Tecno Spark 10 Pro smartphone review - High-resolution selfie camera in a $150 USD phone
Potential Competitors in Comparison
Bewertung | Datum | Modell | Gewicht | Laufwerk | Groesse | Aufloesung | Preis ab |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
76.1 % v7 (old) | 09 / 2023 | Tecno Spark 10 Pro Helio G88, Mali-G52 MP2 | 206 g | 128 GB eMMC Flash | 6.80" | 2460x1080 | |
78.7 % v7 (old) | 09 / 2023 | Tecno Spark 10 5G Dimensity 6020, Mali-G57 MP2 | 194 g | 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash | 6.60" | 1612x720 | |
79 % v7 (old) | 08 / 2023 | Xiaomi Redmi 12 Helio G88, Mali-G52 MP2 | 198.5 g | 128 GB eMMC Flash | 6.79" | 2460x1080 | |
75.9 % v7 (old) | 07 / 2023 | Samsung Galaxy A14 LTE Helio G80, Mali-G52 MP2 | 201 g | 64 GB eMMC Flash | 6.60" | 2408x1080 | |
78.7 % v7 (old) | 05 / 2023 | Nokia G22 T606, Mali-G57 MP1 | 195 g | 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash | 6.52" | 1600x720 |
Case and features – Plenty of space on the smartphone
Internationally, there are exciting and even unusual variants of the Tecno Spark 10 Pro. In addition to the classic white and black color options, which are also available in Europe, there is a two-tone black and white model with a synthetic leather back. However, the most unusual color option is Magic Magenta. It stands out not only because of its partially pink back and frame but also because it fluoresces in the dark, emitting a greenish glow.
Unlike the Tecno Spark 10 Pro, which offers a generous 256 GB of storage, these exciting color options are currently unavailable in Europe or the USA. Therefore, our test device is the black model with 128 GB of storage and 8 GB of RAM. The phone is well-built but is prone to bending and denting. However, considering its relatively low price point, the durability is acceptable.
The Tecno phone includes NFC functionality. Additionally, it features a dedicated microSD reader, which impresses with comparatively good transfer rates in our tests.
SD Card Reader - average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs) | |
Samsung Galaxy A14 LTE (Angelbird AV Pro V60) | |
Tecno Spark 10 Pro (Angelbird V60) | |
Average of class Smartphone (7.7 - 77, n=79, last 2 years) | |
Tecno Spark 10 5G (Angelbird V60) | |
Nokia G22 (Angelbird V60) | |
Xiaomi Redmi 12 (Angelbird V60) |
Cross Platform Disk Test (CPDT)
Communication, software, and operation – Fluctuating data rates
WiFi 5 is the fastest WLAN standard that the phone is capable of supporting. Unfortunately, there are frequent disruptions in transfer speeds throughout our test using the reference router Asus ROG Rapture AXE 11000, which may be recreated. Overall, the transfer speeds are at the lower end of what is expected for the pricing range; competing phones provide considerably smoother transfers.
The Tecno Spark 10 Pro is a 4G phone that features certain LTE frequencies, allowing it to be used abroad. Throughout our testing period in urban environments, we never experienced dropped reception, but it's worth noting that it doesn't quite match the reception quality of high-end smartphones.
Android 13 serves as the main operating system, with the company adding its own HiOS on top of it. This customization visibly alters the interface and introduces additional features, such as a voice distorter for messaging services and a blackout function for privacy on the screen.
The phone comes with a significant amount of pre-installed third-party software, which may require decluttering if you prefer a cleaner system. During our testing, the device had security patches up to date as of August 2023, which is quite recent. It currently receives updates every few months; however, the supplier does not provide information about the duration of support.
The 90 Hz screen ensures swift input responses and contributes to the overall smooth system performance. The touchscreen is responsive even at the corners. The fingerprint sensor is located on the right side, integrated with the standby button, allowing direct unlocking from standby mode, although a slight delay is noticeable.
Networking | |
iperf3 transmit AXE11000 | |
Xiaomi Redmi 12 | |
Samsung Galaxy A14 LTE | |
Nokia G22 | |
Tecno Spark 10 5G | |
Tecno Spark 10 Pro | |
iperf3 receive AXE11000 | |
Samsung Galaxy A14 LTE | |
Xiaomi Redmi 12 | |
Nokia G22 | |
Tecno Spark 10 5G | |
Tecno Spark 10 Pro |
Cameras – A single rear camera
The rear of the phone features a single 50-megapixel camera, supported solely for creating blur effects in portraits. Notably, there is no wide-angle or macro lens included. The main camera's snapshots seem decent at first, although they could benefit from slightly more brightness. Surprisingly, the representation of the sky appears somewhat muddy, and the level of detail in the overall picture is not as accurate as expected.
The phone captures low-light scenes with good mood representation, but it tends to lose dynamic range in very dark areas.
