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Quick review
It is a new era for foldable phones. Yes, joining a growing list of bendy-screen models now in the market is the TECNO Phantom V Flip 5G – a value-oriented alternative to the Galaxy of a similar name – the de-facto standard for a tablet in a phone’s guise.
The Phantom V Flip 5G comes with a better proportion of foldables; the cover screen is larger and so much more usable than the one on the Samsung Galaxy.
The foldable display on the inside is bigger too. A large battery is then needed to power all that 120Hz OLED screen area, and you end up with a rather heavy package – a gram shy of 300g.
You do get a pretty capable camera system with a couple of 50MP units for main and tele, plus an autofocusing ultrawide – when are we ever getting AF on an UW on a Samsung foldable?
Unlike the bulk of foldables, TECNO has a Mediatek chipset at its heart. The Dimensity 8050 Chip is about on par with the Snapdragon 8(+) Gen 1 though, so the Phantom V Fold is anything but underpowered. And with 12GB of RAM as standard and 256GB or 512GB of storage, you won’t be pressed for memory either.
Other small niceties include 45W fast charging, stereo speakers, and an FM radio – flagship Snapdragons dropped that a while ago. It’s a most welcome sight that the V Fold runs Android 13, so its software is current, too.
Now, let’s look at the details:
In the Box
- Phone x 1
- USB Type-C Cable x 1
- Charger x 1
- Eject Tool x 1
- Aramid Fibre Protective Case x 1
Phantom V Flip Design and Build Quality
The Phantom V Flip 5G is a thin smartphone when unfolded, and that’s a good thing because it results in a compact form factor when you fold it shut. Interestingly, the vegan leather exterior offers you a good grip while using it.
If you hold the phone at specific angles when the screen is on, you might notice the crease, and you can feel it when you’re scrolling inside apps.
The phone maker, TECNO, revealed that its drop-shaped hinge used for the foldable display mechanism has a ‘Hoverlock’ design/feature that allows you to keep the phone open between 30 degrees and 150 degrees.
One outstanding design of Phantom V Flip is the ability of the engineers to gap between the two halves of the display when it is closed.
It also comes with a circular cover display that is reminiscent of a smartwatch display, and it is surrounded by two cameras.
Phantom V Flip overall Performance:
With Dimensity 8050 chip, Phantom V Flip has enough performance overhead. And this is even a sign the phablet will remain smooth and competitive for the next couple of years.
Results from phone tests conducted on the Phantom V Flip shows one thing: It is capable of handling most graphics intensive games, including Fortnite and Genshin Impact.
When we turned on the higher resolution – HD textures – for 30 minutes in, the phone was slightly warm around the camera module, but it didn’t appear to have a major effect on gameplay.
Camera:
The Phantom V Flip 5G is equipped with a 64-megapixel primary camera and a 13-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera.
Images captured using the primary camera are crisp and sharp, especially when you enable the “64MP” mode that enables pixel-binning for shots — and takes a split second longer to save the image.
During the day, you get a lot of detail and colours were accurate.
Also, at dusk, Phantom V Flip 5G takes good photos when lighting conditions are less favourable, capturing ample detail without adding too much noise.
Although, disabling the AI features on the camera might give better results, but your mileage may vary.
In dark scenarios, the Super Night mode works very well on the primary camera and captured enough detail within seconds.
While you can take selfies with the 32-megapixel camera on the inner display, the dual-display design of the Phantom V Flip allows you to click a photo of yourself using the 64-megapixel rear camera while using the cover display to preview your shot.
The outer camera captures sharper images, and you can also use features like Super Night mode when clicking photos of yourself in places without enough lighting.
Battery Life
The handset packs a 4,000mAh battery that can be charged at 45W with the included charging brick. Within 30 minutes, the phone was charged from zero to 63 percent, while it was nearly full at 95 percent after another 30 minutes.
Just get the phone and try this. You are likely to get through the day with about 30 percent of battery, with about 30 minutes of gaming and a general mix of watching videos on YouTube, texting on WhatsApp, and scrolling through X (formerly known as Twitter), Threads and Facebook.
User Experience:
The device offers a user-friendly experience with its intuitive features mainly because of the ‘Hoverlock’ design drop-shaped hinge.
It allows the phone to stay open at various angles, providing flexibility and convenience. The UI adapts seamlessly to different layouts, optimizing the usage of apps and controls.
The circular 1.32-inch AMOLED screen on the outside of the device serves as a notification hub, displaying the time, weather conditions, and more.
Price and Availability
One of the main features of the TECNO Phantom V Flip 5G is its attractive price point. Priced at a recommended retail price ₦750,000, it offers a more decent option compared to other phones in the market.
With its impressive specks and attractive design, the TECNO Phantom V Flip 5G is a great value for money.
Conclusion:
TECNO Phantom V Flip is a great affordable flip phone. It offers a surprisingly good build quality, a foldable display with a rather subtle crease, and decent cameras. As a decent mid-range foldable phone, it offers an excellent combination of design, performance, and affordability. With its sleek and lightweight design, vibrant AMOLED display, impressive camera and smooth performance, it provides a great user experience. Moreover, its competitive price makes it an attractive choice for those looking to enter the world of foldables.
Specifications of the TECNO Phantom V Fold 5G
Network: Technology GSM/HSPA/ LTE/ 5G
Body
Dimensions
- Unfolded: 159.4 x 140.4 x 6.9 mm
- Folded: 159.4 x 72 x 14.2-14.5 mm
Weight: 299 g
SIM: Dual Nano-SIM
Display
Type: Foldable LTPO AMOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, 1100 nits (peak)
Size: 7.85 inches, 196.9 cm2 (~88.0% screen-to-body ratio)
Resolution: 2000 x 2296 pixels (~388 ppi density)
Platform
Operating system: Android 13, HiOS 13 Fold
Chipset: Mediatek Dimensity 8050 Chip
CPU: Octa-core (1×3.20 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3×2.85 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4×1.80 GHz Cortex-A510)
GPU: Mali-G710 MC10
Memory
Card slot: No
Internal storage: 256GB ROM – 12GB RAM, UFS 3.1
Main camera
Triple: 50 MP, f/1.9, (wide), 1/1.3″, PDAF 50 MP, (telephoto), PDAF, 2x optical zoom 13 MP, 120 (ultrawide)
Features: Dual-LED flash, HDR, panorama
Video: 4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps
Selfie camera
Single: 16 MP, (wide) Cover camera: 32 MP, (wide)
Video: Yes
Sound
Loudspeaker: Yes, with stereo speakers
3.5mm jack: No
Communication
WLAN: Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band
Bluetooth: 5.2, A2DP, LE
NFC: Yes
Positioning: GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS
Radio: FM Radio
USB: USB Type-C, OTG
Features
Sensors: Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass
Battery
Type: Li-Po 5000 mAh, non-removable
Charging: 45W wired, 40% in 15 min, 100% in 55 min (advertised)
Colors
Available colors Black and white
