Description

TECNO SPARK 7P comes with an eye-catching design that seems to leave a longer impression on the market in 2021. Starting with the rear design, I can say that TECNO really put a lot into crafting the SPARK 7P’s design.

The most appealing thing about the SPARK 7P’s cover is the camera bump that matches the color of the polycarbonate material. And that kind of differentiates it from its predecessor and other phones made by TECNO in 2020. Yes, it still takes the regular rectangular shape (of the SPARK 5 Pro), but it’s not all black.

Regarding the colors, TECNO SPARK 7P comes in four captivating colors. We have the more popular Alps Blue and other colors like Magnet Black, Spruce Green, and Summer Mojito.

Next to the camera bump is a capable rear-mounted fingerprint sensor, which is lightning fast and makes unlocking your phone easier. Though many people complained that it’s placed too high for the reachability, I can’t say the same during my usage. However, that might be a problem for users with a short finger, but you’ll get used to it over time.

There’s a massive “SPARK” branding at the bottom left side, with a small TECNO branding on top of it. I kind of like that too, especially when it comes to the text – SPARK – itself. It feels like motivation on its own – like it SPARKs you to do something whenever you look at it. Another fascinating thing about the rear cover is that it has a matte finish, meaning it’s not a fingerprint magnet like others.

In terms of ports and I/O, it doesn’t look much different than most TECNO devices. You get a 3.5mm audio jack, a microphone, a micro-USB port, and a speaker grille at the bottom of the device, while the top is free. On the right side is the power and volume buttons, placed at a perfect position for easier reach of the finger. When you flip to the left side, you see only the SIM tray with dual-SIM card and micro-SD card capacity. Taking a closer look at the topmost part of the screen reveals the large front-facing speaker. Yes, the SPARK 7P comes with a Dual-Stereo Speaker support, which is another cool feature only found on special TECNO devices. So, you can play some music on the speakers now without complaining. And if you accidentally block the bottom speaker while gaming, the front speaker serves as a backup for you.

TECNO SPARK 7P Display

Flipping to the front of the device reminds us of the TECNO SPARK 4 launched some years back. Unlike the SPARK 5 and other TECNO devices launched in 2020, you get a 6.82″ HD+ Waterdrop IPS display on the SPARK 7P. It has a screen resolution of 720×1640 pixels, a 20:9.5 aspect ratio, and an 82.0% screen-to-body ratio. The most impressive part of the SPARK 7P’s screen is that it comes with a 90Hz refresh rate. And when coupled with the blazing-fast speed you get from the MediaTek Helio G70 processor, it makes up the best thing that has ever happened to the SPARK series.

Again, one thing you’d appreciate on the SPARK 7P if you’re coming from the SPARK 5 Pro or any of its predecessors is the new animations. Whether you’re launching an app, switching between tasks with gesture navigation, or moving from windows to windows, you’ll notice the smooth animations, thanks to the Helio G70 processor and the fast 90Hz refresh rate.

TECNO SPARK 7P Performance

This is where you notice the enormous leap. And if you’ve used the SPARK 5 Pro or older SPARK devices, you’d be very much aware that the SPARK series has never been about performance. But the SPARK 7P is here to take away that tag.

The short story is that the SPARK 7P performs excellently over its predecessors. But let’s go into details.

Powering the SPARK 7P is the MediaTek Helio G70 processor: the same processor found on the TECNO CAMON 16 and CAMON 16 Pro launched in 2020. It’s an Octa-core processor clocked at 2.0GHz. And when it comes to performance, the SPARK 7P can run most tasks you throw at it. Initially, the Helio G70 is a gaming-focused processor and it comes with the Mali-G52 GPU. So, you should be able to play most games smoothly without complaints.

In terms of memory, SPARK 7P comes with 4GB of RAM, but you can choose between 64 or 128GB of storage. Inconsiderate of which variant you go for, you can expand the storage with the dedicated microSD card slot.

TECNO SPARK 7P Camera

While most TECNO devices launched in 2020 flaunts a quad-rear camera setup, SPARK 7P changes the direction in 2021 as it comes with a triple rear camera setup. The goal is not about how many the cameras are but to help you take decent, usable pictures. And that’s all about the SPARK 7P.

