TECNO Phantom X Unboxing and First Impressions

The TECNO Phantom X is now available in the Kenyan market starting at KES 49,999. It is actually just marketed as the Phantom X as TECNO is launching ‘PHANTOM’ as a sub-brand. Which could mean we should expect more Phantom devices later on.

Watch the Unboxing and First Impressions video to see my thoughts on the new device. In the video, I didn’t know the price and had estimated something around KES 35,000. However, TECNO appears to want to push this device into a market segment they’ve never competed in before.

The best parts of this phone for me are:

1. The curved AMOLED display – it is really good. Very well done.
2. The cameras – they main 50MP lens is amazing. So is the 48MP selfie shooter.
3. Night Mode – try out the device at night, and switch to night mode. Be a little patient as it loads, and see the excellent quality of the shots you will get.
4. The design and build quality – this really is the best built TECNO phone to date. So well done. Slap another company’s name on this phone and that company’s fanboys will buy this phone like no one’s business.

What is alright with this phone for me:

1. The extra lenses – I always focus on the main lenses, but the extra lenses are okay on this device.
2. The battery and fast charging – 4700mAh is plenty enough on this unit, let no one lie to you otherwise. Also 33W fast charging isn’t the fastest I’ve used, but it is really better than 25W chargers we’ve seen.
3. The performance – Thanks to the faster UFS storage TECNO is using, this phone is damn fast. Check out any reviewers reaction to the boot time, and you will see. I just wish there was a better processor. Not that it’d make much of a difference for my workflow, but it’d be nice.
4. The under-display fingerprint scanner – It could be better in terms of speed, but its alright, and well placed.

What I don’t quite like with this device:

1. Price – Feels quite steep at KES 49,999. But let’s see how the market reacts.
2. Processor – I’ve already said the processor will handle everything you throw at it quite well, however its 2021, and a 12nm process chip is old.
3. HiOS Bloatware and Ads – at this price point, TECNO should really get rid of the ads and bloatware since that won’t be a nice experience for anyone after spending such money on a phone.

Let me know your thoughts down below.

TECNO Phantom X Specifications: