TECNO POVA 2 Philippines Review, Full Specs, Actual Unit Photos, Key Features

Earlier this month - August 2021, hotshot international smartphone brand TECNO Mobile officially launched a new and affordable gaming-centric Android handset in the Philippines that gives great value for money its strong selling points.

The recently released TECNO POVA 2 is priced at only PHP 7,990, making it a compelling offer for those who may be a bit tight on budget but are now planning to level up their gaming and overall experience on their smartphones.

What's in the Box?

Before I show you the handset itself and talk about its key features, let me give you a quick unboxing.

TECNO POVA 2 comes in this box with metallic finish and shiny iridescent accents that make it look unique compared to the packaging of competing brands in the market.

On the cover, of course, you'll see the name of the smartphone and at the bottom of the box, TECNO had listed down the model's most attractive selling points, which I will talk about in a bit.

The official TECNO POVA 2 retail package includes the unit itself, a pair of earphones, the USB Type C to USB data transfer and charging cable, the travel charger, the 12+1 Months Warranty Card, the metal pin for ejecting the SIM card tray, and finally, a free soft gel case.

Design Check and Display Details

TECNO POVA 2 has dimensions of 173.3 x 78.8 x 9.6 mm and weighs 185 grams, which makes it a quite sizable yet still pocketable slate. Anyway, the footprint of this smartphone is largely similar to that of several midrange Android smartphones in the market these days with comparable screen sizes.

Speaking of "screen", this model flaunts a 6.9-inch FullHD+ IPS display that's clear, crisp, and brilliant enough to deliver an enjoyable viewing experience whether you are browsing websites, watching movies and TV series, or playing games. Additionally, this screen only has a small punch hole on top where the front-cam is as well as thin bezels that don't negatively affect the visual experience. If you ask me, large panel is certainly one of the strongest selling points of TECNO POVA 2.

At the back, the handset has a polycarbonate plate with an intricate micro-line finish and metallic sheen giving it an air of elegance and corporate sophistication. For me, these details make TECNO POVA 2 look more expensive than it actually is.

The polycarbonate backplate has rounded corners that make the smartphone less of a hassle to keep in the pocket, especially if you're wearing jeans. The sides, on the other hand, have a slight beveling that doesn't only look like a design accent but also makes it easier to hold the device with one hand.

Photography and Video Recording Capabilities

TECNO POVA 2 features a Quad Rear Camera Module made up of a 48 MegaPixel f/1.9 main camera that's the best of the bunch in everyday point-and-shoot photography as well as low-light performance, a 2 MegaPixel Macro camera for close-up photography or capturing minute details on larger objects, a 2 MegaPixel Depth Sensor enabling Portrait Mode wherein you can add background blur to highlight the subject, and - what I believe to be - an additional 2 MegaPixel AI camera.

This set of cameras, which is powered by TECNO's own AI imaging software that automatically figures out what's in front of the lens and instantly adjusts settings to deliver the best image possible, is certainly one of my favorite features of this smartphone model. I just wish that it also had an ultra-wide angle camera and perhaps a telephoto zoom camera in lieu of the macro shooter.

Better than many smartphones in the sub-PHP 10K category, TECNO POVA 2 also has a Quad-LED flash on its rear camera module which greatly improves the device's imaging and video recording prowess even in low to zero ambient lighting conditions.

For YouTubers, vloggers, and other video content creators, TECNO POVA 2's main camera at the back can record 2K, FullHD, and HD videos at 30 frames per second. The 2K recorder is particularly useful since Youtube provides better compression for clips recorded in that resolution or higher.

If you prefer using your smartphone's front-facing camera for recording your vlogs so you can see yourself on the screen, then you will appreciate TECNO POVA 2's 2K and FullHD 30fps front shooter that also benefits from a bright LED torchlight, which is handy in low light settings.

This front-facing camera also shoots 8 MegaPixel selfies that are instantly ready for sharing on social media, thanks to TECNO's own Skin Smoothening or Beautification software.

Overall, although the quality of images and videos you will get from TECNO POVA 2 can't quite rival that of flagship-level handsets from Xiaomi, Samsung, or Apple, the photos and clips taken using this smartphone are certainly more than good enough considering the price of the handset.

I will post sample photos and videos in a separate post so please stay tuned for that.

Internal Hardware and Mobile Gaming Prowess

TECNO POVA 2 runs its HIOS 7.6 customized Android 11 operating system with an energy-efficient yet capable 12nm 2GHz Octa-Core MediaTek Helio G85 processor that incorporates a Mali-G52 MC2 GPU for smooth graphics performance when playing games.

