TECNO Phantom V Flip review: : A turning point for foldables

Samsung continues to dominate the foldable phase, and whereas Chinese manufacturers have focused this class aggressively during the last two years with the likes of the Xiaomi MIX Fold 2, OPPO Find N2 and N2 Flip, Honor Magic V2, and Vivo’s X Fold 2 , all of those units are aimed on the flagship tier.There must be a mid-range foldable to make the phase go actually mainstream, and whereas Motorola got here shut with the Razr 40, it wasn’t fairly there but. That’s the place TECNO is available in; the Transsion-owned model largely centered on entry-level and funds telephones for a lot of its existence, nevertheless it has turned its consideration to mid-range and high-end units of late, and its newest launches have been fascinating to say the least.TECNO unveiled the Phantom V Fold again at MWC, and the producer is following that up with the launch of the Phantom V Flip. The flip-style foldable is a crucial machine because it has the excellence of being probably the most inexpensive foldable cash should purchase at the moment. At the outset, the Phantom V Flip would not belie its mid-range origins — it has a vegan leather-based again, an AMOLED display on the within, and a singular round OLED cowl display that is ensconced inside the digicam island.In quick, TECNO is basically democratizing foldables by considerably decreasing the barrier to entry, and that makes the Phantom V Flip one of the thrilling telephones of 2023. I used the Phantom V Flip for simply over 10 days, so let’s check out what the foldable has to supply, and whether or not it’s best to contemplate it over the likes of the Galaxy Z Flip 5 and Find N2 Flip.TECNO Phantom V Flip: Specs and pricing(Image credit score: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)TECNO unveiled the Phantom V Flip on September 22, and the telephone is ready to go on sale beginning October 1. India is getting the machine forward of different world markets, and the Phantom V Flip is being bought at a very good worth within the nation, retailing at simply ₹49,999 ($601) for the model with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. That provides the foldable a definite benefit over nearly all of its rivals, with the Motorola Razr (bought because the Razr 40) the closest different with a retail worth of ₹59,999 ($723).The Phantom V Flip is slated to debut in western markets over the approaching months, and whereas it is not nearly as good a deal in that a part of the world — it’s going to value €700 ($745) in Europe — it nonetheless undercuts the remainder of the pack.Swipe to scroll horizontallyCategoryTECNO Phantom V FlipOSHiOS 13.5 based mostly on Android 13Inner Display6.9-inch 120Hz LTPO AMOLED, 2640 x 1080, 1000 nits brightnessOuter Display1.32-inch 60Hz AMOLED, 466 x 466, 800 nits brightnessChipsetMediatek Dimensity 8050, Mali-G77 MC9, 6nmRAM8GB LPDDR4XStorage256GB UFS 3.1Rear digicam 164MP f/1.7, 0.8um pixels, PDAF, 4K at 30fpsRear digicam 213MP f/2.2, 1.12um pixels, wide-angleFront digicam32MP f/2.5, 0.8um pixels, flashIngress protectionNoneConnectivitySub-6 5G, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.1, NFCSecuritySide-mounted fingerprint AudioUSB-C, stereo soundBattery4000mAh battery, 45W chargingDimensions (folded)88.7 x 74.0 x 14.9mm Dimensions (unfolded)171.7 x 74.0 x 6.95mmWeight194gColorsMystic Dawn, Iconic BlackTECNO Phantom V Flip: Design(Image credit score: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)The very first thing I seen once I acquired began with the Phantom V Flip is its similarities to the Find N2 Flip. The shade has one thing to do with it; TECNO is promoting its foldable with comparable shade choices as OPPO, and a comparability is warranted. That stated, the Phantom V Flip encompasses a vegan leather-based  again that feels a lot better to carry and use than the glass again of the Find N2 Flip, and the dual-tone end together with the embossed V brand provides the telephone quite a lot of aptitude.(Image credit score: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)You do not get the sensation that you just’re utilizing a mid-range foldable, and that is as a result of the Phantom V Flip makes use of the identical supplies as its flagship rivals. The leather-based again is an effective begin, and the mid-frame is made out of aluminum, with the 2 elements of the telephone held collectively by a metal hinge that has simply 20 shifting elements.(Image credit score: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)The outer a part of the hinge has a matte texture, and is emblazoned with Phantom branding. I’d have preferred to see the identical texture on the edges as effectively, however these get a shiny coating as an alternative. You get plastic bezels across the inside display, they usually’re much like what you get on each different foldable at the moment.(Image credit score: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)The hinge wants a little bit of power to open, nevertheless it has a clean articulation, and you’ll shut it any angle between 30 to 150 levels, much like Flex Form mode on Samsung’s units. The construct high quality is nice for probably the most half, however there is a distinct wobble when the telephone is opened at an angle.Image 1 of 4(Image credit score: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)(Image credit score: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)(Image credit score: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)(Image credit score: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)Like the perfect foldable telephones, the hinge on the Phantom V Flip closes totally flat with none seen hole. Because of the dimensions of the digicam housing, the telephone has a slight tilt to it when laid flat on a desk, however there is no wobble. There is, nonetheless, a problem with weight distribution — the highest half of the foldable distinctly heavier on account of the quilt display and enormous digicam island.