Tecno Spark 20 Pro Plus Review: Taking Budget Smartphones to the Next Level
The budget smartphone segment sees intense competition from numerous Chinese manufacturers. But Transsion subsidiary Tecno consistently pushes boundaries on what affordable phones can achieve compared to pricier high-end flagships. The company's recently unveiled Spark 20 Pro Plus model aims bringing premium trimmings like high refresh displays, robust RAM and faster charging capabilities for under $200.
Does this phone manage breaking expectations and how significant are the upgrades over regular Spark 20 variants? Let's find out in this detailed review!
Design and Build Quality
The Spark 20 Pro Plus retains an attractive aesthetic matching modern minimalist trends with refined industrial touches. The rear Glass-Like Finish adds scintillating reflections when light bounces around the smooth curves with intricately patterned paneling reducing smudges from daily usage.
Despite the large 6.8" screen, ergonomic dimensions like 7.95mm thickness and teardrop notch keep the handling experience comfortable for everyday usage. Buttons placement feels natural falling easily under fingers while providing nice tactile feedback with solid travel depth.
At just 191 grams weight including a beefy 5000mAh battery, the Spark 20 Pro Plus rates among the most lightweight phones given robust internal components. This allows enjoying media content comfortably over extended durations without tiring wrists. Let's peek inside the engine room empowering the productivity promised next.
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Display and Media Performance
The major head-turner lies behind the impressive display specs rarely witnessed on sub $200 category devices. It sports an exceptionally fluid 120Hz Super AMOLED panel reaching 640 nits brightness keeping Outdoor visibility decent under sunlight.
1080p FHD+ resolution stretches real estate nicely across 6.8-inches suiting gaming and multimedia usage with Dolby Atmos dual-stereo speakers enhancing audio output. Gamers enjoy minimized touch response lag and buttery frame rates on fast-paced titles via Game Mode optimizations while streaming fans immerse into latest series without missing details.
Let's acknowledge camera capabilities next catering to creative folks and memories preservation.
Camera Quality and Modes
Despite pricing constraints, the Spark 20 Pro Plus incorporates capable imaging hardware rivaling midrange standards. It equips quad rear lenses comprising of:
• 64MP Main Camera
• 48MP Ultrawide and Macro combo
• 2MP Depth Sensor
These open diverse photography use cases like:
🔍 2x Optical Zoom
📐 Ultrawide Perspectives
🌿 Dedicated Macro Mode
📸 Night Photography
1080p Slow Motion captures special moments wonderfully. Selfie fans enjoy 13MP front cameras with adjustable beauty levels and noise reduction ensuring social media ready pictures always. Overall imaging versatility covers majority everyday situations reasonably well rather than purely chasing marketing gimmicks here.
Hardware and Performance
Under the hood, MediaTek's Helio G85 SoC takes charge paired with Mali G52 GPU promising reliable mid-tier grunt efficiently. This octa-core 12nm chipset hands productivity tasks, moderate gaming and general usage commendably without excessive heating issues.
Although unlikely to run graphics intensive Call of Duty at peak frame rates, the Spark 20 Pro Plus handles casual Genshin Impact sessions on adjusted settings smoothly for casual gaming breaks. Multitasking between Chrome tabs and social media apps feel snappy thanks to 8GB RAM capacities rivalling some premium alternatives.
128GB onboard storage gives adequate application and media capacity but expected slowdowns with bulky file transfers makes utilizing the dedicated microSD card expansion essential. Thankfully software optimization minimizes bloatware clutter seen on earlier Transsion brands models.
Battery Life and Fast Charging Capabilities
By incorporating a large 5000mAh cell, the Spark 20 Pro comfortably lasts over 1.5 days of active usage spanning gaming, streaming episodes over WiFi, preferring messaging and typical app usage. Frugal standby consumption preserves juice effectively crossing 6+ hours of screen time when taxed heavily.
33W Flash Charge compatibility allows reaching 50% levels under 45 minutes despite the beefy power packs via the bundled adapter minimizing downtime when you need to hop onto low battery calls while scrambling for chargers.
Pricing and Verdict
The Spark 20 Pro Plus sells officially on Tecno's site for $179 putting itself among the most feature-packed sub $200 smartphones presently covering all essential capabilities from vivid media enjoyment to versatile photography credibly for budget buyers seeking reliable workhorse devices with some style.
Given the tempting specifications discounting typical limitations like anemic displays or throttled hardware witnessed on cost-focused models, Tecno makes a compelling proposition squeezing flagship grade features without cutting critical corners.
Unless chasing benchmark glory or flawless gaming feats, casual users find great all-rounder usability without compromising expectations appreciably. For under $200 currently, the Spark 20 Pro Plus warrants consideration stretching dollars sensibly.
So there you have it! A detailed inspection summarizing the well balanced Tecno Spark 20 Pro Plus delivering reliable performance aimed at pragmatists seeking polished real-world productivity without empty marketing gimmicks. Share your thoughts on features you wish seeing more on affordable segment devices. The possibilities stay exciting as competition intensifies wooing savvier buyers in 2023!