Tecno Mobile is on a mission to bring the best smartphone technology to South Africans at an affordable price. The brand has launched a number of smartphones into the local market over the last few months to cater to a wide range of budgets and lifestyles. One of the latest releases from the brand is a device that is sure to appeal to content creators on a budget; the Tecno Spark 7 Pro. This promising device boasts mid-range specs at an entry-level price and is a leader in its price category.
Coming in at just under R3,500, the Spark 7 Pro is a great choice for users looking for many of the features you would find on a mid-level device from the bigger brands in the game, but with a much more affordable price tag.
Specs and features
If content creation is your game, and you need a device with a decent camera, then the Spark 7 Pro may be just up your alley. There aren’t many devices in the sub-R4,000 price range boasting a camera this impressive. Add in desirable features, like a fingerprint sensor, and you’ve got a real contender for a mid-range powerhouse.
Also read: Buyer’s Guide: Best Smartphones for Every Budget in 2021
The Spark 7 Pro boasts a 48MP Clear Triple Camera and the new Helio G80 chipset, all showcased on a little-larger 6.6-inch edge-to-edge display running on Android 11 using Tecno’s HIOS 7.5 variation. The 7 Pro’s display features a 90Hz refresh rate, a 5,000mAh battery, and comes in 3 variants: 128+4GB / 64+6GB / 64+4GB.
I tested the 128GB version with 4GB of RAM, and didn’t notice any issues with lagging or performance. It is able to take on multiple daily computing tasks with ease. If you need something that runs even more smoothly and that can keep up with high-demand use, then you may want to splurge on the meatier 6GB RAM version, but the 4GB version should suit most users just fine.
As for the battery, I managed to get a full day of heavy use out of a single charge, but casual users should be able to get away with 2 days of battery life on a single charge. In terms of charging speed, the Spark 7 Pro takes about 3 hours to reach full charge, with no flash charge option available.
Also read: Top 5 Affordable Smartphones for Shoppers on a Budget
Connectivity is also good with the Spark 7 Pro. I had no issues with Bluetooth or Wi-Fi connectivity using the device, and it connected to my Bluetooth-enabled smartwatch and wireless headphones with ease and without interruption.
Testing the camera
The camera on the Tecno Spark 7 Pro is a triumph for its price point. The device lets you capture moments with a triple camera module at the back, including a 48-megapixel main shooter, 2-megapixel depth sensor, and a dedicated AI camera. Overall, the device takes decent-quality images, especially when you’re shooting under good lighting conditions.
Colours look natural, and the images appear bright and detailed. There is no dedicated macro mode, but the device’s AI camera mode is able to detect the subject and adjust the camera settings accordingly for extreme close-up photography, giving you a good natural foreground-background separation.
For low-light shooting, there’s Super Night mode. This mode improves the camera’s ability to capture images in low light conditions, giving you results that are bright and detailed. The 8-megapixel front shooter is also perfectly adequate and allows you to take great selfies, while Beauty mode applies natural-looking touch-ups to photos under good lighting.
Both the front and rear cameras are capable of capturing up to Full HD videos at 30fps. Video footage shot on the device is bright, vibrant, and detailed under good lighting. The camera’s app offers a number of features and shooting modes including Google Lens, Beauty, Video, AI cam and Short Video.
Is the Tecno Spark 7 Pro for you?
The Tecno Spark 7 Pro is an impressive device for its price point. It gives other mid-range phones in the sub-R4,000 category a real run for their money. For its price, this device offers above-average specs and features along with great looks, brilliant functionality, and an overall good user experience.
Find the best price on smartphones on PriceCheck now: