Many midrange phones make big gaming promises, but it seems like the TECNO POVA 7 Ultra is the only one that takes it seriously.
Just look at it. Right from the design, you can already know that it means business. But more than that, it has a large battery, an “Ultimate” processor, as well as a fast and colorful screen.
Oh, and if you haven’t heard, it is the official gaming phone of the Honor of Kings League, so that already says a lot.
We want to witness all its marvels for ourselves and see how well it performs in photography, streaming, and more. Let’s start our TECNO POVA 7 Ultra review.
TECNO POVA 7 Ultra Specs
- Android 15, HiOS 15
- Dual SIM, Dual Standby
- 6.67-inch 1.5K AMOLED display, 2800 x 1260 pixel resolution, ~460ppi
- 144Hz refresh rate, Corning Gorilla Glass 7i
- 3.35GHz MediaTek Dimensity 8350 Ultimate octa-core processor
- Mali G615 MC6 GPU
- 12GB RAM
- 256GB internal storage, non-expandable
- 13-megapixel front camera
- 108-megapixel (PDAF) + 8-megapixel (ultra-wide) rear cameras, LED flash
- Stereo speakers, Dolby Atmos
- Statu Light LED
- Under-display fingerprint scanner, Face unlock
- IP64 dust and water resistant
- HSPA+, 4G LTE, 5G
- WiFi, Bluetooth
- GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS
- NFC, IR Blaster
- USB-C
- Dimensions: 160 x 75.2 x 8.9mm
- Colors: Geek Black, Geek White
- 6,000mAh non-removable battery, 70W wired, 30W magnetic wireless, 10W reverse wired charging
Design and Build Quality
You’d think that the TECNO POVA 7 Ultra has an excessive design for a midrange phone. But if you’ve actually seen how over-the-top its predecessors look, you’d appreciate its toned-down and more elegant appearance.
The rear panel is unapologetically made of plastic, but the geometric lines and subtle gamer accents do make up for it. Also, the plastic is so shiny that it gives the elegant feel of glass, but sadly, that also includes its affinity to fingerprint smudges.
We got the Geek White color option, but there’s also Geek Black available.
If you want to change the look, you can slap on the case, which has a MagSafe-like material allowing you to attach case cards. The bundle TECNO shipped with includes PUBG-themed cards. They attach easily using magnets, and a nice way to spice up the design.
Of course, the case is also a good way to protect the device from hairline scratches. The device is already IP64 dust and water-resistant, works even with wet or oily hands, has a sturdy metallic frame, and has a preinstalled screen protector on top of the Corning Gorilla Glass 7i.
And let’s not forget the triangular Status Light on the back that surrounds the camera island, which adds to the overall appeal of the design. We’ll talk more about its functions later.
Overall, we’re a fan of its toned-down gaming design and ample durability features.
Taking a tour, we have the 6.67-inch AMOLED screen on the front with impressively thin bezels, and a punch-hole for the 13-megapixel selfie camera. The fingerprint scanner is underneath the screen.
Left side is clean. The right has the clicky volume controls and the lock/power switch. The top has the stereo speaker and IR blaster.
At the bottom, we have the primary speaker and microphone, USB-C port, and the SIM tray for two nano SIMs.
The rear has the triangular camera island. The 108-megapixel main camera is on top, the ultra-wide on the bottom left, a placeholder on the right, and a pill-shaped LED flash in the middle.
Display and Audio
The TECNO POVA 7 Ultra has a 6.67-inch 1.5K AMOLED display, with a 2800 x 1260 pixel resolution, ~460ppi, high 144Hz refresh rate, 2160Hz instantaneous touch sampling rate, 2592Hz PWM dimming, and 4,500 nits of peak brightness. Sadly, no HDR support.
We also have a variety of Eye Care settings, adjustable color styles, customizable refresh rate per app, and resolution.
The lack of HDR is a bummer, but you do get Widevine L1 for HD streaming on platforms like Netflix. Color quality is vibrant and contrasty as expected on an OLED screen, while brightness is more than enough for outdoor use.
Despite the underpowered top speaker, the stereo speakers, as a whole, still gave good performance. The sound is surprisingly balanced, the treble is decent, and the bass is ample to deliver a full sound.