(Image credit score: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)Talking in regards to the design of the cameras, the Phantom V Flip has the biggest housing of any foldable, and that is as a result of it homes the quilt display inside the digicam island. The round island has a 1.32-inch display within the center, with the cameras arrayed on the border. The design appears to be like unmistakably cool, however what you acquire in aesthetic you lose out in usability. On that be aware, you do not get ingress safety of any form right here — that is nonetheless unique to Samsung’s foldables.The energy and quantity buttons are on the proper, and also you get a fingerprint sensor that is baked into the ability button. You can configure the sensor to be at all times on, and in my use, I discovered it to be quick and dependable. You get quite a lot of equipment within the field — one thing that is not the case with Samsung’s foldables. TECNO bundles a 45W charger and USB-A to USB-C charging cable, and a case with a hoop that is decked out in the identical shade because the telephone.TECNO Phantom V Flip: Displays(Image credit score: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)The Phantom V Flip has one of many greatest screens on a flip telephone but, providing a 6.9-inch AMOLED panel with LTPO tech. The display goes as much as 1,000 nits, and whereas that is not on par with what you get on Samsung and OPPO’s foldables, there are not any points in day by day use — the display acquired sufficiently vivid even below harsh daylight. The solely quibble is that the plastic layer protecting the display is not polarized, so you can not use the telephone with sun shades on.(Image credit score: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)On that be aware, the plastic layer is distinctly noticeable — similar to the Galaxy Z Flip 5 — and also you get a visual crease that is additionally much like Samsung’s foldable. The Find N2 Flip continues to have an edge on this explicit space, with the foldable that includes a thinner plastic layer that does not have an effect on usability, and a crease that’s barely noticeable in day by day use.(Image credit score: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)Although the crease is pretty outstanding, you are likely to not discover it after a couple of days of use, and that was the case right here as effectively. As for the display itself, it has vibrant colours and good distinction, and I had zero points in day by day use. You get two shade modes — Bright Color and Original Color — and the previous boosts saturation ranges a bit an excessive amount of, so I used the latter. You can change the refresh price manually to both 60Hz, 90Hz, or 120Hz, and leaving it in auto switches the refresh on the fly based mostly on the content material on the display.(Image credit score: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)While the inside display is among the largest round, the quilt display is among the smallest on a foldable. It is a 1.32-inch AMOLED with a decision of 466 x 466, and it’s locked to 60Hz. You get a collection of widgets on the house display, and like OPPO, you get the flexibility to pick out from quite a lot of pets that carry out varied actions all through the day. While I like the thought, I a lot favor OPPO’s implementation.(Image credit score: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)The cowl display has first rate customizability on the subject of clock types, and also you get the flexibility to make your individual. Given the dimensions of the display, there is no approach to run full-size apps, however you do get widgets. By default, there’s climate, agenda, digicam, alarm, and exercise widgets, and you’ll add climate alerts, timer, stopwatch, and sound recorder.(Image credit score: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)The restricted choice mixed with the tiny cowl display curtails its usability, and apart from viewing notifications and utilizing it as a digicam viewfinder, I did not get a lot utility out of the display.TECNO Phantom V Flip: Performance(Image credit score: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)One of the perfect methods to lower the value of a telephone is to make use of a mid-tier platform, and that is simply what TECNO is doing right here by opting the MediaTek Dimensity 8050. As I famous in my Infinix GT 10 Pro assessment, the Dimensity 8050 is a refreshed model of the yesteryear Dimensity 1300, and it makes use of the identical cores; so that you get one Cortex A78 core at 3.0GHz, three A78 cores at 2.6GHz, and 4 A55 cores at 2.0GHz.Now, despite utilizing the older Arm v7 cores, the Dimensity 8050 holds up admirably effectively in day by day use, and for mundane duties that embrace looking and social media, you will not run into any points. That stated, the Phantom V Flip is not a gaming telephone by any measure, and the foldable simply would not have the ability — or the thermal effectivity — to play demanding titles.