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While a lot of Chinese budget phone makers have captured everyone's attention this year with their affordable models, another Chinese brand has quietly been on a tear.
The Camon 19 Pro Mondrian Edition with a unique back panel that changes color when exposed to light is one of the flashy rear panel designs of the company. The company's product lines are designed in the same way. The regular model that was launched in July has a nice flair thanks to a collaboration between Tecno and Designworks.
The Tecno Spark 9 Pro Sports Edition is a budget phone with an accessible price, a stylish design, and an amazing 32MP selfies camera, which is the main selling point. How great is it? This review will answer that question.
Some markets include Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East. $170 is the price, though it may vary by location.
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Blue and white are the colors it ships in. A partnership between BMW Group's Designworks and Tecno resulted in the creation of a limited edition model. The regular model comes in a number of colors.
The design of the Tecno Spark 9 Pro Sports Edition is similar to that of the Apple's iPhone. The flat rim, sharp corners, and glossy rear panel of the phone are all influenced by the iPhone.
The phone has a powerful ISOCELL 2.0 sensor, which makes it a great choice for selfies. The Sports Edition's front camera has been very pleasant to use in the past few weeks. The headline feature of its software is Super Night Mode 3.0. This is aided by a Ring Screen Fill-in Light or a front-facing flash.
Even when the lights are out, the ring light makes my selfies bright. The feature adds brightness to the interface of the camera to make it brighter. The picture is a smooth one.
The front camera interface features a ring light effect to make sure your selfie is well-lit even in complete darkness.
The front camera of the Spark 9 Pro Sports Edition is equipped with an artificial portrait enhancer. I initially thought it was a marketing ploy, but I found out that it actually delivers. My selfies have become clearer. The Portrait enhancer is far from perfect.
The phone has a video recording feature. Video recording at up to 2K resolution is supported by the Tecno's contender, which is unlike many budget phones with front cameras. Given the phone's price, it's understandable that it doesn't have electronic image stabilization.
There is a problem with beauty filters on selfies. The Sports Edition's gender recognition feature applies filters based on whether the subject has facial hair or not.
The camera on the back of the Spark 9 Pro isn't wide or long. You get a 50MP wide-angle camera and a 2MP depth sensor, instead of the other way around. The rear camera is not a photographic champion, but it is a phone that costs less than other models.
The photos I took with the spark 9 pro were detailed and natural. It struggles with the unpredictable tricks of HDR, as shown by the over exposed background. The Super Night mode produced shots with little to no noise for a budget phone.
For its price, the phone's screen is a nice surprise. It has a 6.6 inch screen, but it is only anIPS screen and not a more vivid AMOLED display. The quality of this screen is better than many of the others. It's Full HD+ resolution is a boon for my viewing pleasure.
The camera samples are from the Tecno Spark 9 Pro sports edition.
The image is the first of four.
The unique and stylish design of the phone deserves more attention. The Tecno Spark 9 Pro's two-tone finish is marked by blue triangles and a lot of snow for a lively theme. The design was inspired by an icy crystal talisman and the two camera islands on the back are a nod to BMW.
The device has a nice grip that makes it easy to operate with one hand. The placement of the power button on the right side makes it easier to use. I didn't encounter any trouble with reliability even though the sensor took a beating.
The supporting cast is one of the highlights of the Spark 9 Pro. You can increase the phone's memory by up to 3 gigabytes.
A message alert light that doubles as a front-facing flash is one of the rare features of this device. Many of the best camera phones have the latter in them.
An official waterproof rating is not expected for the price. There is a red rubber ring in the sim card tray to protect it from water and dust.
The image is the first of four.
The spark 9 pro has a good amount of energy. Normally I get more than a day's battery life. It's one of the longest- lasting cheap phones I've tested, thanks to the fact that it has a 5000mAh battery and a 60Hz screen.
One day of use, the device was easy to use. The phone can last well into the next day.
The charging speed isn't fast enough. It can take over an hour to fully juice up the phone. This phone is perfect for people who charge their phones overnight.
| Category | Tecno Spark 9 Pro Sports Edition |
|---|---|
| Operating System | HiOS 8.6 based on Android 12 |
| Display | 6.6-inch IPS LCD screen, 1080 x 2408 resolution |
| Chipset | MediaTek Helio G85 (12nm) |
| RAM | 4GB (plus up to 3GB with MemFusion system) |
| Storage | 128GB (expandable with a microSD card slot) |
| Battery & Charging | 5,000mAh, 18W charging |
| Rear Camera 1 | 50MP, f/1.6, PDAF |
| Rear Camera 2 | 2MP (depth sensor), f/2.4 |
| Selfie Camera | 32MP, up to 2K video recording |
| Connectivity | USB Type-C 2.0, FM radio, |
| Dimensions | 164.2 x 75.6 x 8.4 mm |
| Color | Burano Blue |
There is a large slab of glass. It is not the most comfortable phone to hold for long periods of time.
It comes with HiOS 8.6, which is based on the latest version of the mobile operating system. One year of major software updates and two years of monthly security fixes are promised by Tecno.
There is a customUI on top ofAndroid 12 that is pretty standard. It isn't as clean as the Moto G22 because of its notifications and custom apps.
The phone is built on a dated 12nanometer process, which makes it not as impressive as the most impressive processor. It comes as no surprise to me that the chipset is limited to 30 frames per second.
It isn't bad for a phone at this price. If you enjoy playing games with graphics, you should set the Spark 9 Pro to a low or medium setting.
The presence of so much bloatware degrades the phone's camera experience.
The portrait mode was one of the things that let me down. It doesn't blur the background well and doesn't recognize colors. The highlights tend to blow out. The only way to avoid blurry shots is to hold your hand steady.
It's not something to write home about. The speaker is mounted next to the port. If you want a good stereo speaker, you need to spend more money.
The display is difficult to see. There was a maximum brightness of 400 nits. The screen's refresh rate is 60hertz instead of 90hertz. The fluid refresh rates don't mean a lot for budget phones.
The crowded budget segment has stiff competition for the Tecno spark 9 pro sports edition. There are two options that come to mind. The Moto G22 performs better than the Spark 9 Pro.
You can never go wrong with the POCO M5s if you are willing to spend more money. It isn't a huge step up, but it is a significant premium.
If it's something you should buy it.
If you want to buy it, you should not.
The Tecno Spark 9 Pro Sports Edition is an extremely cheap phone, and it hits the mark on the camera front with its impressive 50MP main camera and 32MP front camera. This one is right up your alley if you have higher standards for selfies.
The phone's 2K video recording puts it ahead of other models in its price range. If you want style and performance without hurting your wallet, this is the device to consider.
A little more money can definitely go a long way, but the budget package is well-balanced. One of the best phones you can buy for less than $200 is this one.
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