Initial Verdict: The existence of the Phantom X is proof that TECNO has a lot of untapped potential as a brand that is rising globally, including in the Philippines. It is arguably the best that TECNO has to offer, thanks to standout features like a curved AMOLED display and a 50-megapixel main camera with a large 1/1.3-inch sensor.

Pros

• One of the most gorgeous phones so far in 2021
• Superb build quality
• Large sensor on the main camera

Cons

• Pricing will play a big factor in its success
• Processor of choice

TECNO Phantom X Unboxing Philippines specs

• MediaTek Helio G95 processor
• 8GB RAM
• 256GB internal storage, expandable via microSD
• 6.7-inch Full HD+ Super AMOLED curved display, 90hz refresh rate, 180hz touch response rate, Gorilla Glass 5
• 50-megapixel f/1.8 main camera with Dual Pixel AF, 8-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera, 13-megapixel telephoto camera with 2x optical zoom, Laser AF LED flash
• 48-megapixel main camera, 8-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera
• LTE
• WiFi, Bluetooth, in-display fingerprint scanner
• 33W fast charging
• 4700mAh battery
• Android 11, HiOS

Everyone’s perception of TECNO is set to change with the Phantom X. TECNO’s debut premium offering aims to bring flagship features to a more affordable price point. These include a large sensor main rear camera and a curved AMOLED display. The Phantom X is one of the prettiest phones you’ll see this year, but does it have the performance to back it up?

Unboxing and packaging contents

The Phantom X is TECNO’s way of busting through to the premium mid-range segment, and its packaging and box shows that. The Phantom X’s matte black box with minimalist branding is the most elegant one we’ve seen on a TECNO phone.

Inside the box, you get the phone itself, a case, USB-C cable, 33w wall charger, and a headset. TECNO sent us a marketing sample, which explains why our example does not have documentation and the SIM ejector pin.

Design

The Phantom X is unlike everything we’ve seen from TECNO in all aspects. You get an incredibly striking premium glass back with a very smudge-resistant finish, with curves on the side to help with overall grip and one-handed use.

It’s certainly one of the nicest-looking phones we’ve reviewed in a while and is a huge departure from what we regularly see from TECNO.

The phone sports a stepped camera module in the middle which protrudes from the body quite a bit, which means you’ll have to use the included protective case with it to help protect that pretty back. Inside the rather huge camera module are three cameras, an LED flash, and a laser autofocus sensor.

The curved front display is protected by Gorilla Glass 5. Unlike other phones with curved displays, the Phantom X has slightly larger bezels. You get a pill-shaped punch-hole housing two cameras: a high-resolution 48-megapixel main camera and an 8-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera.

Because of the curved display, TECNO made the frame of the Phantom X slim enough to accommodate the power and volume controls. The SIM card tray is found on top, while you get a loudspeaker, USB-C port, and a headphone jack at the bottom.

Display

The first main selling point of the Phantom X is its display. The Phantom X’s 6.7-inch display is a curved Super AMOLED panel and comes with a 90hz refresh rate, 180hz touch response rate, and an in-display scanner.

It’s one of the few devices in the mid-range category that uses a curved display like this since displays of this caliber are usually reserved for top-tier offerings – i.e. flagships.

The display certainly looks incredibly good – it’s very bright, vibrant, has deep blacks, and excellent color reproduction.

Cameras

The other headline feature of the Phantom X are its cameras. The Phantom X has a 13-megapixel portrait camera with 2x optical zoom as well as a 50-megapixel main camera. Aside from Dual Pixel AF and laser autofocus, the main camera sports a large 1/1.3-inch ISOCELL GN1 sensor. It is the same sensor used on the vivo X50 Pro+ and X60 Pro+ but lacks OIS. Instead of OIS, TECNO has equipped the phone with a laser AF system.

The selfie snappers are an interesting bunch. This is the first time we have encountered a phone that uses a 48(!)-megapixel sensor for selfies. We’re not sure how such a high-resolution sensor will improve your selfie game, so we will need to put all of the Phantom X’s cameras to the test to see how they fare in real-world use.

Internals

With all the nice things the Phantom X has, we have mixed thoughts about its processor of choice. Powering it is an Helio G95–the same processor used on the Camon 17 Pro–that is paired with 8GB RAM and 256GB storage. While the Helio G95 is a capable processor, we are unsure how well-optimized the processor is in handling all of the Phantom X’s cameras, as well as its overall performance.

A 4700mAh battery keeps the Phantom X running, and it tops up fast with 33w wired charging. Like current TECNO phones, the Phantom X comes with Android 11-based HiOS out of the box.

Wrap up and initial impressions

The Phantom X is indeed a big surprise from TECNO for the Philippines, as the phone is proof that TECNO is more than a brand that focuses on budget phones. With the display and cameras being the main highlight of the Phantom X, it will be very interesting to see how it will fare against more established rivals in the Philippines.

TECNO Phantom X Price Philippines

We still do not know the price and availability of the Phantom X yet in the Philippines, although it is up for sale in Kenya for KES49,999 or roughly Php 23k when converted. That sounds like a steep price for a 4G-only phone rocking an Helio G95 processor, but we will reserve our judgment until we thoroughly review the phone.