Video recording supports a maximum resolution of 1440p at 30 fps. The autofocus generally performs reliably, and the brightness adjustment is effective.
The 32-megapixel front-facing camera usually takes 8-megapixel pictures, with bigger pixels for better light sensitivity. There is a special setting for capturing images with the full 32-megapixel resolution. Selfies taken with this camera can be slightly enhanced, while details in darker areas may still be visible.
Image Comparison
Choose a scene and navigate within the first image. One click changes the position on touchscreens. One click on the zoomed-in image opens the original in a new window. The first image shows the scaled photograph of the test device.
Hauptkamera BlumeHauptkamera UmgebungHauptkamera Low LightDisplay – Full HD screen with adequate brightness
While a Full HD screen is not yet standard for all devices in this price range, the Tecno Spark 10 Pro includes one.
The screen's maximum brightness averages 459 cd/m², placing it in the upper tier. Only Nokia's G22 surpasses it in this aspect. On extremely bright days, using the Tecno smartphone outdoors might be a bit challenging, but for most everyday scenarios, the screen's brightness is more than sufficient.
The black level is reasonably low, creating deep-looking dark areas and enhancing color contrast. However, during our tests with a spectrophotometer, the color reproduction proved to be rather mediocre. There is a noticeable blue cast, and almost all colors deviate significantly from the optimum.
We did not detect any PWM, making the phone suitable for even sensitive consumers without any concerns.
|
Brightness Distribution: 91 %
Center on Battery: 459 cd/m²
Contrast: 1530:1 (Black: 0.3 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 7.19 | 0.5-29.43 Ø4.92
ΔE Greyscale 8.4 | 0.5-98 Ø5.2
99.8% sRGB (Calman 2D)
Gamma: 2.29
Tecno Spark 10 Pro IPS, 2460x1080, 6.8" | Tecno Spark 10 5G IPS, 1612x720, 6.6" | Xiaomi Redmi 12 IPS, 2460x1080, 6.8" | Samsung Galaxy A14 LTE PLS, 2408x1080, 6.6" | Nokia G22 IPS, 1600x720, 6.5" | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Response Times | -45% | -20% | -19% | -105% | |
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% * | 23.2 ? | 21.6 ? 7% | 34 ? -47% | 35.55 ? -53% | 60.2 ? -159% |
Response Time Black / White * | 18.5 ? | 36.4 ? -97% | 17.2 ? 7% | 15.68 ? 15% | 27.7 ? -50% |
PWM Frequency | 343500 | ||||
Screen | 16% | 11% | -21% | 22% | |
Brightness middle | 459 | 460 0% | 449 -2% | 465 1% | 674 47% |
Brightness | 435 | 435 0% | 437 0% | 439 1% | 641 47% |
Brightness Distribution | 91 | 89 -2% | 95 4% | 89 -2% | 90 -1% |
Black Level * | 0.3 | 0.3 -0% | 0.5 -67% | 0.47 -57% | 0.43 -43% |
Contrast | 1530 | 1533 0% | 898 -41% | 989 -35% | 1567 2% |
Colorchecker dE 2000 * | 7.19 | 4.04 44% | 2.29 68% | 8.5 -18% | 4.45 38% |
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. * | 13.1 | 6.84 48% | 4.49 66% | 15.8 -21% | 7.41 43% |
Greyscale dE 2000 * | 8.4 | 5 40% | 3.7 56% | 11.8 -40% | 5.1 39% |
Gamma | 2.29 96% | 2.239 98% | 2.254 98% | 2.2 100% | 2.072 106% |
CCT | 9402 69% | 7896 82% | 6198 105% | 10757 60% | 7799 83% |
Total Average (Program / Settings) | -15% /
4% | -5% /
4% | -20% /
-21% | -42% /
-4% |
* ... smaller is better
Display Response Times
↔ Response Time Black to White | ||
---|---|---|
18.5 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 10.1 ms rise | |
↘ 8.4 ms fall | ||
The screen shows good response rates in our tests, but may be too slow for competitive gamers. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 37 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (21 ms). | ||
↔ Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey | ||
23.2 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 12.8 ms rise | |
↘ 10.4 ms fall | ||
The screen shows good response rates in our tests, but may be too slow for competitive gamers. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.165 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 30 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (32.9 ms). |
Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)
Screen flickering / PWM not detected | |||
In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 8749 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 343500) Hz was measured. |
Performance, emissions and battery life - Sufficient power in a good shape
The MediaTek Helio G88 is a mid-range SoC that provides sufficient power for everyday tasks. While it's advisable to avoid running complex apps or excessive multitasking, the system remains smooth and doesn't stutter during normal use.
The maximum temperature of 43.5 °C under prolonged load is noticeable but not critical, and it is strictly localized. Additionally, the SoC experiences minimal throttling in the 3DMark stress tests.
