HiOS 14
Tecno Spark Go 1 Review: Does Affordability Compromise Quality?
Tecno, the celebrated Chinese smartphone manufacturing company, is back again with its latest addition to its Spark series. On 19th August 2024, Spark Go 1 appeared in the Chinese and Indian markets. The phone offers affordability and a good design. Let’s go over the specifications, pros, cons, and price of the Tecno Spark Go 1.
Key Features of Tecno Spark Go 1
Design
The Tecno Spark Go 1 features a design with a glass front, plastic back, and plastic frame. The phone maintains a dimension of 165.62 mm by 77.01 mm by 8.35 mm. Available in Startrail Black, Glittery White, and Lime Green, the Spark Go 1 measures 8.35mm in thickness (8.55mm for the leather version) and weighs 189 grams, making it easy to handle.
Its display has a punch-hole for the front camera. The chin is defiant along with a noticeable bottom bezel.
An IP54 rating provides sufficient resistance against dust and splashes. On the back, it has a single rear camera with an LED flash and an IR blaster miming an extra camera sensor.
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The SIM tray has double slots rooming for two SIMs. The phone’s edges include stereo speakers, a USB-C port, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a fingerprint sensor integrated into the power button. The SIM slot is located on the left side.
Display
The Tecno Spark Go 1 comes with a 6.67-inch HD+ IPS LCD. Users will get a viewing experience with the 720 by 1600 pixel resolution and a 20:9 aspect ratio of the display. The pixel density masses around 263 PPI helping the display to preserve clear output.
The phone provides users the option to switch the refresh rate between 60 Hz and 120 Hz. So, users can enjoy a bit of control over the smoothness of the display. The screen brightness reaches 480 nits, making it suitable for indoor viewing but less effective in bright outdoor conditions.
The phone also supports Eye Care mode, reducing blue light for more comfortable viewing, though it lacks options for adjusting the color profile. The device is Widevine L1 certified, allowing users to stream HD content on supported platforms.
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For audio, the Tecno Spark Go 1 is equipped with DTS dual stereo speakers, designed to provide enhanced sound quality for media consumption and gaming.
Cameras
The Tecno Spark Go 1 is equipped with a 13-megapixel (f/1.8) rear camera and an 8-megapixel front camera. The rear camera offers a variety of shooting modes, including AI Cam, Beauty Mode, Portrait, Time-Lapse, Dual Video, Super Night, Panorama, Pro Mode, AR Shot, and Short Video. The rear sensor is capable of 1080P video recording.
The front camera, designed for selfies and video calls, also supports AI Cam, Beauty Mode, Portrait, and video recording. It features a dual-color temperature flash for better lighting in selfies.
The phone lacks advanced stabilization features like gyro-EIS, which could impact video quality. Additionally, the Spark Go 1 includes an infrared remote-control sensor, allowing users to control home appliances directly from the phone.
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The device also features AI Active Noise Cancellation, which helps improve call quality in noisy environments. While the camera setup provides basic functionality, it is more suitable for casual photography and social media sharing.
Performance and Software
The Tecno Spark Go 1 is powered by a Unisoc T615 processor with 8GB of RAM. This RAM includes 4GB of LPDDR4x physical memory and up to 4GB of virtual RAM for smoother multitasking. It offers 64GB of eMMC 5.1 storage, with the option to expand via a dedicated microSD card slot.
The phone runs on Android 14 Go Edition, customized with HiOS 14, a lightweight, optimized version of Android designed for budget-friendly phones. This software provides a simplified interface and is intended to offer smoother performance.
Benchmarking tests such as AnTuTu, Geekbench, and CPU Throttle provide insights into its processing capabilities, but practically, long-term performance is yet to be tested.
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Battery and Chargers
The 5,000mAh battery in the Tecno Spark Go 1 provides decent battery life for daily tasks. It supports 15W wired charging, allowing for faster recharges compared to standard chargers, though it may still take some time to charge the large battery fully. This capacity is suitable for extended use, making it ideal for users needing long-lasting power on the go.
Pros and Cons of Tecno Spark Go 1
Pros
- Android 14 (Go edition) with HiOS 14- 120Hz IPS LCD- IP54 dust and splash resistance- Audio jack and infrared port- Large battery with 15W charging- Side-mounted fingerprint scanner
Cons
- Low image and video quality- No gyro-EIS- Limited for multitasking and gaming- No reverse charging- 720p resolution display- No 5G or NFC support.
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Price of Tecno Spark Go 1 in Bangladesh
Spark Go 1 is not officially available in Bangladesh yet. The phone’s pricing in India starts from INR 7298, or BDT 10380. The conversion rate here is INR 1 = BDT 1.42. However, the official price of Tecno Spark Go 1 in Bangladesh may vary due to tax and other issues.
Conclusion
The Spark Go 1 is a budget-friendly smartphone featuring a 6.67-inch 120Hz display, a 5,000mAh battery with 15W fast charging, and IP54 dust and splash resistance. It runs on Android 14 Go Edition with HiOS 14, powered by the Unisoc T615 chipset and 4GB of RAM, plus virtual RAM.
While it lacks 5G, NFC, and high-end camera features, it offers essential functions like a side-mounted fingerprint scanner and stereo speakers. The Tecno Spark Go 1 is ideal for users seeking an affordable phone for basic tasks and media consumption, without heavy multitasking or gaming needs.
