Foldable phones are on the rise, you may have yet to expect one in your future life, but it’s coming anyway. And TECNO, the Shanghai-based phone vendor, has joined the race with its latest foldable phone — PHANTOM V Fold. As a new member of its high-end brand PHANTOM, the model succeeds in distinguishing itself from its predecessors in areas such as body design.
As someone who previously preferred compact phones, I was initially hesitant to switch to a foldable device. However, after using the PHANTOM V Fold for over two weeks, I find it hard to transition back to my small and boring iPhone 13 mini. The PHANTOM V Fold has enabled me to perform my daily tasks and activities more effectively than ever before.
If you are seeking your next phone in a price range of $1,099 to $1,222 for regular use, PHANTOM V Fold is a top choice. However, it may not be ideal for hardcore gamers or those who prioritize top-of-the-line camera systems.
The phone was first showcased on Feb. 28 during Mobile World Congress 2023 and is now launching firstly in India.
TL; DR
Fors:
● Affordable price tags
● High and adaptive refresh rate for both displays
● Premium design and displays
● Comfortable to hold
● Responsive and well-designed system
● Long battery life
Againsts:
● Slower charging speed
● Improvable camera performance
● moderate chipset performance
● Less competitive to rivals with compact and lightweight designs
A low-key design that shines
TECNO has impressively incorporated exquisite design elements into their product, resulting in a visually appealing and ergonomically comfortable device. The model I had the opportunity to review came in a sleek black color, accompanied by a subtle metallic sheen.
When folded, it resembles a traditional phone with a 6.42-inch OLED display that fits perfectly within its frame, hinge, and back case with darker color sets. The edges have a curved design to ease the pressure when held. The back case and hinge adopt extra textures to increase friction, which further contributes to a comfortable in-hand experience. TECNO claims that the black version is made of a special renewable fiber material that creates a random texture with delicate light reflection, further adding to its premium design.
The camera layout is also highlighted — triple cameras and flashlights are well arranged in two circles with chamfered edges.
The inner fold solution of the TECNO device makes it susceptible to a crease issue, which is inevitable. However, the crease is less apparent when viewed directly, so I seldom notice it during use. Moreover, the click sound when folding the phone is quite satisfying, adding to the overall tactile experience.
Weighing around 300 grams, it feels heavy to hold with one hand, but it does not bother me much when held with two hands in tablet mode. Nonetheless, TECNO could still explore options to make it lighter, considering that its competitors have been shipping foldable phones around 250 grams.
A responsive and optimized system
HiOS Fold, the operating system based on Android 13, is a well-crafted system that impressed me with its vibrant and thoughtful design.
The system’s layout and features are delicately designed and presented in a modern and consistent manner, complementing the phone’s high refresh rate displays perfectly. The widgets and dashboard are particularly noteworthy, offering a rich and customizable experience. With a simple swipe to the right, users can access a wealth of information, including weather forecasts, to-do lists, and app shortcuts tailored to their daily needs.
These features work well in different layouts when folded or unfolded. The dock has extra slots for tablet mode, with a preview of recently opened apps like macOS. The multi-task features, like splitting the screen and displaying over other apps, greatly utilize the large 7.85-inch inner display.
You can also save frequently-used combos in the splitting screen mode, a plus for streamlining daily workflow.
However, the system kills background apps in an aggressive way. Personally, I prefer to have as many apps running as possible, especially with the phone’s 12 GB of RAM. However, you do have the option to lock essential apps to ensure they continue running in the background. The system can also detect and lock important apps by default.
Optimization makes a difference
The version we tested has 12 GB RAM paired with the high-end Medtek Dimensity 9000+ chipset. While the chipset was released towards late 2021, I did not expect exceptional gaming performance but rather smooth operations from social and productivity apps.
The large inner display maximizes productivity by allowing users to run two or even three apps simultaneously in the foreground. For instance, one can read articles while taking notes, chat with friends, or watch a comedy show without having to switch between apps.
The display has an almost square ratio, which benefits certain apps such as Google Photos and Facebook that offer optimized layouts for such a ratio and large display. However, for some apps or games, the ratio issue could potentially downgrade the overall user experience. Elements such as tabs and buttons, are simply stretched to fill the screen. Nevertheless, TECNO asserts that over 2,000 apps have been adapted for big screens.
For gaming, the picture of some titles could be cropped, like Genshin Impact, resulting in a smaller view on a large screen. However, for casual games like Candy Crush Saga, I found it enjoyable to play on a UI that is properly designed for such ratios.
As an avid user of video platforms such as Bilibili, Netflix, and YouTube. Except for some antique videos, the majority of video content is in the 16:9 aspect ratio, resulting in large black margins when viewed on the HiOS Fold. However, for vertical video platforms such as TikTok and Instagram, the large display is certainly better and offers an immersive viewing experience.
Cameras that fall short at night
The phone's camera has improved significantly compared to the PHANTOM X2 I reviewed last year. It can deliver decent shots most of the time but occasionally disappoints at night.
The phone captures images quickly under sufficient light. I appreciate the tone it adds to my photos, with sharp image quality and ample details. The colors are delicately tuned, enhancing the emotion of the shots without over-processing them.
The blur effect is natural for standout objects, which is a plus for portrait or close-up photography. When the phone is unfolded, you can also use the back cameras to capture portraits while previewing them on the outer display.
I have no complaints about the camera setup, which includes a 50-megapixel main camera, a telephoto camera, and a 13-megapixel ultra-wide camera. While the two-time optical zoom may not be as impressive as some higher-end camera options, it is sufficient for most daily needs. What’s particularly noteworthy is that the teleport camera boasts a 50-megapixel resolution, which is much higher than what is typically seen on rivals devices that often have less than 20 megapixels.
In low light conditions, the camera may lose some control, resulting in washed-out photos and noticeable lens glare. This issue is noticeable on both front and back cameras and could be attributed to a flawed algorithm.
All-day battery life but slow charging
TECNO has incorporated a large 5,000-mAh battery in the phone, providing all-day battery life. During my usage, which included watching videos, running over 20 apps in the background (some of which were killed), and using its hotspot feature to share the cellular network with my laptop, it lasted nine hours under heavy use.
However, the charging speed is slow. With the 45-watt charger in the box, it may take over an hour to charge it from 20% to 90%. While it surpasses Samsung's models, it is less competitive than Xiaomi and Honor's offerings.
Occasionally, the phone may overheat while charging. Antutu, a Chinese benchmark app, registered up to 69°C for the main processor when the phone felt hot, especially in the frame parts. So I generally left it with the screen locked while charging.
Conclusion
TECNO PHANTOM V Fold boasts a sleek and modern design that feels comfortable in the hand. The HiOS Fold system is highly responsive and optimized for multitasking, and the large display provides an effective and smooth user experience.
However, the phone’s aggressive background app killing and moderate processor performance could benefit some improvement. While the cameras perform well in good lighting, they fall short at night.
Overall, the phone is a solid choice for regular use within its price range, and it's also good for business people because of the massive optimasations TECNO has done to enhance the big inner screen experince.