Tecno Camon 20 review: Tecno's on the right path!

The sub-25K segment in the Nepalese market is dominated by brands like Redmi, Realme, and Samsung. Today, I’m picking one device from a lesser-known brand – the Tecno Camon 20 which costs NPR 22,990 for the sole 8/256GB trim. Wait, please don’t go "meh" yet. This guy packs some impressive specs for its price like an AMOLED screen, an in-display fingerprint scanner, a dual stereo speaker setup, and a capable camera! So, does this make it a reliable option to get for that price? Let's find that out in our Tecno Camon 20 review. Before moving further, let's have a look at the specifications.

Tecno Camon 20 Specifications:

• Body: 162.71 x 75.89 x 7.82mm, 185 gm, IP53
• Display: 6.67-inch FHD+ AMOLED, 60Hz refresh rate
• Resolution: 1080×2400 pixels, 20:9 ration, 395 ppi
• Chipset: MediaTek Helio G85 (12nm Mobile Platform)
• GPU: Mali-G52 MC2
• Memory: 8GB RAM, 256GB storage
• Software & UI: Android 13 based HiOS 13
• Rear Camera: Triple setup with Ring Flash
  • 64MP f/1.7 primary
  • 2MP f/2.4 depth
  • QVGA
• Front Camera: 32MP f/2.5, dual LED flash
• Biometrics: In-display fingerprint sensor
• Battery: 5000mAh battery with 33W charging
• Colors: Glacier Glow, Predawn Black, and Serenity Blue
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Tecno Camon 20 Review:

I loved the design

Starting with the design, the back of the Camon 20 features a geometrical pattern with a leather texture, which Tecno calls the Lychee pattern. This Serenity Blue color option that I have, feels surprisingly premium. The phone feels nice with its flat frames and the narrow side bezels contribute to its aesthetics. Well if you really need a glass back, worry not! Tecno also ships the Camon 20 in Predawn Black and Glacier Glow shades with glass backs.

Not a regular AMOLED panel

• 6.67” AMOLED Panel, FHD+ (2400 x 1080)
• 60Hz Refresh Rate, 100% DCI-P3 color gamut, 1920Hz PWM Dimming, TUV Rheinland Certification

Talking about the display, you are greeted with a 6.67-inch AMOLED panel with Full HD+ resolution. Despite being a midrange phone, the screen here boasts 1920Hz PWM Dimming and TUV Rheinland certification, reducing eye strain, and providing a harmful blue light filter. Which makes it arguably the best AMOLED panel in this sub-25K segment. Speaking of the quality itself, I found the display to be on the punchy side with rich contrast. Day-by-day usage - whether it's watching content or using social media, you are sorted with its super decent quality. However, the 60Hz refresh rate is quite a downside, considering similarly priced phones like the Redmi Note 12 4G offer a smoother 120Hz refresh rate. Other than that, the in-display fingerprint scanner is here, which is quite rare in this segment. And it works as well as it should! Moving on to the audio, the dual speakers of the Camon 20 provide a decent experience. While it's not exceptionally crisp, having two speakers enhances bass and audio separation for better multimedia consumption. And other brands have already stopped providing dual stereo speakers for quite a while, in this segment. So, yay, Tecno gets one more point from here!

Is the Helio G85 fair enough?

• CPU & GPU: Octa-core Mediatek Helio G85 (12nm) + Mali-G52 MC2
• Memory and Storage: 8GB LPDDR4x + 256GB
• OS & UI: Android 13 with HiOS 13 on top

In terms of performance, the phone is equipped with the Mediatek Helio G85 chip, which is an average processor for its price. Thanks to the 8GB RAM, day-to-day usage is decent for apps like Facebook, Messenger, YouTube, and WhatsApp. However, I would not suggest it for intensive gaming, for BR games like PUBG and Call of Duty. However, if you're a casual gamer, it's good to go. Regarding the user interface, the phone runs on Android 13-based HiOS 13, which is simple and customizable. But the catch is, it comes with some bloatware and apps recommendations. The overall UI experience is not as refined as what Samsung and OnePlus offer.

A capable camera...

• Rear Camera: 64MP Primary + 2MP Depth + QVGA
• Front Camera: 32MP Selfie Camera

The camera setup includes a 64MP primary sensor, a 2MP depth sensor, and a QVGA sensor. While on the front, you get a 32MP selfie snapper.

Daylight

The 64MP main shooter is surprisingly good, not gonna lie! You get sharp and clear shots with punchy and vibrant colors. Sometimes, the Reds might get too boosted but if you're someone who loves vibrant colors, the Camon 20 is a no-brainer choice.

Portraits

Portrait shots are decent, with good human skin tones and image quality.

Selfies

The 32MP front camera captures sharp and clear photos with vibrant colors. The selfie camera performs well in various lighting conditions, including low light with the help of the LED flash.

Lowlight

When the sun goes down, the results start getting average. You can see some lens flare issues and oversharpening.

Videos

For videos, both front and back cameras can shoot up to 2K at 30fps. However, the lack of EIS and average stabilization make the video quality below average. Tecno should have provided EIS here.

Battery Life

• Battery: 5,000 mAh Lithium-ion cell
• Charging: 33W fast charging support (18W charger in the box)

The phone packs a 5000mAh battery, providing a full day of usage with medium usage. Though it supports 33W fast charging, you only get an 18W adapter bundled in the box. Which takes around 2 hours to fully juice the battery.

Tecno Camon 20 Review: Conclusion

In conclusion, the Tecno Camon 20 is a surprisingly good option in the 23,000 price range. It offers a unique Lychee pattern design, a good quality AMOLED display, and decent cameras for the price. While improvements in software and video recording options could enhance the user experience, the phone performs well in its main aspects, making it a decent offering for its price. If Tecno continues to offer such phones, the competition is gonna get even better, which will be better for the end customer.

Tecno Camon 20 Pros and Cons:

Pros

• Premium design
• Best in class AMOLED panel
• Dual stereo speakers
• Good cameras

Cons

• HiOS needs refinement
• No EIS for videos
• 60Hz refresh rate
• Not the very best processor