Tecno Phantom V Fold is proof that building a foldable smartphone is a challenge. But don't take it that I hate it and I will write a lot of words. It is quite the opposite.
It's a foldable smartphone from a brand you've probably never heard of, but since the brands you know haven't bothered to release a foldable smartphone for the big screen yet, it deserves our recognition and attention. Here's why.
Tecno Phantom V-fold Specifications
The Tecno Phantom V Fold is a foldable smartphone with a large screen like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4, and is Tecno's first attempt at such a device. Let's talk about size first. It's slightly wider than the Galaxy Z Fold 4, and when folded closer to the Honor Magic V, it's the same height and thickness. According to my scale, it's about 30 grams heavier of the two, up to 300 grams. It is a heavy phone , but it hides the weight well.
The lid screen is 6.43 inches, while the open screen is 7.85 inches. Both have dynamic refresh rates from 10Hz to 120Hz and LPTO technology to reduce flicker. The phone is powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 9000+ processor with 12GB of RAM and 256GB or 512GB of internal storage.
The battery has a capacity of 5000 mAh, is charged with a 45W internal fast charger and has a fingerprint sensor on the side of the case. There are three cameras on the back: a 50MP main camera, a 50MP telephoto lens with 2x optical zoom, and a 13MP wide-angle camera, as well as a 32MP backup camera and a 16MP camera. camera on the extended screen. Software – Android 13 with Tecno HiOS 13 Fold software on top. The specs are all you'd expect from a phone of this type, though I can't see anything about dust resistance or any guarantee of future software updates.
Tecno Phantom V Fold: Design and build
The hinge is undoubtedly the most important element of a foldable smartphone. Tecno claims its zipper is made from "aeronautical grade" material and is virtually wrinkle-free. It's been tested up to 200,000 times, which isn't as much as the Galaxy Z Fold 4 or the Honor Magic Vs, but it should last five years of reliable use, so that's good.
It reminds me of the original Samsung Galaxy Fold, as it makes a bit of a noise when you open it and offers very little resistance once you release the initial magnetic closure. It's not free, so there's no way to use it with the Galaxy Z Fold 4 half-open and the way you can. It is absolutely determined whether it is open or closed.
After opening, the fold is almost invisible. You can still feel it under your fingers, but it's the same for all foldable smartphones. But, much worse than when folded, the phone does not unfold all the way. The Honor Magic Vs seems to take a while to extend the last millimeter or two (probably because my review version is brand new), but the Phantom V Fold doesn't seem to want to finish those last millimeters. I find it more disgusting than this barely visible crack.
The weight is noticeable when holding the Phantom V Fold, but a slight bend around the edge of the screen makes it comfortable if you're right-handed, and the hinge on the outside also provides grip. Open it up and there's a slight crease on the hinge, but the wide plastic lip makes it easy to hold the device without touching the screen with your hand.
Tecno Phantom V Folding Camera
The Phantom V Fold has a fairly simple camera system with a main, wide and telephoto lens that offers 2x optical zoom. The rear camera can also be used for selfies, as the folding screen offers a large and convenient preview. Unfortunately, the picture quality is not up to par.
Colors are the problem. On a bright sunny day at the beach, the camera produced unwanted colors, softening the scene, losing all excitement and removing or oversaturating emotion. In other shots where there was no sun and no blue sky, colors looked more accurate, on par with situations I've encountered with the camera in the past.
There are other problems as well. The wide-angle camera has the same problem with color accuracy, and photos can also be noisy. The 2x optical zoom is the same, but at least there is a lot of detail in the picture. It's not a terrible camera, but it definitely needs improvement and doesn't come close to realizing its performance potential at the moment.
I have used the phone before its official release and there is always a chance that a software update will fix these issues, but I also faced similar issues with the Tecno Phantom X2 Pro that I tested recently. Too bad the X2 Pro's fun retractable camera wasn't here.
Tecno Phantom V Fold: Software and Performance
Besides the hinge, software is another aspect that can make or break a foldable phone. I haven't used the Phantom V Fold as my primary phone yet, but I fired up some of my usual apps — social apps, YouTube, Google Maps, Autotrader, and Netflix — to see how it works on two screens.
Twitter and Autotrader work great and switch between screens when the device is opened and closed. However, you're looking at a larger version on the open screen, not something scaled to the screen. Strange that Netflix is not available for the phone, the play store said it was not compatible when I tried to download it. Disney+ and Amazon Prime are working again and switching between screens. The sound is good, but the bass is lacking.
There are multiple multitasking modes with split screen support and quick and easy activation of floating windows. Even apps that indicated they weren't compatible with floating screen mode, like YouTube, worked flawlessly. The Dimension 9000+ is a powerful chip with good performance, as we saw in the Asus ROG Phone 6D, and handles multitasking effortlessly.
Tecno says the Phantom V Fold is optimized to support 1,000 core apps when opened and closed, and 2,000 are generally compatible with the HiOS13 Fold, which I guess basically means multitasking. It's unfortunate that Netflix, an app I use regularly, found a hole in the phone's compatibility. In addition, it is a robust and easy-to-use multitasking system.
The HiOS13 fold will take some getting used to and will be a culture shock for anyone used to Android on a Samsung, OnePlus or Pixel phone. There is no Google Discover here, there are some unknown apps pre-installed, the design is rich and not minimalist and the notification area is split into two parts. Notifications appear after swiping down on the left side of the screen and Quick Settings on the right.
The phone software is not mine, but Tecno does not officially sell their phones in the US or UK, and these differences may come from local preference. I didn't use the phone as the primary device for network reliability or compatibility.
Tecno Phantom V Fold - refreshing, bold and dignified
When I first heard about the Tecno Phantom V Fold, I was very excited to try it and now I'm very happy. what I like It's not really a phone, camera or software; it's something else. I like that it is very brave and honest. Let me explain myself.
While other brands rule Samsung's foldable smartphones, Tecno has joined them. The company isn't new (it's been around since 2006), but it takes time, effort and guts to build something other than a barebones phone these days, and that's something to applaud.
The result isn't perfect, but in the short time I've spent with the phone, it feels solid and well-designed, even if it's not as refined as the Samsung or Oppo models. The main issues I encountered are not dissimilar to what I noticed with the Tecno Phantom X2 Pro, showing the challenges faced by the company as a whole instead of diving into the world of foldable phones. There is a refreshing honesty in this .
While other brands rule Samsung's foldable smartphones, Tecno has joined them.
I love that Tecno is no more; puts a lot of effort into proper multitasking and app compatibility and delivers a phone that should get a lot of corporate attention. It makes us wonder what Oppo is doing by limiting the Find N2 to China and why OnePlus is finally releasing a foldable phone this year .
It's not the best foldable phone with a big screen, but at least it's there . Tecno doesn't pay $2000 for that either. When launched in India, the Phantom V Fold will start at $1,000. It's great for a first timer and paves the way for an even better and more advanced Phantom V Fold 2 in the future. The same was said for the Galaxy Fold in 2019, and look where Samsung is now. Tecno deserves a big round of applause for the Phantom V Fold's build and competitive pricing.
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