The smartphone industry has long championed thinner designs, then shifted focus to larger batteries. Now, Tecno attempts to merge both trends with its latest offering. The Tecno Pova Slim 5G enters the fiercely competitive mid-range segment, priced at Rs 19,999, with a bold claim: it's the world's slimmest mid-range smartphone, packing a substantial 5,160mAh battery into an incredibly thin 5.95mm frame. This review delves into whether this focus on slimness is a genuine innovation or merely a design gimmick that sacrifices essential features.
Design, Build, and Display: Premium Feel in a Featherlight Frame
Upon picking up the Pova Slim 5G, its 156-gram weight and sleek profile are immediately noticeable. It feels significantly lighter and more comfortable for prolonged one-handed use than most rivals. The 6.78-inch curved AMOLED display with a 144Hz refresh rate elevates the phone's premium aesthetic, offering vivid colours and smooth scrolling for an immersive viewing and gaming experience.
Despite its slender build, durability isn't compromised. The phone features Corning Gorilla Glass 7i protection, a Military Grade MIL-STD 810H rating, and an IP64 rating for dust and water splash resistance. A unique but largely novelty feature is the Dynamic Mood Light Design on the camera island, which provides notification alerts through changing light patterns.
Performance, Software, and Camera Capabilities
Under the hood, the phone is powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 6400 processor, coupled with 16GB RAM (including virtual RAM) and 128GB UFS storage. This configuration handles everyday tasks, multitasking, and casual gaming like BGMI or Call of Duty: Mobile competently at medium settings, though pushing to high graphics can cause frame drops. The device runs HiOS with Ella AI assistant, offering features like writing assistance and Circle-to-Search, albeit with some pre-installed app clutter.
A standout for Tecno is network connectivity. Technologies like 5G+ Carrier Aggregation, 4x4 MIMO, and the Intelligent Signal Hub System ensure consistent signal strength, even in weaker coverage areas, supported by N28 band compatibility.
The camera system is basic but functional for daily use. It sports a 50MP primary rear sensor and a 2MP secondary unit, with a 50MP front camera for selfies. In good light, the primary camera captures detailed, colour-accurate images suitable for social media. Low-light performance is adequate with Night mode, though noise is evident. The lack of an ultra-wide or telephoto lens limits versatility, and video stabilization could be better despite 4K recording support.
Battery Life, Charging, and Final Verdict
The 5,160mAh battery is the phone's triumph, easily lasting a full day with moderate to heavy use, including gaming, streaming, and browsing. For lighter users, it can stretch to two days. It supports 45W fast charging, taking about 80 minutes for a full charge, which is decent but not class-leading.
In conclusion, the Tecno Pova Slim 5G successfully delivers a slim, lightweight design without crippling battery life. It offers a bright AMOLED display, reliable day-to-day performance, and excellent network connectivity for its Rs 19,999 price tag. Compromises include a basic dual-camera setup, average charging speed, and some software bloat. It is an ideal choice for buyers prioritizing a sleek form factor and solid battery endurance over flagship-level camera versatility.
