TECNO Spark 2 is the latest and second addition to the Spark series which debut last year to provide affordable and quality smartphones for the increasing smartphone demand in emerging markets where the purchasing power is low.
The TECNO spark 2 falls within the new generation of affordable sub-$100 smartphone that work faster, help reduce data consumption and provide more storage. The device was launched in Nigeria in partnership with Google, in line with Google’s plan of bringing more people online by delivering affordable smartphones in their hands. The new TECNO Spark 2 runs on Android Go which is also known as Android (Oreos Go edition). Before we begin to talk about Android Go, let us first look at what is contained in the box.
The Spark 2 comes in an orange box with the picture of the phone at the top and a list of phone specifications at the back. Upon opening the box, the first thing you’d see is the phone, then you also see the accessories that come with it. You have the earpiece, USB cable, power plug and a free protective case. Other things are the warranty card and Boom Play card. You really have to give it to TECNO for always providing free protective case on their devices, saving a few extra bucks.
Below is a quick rundown of what to expect on the Spark 2:
- 6-inch HD display
- 3GHz Quad-core processor
- Android 8.1 Oreo (Go Edition)
- 1GB RAM, 16GB internal storage with an option to expand up to 64GB with an SD card.
- 13MP rear Camera with ring flash / 8MP front Camera with Mix flash 2.0
- Fingerprint Sensor
- Face ID
- 3,500mAh
First impression:
TECNO Spark 2 is a 6-inch HD display smartphone with great design which seem to be Samsung inspired. It is impressive how a 6-inch device is fitted into a small body without looking or feeling big or heavy. The 18:9 HD display is outstanding for the device in this category as it is mostly seen on high-end and some mid-range devices. The device is slim, light weight and easy to operate with one hand, the bezels on the device are also reduced, making it look like a premium device.
There is a 13MP camera at the back with a ring flash to augment camera quality under lowlight, alongside am 8MP front camera with mix flash. The front camera has a flash alongside a flash provided by the screen, so when you take a selfie with the front camera, you are assured of a reasonably bright image provided by both the flash and the screen. This is what TECNO termed mix flash.
Internal memory is pegged at 16GB with 1GB RAM to manage multitasking. One is forced to argue that the 1GB RAM is too little to handle multitasking and installation of basic utility apps like Facebook that takes a chunk of memory when in use but on the flip side, the phone runs on Android Oreos Go Edition which is a stripped down version of Android designed to run entry level smartphones. Android Go is optimized in three main areas namely Google Play Store, Google apps and the operating system. The OS is optimized for low end devices with 512MB and 1GB of RAM to provide better experiences on these smartphones with low priced hardware.
The Spark 2 also impresses with a few features like Face ID, 18:9 display, a plastic build, sleek design that doesn’t make the phone look or feel like an entry level device and light weight Google Go apps that saves data and memory.
The TECNO Spark 2 sells for N36,200 across retail outlets in Nigeria.
Watch this space and subscribe to our YouTube channel so you can be the first to get the full review when it drops but in the meantime, you can watch the unboxing video below.
