TECNO is going all out in 2023 with a couple of impressive devices to their credit this year. The TECNO Camon 20 Pro is part of the CAMON 20 Series lineup released this year with innovative specifications. We know the CAMON series is focused on the camera, but TECNO didn’t just stop at that this year. The CAMON 20 Series design is one of the striking things about these smartphones. No wonder, they won an award for best-in-class design at the MUSE 2023 awards.
Specs-wise, It has an AMOLED display and a 120Hz refresh rate; it has 8GB RAM and 256 GB storage space. It has a 64MP primary camera and a 32MP selfie camera.
The phone runs on Android 13 but is already in line for the Android 14 upgrade. Let’s dive deep and share everything you need to know about the phone in our TECNO CAMON 20 Pro Review.
Design and Build Quality
Design-wise, the entire lineup of the CAMON 20 series phones has a similar look. Except the 5G models have a more premium finish which is expected considering their price. The CAMON 20 Pro 4G has a plastic finish at the back with some patterns that reflects depending on how light hits it. It also has a pentagon-like camera cut out as we have on the rest of the devices in the series, but it doesn’t pultrude like the rest of them.
Three cameras are housed in the camera cut-out and a ring light-like flashlight. We will share photos from the camera in a bit. The back of the phone is flat, making it comfortable to hold in hand, and TECNO also gives you a case in the box for added protection. The phone is available in two colors Predawn Black and Serenity Blue.
We have the black variant here, and I am impressed with its appearance. It charges through a USB C port, and it also has stereo speakers it also has a headphone port, something missing on the 5G Models. The 5G models also have an IP rating against dust and water, which I wish was added to the model here.
It has an under-display fingerprint scanner which is an added advantage since we are used to side-mounted scanners on devices within the price category. The volume key and unlock button are on the right side, and the sim card slot is on the left. It feels comfortable to hold in hand; regarding design and build quality, it is an excellent one from TECNO. The phone is compact with no creaking from any side.
AMOLED Display with a 120Hz Refresh Rate
The display on the TECNO CAMON 20 Pro is 6.67 inches which is not very big and, at the same time, not so small. It is an AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and Full HD plus resolution. There is a camera cut out at the top, but it doesn’t get in the way while you are streaming videos or using the phone. It is small and barely noticeable. The display is flat and very bright outdoors it gets up to 700 nits under direct sunlight, but you have to set it to auto brightness to max it out. It is responsive to touch, and playing games on the phone is a joy to behold because of the refresh rate.
While watching videos on YouTube and Instagram, we noticed the level of sharpness and details coming from the display, and we were impressed. As we stated earlier, the display has a fingerprint scanner, and we were impressed by the placement. It is not the fastest in the world but is decent enough and hardly fails.
Performance and Software
The Phone has 8GB RAM and 256 GB Storage space. It uses memory fusion, which means you can increase the RAM by up to 8GB using some storage space on the phone. There is also a memory card slot to increase the storage. The phone is powered by the MediaTek Helio G99, which is very okay in handling every activity, including gaming. The sufficient RAM and storage space on the phone makes it even better.
Toggling through apps and browsing the internet is smooth without any noticeable lags. In terms of performance, you can even play demanding games with high graphics, and you won’t notice lags or many frame drops. TECNO has consistently delivered on its midrange phones this year.
Software-wise, the phone runs on Android 13, and HIOS 13 is the user interface. The phone is also among the first devices scheduled to receive the Android 14 update through a partnership with Google. The interface has been refined to some extent, which makes sense, but some unwanted apps are still on the UI.
if you have used TECNO devices over the years, you will appreciate what they are doing with their software; they have improved it gradually over the years. Performance is solid for the price category, and Software is much better than it used to be. Hopefully, they will continue the trend of improving it.
TECNO CAMON 20 Pro Camera Review
The TECNO CAMON 20 Pro has a 64MP primary camera, a 2MP depth sensor, and a QVGA lens. There is a 32MP selfie camera up front with a dual LED flashlight. The front and back cameras can record 1080p videos at 30 frames per second. It doesn’t have the anti-shake technology on the higher-end models, but that doesn’t mean it’s not decent. Pictures taken from the camera are decent enough and well-detailed.
Rear Camera Portrait Shot with 64MP
Outdoors under the sun, you will get popping colors, and the portrait mode is also well-balanced. The bokeh effect is noticeable in all images, and there is a good separation between the foreground and background.
Outdoor shot with natural bokeh
There is a 32MP selfie camera upfront, and it does an excellent job in both low light and good lighting conditions. If you love taking selfies, the CAMON 20 Pro has got you covered.
Selfie with the 32MP camera
Night Mode
The phone also has a night mode in the camera software that delivers in areas with not-so-good lightning. In terms of the camera, you won’t be disappointed with what the TECNO CAMON 20 Pro is offering, and here are some images from the camera.
The Battery
The CAMON 20 Pro has a 5000mAh battery that can last an entire day under intensive usage or 2 days for casual users. It comes with a 33Watts fast charger inside the box, and you can expect it to charge the phone from zero to a hundred in under an hour and a half. The battery life is impressive, and even with the high refresh rate, it still doesn’t drain. TECNO is giving you an A+ battery on the CAMON 20 Pro.
Conclusion
During our stay with the CAMON 20 Pro, we found the device surprisingly capable, and using it is a pure joy while also offering great value for money. You get a decent performance, innovative design, great battery life, and a camera with excellent quality. The only area that needs fine-turning is the software experience, other than that, it is an excellent performer.
Suppose you have a budget of around 155k Naira, the CAMON 20 Pro will be your best bet as it ticks the most important boxes.
