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The Tecno Spark 30 Pro is one of the most budget-friendly smartphones I’ve used and tested in recent years. It’s designed for a significantly less demanding audience than myself, yet it still managed to surprise me.
Specifications
- Screen: AMOLED 6.78”, 2436×1080, 393 ppi, 120 Hz
- Case protection: IP54
- Dimensions: 166.6 × 77.0 × 7.4 mm
- Weight: 188 g
- Permanent memory: 128 GB + microSD
- RAM: 8 GB LPDDR4X
- SoC: MediaTek Helio G100
- Main camera: 108 megapixels + 0.2 megapixels
- Front camera: 13 megapixels
- Bluetooth: 5.3
- Wi-Fi: ac/5
- Infrared port: yes
- NFC: yes
- Shell: Android 14
- Battery capacity: 5000 mAh
- Fast charging: Pump Express
- Charging power: 33 W
Market position and package contents
Its price is around $170 or €155 for the 8GB RAM / 128GB storage version, available in both Obsidian Edge and Arctic Glow colors. There’s also an 8GB / 256GB variant, which costs about $25 more and comes in the same color options.
The smartphone comes with a surprisingly comprehensive accessory set—some might even find it excessive. Inside the box, you’ll find a 33W charging brick, a USB Type-A to Type-C cable, a SIM ejector tool, several manuals, and a warranty card. Unexpected additions include a transparent silicone case and a wired headset with a 3.5mm jack.
This also confirms the presence of a 3.5mm headphone jack on the device, highlighting Tecno’s focus on a specific audience that still values wired audio over the latest Bluetooth codecs.
Appearance and ergonomics
The design is quite appealing overall. The Arctic Glow variant features a marble-like stripe, while the Obsidian Edge has a granite-inspired pattern, both extending downward from the camera module. The camera module itself stands out with an asymmetrical layout, housed in a metallic ring with four distinct “modules”—though not all of them are actual camera sensors.
The only real drawback of the build is the glossy plastic frame along the edges, which feels somewhat delicate—keeping the case on is advisable. On the plus side, the matte back panel has a stylish shimmer under different lighting angles, and the buttons have minimal wobble, performing better in this regard than some flagship models.
All three buttons are positioned on the right edge of the device. On the left, there’s a SIM tray, which, in typical Tecno fashion, is not a hybrid slot—it supports two nanoSIM cards and a separate microSD card.
The bottom edge houses a USB Type-C port, a microphone hole, a speaker, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. On the top, there’s only a secondary speaker. The phone feels great in hand, even with the case on, thanks to its relatively compact dimensions—166.6 × 77.0 × 7.4 mm. It weighs 189 grams without the case and also features IP54 protection, which is a nice addition.
Read also: Everything You Need to Know About MIL-STD-810H in Smartphones: A Look at the Motorola Edge 50 Neo
Screen
The display is one of the smartphone’s standout features. It boasts a 6.78-inch AMOLED panel with a 120Hz refresh rate and a resolution of 2436×1080 pixels. There’s a hole-punch for the front camera, and the screen includes a variety of eye-care technologies.
The display features a PWM frequency of 2kHz and a peak brightness of up to 1700 nits. It offers 100% DCI-P3 color coverage and includes several Eye Care technologies to reduce eye strain. Tecno has also worked closely with TÜV Rheinland China to meet interesting standards, not only in terms of display quality but also performance speeds.
I’ll dive into this in more detail later, but as for the display, it comes with a protective film pre-applied, which I always appreciate. Additionally, there’s an in-display fingerprint scanner. The downside is that the AMOLED panel here is on par with what you’d expect from a phone in the $170 range. The viewing angles are great, but at around 45° on a white background, a noticeable blueish band starts to appear, followed by a few more color distortions.
This issue is noticeable to the eye but not on camera, and it’s hardly noticeable at all in dark mode. It reminded me of something I saw years ago on older Samsung smartphones. If Tecno is using, let’s say, time-tested panels in their budget devices, I’m not opposed to it. Especially since the main issue in the past was PWM, which has been addressed in the Spark 30 Pro. So, for a phone under $200, it’s a smart and cost-effective choice.
I’d also like to highlight the ability to use the phone with wet hands—this is partially a software feature, but not every display supports it. While we’re on the topic, the Tecno Spark 30 Pro also includes a dedicated eye-care mode and an automatic refresh rate adjustment, switching between 120Hz or 60Hz, with a 90Hz option in between.
Performance
The smartphone’s performance is driven by the MediaTek Helio G100 chipset. This is an ultra-popular model found even in smartphones that cost twice as much, like the Redmi Note 14 Pro 4G. I previously mentioned that it felt underwhelming for a phone priced over $300, but for the Tecno Spark 30 Pro, it’s more than adequate.
The Helio G100 is an octa-core chipset built on a 6nm process, featuring 2 Cortex-A76 cores running at 2200 MHz and 6 Cortex-A55 cores at 2000 MHz. The GPU is the Mali-G57 MP2, which, though older, remains efficient.
The device comes with 8GB of LPDDR4X RAM at 2133 MHz, which can be expanded by utilizing the internal storage, which is USF 2.0 with 128GB capacity. There are also versions of the Tecno Spark 30 Pro with 256GB of storage.
