You may not have heard the name Tecno before. But the Chinese phone maker appears determined to build a name for itself globally. After launching a striking foldable phone early this year, it’s back with a $600 flip phone, which makes the Phantom V Flip 5G the most affordable flip phone currently on the market.
One of the standout features of the V Flip 5G is its circular cover display, which is visually striking and can be turned into an always-on display. Tecno calls it the planet cover screen, and it seems to have a consistent design language from the Phantom V Fold, the company’s book-style foldable launched in February. In addition, the V Flip has a 4,000 mAh battery and ships with a 45-watt charger and protective case.
However, Tecno’s inaugural flip phone comes amid growing competition in the flip phone subcategory. Motorola announced its Razr 2023 this year — which will have a cheaper price than the $1,000 Razr Plus — just before Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Z Flip 5.
Read More: Samsung’s New Flip Phone Highlight’s Clamshell’s Comeback
The Phatom V Flip offers some flagship features for that lowered price, but you may also have to compromise on some features that you get in its pricier competitors. The biggest differences, at least on paper, are the the processor, cameras, cover screen design (and presumably usability too) and IP rating. The Razr 2023 and the Galaxy Z Flip 5 have larger squarish cover screens, whereas Tecno has that unique round one. Tecno says the cover screen can be used to show widgets. By comparison, the Motorola Razr can run entire apps, and the Z Flip 5 takes a more curated approach by allowing only apps and widgets that are tailored for use on its smaller screen.
You also get one less camera. The V Flip 5G has a 64-megapixel main camera, but doesn’t have a second ultrawide camera, which can be found on each of the offerings from its rivals. On the front, there’s a 32-megapixel selfie camera. The Phantom V Flip also has a Mediatek 8050 processor, which is a step below the Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 used in the Razr 2023. The Galaxy Z Flip 5 meanwhile runs on Qualcomm’s top-of-the-line chipset, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. There is also no official IP rating for water and dust resistance on the Phantom V Flip.
For more details on how the Phantom V Flip 5G stacks up against the Motorola Razr and Galaxy Z Flip 5, check out CNET’s specs chart below.
Tecno Phantom V Flip 5G vs. Motorola Razr vs. Galaxy Z Flip 5
| Tecno Phantom V Flip | Motorola Razr 2023 | Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Display size, tech, resolution, refresh rate, brightness | Cover: 1.32-inch AMOLED (466 x 466 pixels, 60Hz) Internal: 6.9-inch AMOLED (1080 x 2640, 120Hz) | Cover: 1.5-inch, OLED (194 x 368 pixels); internal: 6.9-inch (2,640 pixels x 1,080) | Cover: 3.4-inch AMOLED (728 x 720 pixels); internal: 6.7-inch AMOLED (2,640 x 1,080 pixels), 1-120Hz |
| Pixel density | Cover: 352ppi Internal: 413ppi | Cover: 282 ppi, Internal: 413 ppi | Cover: 306 ppi, Internal: 425 ppi |
| Dimensions (inches) | Open: : 171.72 x 74.05 x 6.95mm Closed: : 88.77 x 74.05 x 14.95mm | Open: 2.91 x 6.73 x 0.29 in; Closed: 2.91 x 3.47 x 0.62 in | Open: 6.5 x 2.83 x 0.27 in; Closed: 3.35 x 2.83 x 0.59 in |
| Dimensions (millimeters) | Open: 171.72 x 74.05 x 6.95mm Closed: 88.77 x 74.05 x 14.95mm | Open: 73.95 x 170.82 x 7.35 mm; closed: 73.95 x 88.24 x 15.8 mm | Open: 165.1 x 71.88 x 6.89 mm; closed: 85.09 x 71.88 x 14.99 mm |
| Weight (grams, ounces) | 194g (6.84 oz) | 189 g (6.65 oz) | 187 g (6.6 oz) |
| Mobile software | Android 13 | Android 13 | Android 13 |
| Camera | 64-megapixel (main) | 64-megapixel (main), 13-megapixel (ultrawide) | 12-megapixel (main), 12-megapixel (ultrawide) |
| Front-facing camera | 32-megapixel | 32-megapixel | 10-megapixel |
| Video capture | 4K | 4K | 4K |
| Processor | Mediatek Dimensity 8050 | Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 | Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 |
| RAM/storage | 8GB + 256GB | 8GB + 128GB | 8GB + 256GB/512GB |
| Expandable storage | None | None | None |
| Battery/charging speeds | 4,000 mAH (45W charger inside box) | 4,200 mAh | 3,700 mAh (dual-battery) |
| Fingerprint sensor | Side | Side | Side |
| Connector | USB-C | USB-C | USB-C |
| Headphone jack | None | None | None |
| Special features | Circular cover display, 45W charger, cheapest flip phone in 2023 | IP52, 5G-enabled, foldable display, 30W wired charging, 5W wireless charging | 5G-enabled, IPX8 water resistance, 25W wired charging, wireless charging, wireless power share, dual SIM |
| US price off-contract | $600 | TBA | $1,000 |
| UK price | TBD | TBA | £1,049 |
| Australia price | TBD | TBA | AU$1,649 |
