The Tecno Pova 6 Neo 5G is an affordable phone that offers a sleek design, 6.67-inch display, and a 108MP AI camera, making it ideal for casual users. Powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 6300 chipset, it handles everyday tasks well. However, its display brightness and 18W charging speed may disappoint some. Overall, it’s a budget-friendly option for those seeking style and decent features.
The Tecno Pova 6 Neo makes a strong impression as an affordable AI smartphone, packed with some noteworthy features for its price segment. With a sleek design and a large 6.67-inch display, it looks premium. Priced at Rs 12,999, the Pova 6 Neo 5G phone is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 6300 chipset, ensuring good performance for casual tasks and light gaming. One of the standout features is its 108MP AI rear camera, which performs well in good lighting.
In this review, we’ll take a closer look at the Tecno Pova 6 Neo to see if it’s worth considering. We’ll evaluate its performance, battery life, and overall value to help you decide if it’s the right choice for you.
The Tecno Pova 6 Neo has a design that feels both functional and stylish, balancing between modern aesthetics and user comfort. The phone features a boxy body with rounded corners, ensuring a comfortable grip without any sharp edges. It’s lightweight, making it easy to hold and use for extended periods.
I had the opportunity to review the Aurora Cloud variant, and its matte finish on the plastic back panel stands out—attractive yet practical, as it resists fingerprints well.
The camera module is neatly integrated into the back that adds a touch of elegance to the overall design. Although slightly raised, it blends smoothly with the phone’s minimalist aesthetic. While the Pova 6 Neo may not flaunt premium build material, it still offers a refined look, thanks to the subtle glittery finish on its back panel.
The Tecno Pova 6 Neo comes with a 6.67-inch IPS LCD display, and while it supports a 120Hz refresh rate, its brightness is less impressive. In my testing using a Lux Meter, the display showcased a peak brightness of just 231 nits. This is noticeably lower, and as a result, you might struggle to view the screen under direct sunlight, which can be frustrating for outdoor use.
While the screen delivers decent clarity for everyday tasks and casual media consumption, the HD+ resolution at 720×1600 pixels feels slightly underwhelming. The colours are also fairly accurate. That said, the high refresh rate ensures smooth scrolling and responsive touch interactions.
The Tecno Pova 6 Neo is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 6300 chipset, which is decent for day-to-day tasks but falls short when compared to other phones in its price range, like the Poco M6 Plus and iQOO Z9x 5G. The latest Tecno phone offers up to 8GB of RAM and 256GB of expandable storage.
In my testing, the Pova 6 Neo scored 4,35,258 points on AnTuTu and 733 points in the Geekbench single-core test, with a multi-core score of 1,900. These scores are lower than its competitors, which translates into noticeable performance gaps, especially during demanding tasks like gaming or heavy multitasking.
It’s important to note that extended gaming sessions also caused the device to heat up, which might be a concern for gamers looking for long hours of play without interruption.
The Tecno Pova 6 Neo offers a modest camera setup, but the inclusion of a 108MP main sensor sets it apart. This 108MP sensor is supported by AI that helps enhance image quality by improving details and colours, especially in well-lit environments. Photos taken with the primary sensor are sharp, with vibrant colours and details, making it a good option for casual photography. In low-light settings, however, the performance is average. The Night Mode helps to some extent, but the images still tend to lose clarity.
On the front, you get an 8MP selfie shooter which is capable of capturing details in good lighting but struggles a little bit in dim conditions.
So, overall, the 108MP sensor is a standout feature for a budget phone like the Tecno Pova 6 Neo, but the overall camera experience, particularly in low-light environments, leaves room for improvement.
The Tecno Pova 6 Neo is equipped with a 5,000mAh battery, offering ample capacity for usage throughout the day. However, it only supports 18W fast charging. During my testing, the phone took around 110 minutes to charge from 0% to 100%, which is a bit on the slower side for modern smartphones.
In terms of battery performance, the Pova 6 Neo holds up fairly well under different usage conditions. After a 15-minute session of Call of Duty: Mobile, the battery dropped by just 4%, indicating good power efficiency for gaming. When using Google Maps for an hour, the battery drained by 6%, which is decent for GPS usage, a typically power-hungry task.
While the slower charging speed may be a drawback for some users, the overall battery performance remains reliable.
The Tecno Pova 6 Neo impresses with its range of AI features, designed to enhance user experience without breaking the bank. Among the standout features are the AIGC Portrait, AI Cutout, AI Eraser, AI Wallpaper 2.0, AI Artboard, and the Ask AI feature. These functionalities enable users to generate animated portraits, create cutouts from photos, and even experiment with dynamic wallpapers.
Below are few portraits generated using AIGC Portrait:
However, while the intention behind these features is commendable, their execution can be hit or miss. For instance, the AIGC Portraits can feel more like animated stickers than true representations, and the AI Eraser sometimes leaves behind traces rather than providing a clean finish. The AI Wallpaper feature adds a fun twist, though it lacks accuracy, making it more of an entertaining novelty than a must-have tool.
So, I think that while the AI features of the Tecno Pova 6 Neo may not be perfect, they showcase Tecno’s ambition to offer AI features at a budget price.
The Tecno Pova 6 Neo 5G stands out in the budget smartphone segment, offering an appealing mix of design and features for its price of Rs 12,999. With its sleek build, large 6.67-inch display, and the 108MP AI rear camera, it captures the attention of those seeking a capable device for casual use and photography. The MediaTek Dimensity 6300 chipset provides good performance for everyday tasks, making it a suitable option for users who primarily engage in light gaming and social media browsing.
However, there are notable drawbacks to consider. The display’s brightness may leave users wanting more, particularly when using the phone outdoors. Additionally, the slower 18W charging speed could be inconvenient for those on the go.
In summary, the Tecno Pova 6 Neo offers good value for those looking for a stylish and feature-rich smartphone on a budget. While it has its limitations, it can be a good choice for casual users and those wanting to explore AI features without breaking the bank.
