 verdict
Now coming to the decision. The Tecno Powa Curve 2 has several things in its favor – the phone comes with a big battery, yet it’s quite slim. The OS experience is good, and you get less bloatware than some more expensive phones. And of course, the phone is quite a sight to behold, given its sci-fi aesthetic.
But at Rs 27,999 the stakes are quite high. Powa Curve 2 is a little behind in terms of performance and camera. But memory prices have increased in the last few months. In 2026, we may not see the same value proposition that we saw even a year ago.
So, while the Tecno Powa Curve 2 may not be the most powerful device, it is an option for those who want to stand out in a sea of familiar-looking smartphones.