This chipset is one of the more high-end models by Taiwanese company MediaTek and it's specifically crafted to allow budget-friendly midrange handsets like TECNO POVA 2 to deliver an enjoyable gaming experience to users.

The CPU is complemented by 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage that can easily be expanded using the smartphone's dedicated microSD card slot. No need to sacrifice Dual SIM capability to get more space for your large files.

I'd say this set of innards is a real treat on a 2021 handset priced at only PHP 7,990. For me, the stellar internal hardware of TECNO POVA 2 is its primary selling point.

So how's the gaming performance of the handset, you ask?

I have to be honest with you: Mobile Legends Bang Bang is the only game I play on my smartphones currently since it's the only title I thoroughly enjoy. It's just my preference.

Well, if you also like Mobile Legends Bang Bang, you'd be glad to know that you will get a buttery smooth experience running this title on TECNO POVA 2. Even if you turn on high frame rate, this smartphone will just breeze through it, no problem.

TECNO Mobile's very own Game Space 2.0 automatically enhances the gaming performance of the device by accelerating memory and network connectivity as well as by boosting CPU and GPU. This is definitely a prized feature of the TECNO POVA 2 for heavy mobile gamers or at least those who play Mobile Legends to destress and relax.

I guess my tip is just to make sure that you are connected to a fast and reliable WiFi or mobile data network before launching your favorite games just to avoid annoying lags or stuttering caused by poor connectivity during gameplay.

Privacy and Security

On top of the usual pattern and passcode unlock as well as Facial Recognition embedded in the front-cam for accessing the user interface, TECNO POVA 2 has a side-mounted Fingerprint Scanner that adds a veritable layer of protection for the user against those who intend to check the handset's content without permission.

This Fingerprint Scanner is conveniently integrated with the power button for a seamless unlocking gesture when turning on the device or when you are waking it up from sleep.

Battery and Charging Speed

If you hate always carrying a huge powerbank in your bag or charging your handset in the middle of the day just to make sure that your smartphone will still have enough juice come the end of the day, I'm sure you will love TECNO POVA 2's ultra-high-capacity 7,000 mAh Li-Po battery.

This pack, which is one of the biggest you will find in the 2021 entry-level to lower midrange smartphone category, easily ensures 24 hours of uptime even for power users and even up to two or three days for those who just casually use their handset for updating social media accounts or watching videos from time to time.

TECNO POVA 2 comes with 18W Dual IC Flash Charge technology that delivers Speedier and Safer Power Recharging. With this innovation, you can get 2.5 hours of call time and 20 hours of music playback after just 10 minutes of charging the device to an electric outlet using the provided travel charger and cable. Sweet!

Does TechPinas recommend TECNO POVA 2?

Even if I think that this smartphone could have been better in terms of imaging capabilities, I'm highly inclined to recommend TECNO POVA 2 because of all its strong points that I noted above. Donning an SRP of only PHP 7,990, this handset - as I've said - delivers great value for hard-earned money, which is something we all want to enjoy in these challenging times.

TECNO POVA 2 Specs

173.3 x 78.8 x 9.6 mm

185 grams

6.9 inches, FullHD+, 1080 x 2460 pixels, 389 ppi, IPS LCD

82.8% Screen-to-Body ratio

Punch Hole Notch

Quad Rear Camera Module:

48 MegaPixels, f/1.9 Aperture, PDAF

2 MP, Macro

2 MP, Depth Sensor

2 MP, AI (TBC)

Front-Facing Camera:

8 MegaPixels, f/2.0

Video Recorder:

Back - 2K 30fps, FullHD 30fps, HD 30fps, Quad-LED Flash

Front - 2K 30fps, FullHD 30fps, HD 30fps, LED Flash

Android 11 Operating System

HIOS 7.6 User Interface

12nm Octa-Core 2GHz MediaTek Helio G85

Mali-G52 MC2 GPU

6GB RAM + 128GB ROM

Dedicated microSD Card Slot

Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac

Bluetooth 5.0

4G LTE-A

FM Radio

Side-Mounted Fingerprint Scanner

USB Type C 2.0

USB On-The-Go

18W Dual IC Flash Charge

Non-Removable 7,000 mAh Li-Po Battery Pack

Polycarbonate Shell with Micro-Line Finish

Polar Silver, Power Blue, Dazzle Black

TECNO POVA 2 Price in the Philippines

Official Suggested Retail Price - PHP 7,990