Tecno Pova Curve 2 Review: 8,000mAh Battery in a Slim Phone?

Tecno, a popular smartphone brand known for its budget-friendly yet feature-packed devices, has recently launched its latest offering – the Pova Curve 2. With its predecessor, the Pova Curve, being well-received by consumers, the Curve 2 had big shoes to fill. And boy, did it try to fill them – by offering a massive 8,000mAh battery on a mid-range device. However, after a week of testing, we discovered that battery life was the least of its problems.

Let’s start with the design. The Pova Curve 2 boasts a sleek and modern look, with a curved back that fits comfortably in the hand. The 6.9-inch HD+ display is perfect for streaming videos and playing games, but it does suffer from some pixelation and lack of sharpness. However, this can be overlooked considering the device’s price range.

Under the hood, the Pova Curve 2 is powered by a MediaTek Helio G85 processor, which is decent enough for everyday tasks and casual gaming. It also comes with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage, which is expandable up to 512GB via a microSD card. This means you can store all your favorite apps, photos, and videos without worrying about running out of space.

Now, let’s talk about the main selling point of the Pova Curve 2 – its 8,000mAh battery. Tecno claims that this battery can last for up to 4 days with moderate usage, and we were excited to put this to the test. However, after a week of using the device, we were disappointed to find that the battery life was not as impressive as advertised. With moderate usage, the battery lasted for around 2 days, which is still commendable but falls short of the promised 4 days.

But battery life was not the only issue we encountered during our testing. The Pova Curve 2 runs on Android 11 with Tecno’s HiOS 7.6 skin on top. While the interface is clean and easy to navigate, we did experience some lag and stuttering when switching between apps or playing games. This could be due to the heavy customization of the HiOS, which includes bloatware and unnecessary features that can be a burden on the processor.

Another disappointing aspect of the Pova Curve 2 is its camera performance. It comes with a quad-camera setup, including a 48MP main camera, a 2MP macro lens, a 2MP depth sensor, and an AI lens. However, the photos taken with the device lacked detail and sharpness, especially in low-light conditions. The macro lens also failed to capture fine details and produced blurry images. The 8MP front camera also did not impress us, with selfies appearing washed out and lacking in detail.

On the bright side, the Pova Curve 2 does come with some useful features, such as a side-mounted fingerprint scanner and face unlock, which are fast and accurate. It also has a dedicated Google Assistant button, which can come in handy for quick access to your virtual assistant. The device also supports dual SIM cards and 4G connectivity, which is a plus for those who need to switch between networks.

In conclusion, while the Pova Curve 2 may have a massive battery and some impressive features, it falls short in terms of overall performance. The battery life, which was supposed to be its main selling point, was not as impressive as advertised. The lag and stuttering issues, along with the underwhelming camera performance, also make it hard to recommend this device. However, for its price range, the Pova Curve 2 is still a decent option for those looking for a budget-friendly smartphone with a big battery. But if you’re looking for a device that offers a well-rounded performance, you may want to consider other options in the market.

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