TECNO POVA 4 Pro Review: This Is Ready For (gaming) Battle!
Violation
4.1
The design is great and the chip performance is an advantage. Battery life is good, the device received the update via OTA and feels good in the hand. I recommend this phone as a good buy, especially for those interested in mobile gaming on a tight budget!
TECNO is a leading international brand of smart devices, present in more than 70 countries around the world. Since the introduction of the CAMON series in 2014, the company has positioned itself as a professional camera manufacturer with a sleek and elegant design. TECNO continuously works on the perfect integration of aesthetic and elegant design with innovative technologies. Today TECNO offers a wide range of smart devices, but undoubtedly the POVA series is the most aggressive of all. Today we have what TECNO calls "battleship" POVA 4 Pro, a budget gaming smartphone for the masses.
It is a strong, powerful and energizing device for users, stimulating their limitless passions and encouraging them to strive to release their inner energy and potential in work, play or life.
This new TECNO POVA 4 Pro has good specs for a budget gaming smartphone. Inside, there is a large 6000mAh battery with SuperCharge function, along with the Helio G99 SoC. There's also an impressive 6.66-inch AMOLED display + 90Hz high refresh rate with 8GB of RAM + 256GB of storage.
We have been using this phone for two weeks and below you can read our impressions of using this device as an all-purpose flagship phone.
TECNO POVA 4 Pro - Features
- Gray Uranolite / Blue Fluorite / Orange Rutile
- 6000 mAh mega battery
- 45W charging
- Helio G99 6nm processor
- 256GB ROM + 8GB RAM (128GB ROM + 8GB RAM)
- 6.66 inch FHD + AMOLED display
- The refresh rate is 90 Hz
- 50MP AI camera
- Height: 164.79 mm
- Width: 77 mm
- Height: 9.19 mm
- Android ™ 12
- Helio G99, eight cores
- 6.66 inch FHD + AMOLED dot display
- The refresh rate is 90 Hz
- 8MP front camera with flash
- 50MP rear dual camera, dual flash
- 256/128 GB of ROM + 8 GB of RAM
- G sensor
- Ambient light and distance sensor
- Fingerprint sensor
- Electronic compass
- Gyroscope
- NFC
TECNO POVA 4 Pro - Download
The device comes in a beautiful silver gray body with an impressive 4 Pro POVA label. There are stickers around the box with information about the included device. We have the TECNO POVA 4 Pro 8 / 256GB version in Uranolith Gray. Tecno claims the phone comes with a 13 month warranty as a 12 + 1 offer. Overall, it's a nice retail box. Inside the package we see the typical amount for most smartphones in this price range:
- POVA 4 Pro phone
- USB-C USB-A data / charging cable
- Large 45W charger
- Touch to remove the SIM tray
- headphones
- Soft silicone case
That said, I'm very happy that headphones are included; even the charger is considered a luxury this time around. On the other hand, for me, the lack of first use instructions, quick installation instructions and a warranty certificate. The manual is available in the phone settings.
A plastic screen protector is pre-installed on the phone. It is easily scratched and I recommend adding frosted glass after removing this film. A soft silicone case is great, but ... yes, it's soft, so if you drop your phone more than you want, add a more rigid protective case.
Here you can buy TECNO POVA 4 Pro
TECNO POVA 4 Pro - Design
Tecno has made an excellent phone, which is missing among the phones in this category, even the best sellers of Redmi or Realme. The back of the device has a kind of geometric aesthetic, making the camera island less prominent. It also makes it more stable with the back cover. According to TECNO, the design is inspired by a meteor motif known as the Widmannstatt motif . The surface of the back cover is matte, it is not easy to leave fingerprints on it. 
In terms of dimensions, this smartphone measures 164 x 77 x 9.19 mm and weighs around 210 grams. So the body is very thick and a bit heavy, but it is reasonable because it has a very large 6000mAh battery inside. Buttons and ports available:
- Right side: power button, also fingerprint scanner, volume up / down button
- Above: upper stereo speaker grille
- Left side: non-hybrid SIM tray, 2 SIM + 1 MicroSD bank.