(Image credit score: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)Most visually-intensive titles run at medium to low settings, and there is noticeable lag after the 20-minute mark. The inherent nature of a foldable design would not enable for a lot in the way in which of thermal headroom, and the Phantom V Flip is severely constricted because of this. Combine that with the growing old Mali-G77 MC9 GPU and it is simple to determine that you just will not be capable to get a lot gaming executed on this telephone.Swipe to scroll horizontallyCategoryPhantom V FlipFind N2 FlipGoogle Pixel 7aCrossMark (Overall) 709939Row 0 – Cell 3 Productivity794839Row 1 – Cell 3 Creativity6151036Row 2 – Cell 3 Responsiveness774988Row 3 – Cell 3 Geekbench 6 (single-core)10961216Row 4 – Cell 3 Geekbench 6 (multi-core)34053361Row 5 – Cell 3 3DMark Wild Life (rating)45687694Row 6 – Cell 3 3DMark Wild Life (FPS)27.3646.10Row 7 – Cell 3 3DMark Wild Life Extreme (rating)12972432Row 8 – Cell 3 3DMark Wild Life Extreme (FPS)7.714.55Row 9 – Cell 3 That narrative performs out with artificial exams as effectively, with the Phantom V Flip not coming near its rivals by way of gaming. To its credit score, the one and multi-core CPU outcomes are in keeping with different mid-range telephones, however the foldable is at a definite drawback on the subject of the GPU. But for those who do not care about cellular gaming and desire a telephone for day by day use, the Phantom V Flip will get the job executed.(Image credit score: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)There is not a lot to speak about on the {hardware} facet of issues. The telephone is bought in a single variant with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, and also you get the older LPDDR4X and UFS 3.1 modules. The vibration motor is finicky and never as refined because the one you get on the Find N2 Flip and Z Flip 5, and also you miss out on Wi-Fi 6E. That stated, I did not have any points with Wi-Fi 6 connectivity, and in an identical vein the Bluetooth and mobile radios held their very own.(Image credit score: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)The Phantom V Flip has a decent-sized 4000mAh battery, and it manages to final a day constantly. There had been a couple of situations within the 10 days I used the foldable the place the battery fell under 10% earlier than the top of the day, however that is the case with the Galaxy Z Flip 5 and Find N2 Flip as effectively. TECNO’s foldable is in keeping with its rivals on this regard, and whereas it has a bigger battery than the Z Flip 5, you do not see any tangible positive factors in day by day use.And on the subject of charging the telephone, you get 45W tech and a bundled charger that takes slightly below an hour to completely high up the battery. That’s higher than what you get with Samsung, and whereas there’s some trigger for battery anxiousness for those who’re a heavy person, it should not be a problem more often than not.TECNO Phantom V Flip: Cameras(Image credit score: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)TECNO went with an ordinary twin digicam association in the back of the Phantom V Flip, with a main 64MP digicam joined by a 13MP wide-angle lens. There’s a 32MP selfie digicam, and what’s notably fascinating is that you just get an LED flash module on the entrance. The telephone misses out on optical picture stabilization, as an alternative counting on EIS. There’s no capability to shoot 4K video at 60fps both.The digicam interface is an identical to what you get on different telephones, with the capturing modes organized in a ribbon on the backside and varied toggles positioned all through the interface. The telephone makes use of the 64MP lens to shoot 2x digital zoom pictures, and the wide-angle lens has autofocus, permitting it to take macro pictures.One of the perfect use instances for the quilt display is the digicam widget that permits you to use it as a viewfinder. You can swap between picture, video, and portrait modes, and there is even a tiny shutter button on the backside of the display — in fact, you may at all times use the quantity buttons to take a photograph or begin recording video.Image 1 of 6(Image credit score: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central)(Image credit score: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central)(Image credit score: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central)(Image credit score: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central)(Image credit score: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central)(Image credit score: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central)The Phantom V Flip manages to take nice photographs in daylight conditions, providing good dynamic vary and many element. TECNO emulates Samsung’s shade profile, so that you are likely to get pictures with oversaturated colours and excessive distinction. One of the perfect elements about having a display on the surface is that you should utilize the primary digicam to take selfies, and it does an excellent job on this regard.It additionally holds up very effectively for taking portrait pictures, offering good segmentation of the topic. While there are a couple of situations the place it would not fairly ship — it would not know what to do with prolonged beards, as an example — you get dependable pictures with loads of element more often than not. And similar to different telephones that are not made by Google, it would not do a very good job when taking portrait pictures of inanimate objects.The telephone is strictly common in low-light eventualities; it limits publicity ranges to reduce noise, and also you lose out on quite a lot of element. You nonetheless get usable pictures — notably with Night mode — nevertheless it would not come anyplace near common mid-rangers. TECNO Phantom V Flip: Software(Image credit score: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)TECNO continues to supply its customized HiOS interface on its units, and the Phantom V Flip runs HiOS 13.5 based mostly on Android 13 out of the field. I used the Phantom X2 Pro final yr and got here away feeling that the software program wanted an overhaul. A yr later, HiOS retains a lot of the identical frustrations.Let’s begin with the design; the UI is closely skinned, and whereas that is not a nasty factor — OPPO and Xiaomi do the identical — it’s badly in want of a visible refresh. You get Android 13-esque widgets that use Material You pointers, they usually look jarring towards the dated interface. There’s some bloatware out of the field, nevertheless it’s lower than final yr, and you’ll uninstall most it. That stated, you may’t disable or uninstall TECNO’s Bixby different, Ella.