As much as we've enjoyed our time in the Tecno Pova 7 Pro 5G's company these past few weeks, this clearly wasn't made for everyone. Specifically not for any aspiring photographers trying to stick to a budget. But for those seeking a relatively affordable and comfortably powerful daily driver that won't give you any grief in the battery department, you can't go wrong with the Pova 7 Pro 5G.
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Design
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Display
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Performance
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Camera
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Battery
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Value
After dealing almost exclusively with Tecno’s more budget-friendly smartphones over the years, you can imagine our surprise when the R13,000 Pova 7 Pro 5G hit the country. We absolutely love to see Tecno stepping out of its comfort zone on SA soil, and judging by its first big mid-range swing, we sincerely hope it only continues.
It should. It really should. The Tecno Pova 7 Pro (we’re dropping the ‘5G’) might not have the brand recognition that Samsung or Apple does, but it goes toe-to-toe — and even excels in some arenas — with some of South Africa’s finest mid-range opponents. Look past the slightly kitschy look, and you’ve got yourself a reputable mid-ranger that won’t exactly break the bank, but won’t leave you wondering where all that money went, either.
Fake Plastic Phones
The look of a more expensive phone is typically marked by just how much rare-Earth material the company could squeeze onto its rear, but the Pova 7 Pro does away with all that. It’s an entirely plastic affair around the back and up the edges that does admittedly make this feel like a less-capable smartphone. Trust us, it’s anything but.
In truth, it most resembles a typical Nothing Phone with its random screws and even implements its own ‘status light’ around the camera bump (which, fortunately, doesn’t take up too much real estate). Swapping out the glass for a smattering of plastic might help it survive a drop or two, but with an IP64 rating, we didn’t tempt fate. Even if the too-bumpy rear is a little annoying, the free see-through case should alleviate those issues in a jiff.
It’s a bit of a fatty at 8.2mm, but seeing as it’s concealing a 6,000mAh battery, we’re more inclined to let it slide.
Whether you can live with the plastic body (we could) is up to you, but Tecno more than makes up for any misgivings by chucking in a 6.78in AMOLED (1,224 x 2,720) screen that wasn’t shy about hitting the company’s claimed spec of 144Hz, nor peaking at 4,500 nits brightness — when we gave it something it could work with.
As for Tecno’s take on a ‘status light’ which glows whenever you’ve got a message, or reminds you how close to full the battery is during a charge, it mostly succeeds at what it sets out to do. It works, and well, anyway. But after even a few days with the device, the light acted as more of an annoyance than anything useful, and we turned it off for good. Mileage may vary, obviously, but a casual user might share our feelings over time.
Better than Nothing?
As long as you don’t get in guns blazing — almost literally if you had any hopes of competing in Call of Duty Mobile or something similar — then performance is about what we expected from the Pova 7 Pro. Mid, in other words. Performance proved consistent, and it even fired up a few of the bigger mobile games without a hitch.
That’s all down to the Dimensity 7300 Ultimate chipset buried amongst the internals, coupled with 8GB of RAM. While marketing around virtual memory goes in one ear and out the other at Stuff, employing the full 8GB of VRAM was an important component in keeping the phone’s performance up to scratch. Forget to make the change, and you’ll be greeted with the occasional stutter when browsing the home page or jumping between apps.
Where the Pova 7 Pro really excels, however, is in the battery department. A 6,000mAh battery is a win regardless of the phone it’s in, but more so when you’re only forking out R13,000 or less. We managed to keep the thing going for two days straight of typical usage, which says all we need to know about its reliability. It ups the ante with 45W wired charging, that meant pumping the device with enough juice for the day in twenty minutes.
Shoddy shooter
The Pova 7 Pro first stumbles when it comes to the camera tech lodged in the rear, but at this price, it’s difficult to lay blame. Sure, the 64MP main shooter does the best with what it’s given — it’s just a shame that its “best” often results in too-dark, sometimes blurry images as the AI running the show has its way with your images. At most, you’ll get a half-decent image (assuming the light is right) that you might save for your ‘Close Friends’ online.
Still, it’s not impossible to deliver a stellar camera experience at this price. Hell, the Redmi Note 14 Pro managed the feat for fewer bucks, though it should be noted it made sacrifices elsewhere. If you fancy yourself a photographer, even casually, that’s where you should look. If you only need a camera to scan the odd QR code, then the Pova 7 Pro’s 64MP will lend itself to the job well. Fortunately, we had more luck in convincing the device’s 8MP and 13MP ultrawide and selfie shooters to come to the party, with some decent shots snapped.
Tecno Pova 7 Pro 5G verdict
Even if that camera lineup can’t make anyone a regular Ansel Adams despite a barrage of supposedly useful AI-powered filters, and the plastic casing arguably leaves something to be desired for some, the Tecno Pova 7 Pro 5G is a remarkable mid-ranger that does even better with a R13,000 price (or less if you know where to look). Reliable performance that outdoes the competition in this price range is nothing to scoff at, particularly when paired with a massive battery that just won’t quit. You can try. Tecno won’t listen.