- Bottom: 3.5mm headphone jack, microphone, USB-C, bottom stereo speaker grille.
More than necessary
Yes, this smartphone has a pair of stereo speakers and also has DTS Audio technology and Hi-Res certification for wired and wireless audio. On the front panel there is a 6.66 inch AMOLED screen with Full HD + resolution, also covered with Gorilla Glass 3 protection. The screen refresh rate reaches 90 Hz. By default, there is already an automatic switching function. where the system will adjust the refresh rate according to the application. If you want more apps to run at 90Hz, set the refresh rate to 90Hz, apps running at 90Hz will go up, although not all will run at 90Hz, some apps will even go down to 60Hz. 
There isn't a word about the Hz count on the touch sample , but when used for the actual drum, there doesn't seem to be any annoying delay. As for Netflix, Widevine L1 support is interesting. This means that we can now watch content in Full HD format.
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TECNO POVA 4 Pro - Hardware
As we said, the device is equipped with a 6.66-inch AMOLED screen with Full HD + resolution. I was amazed by its brightness: 500 nits for indoor use, for outdoor use in hot weather, the screen is still sharp, safe. Color Gamut 99.8% sRGB / 97.8% DCI-P3 Gamut for coverage and 167.4% sRGB / 118.6% DCI-P3 for volume. The screen color is amazing, but a screen like this makes us very careful when editing color photos or videos.
Leading this phone is the Mediatek Helio G99 SoC with 8 GB of LPDDR4X RAM and 256 GB of UFS 2.2 memory. The MediaTek Helio G99 is equipped with an octa-core processor with two high-performance Arm Cortex-A76 processors clocked at 2.2 GHz and a high-performance Arm Mali G57 GPU. High-performance LPDDR4X memory up to 2133MHz and fast UFS 2.2 class memory accelerate data access, maximizing performance in games, applications and everyday tasks. A pretty good combination in the price range offered. The software has no problems with lags or overheating.
The sound of calls and video calls is good, but nothing to brag about. Communication is also good. Full signal in call status. Bluetooth is also good: I use the phone every day without interruption with the wireless headphones and, by the way, its GPS works perfectly. While concluding on the hardware of the device, I have to mention some important features available such as side fingerprint unlocking and facial recognition. So it is intended for the existing connection:
- 4G
- Wi-Fi 5
- Wi-Fi sharing
- Bluetooth 5.0
- USB OTG
- NFC
- FM Radio
SOFTWARE
The phone comes with Android 12 which is a great proposition for this price range. I am using HIOS 12 for the first time. It offers all the features and capabilities of modern ROMs. I must point out that there are some viruses and advertisements, as we have seen in other smartphones of the same price. There were no major issues or limitations and I think with a little HIOS polishing it can hold its own against other skins, but it needs a lot of work to reach the level of MIUI or OxygenOS.
Panther 2.0 game engine
POVA 4 Pro comes with a high performance heat dissipating graphite film that covers a large 11,726mm² heat dissipation area, 22% more than the previous generation, to keep your phone cool even during battles harder. 
The setting has a lot of features, a theme shop, and a dark mode. We can find a memory booster, Phone Master - a general maintenance program, a private application store called the Palm Store, a browser, Instant Apps - a very nice shortcut for various games and applications that can be used without installation, Community. Tecno software, various instruments and music stores, data sharing programs and more. for example many other programs, Especially in the "Notifications" section we are constantly bombarded with information and advertising ... The good thing is that we can find Google services and you can immediately start uninstalling any program. you don't use / don't need it. After 20-30 minutes, the program becomes easier and more comfortable. Another useful feature of the camera is that Google Lens is integrated into the camera app and can be easily activated by clicking on the link in the corner of the camera interface.
I have a feeling that the people behind HIOS will fare well because this very rich skin meets all user needs and does it with good speed and minimal power consumption. HIOS 12 has also been updated via OTA which is a very good sign. Hope Tecno keep updating this phone.
