Who knew that there could be a smartphone out in the market that could go for under P10,000 and at the same time be a good gaming phone with a decent camera and a battery that can last you at least two days. Here’s my Tecno POVA review, which is out now in the market!

For starters, check out my Unboxing video for the POVA…

Display

One of the POVA’s selling point is it having a 6.8 inch Dot-In Display. It also features 480 nits, and a screen resolution of 720 x 1640.

The screen is big enough for watching Youtube or Netflix videos too…

And has equally the same great quality for games…

Design

Let me begin this segment with the weight of 215 grams. It’s so light and easy to carry around. The design is pretty much the same. The power button and the volume controls are on the right side of the phone while the left side features a Google Assistant button and the SIM tray…

Aesthetically speaking, I like the punch hole design TECNO put for the POVA smartphone. It looks really great with the front camera not taking too much attention.

Even up close, the front camera looks simple and clean.

For some unknown reason, I suddenly miss the configuration on the phones where the fingerprint scanners were located at the back.

Also have to tip my hat to the design they integrated in the smartphone’s back mainly because I love the color gradient. And while its still semi-plastic, it still looks fancy. Definitely not looking like something with an SRP of P6999 instead looking like something that goes for around P15000 and above.

Camera

The front camera features 8MP front camera w/ dual front-flash. Yeah sure, you may think that 8MP wouldn’t cut it but you’d be surprise because you actually get good selfies with the POVA.

The front facing side has various modes to choose from including:

• Short video
• Video
• AI Cam
• Beauty
• Portrait
• AR Shot
• Wide Selfie

I also had fun with the AR Filters that comes with the smartphone. Here are some shots using the selfie AR filters.

And now for the main camera at the back. For this one, I liked the design of the quad camera setup. It features a 13MP main camera, a 2MP depth camera, a  2MP macro camera and an AI lens.

Here’s a sample shot using the Tecno POVA.

User Interface/UX

The phone runs on Android 10 concurrently with Tecno’s HiOS version 7. It works smoothly so far and it runs stuff like Zoom and heavier games like Genshin Impact and Call of Duty Mobile smoothly.

 

Gaming

Playing mobile games via the Pova is surprisingly great. Actually scratch that, I was expecting the same quality from the brand because the Pouvoir 4 was such a soldier when it came to gaming. This is all thanks to the MediaTek Helio G80 processor they put on the phone. So you don’t lag at important moments in games like Call of Duty Mobile.

Battery

The TECNO POVA shares the same battery size with its cheaper little brother, the TECNO Pouvoir 4  at 6000mAh and like my previous experience with that unit. I’m totally floored with the battery life.

They also weren’t kidding when they said that they included fast charging capabilities for this phone too. The 18W fast charging system ensures that you get your phone back into action in the shortest time possible. A word of caution though as this phone still runs on the micro-B type chargers… so yeah.

Tecno Mobile POVA specs:
6.8-inch HD+ (720 x 1640) Dot-In display, 480 nits
MediaTek Helio G80 octa-core CPU
6GB RAM
128GB storage
Quad rear cameras:
• 13MP (main)
• 2MP (depth)
• 2MP (macro)
• AI lens
8MP front camera w/ dual front-flash
Dual SIM
4G LTE
WiFi 802.11
Bluetooth
GPS
micro-USB
Rear-mounted fingerprint scanner
HiOS 7.0 (based on Android 10)
6,000mAh battery with 18W Flash Charge
171 x 77.57 x 9.4mm
Magic Blue, Speed Purple, Dazzle Black

Tecno Pova Review Verdict

If you want to get a phone that (a) is under P10,000 and (b) does everything that you may need or want including stream movies, play trending mobile games and (c) has a good camera then the Tecno Pova is for you.

Pros:

• Good battery life
• Quad camera is good even if doesn’t have the current-gen standards
• Large display perfect for gaming and streaming videos
• creative packaging for the box
• 18W Flash Charge is a dream come true; you get fast charging AND huge battery life
• Intuitive OS and UI
• Non-invasive front camera design
• Surprisingly good number of camera options and functions for this price range

Cons:

• So-so audio; need to get a bluetooth to improve audio experience
• Not using Type-C USB
• The Google Assistant button is still here
• Rear-mounted fingerprint scanner can be tricky

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