Tecno’s newest budget offering may be a game changer. Priced at Rs 15,999, the Pova Curve 5G is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7300 Ultimate SoC – a respectable processor in this segment. It has a sleek form factor despite packing a massive 5,500mAh battery. It also features one of the most comprehensive suites on a budget smartphone. The Pova Curve does not budge on aesthetics either. Its starship-inspired design separates it from the run-of-the-mill devices in its category. Curious to see how the smartphone fares in everyday use, we used it for a week. Here is our review of the Tecno Pova Curve 5G.
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In This Article
Tecno Pova Curve 5G Review: Design and Display
Here’s what you get inside the Tecno Pova Curve’s retail box:
- Smartphone
- 45W power adapter
- USB Type-A to Type-C cable
- Clear plastic case
- SIM ejector
- User manual
Tecno Pova Curve has one of the finest plastic back panels we’ve seen in a while. Its build quality is exquisite, and the matte finish lends it an incredible in-hand feel. It is almost indistinguishable from a premium glass back panel. The vertically aligned camera panel does not cause any wobble when the phone is placed on a flat surface. The starship design of the smartphone creates a futuristic aesthetic. The grey back has orange highlights and neat graphics. It does not feel garish at all.
The back panel curves gently into the rounded plastic frame. The right edge of the frame houses the volume rocker keys and the side button. At the bottom lie the SIM tray, primary microphone, USB Type-C port, and primary speaker grille. The noise-cancelling microphone, secondary speaker grille, and IR blaster are placed up top. The Tecno Pova Curve also supports NFC.
The 6.78-inch curved AMOLED display on this smartphone has an impressive 144Hz refresh rate. This refresh rate can be applied to apps like Facebook, WhatsApp, Settings, Files, Messages, Phone, and more. The peak brightness of 1,300 nits is just enough to make the display legible under direct sunlight. The curved edges register the odd accidental touch, but it does not amount to be nuisance. The optical fingerprint scanner is fast and snappy.
During the review period, we used the Tecno Pova Curve as our primary media streaming device. The smartphone did a great job of streaming HD content across OTT platforms like Netflix, Prime Video, and JioHotstar. The AMOLED panel produced brilliant colours and relayed detailed images. The audio output from the dual speaker setup was well-rounded. It’s not the loudest output we’ve heard on a smartphone, but it can easily overcome the background noise.
Tecno Pova Curve 5G Review: Performance and Cameras
The MediaTek Dimensity 7300 Ultimate chipset lies at the heart of the Tecno Pova Curve 5G. The smartphone has an internal storage of 128GB and comes in 6GB (Rs 15,999) and 8GB (Rs 16,999) RAM configurations. There are no other internal storage options, and the smartphone does not support expandable storage via a microSD card. This is a big letdown for folks who need lots of space for media and games.
On the Geekbench 6 app, the Tecno Pova Curve scored 1,005 points in the single-core test and 3,131 points in the multi-core test. The everyday usage experience on this smartphone was smooth as silk. Apps did not take much time to load, and shuffling among different tasks did not produce any lag. Tasks like instant messaging, calling, web browsing, and media streaming were handled with expertise. The AMOLED display facilitated a very smooth browsing experience on the phone. Added features like IR remote and NFC were the icing on the cake.
We played titles like Call of Duty Mobile and Asphalt Legends Unite on the Pova Curve. The gameplay was solid and consistent with average graphics and a 60fps frame rate. However, escalating these settings led to the odd frame drop. The smartphone’s 11-layer cooling system did a good job of keeping the internal temperature in check. While it isn’t the best gaming device in its category, casual gamers will have no qualms with the Tecno Pova Curve.
Software duties on this device are handled by the Android 15-based HiOS 15. Tecno’s HiOS is identical to Infinix’s XOS. Both Android skins take inspiration from Xiaomi’s HyperOS. The Dynamic Port, which goes by Dynamic Bar on XOS, is inspired by Apple’s Dynamic Island. What we like about Tecno’s HiOS 15 for Pova Curve is its exclusive app icon pack and unique range of wallpapers.
Similar to Infinix’s Note 50 series, the AI suite on the Tenco Pova Curve is very impressive for the segment. Features like Call Assistant, Translation Assistant, Social Assistant, Document Assistant, Writing Assistant, and Recording Summary are very easy to incorporate into your daily routine. If you’re tired of receiving spam calls, you will enjoy the AI Auto-Answer feature of the Call Assistant. Meanwhile, AI Wallpaper Generator, AI Note, and AI Eraser need more work to be useful. The Ella voice assistant does a good job of executing basic tasks, but it takes a while to process user requests. Tecno has promised only 1 major OS upgrade for this device.
The 5,500mAh battery pack on this smartphone lasts a day of heavy use with ease. During the review period, we were able to rack up between 5-6 hours of daily screen time on the Tecno Pova Curve 5G. At the end of each day, we were left with ~20% charge. The 45W charger provided in the box can fully charge the device in just over an hour.
The Pova Curve’s rear camera array comprises a 64MP Sony IMX682 primary shooter and a 2MP depth sensor. The 13MP front-facing camera is housed in a punch-hole cutout on the display. There is no ultrawide camera on this smartphone, which is not a dealbreaker for us, given the affordable price of the device.
The 64MP primary shooter captured good pictures in outdoor daylight conditions. The images showcase vivid, punchy colours. The sharpness and contrast are impressive as well. The images exude a natural and vibrant look. In limited lighting conditions, the camera relies on Night Mode to get rid of the noise and brighten the subject. The results are decent, but nothing out of the ordinary.
The primary shooter also takes well-focused portraits. The smartphone is able to distinguish between the subject and the background, and smartly separates the two. We wish it applied a more intense background blur, but the overall results were decent. The selfie camera and primary sensor can shoot 4K footage at 30fps.
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Verdict
Tecno Pova Curve covers all the essential bases for a budget smartphone – it flaunts a fresh design, packs a respectable processor, has a good primary camera, and offers a versatile battery life. However, what makes this device an excellent deal at Rs 15,999 is its comprehensive AI package. Features like Call Assistant, Translation Assistant, and Social Assistant are very easy to incorporate into daily use and offer a lot of value. Our only gripe with the smartphone is that its storage is limited to 128GB. There is no option to expand its storage, and at the time of writing this review, there is no 256GB variant on the market.
Tecno Pova Curve 5G: Pros
- Fresh design
- Great build quality
- Exhaustive AI features
- Nice software experience
- Good primary camera
Tecno Pova Curve 5G: Cons
- Only available in a 128GB storage variant
- No expandable storage
- Promised only 1 major OS upgrade