(Image credit score: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)The one optimistic change in HiOS 13.5 is {that a} swipe down gesture on the house display now surfaces the notification pane. While that is a superb factor, TECNO nonetheless would not supply a unified notification pane, and the toggles are positioned in one other pane. And the design of this Control Center — the place the toggles are housed — is worse than final yr, and it would not look refined.(Image credit score: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)TECNO added a couple of options to leverage the foldable design; when the Phantom V Flip is semi-folded at any angle between 30 to 150 levels, it splits the interface in two, providing you with extra management. In a video name, the highest half homes the video whereas the underside half has the controls, and equally once you pull up the digicam, the viewfinder sits on the high and also you get the capturing modes on the backside.(Image credit score: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)You nonetheless do not get the flexibility to delete app icons on the house display en masse, and TECNO bundles its personal dialer, messages utility, and keyboard out of the field. But to the model’s credit score, it gives a ton of customization options. There are loads of helpful gestures, multi-window mode (not that it is of a lot use on this telephone), edge panels, youngsters mode, app clone characteristic, a video assistant that blocks notifications once you’re streaming a video — it really works with YouTube and Netflix — and a devoted gaming mode.There’s clearly quite a bit on supply with HiOS 13.5, however the dated design inhibits its potential. TECNO must modernize the design for its UI to be palatable to a worldwide viewers, and it must do it sooner slightly than later.Another situation is the software program replace coverage; the Phantom V Flip will get simply two Android model updates and three years of safety patches, and that is not in keeping with the remainder of the sector, which provide at the very least three platform updates as normal.TECNO Phantom V Flip: The competitors(Image credit score: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)The closest rival to the Phantom V Flip is the Motorola Razr 40. It gives an identical worth and is powered by mid-range {hardware}, and also you get the identical caliber of cameras. The software program is considerably higher than what you get on TECNO’s machine, nevertheless it has the identical limitations on the subject of gaming. Motorola sells its foldable for ₹59,999 ($723) in India, and whereas it’s costlier, you’re getting cleaner software program.It is not even price mentioning the Galaxy Z Flip 4 as a possible rival to the Phantom V Flip because it prices an entire lot extra in India. Although the foldable launched a yr in the past and the Galaxy Z Flip 5 is available, the Z Flip 4 continues to be promoting for ₹77,999 ($938). You get higher {hardware} throughout the board, however for those who’re contemplating the Phantom V Flip, you desire a foldable that is form of inexpensive, and the Z Flip 4 is not it.In an identical vein, the Find N2 Flip can be in one other class altogether, presently promoting for ₹84,900 ($1,021). Again, it would not make any sense to contemplate it over the Phantom V Flip, and whilst you could discover higher offers in different areas — notably on Samsung’s foldables — TECNO’s machine is unchallenged on the subject of worth in India.TECNO Phantom V Flip: Should you purchase it?(Image credit score: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)You can buy this if:You desire a foldable for a similar worth as a daily telephoneYou want dependable {hardware} in day by day useYou need good construct high quality that may maintain up for a number of yearsYou want all-day batteryYou need loads of customizationYou should not purchase this if:You desire a foldable for gamingYou want clear software program and long-term updatesYou desire a foldable with ingress safetyThe Phantom V Flip is not quick on compromises, nevertheless it manages to ship the fundamentals for a lot lower than its rivals, and that makes it worthy of consideration. The design and construct high quality are on par with the perfect foldables, and at no level do you get the sensation that you just’re utilizing a telephone that prices the equal of $600.TECNO additionally did an excellent job with the inside display, and whereas the crease is simply as noticeable as Samsung’s foldables, that is not an enormous draw back. The software program is best than final yr, however there’s until quite a lot of work that must be executed to carry it to the identical stage as ColorOS and MIUI. Yes, there are drawbacks with the foldable — it would not measure up throughout gaming, the UI appears to be like dated, and there is no ingress safety.The digicam is not notably nice in low-light conditions, and the wide-angle lens might’ve been higher. And whereas the design appears to be like nice, the choice to go together with a smaller cowl display that is tucked contained in the digicam island means it not as versatile, and finally limits its usability.That stated, you’re getting a foldable for simply $600, and that greater than the rest the Phantom V Flip a superb choice to contemplate. Motorola’s Razr 40 has an identical set of shortcomings, and whereas it has higher software program, it can not measure as much as the worth that TECNO is providing with the Phantom V Flip. Yes, you may discover a lot better telephones on this class, however in order for you one which bends in half, the Phantom V Flip is the one sport on the town.