The mono speaker located on the bottom edge is relatively weak and tends to produce a very treble-heavy sound. This makes music or movie sound significantly less enjoyable. For a better audio experience, it's advisable to connect headphones or external speakers through the 3.5 mm jack port or via Bluetooth. Fortunately, the phone supports several important wireless sound transmission standards, including SBC, AAC, LDAC, aptX, and aptX HD.
The 5,000 mAh battery amazingly lasts 14 hours and 26 minutes in our WLAN test, allowing you to go for a day without charging under average usage conditions. If necessary, the phone may be charged at a maximum of 18 watts. It's worth mentioning that a complete charge cycle takes well over 2 hours.
Tecno Spark 10 Pro | Tecno Spark 10 5G | Xiaomi Redmi 12 | Samsung Galaxy A14 LTE | Nokia G22 | Average 128 GB eMMC Flash | Average of class Smartphone | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AndroBench 3-5 | 131% | 2% | -28% | 84% | -24% | 340% | |
Sequential Read 256KB | 314.7 | 940.4 199% | 300 -5% | 298.69 -5% | 881 180% | 283 ? -10% | 1834 ? 483% |
Sequential Write 256KB | 239.8 | 490 104% | 272.5 14% | 200.17 -17% | 367 53% | 194.6 ? -19% | 1422 ? 493% |
Random Read 4KB | 108.6 | 219.8 102% | 84.8 -22% | 55.9 -49% | 131 21% | 82.7 ? -24% | 278 ? 156% |
Random Write 4KB | 95 | 208.2 119% | 115 21% | 55.86 -41% | 172 81% | 55.1 ? -42% | 310 ? 226% |
Temperatur
(±) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 43.5 °C / 110 F, compared to the average of 35.1 °C / 95 F, ranging from 21.9 to 63.2 °C for the class Smartphone.
(±) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 40.1 °C / 104 F, compared to the average of 33.9 °C / 93 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 25.7 °C / 78 F, compared to the device average of 32.8 °C / 91 F.
3DMark | |
Wild Life Extreme Stress Test | |
Tecno Spark 10 Pro | |
Xiaomi Redmi 12 | |
Tecno Spark 10 5G | |
Samsung Galaxy A14 LTE | |
Wild Life Stress Test Stability | |
Tecno Spark 10 Pro | |
Tecno Spark 10 5G | |
Nokia G22 | |
Samsung Galaxy A14 LTE | |
Samsung Galaxy A14 LTE | |
Xiaomi Redmi 12 |
Speakers
Tecno Spark 10 Pro audio analysis
(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (73.9 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 33.1% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (9.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | reduced mids - on average 7.6% lower than median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (10.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 3.1% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (5.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (29.4% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 74% of all tested devices in this class were better, 4% similar, 22% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 37%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 86% of all tested devices were better, 3% similar, 12% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%
Nokia G22 audio analysis
(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (81.1 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 31.5% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (10.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 4.4% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (5.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 3.4% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (6.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (23.7% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 49% of all tested devices in this class were better, 9% similar, 42% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 37%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 68% of all tested devices were better, 7% similar, 26% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%
Battery Life
Battery Runtime - WiFi Websurfing | |
Nokia G22 | |
Average of class Smartphone (476 - 3244, n=204, last 2 years) | |
Tecno Spark 10 5G | |
Samsung Galaxy A14 LTE | |
Tecno Spark 10 Pro | |
Xiaomi Redmi 12 |
Pros
Cons
Verdict – Not free of flaws
The Tecno Spark 10 Pro faces a challenge in standing out from the competitive market of affordable mid-range phones, particularly because the unique models with extra RAM and distinctive case options are currently unavailable in the USA.
What's left is a sturdy phone with good performance, a respectable battery life, and a well-crafted casing. Even if the flash speed is not very rapid, the Full HD screen and 128 GB of storage provide decent value for money.
But there are some limitations, such as intermittent reductions in Wi-Fi connection speeds, a subpar speaker, and an abundance of preinstalled software that some users may find annoying. On the plus side, the phone maintains steady performance even after extended usage and the screen does not display PWM flickering.
The Tecno Spark 10 Pro has a solid storage configuration and battery runtimes that are suitable for daily usage, but it can otherwise hardly stand out from other inexpensive mid-range phones.
The Xiaomi Redmi 12 has additional Bluetooth codecs and a more customizable camera system. Those looking for 5G might consider the somewhat more costly Tecno Spark 10 5G.
Price & Availability
The pearl white version is available for $150 USD on amazon.in.
Tecno Spark 10 Pro
-
09/20/2023 v7 (old)
Florian Schmitt
Transparency
The selection of devices to be reviewed is made by our editorial team. The test sample was provided to the author as a loan by the manufacturer or retailer for the purpose of this review. The lender had no influence on this review, nor did the manufacturer receive a copy of this review before publication. There was no obligation to publish this review. We never accept compensation or payment in return for our reviews. As an independent media company, Notebookcheck is not subjected to the authority of manufacturers, retailers or publishers.
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