TECNO Phantom X2 review: a practical flagship with a focus on the camera. TECNO smartphones are primarily known for low-end devices and middle schoolers, but now flagships are taking over. At the presentation in Dubai, TECNO presented two new Phantom smartphones: X2 and X2 Pro. There is a lot in common between them, but there are also differences. There will be reviews of both devices on the site, but for now let’s start with the Phantom X2.
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Appearance
There are no differences between TECNO Phantom X2 Pro and X2 in terms of design, they are similar as twins, only the body colors are different. The case is thin, it has symmetrical curves in front and behind, smoothly flowing into a metal frame. At the same time, it has flat ends, so that if desired, it can be placed vertically on the surface.
If the screen is under glass, then the back surface is made of matte smooth plastic, you can choose from two colors. The surface does not get dirty or scratched at all – the solution is practical and reliable.
The large smartphone turned out to be rather slippery, so for extra confidence I dressed it in a complete case. Moreover, the case is just what you need: it protects the TECNO Phantom X2 when it falls, covers the corners and huge protruding lenses.
In addition, he also has a special leg. It is durable, metal and serves as a support when you want to watch a video on your smartphone, and makes life easier, you do not have to look for a backup and worry that the device may accidentally move off the surface.
The issue of controlling with one hand can not even be raised – the smartphone is large, as it should be for a flagship, so you need to treat this with understanding. In general, everything is fine with ergonomics, the weight is distributed reasonably, the large block with cameras does not outweigh, and the rounded sides do not cut the palm.
Even before the presentation of the TECNO Phantom X2, photos of the device were circulating on the Internet, where the flagship stood out with huge cameras. The leak turned out to be true, you can’t help but pay attention to the cameras, they occupy an impressive part of the case and protrude significantly above the surface.
Cameras
Assessed the appearance of the smartphone, immediately go to its cameras. The main camera is 64 MP with optical stabilization and RGBW sensor, which has a higher light sensitivity than conventional RGGB due to the white pixel. Therefore, pictures are better in poor lighting, when shadows are processed and small details are clearly visible.
In a room with poor light, the TECNO Phantom X2 reproduces details well and correctly evaluates the white balance. He does not seek to embellish the picture, the colors are natural and without oversaturation.
There’s also a 13-megapixel f/2.2 ultra-wide lens and a sad 2-megapixel bokeh module. The over-width significantly blurs the frames at the edges, but this is a standard situation with similar modules. It can also be used for macro photography….
Screen
Let’s start with the obvious. The display is large – a diagonal of 6.8 inches is enough with a margin for any task. The screen with curved edges is covered with Gorilla Glass Victus, and an additional protective film is neatly glued on top of it. The display supports Always On mode – in standby mode, you can display some spectacular dial to your taste.
In the TECNO Phantom X2 settings, you can choose one of two color profiles. In the first case, the colors will be brighter and more saturated, while the second option offers a more balanced color scheme.
If necessary, manually set the display refresh rate from 120 Hz to 60 Hz, but I used the automatic mode and was pleased with it. Perhaps I would like to get a higher margin of brightness, if you look at the use of a smartphone in the midst of a hot summer season.
The display with curved edges looks impressive, but you need to take this feature into account when using it. For example, while shooting on a smartphone, you need to hold it so that your fingers do not touch the screen and there are no false positives.
Performance
The top-end smartphone received a proper filling – the 4nm Dimensity 9000 easily copes with any games, not to mention everyday activities, everything happens smoothly and very quickly. TECNO Phantom X2 has 8 GB of very fast LPDDR5 RAM, it uses another 5 GB due to the built-in one. Own memory is 256 GB, there is no slot for microSD.
The smartphone received a sub-screen fingerprint scanner, it is fast. You can only find fault with its location, it is a little lower than we would like, but this is subjective.
Working hours
The kit comes with a 45 W fast charge, it takes 1 hour to charge the 5160 mAh battery, and in 20 minutes the smartphone charges up to 54% according to official data. In practice, this is how it turns out, the process proceeds very quickly, literally restoring strength before our eyes. In my case, charging quietly enough for a day of use with 6-6.5 hours of active screen.
Equipment
The box contains a rich set of accessories by today’s standards. We get a USB-C cable and 45W GaN fast charging. The factory protective film is already on the smartphone screen. Separate words of gratitude for the practical and compact plastic case. It also protects the smartphone, and the dimensions of the device do not increase, and even a comfortable leg is provided for by the design.
Impression
TECNO’s journey to the Russian market began with inexpensive smartphones, and now real flagships are on sale. TECNO Phantom X2 has an excellent camera, decent autonomy and fast charging in the kit, a colorful curved display and excellent performance.
It would also be possible to add stereo speakers for a complete picture, water protection or wireless charging – there is something to strive for. But in general, it turned out to be a very interesting smartphone. Here I would like to add about the price, but there is no official price for Russian retail yet. At a presentation in Dubai, the price of a smartphone was announced, in terms of Saudi riyal to rubles, 2699 SAR turn into 45,000 rubles.
Specifications TECNO Phantom X2
- OS: Android 12, HiOS 12.
- Screen: 6.8 inches, 1080×2400, AMOLED 120Hz, Corning Gorilla Glass Victus.
- Chipset: MediaTek Dimensity 9000.
- Memory: 8 GB RAM, 256 GB built-in UFS 3.1.
- Cameras: main 64 MP, optical stabilization; ultra wide-angle 13 MP; portrait 2 MP; frontal 32 MP.
- Communications: Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 5.3, USB Type-C.
- Fingerprint scanner: subscreen.
- Battery: 5160 mAh, fast charging 45 W.
- Dimensions: 164.6 × 72.7 × 8.9 mm.
- Weight: 201 g.