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3 months ago
Tecno Camon 30 Pro Review: Style Meets Substance
The Camon lineup from Tecno has always been geared as premium mid-range devices that bring a mix of style and performance. Last year, the 20 Pro turned heads with its marbled back design and sleek front. This year, the updated Tecno Camon 30 Pro has been launched. It brings refinement and performance enhancement over the last generation while compromising on certain aspects. Let’s have a detailed look.
Key Specs of Tecno Camon 30 Pro
Design and Build Quality
The design of the Camon 30 Pro can be best described as a mix of sci-fi and traditional. The glass front and chromed plastic frame are coupled with either glass or eco-leather back. The eco-leather back has a unique texture which Tecno likens to a lotus leaf. The glass back variant on the other hand has a volcanic stone-like texture.
The dimension of the device comes in at 164 mm by 74.5 mm by 7.7 mm with 188.6 g of effective weight. There’s a distinct red dot beside the metal camera ring which Tecno calls their “Breathing Light”. It essentially works like the glyph interface of Nothing Phone where it lights up for notifications, incoming calls, and video recording.
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Ports and buttons are in their usual spot on the 30 Pro. However, the headphone jack and the expandable storage slot have been axed on the new model. The lack of an IP rating is also contentious but other than that, the 30 Pro brings a lot of positives in terms of design and build quality.
The Display
The display on the Tecno Camon 30 Pro is a 6.78-inch AMOLED panel with a 144 Hz refresh rate. The well-rounded panel comes with 1080 by 2436 pixels resolution and 393 ppi density. the screen to body ratio on the device is 89.9% screen-to-body ratio which is standard for a premium mid-range smartphone. The test shows that the minimal and maximal brightness of the panel is 2.2 nits and 534 nits respectively.
The display may pale in comparison with the 30 Premier’s 1260P OLED panel, but it does a decent job with what's at hand. The colors look vivid with a hint of a warm tone. The viewing angles are also pretty good without any noticeable color shift. Whatever the panel lacks in terms of resolution is swiftly covered by the fast refresh rate.
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The Camera
There’s a triple camera sensor on the Camon 30 Pro. The main sensor is a 50 MP f/1.9, 23mm wide-angle shooter with PDAF and OIS. The other two sensors are a 50 MP, f/2.2, 14mm, 114˚ ultrawide shooter and a 2 MP depth sensor. The front features a 50 MP, f/2.5, 24mm wide-angle shooter.
In terms of performance, the 30 Pro is on par with the higher-end 30 Premier owing to the sensor used on both devices. Photos taken in daylight came out well detailed with good color balance and strong dynamic range. The same holds for the ultrawide sensor albeit the color may seem a bit muted. The front camera also performed well thanks to the appended resolution.
The nighttime photos had good exposure and details. Other than some lens flares, the photos came out well enough for its price.
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The videography on the Camon 30 pro is rated at 4K at 30/60fps (HDR enabled), and 1080P at 30fps.
Processor and Performance
The processor on the Camon 30 Pro is Mediatek Dimensity 8200 Ultimate based on a 4 Nm architecture. In terms of performance, the processor closely rivals the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1.
The chip design comprises 1x3.1 GHz Cortex-A78 & 3x3.0 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55 with Mali-G610 MC6 GPU.
The Tecno Camon 30 Pro comes in 12/256 GB and 12/512 GB variants.
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The gaming performance on the device has been on par with flagship-grade devices. games like PUBG and COD ran on ultra-graphics and frame rates. Asphalt 9 and Genshin Impact also showed higher than average fps for a mid-ranger. In terms of heating, the 30 Pro did a decent job of dissipating heat and keeping it at a manageable level.
Benchmark
Geekbench 6: 1250 (single-core); 3931 (multi-core)
Antutu 10: 949357
3DMark Wildlife: 6388.
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Software
The Camon 30 Pro is running on HiOS 14 based on Android 14. It’s the same old HiOS as last year with a fair share of bloatware. The Dynamic Port 2.0 is also back, which is Tecno’s version of Apple’s Dynamic Island.
Tecno has committed to 2 years of major software updates and 3 years of security patches.
Battery and Charge Time
The battery on the Tecno Camon 30 Pro is 5000 mAh. There’s a proprietary 70W fast charging support that can take the device from 0 to 100% in about 50 minutes.
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Pros and Cons of Tecno Camon 30 Pro
Pros:
- AMOLED panel with 144 Hz refresh rate - Stereo speakers with Dolby Sound - Breathing Light - Stylish design - 5000 mAh battery with 70W fast charging - Upgraded camera module - Has an IR blaster- Supports up to 4K recording.
Cons:
- No microSD support- No water resistance rating - No Optical zoom lens - No Gorilla glass protection- No Wireless charging support- No reverse charging support.
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Official Price of Tecno Camon 30 Pro
The Tecno Camon 30 Pro 12/512 GB variant is available at 400 USD or 46,998 BDT (1 USD =117.50 BDT).
Verdict
The Tecno Camon 30 Pro with its innovative design and flaring additions makes an impressive and stylish offering. It shares a very close, almost the same DNA with a slightly higher-priced Camon 30 Premier. But for its price, the 30 Pro brings great design, display, camera, and battery life.
The processing power is also on par for an upper-midranger. The only gripe is the bloatware-heavy HiOS on the device. On paper and in performance, the 30 Pro outshines competitors like the Samsung Galaxy A55 in a similar price range. In terms of target demographic, this is a device best suited for those looking for a stylish phone with a good camera and decent performance at a mid-range price.
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5 months ago