Tecno debuted their first-ever foldable smartphone, the Phantom V Fold, at this year’s MWC, including in India. Does Rs 90,000 sound reasonable to you, despite the fact that the phone has been hailed as the most reasonably priced foldable smartphone currently on the market? That claim is technically true, too. Not to me, at least. However, taking into consideration that the Galaxy Z Fold 4 is the only fully functional foldable phone now offered in India, Samsung’s model is more expensive than Rs 1,50,000 there. I’m forced to consider whether the Tecno Phantom V Fold is preferable to the Fold 4 given its comparably low pricing. Well, We won’t know the answer until we have a thorough evaluation, but for the time being, I got to use the Phantom V Fold while I was at the Tecno launch in Barcelona.
Tecno Phantom V Fold: First thoughts
My point of reference or comparison with the Tecno Phantom V Fold will be the Samsung Z Fold 4, which is the only horizontal folding phone now available in India. So you initially notice the exterior screen, which is a fairly traditional one.
What I’m trying to say is that even though the Galaxy Fold 4 has a big screen, you can’t use it like a standard candy-bar smartphone since it is thick. But when I first picked up the Phantom V Fold, I liked how it felt light and controllable in my palm. Because to how small the phone is for a foldable, it feels like using a regular 6.4″ phone when folded. According to the specifications, the front screen is a 120Hz LTPO AMOLED with a 32MP hole punch centred at the top. Thus there is no need to cut costs, which is fantastic.
I want to mention the rear design before I discuss the interior screen. Once more, Tecno used a rough finish on the rear of the phone that is unmistakably not leather. I mean, I could be incorrect, but whatever material they selected provides the hand a nice feeling and a secure grasp. Three lenses—a 50MP primary lens, a 50MP telephoto lens, and a 13MP ultra-wide lens—are housed in a circular camera housing. Of course, due to my limited time, I was unable to use the camera, so I won’t be commenting on it.
The Tecno Phantom V Fold’s inside boasts a huge 7.85″ 2K LTPO AMOLED display, which is genuinely stunning. When the phone is closed, there is almost no space between the two screens, and there is no crease. It is also quick, responsive, vibrant, and speedy. And yet again, I’ve recently noticed that many other foldables, such the Honor Magic Vs and the OPPO Find N2, lack any crease at all. The Galaxy Z Fold 4 has a pronounced crease, but it stands out from the competition by being able to prop itself up on a flat surface even at sharp angles. I don’t mind the hinge system of the Phantom V Fold, though. I don’t mind the hinge system of the Phantom V Fold, though. In reality, the phone’s hinge feels sturdy, and there is always a pleasant click when I shut the phone. But it’s impossible to accomplish anything as straightforward as prop the Tecno foldable at a 90-degree angle. The phone either shuts down or goes dead. According to Tecno, the business will soon offer a case that will enable customers to stand their phones up like laptops on tables, but without the case, it is not possible.
Other from that, I’ve already mentioned how satisfied I am with the colour and richness of the available display quality. In addition, there is a 16MP hole-punch camera that is corner-aligned on the inside, which should work fine for video calls. In addition to offering the remainder of the top-notch specifications, Tecno has us covered. Dimesnity 9000+ SoC, 12GB LPDDR5X RAM, up to 512GB UFS 3.1 storage, 5,000mAh battery, and—most importantly—HiOS 13 on top of Android 13 with, according to the manufacturer, roughly 1000 popular apps that have been tailored for the phone. 90% of which are optimised to function flawlessly in split-screen and multi-window modes.
In conclusion, the Tecno Phantom V Fold is a brave move from a firm that is still relatively unknown, particularly in the premium smartphone market. I do, however, enjoy the Tecno Phantom V Fold based on the advantages of the product and what the firm has demonstrated here. I believe the business did a good job for a first try. Pricing was obviously important, and I think even Rs 89,999 for the base 12GB + 256GB storage is a reasonable demand, assuming the device lives up to its moniker. In fact, the early bird discount allows anyone to buy this phone for as little as Rs 79,999, which I consider to be a fantastic bargain.
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