For the specs lovers, you get a 16MP triple-rear camera setup comprising the 16MP primary sensor and two other sensors for bokeh effect and AI functions. You also get a quad-LED flash assisting the rear camera for taking brighter pictures in low-lighting conditions. On the front, there’s an 8MP selfie camera placed inside the waterdrop cutout. A dual-LED flash embedded in the top chassis helps in taking bright selfies in the dark

Taking pictures with the 8MP front camera looks decent and usable in good lighting condition. And when night turns out, you get the advantage from the dual-LED flash at the front. Not just that, SPARK 7P allows you to turn on the flash while using the Super Night mode, which results in brighter and clearer selfies, even at night. The selfie camera also comes with Eye Autofocus mode, which keeps your face in focus while taking photos or videos.

The 16MP back camera takes even better photos for a device in its price range. Picture quality is sharp, usable, and comes in good colours. You get camera modes such as Beauty mode, Portrait, AR Shot, Slow Motion, Panorama, Documents, Time-Lapse on others in the camera menu.

And when it comes to shooting pictures at night, Super Night mode on the SPARK 7P works excellently. When you tap the shutter in Super Night mode, it takes about 8 seconds to process the image. But you’ll be impressed by how good the image is. All you need to attain quality night shots is to keep your hands stable and make sure no object is moving in the background.

For video, the SPARK 7P can shoot up to 2K video @30FPS on both the front and back cameras. You can also take Slo-Mo and Portrait video but at 720p resolution. And if you’re a fan of beauty mode, SPARK 7P comes with a dedicated Video Beauty Mode, which can be activated from the top panel.

TECNO SPARK 7P Battery Life

Besides the 90Hz refresh rate and Helio G70 processor, the TECNO SPARK 7P features a gigantic 5,000mAH battery, which makes it perfect for better battery life. Even with its large 6.8″ screen and 90Hz refresh rate turned on, you’re likely to get up to 2 days of moderate battery usage on the SPARK 7P.

The software on the SPARK 7P also comes with some features to help you reduce battery consumption, in case you find yourself in a critical condition. First, there’s a Power Boost mode, which enables Dark theme, Adaptive brightness, and optimizes the volume when activated. It also disables some features like the Vibrator, Micro Intelligence, 90Hz refresh rate, and doesn’t wake the screen when you receive notifications. The other battery-saving mode is the Ultra Power Saving Mode, which closes all apps and functions asides from phone calls, SMS, and Calendar to save more battery for you when activated.

When it’s time to refill the battery, SPARK 7P does it over a micro-USB cable with the regular 10W charger found in the box. It takes time to charge, but that’s not a problem since it comes with a large battery

TECNO SPARK 7P Software 

The TECNO SPARK 7P boots out of the box with Android 11 and HiOS 7.5, making it the first TECNO device to run Android 11 in 2021. HiOS 7.5 continues the marvelous job started by the HiOS 7, and I can say that the software is nicely integrated into the hardware, which produces an overall better user experience.

Four of the best new features added to HiOS 7.5 is Video Assistance, Peek Proof, Theft Alert, and App Twin.

• Video Assistance uses the same Smart Panel feature found on the older HiOS version, but it’s dedicated to videos apps. When you slide out and hold from either side of the screen on a video player app, you get various Video Assistance features such as Screenshot, Screen record, Play in the background, DND, volume bar, and option to enable floating windows for WhatsApp and Chrome. The most fascinating here is the “Play in the background” feature. Say you don’t have a YouTube subscription, for instance, you can keep playing videos in the background after activating the feature.
• Next, Peek Proof is a privacy feature that allows you to block some part of your screen with an adjustable dark overlay. Say you don’t want the person sitting next to you to read your conversations on WhatsApp; you can block the upper part of the screen with Peak Proof and leave only the keyboard area to continue chatting.
• Besides that, there’s an App Twin feature that does just what its name implies. It’s designed to help you run two social media accounts on your phone simultaneously.
• And lastly, the one you probably would appreciate most is the Theft Alert feature. Enabling it rings your phone continuously – at the highest volume -when someone unplugs your earphone or charger without your permission. Let’s say someone tried stealing your phone from your bag and removed the wired earphone; your phone will keep ringing until you unlock it. So, it reduces the risk of someone stealing your phone, at least if you have the earphones or charger plugged in.

HiOS 7.5 is packed with other useful features and improvements that you’ll appreciate. As it’s based on Android 11, you get features such as the new Media controls, Scheduled Dark theme, Conversation notifications, Notification history, Chat bubble, Smart devices, Play Store updates, improved Permissions, Improved Share sheet, and more.