TECNO POVA 4 Pro - camera
Tecno POVA 4 Pro is equipped with an 8 MP selfie camera (with front flash) and dual rear cameras. I tried to find more information on the two small lenses and after a while I found that the main sensor is 50MP - no information on the second smaller lens. The camera setup is accompanied by a decent LED flash. I don't know what the latest sensor can do, but the company indicates that the system is AI compatible. In fact, in the Camera app - a beautiful app full of details - we can find many tricks on the Beauty and AR shooting functions. He's doing a lot of work with the selfie camera. On the front we find an 8 megapixel selfie camera with f / 2.0 aperture and adjustable flash.
The phone has automatic eye detection, a first for me, and it looks great, reminds me of a science fiction movie. The user can take pictures with a simple smile! The camera app includes Super Night, Portrait, Google Lens, Beauty, Video, AI camera and Short Video. The latter is designed for social networks and has many visual effects plugins. The company added to the fun of using the camera and I spent a lot of time playing with it.
Main features
Looking at the camera setup, I was surprised at how beautiful the photos were during the day. The 50MP sensor works perfectly. I can't tell if the depth / AI goal helps. In other cases, this phone might be sold with just one camera, but as multi-camera phones are driving sales, every company is introducing additional lenses. Night photos are good in low light and even better in night mode. I think nobody will complain about the camera.
Video is another story. The video resolution includes 30 fps for 720p, 1080p and 2K. While it offers similar image quality day and night, it has ZERO stabilization. The result is only good if the phone is stable. If it moves a little, it will be a mess. Sound recording is poor, I would have preferred fewer lenses and better EIS / audio.
Main features of the camera
- 50 MP photo system with artificial intelligence
- Our 50MP HD Imaging System captures life's best moments and delivers a world of sharp images through superior processing.
- HDR mode and super night mode
- When HDR mode is enabled, users can take photos that retain detail in both bright and dark areas. Whether you want day or night photos, you can take highly detailed photos. In addition, the Super Night mode ensures that you capture breathtaking night scenes around you.
- 2K history
- Taking a break from time allows you to gain a new perspective on the world around you. Now you can enjoy it in 2K quality. Make your own professional reel and adjust the intervals according to the time you want to shoot.
- Professional video features
- The phone has features like bokeh video and night video, so you can record video like a pro day or night.
- Intelligent AI identification
- POVA 4 Pro takes photography to the next level with intelligent AI detection features. In the new user interface, users can find 8 functional buttons: recovery, artificial intelligence, skin rejuvenation, skin tone, face slimming, nose beautification and facial expression. There are also gender-specific AI identification features like chin protection and eyelash detail protection.
- AI 5.0 Gallery
- AI Gallery is a super fast photo manager that lets you have an amazing experience in managing photos and videos with smart photo album sorting, powerful photo and video editing, and a simple photo collage. Memories Album allows you to play and share your best memories with photos and videos presented as presentations.
TECNO POVA 4 Pro - battery
The large Li-Po 6000 battery and the software added by TECNO are a great combination, providing 2.5 days of light use or one day of average use (no games). Or you can play until 12:85! 
When you need to charge your phone, the phone offers 45W high charging, so it only takes 24 minutes to charge to 50% and 88 minutes to 100%. According to the manufacturer, the battery itself has passed the STS battery safety technology life test. This phone is equipped with a cooling system with graphite heat dissipation technology for a more stable temperature.
The 10W reverse charging option allows you to turn your phone into a portable power bank that can charge other Android devices and accessories.
TECNO POVA 4 Pro - Conclusion
Tecno POVA 4 Pro is an impressive device with many advantages and few disadvantages. It doesn't support 5G, has only one microphone for talking between calls, and doesn't have an ultra-wide camera. I have yet to find an official answer as to how many Android software updates this phone can receive. Furthermore, its dual speakers could be better in terms of sound quality.
On the other hand, yes it is a budget gaming device. The Helio G99 offers a high performance SoC with 1080p 60 video recording on the main camera. It has a long battery life for gaming, 8GB + 256GB of storage, and an impressive 90Hz AMOLED display. I liked the NFC support, Netflix L1 compatibility, and the 45W fast charger. current, the TECNO POVA 4 Pro is an exceptional offering in the economic games market.
Here you can buy TECNO POVA 4 Pro