In AnTuTu, the Tecno Spark 30 Pro scores 437,000 points, meaning it can handle most games on low settings without issue. The 120Hz refresh rate is fully supported, making the overall experience quite pleasant.
Data transfer and media
In terms of data transfer, the Tecno Spark 30 Pro exceeds expectations for a budget device. It features Bluetooth 5.3, dual-band Wi-Fi 5, NFC, GPS, and an infrared port. The stereo speakers support Dolby Atmos, and the 3.5mm headphone jack offers high-quality audio with 24-bit, 192kHz support.
Cameras
Remember when I mentioned that the Tecno Spark 30 Pro has fewer camera modules than it appears? Well, there’s actually only one main camera module: a 108MP, f/1.9 lens with a 1/1.52″ sensor size and phase detection autofocus. There’s also a secondary 0.2MP module, which assists with portrait photography.
I won’t comment on the usefulness of the secondary module, but I’ll note that portrait photos turn out great. Whether that’s because the software has improved or because portrait modules have finally become more useful is up to you to decide. The front camera is a 13MP lens with a front-facing flash, which is a typical feature for Tecno.
The standard camera app offers ALMOST enough modes. While there’s no professional video recording mode, it does include several AI-driven modes, HDR, a professional photo mode, dual capture using both the front and main cameras, a standard portrait mode, and even a sky replacement feature.
The photo quality is quite satisfactory for a budget device. Notably, the digital zoom offers minimal quality loss. While pixel binning from the 108MP sensor is no longer possible, the image quality remains better than what you’d get from shooting and zooming in post-production. The video recording supports a maximum resolution of 2K at 30 FPS, but digital stabilization is only available in FHD mode.
The smartphone features both front and rear flashes, and I must say, they’re among the best in terms of settings compared to other devices I’ve seen. You get three brightness levels, adjustable color temperature, and the front camera even allows you to use the display as a flash for softer lighting.
Software
One of the reasons I became so interested in Tecno’s latest offerings is the HiOS 14.5.0 skin based on Android 14. The design is quite appealing, and, surprisingly, it has less bloatware compared to modern flagships from Motorola. It also comes with some really useful features. For example, I was shocked by the number of optional gestures. It turns out that the Tecno Spark 30 Pro supports some of my favorite gestures, including the ability to swipe up or down on the home screen for quick actions.
You won’t be able to open the control panel with these gestures, but you can swipe down to open the notification shade, and swipe left to access the quick settings panel. Interestingly, the options button is placed at the top, rather than at the bottom, but I’m confident that Tecno will eventually improve ergonomics in these small details.
These are some really nice features! The AI assistant Ella is a neat touch, and the energy-saving analysis is useful for improving battery performance. The sliding apps drawer and the “Dynamic Port” around the front camera cutout, similar to iOS-style software cutouts, is a great idea. The ability to clone apps is always handy, and the gaming mode adds a solid touch for smoother gameplay. The kids’ mode and the variety of AI-powered features, including smart suggestions, really show how Tecno is focusing on providing a comprehensive and user-friendly experience.
Battery life
In terms of battery life, the situation with the Spark 30 Pro is similar to the Redmi Note 14 Pro. As a reminder, there was a significant issue with charging speed in the latter, as it is heavily influenced by the SoC.
The Tecno Spark 30 Pro has a similar charging speed, but the price is quite different, and not in favor of the Redmi. Additionally, unlike Redmi, Tecno includes a charger in the box, which can charge the smartphone from 5% to 99% in 65 minutes. There’s also compatibility with most third-party chargers and power banks, which is a plus.
In terms of battery life, you can expect up to 11 hours in the PCMark Battery Test 3.0 at 50% screen brightness. It’s not a standout result, but for its target audience, the Tecno Spark 30 Pro performs well.
Conclusions
This smartphone is impressive in more areas than I expected. It offers good value for the price, especially due to the interesting compromise in the camera department. The Tecno Spark 30 Pro comes with plenty of memory, a great user interface, an excellent display for its price, decent battery life, and reasonable performance. Do I recommend it? Yes, I do!
Read also:
- TECNO SPARK 20 Pro+ Review: Exquisite Design and Good Battery Life
- TECNO CAMON 30 Review: Affordable Camera Phone
- TECNO POVA 5 review: a stylish budget gaming device
I’m getting crazy trying to buy a decent phone not very expensive to replace Redmi Note 10S. Is glad to find a nice review. Probably this would be my new phone
Been using this one for a month now, got the Transformers edition, and I’d say I’m not dissatisfied at all. The phone is smooth and serves you as mush as it can!
How can I get the product?
How can i get the product I’m in Nigeria
I swear this is the worst phone I’ve ever use, it hangs all the time, feel like smashing it on the floor.
You got the official version? I’ve been using multiple apps, including heavy games, but mine didn’t lag…?
It happens sometimes, bad luck. My old Moto Z 6 years ago was also painfully slow and buggy. Now I have Edge 50 Ultra, and it flies like rocket.
Make a Fabric reset. Sometimes some updates make them like that and a fresh reset fix it