Hardware and Performance
The TECNO POVA 7 Ultra is powered by a 4nm 3.35GHz MediaTek Dimensity 8350 Ultimate processor, with a Mali-G615 MC6 GPU, generous 12GB of RAM, and 256GB of non-expandable storage.
TECNO POVA 7 Ultra Benchmark Scores
Browsing the web, taking pictures, making calls, and performing other basic and mundane tasks was doable with speed and finesse.
Now, let’s see how well it can actually game, starting with Genshin Impact. The game ran impressively well under High render resolution and SFX quality at 60fps. The best part is, we have no overheating issues to report.
PUBG Mobile was smooth under HD graphics and Ultra frames. The same goes for Call of Duty Mobile under Very High graphics and Max frame rates. Farlight84 ran great on Balanced graphics and 120 frames, but the game didn’t feel like it ran fully at 120fps.
Mobile Legends: Bang Bang had no issues under HD resolution and Ultra frames, and Asphalt Legends Unite under High Quality at 60 frames.
We already knew that the TECNO POVA 7 Ultra can game, we just had to see it with our own eyes, and it didn’t disappoint.
| Game | Graphics Settings |
| Genshin Impact | • Render Resolution: High • Visual Effects: Medium • SFX Quality: High • FPS: 60 |
| PUBG Mobile | • Graphics Quality: HD • Frame Rate: Ultra |
| Call of Duty: Mobile | • Graphics Quality: Very High • Frame Rate: Max |
| Farlight84 | • Graphics Quality: Balanced • Frame Rate: 120 |
| Mobile Legends: Bang Bang | • Resolution: HD • Frame Rate: Ultra |
| Asphalt Legends Unite | • Visual Quality: High Quality • Frame Rate: 60 |
Software and User Interface
The TECNO POVA 7 Ultra ships with Android 15-based HiOS 15. Software support was not confirmed, but it should get at least 3 years of updates, like some of its siblings.
From being one of the most cluttered, bloatware-ridden interfaces in the market, HiOS has finally matured and is now far cleaner and more straightforward than its predecessors.
It also got smoother animations and animated wallpapers that match the look of the triangular camera island. After the long wait, there’s finally a nice uniformity that ties everything together.
We also have an orange theme across the UI that matches the hardware and a new futuristic typography that adds to the device’s overall appeal.
The LED light on the back lights up when you receive notifications, calls, start a game, low battery reminder, and lights up dynamically when you adjust the volume, charging, or timer.
This is more than just a novelty, especially when you’re in meetings, dates, and other functions where you need to have your phone down on the table.
The Game Space app is a hub made for gamers. It catalogues all the games you’ve downloaded, sees real-time stats, adjusts performance modes, touch optimizations, and more.
A windowed version of Game Space can be accessed while you’re in-game. Just swipe from the left corner of the screen so you can make fast and quick adjustments.
Of course, AI is a big deal here. But instead of Google Gemini, which many others use, it uses DeepSeek AI as the standard virtual assistant. You do get Google Circle to Search, though.
On the upside, it can handle your usual AI requests like complex questions, problem-solving, web summaries, and generating texts and images.
AI Eraser, AI Sharpness Plus, and AI Extender can be found in the gallery and they work well.
Overall, we like the user experience on the TECNO POVA 7 Ultra. Like the hardware’s design, it has a distinctive gamer feels, but without going over the top.
Cameras
The TECNO POVA 7 Ultra has a decent set of cameras that’s enough to cover photography. There’s a pixel-dense 108-megapixel main camera, an 8-megapixel ultra-wide, and an 8-megapixel camera for selfies.
It can shoot videos at 1080p@30fps, 1080p@60fps, 4K@30fps, and 4K@60fps — all with digital stabilization and HDR support.
Slow-Motion, Dual Video, Time-lapse, Vlog, and Panorama modes are all here.
Daylight photos from the main camera are only decent. Dynamic range is acceptable, but colors look a bit too saturated, and details could be sharper.
Low-light shots are passable too, but it still suffers from oversaturation at times.
The 8-megapixel ultra-wide camera, as expected, has terrible details. The dynamic range is surprisingly decent, but the color problems persist.
The selfie camera performed better than the other two. Skin tones looked more natural, low-light shots are good, and dynamic range is fine.
Bottom line is, the TECNO POVA 7 Ultra is primarily a gaming smartphone, and definitely not for photography. I mean, they are usable for casual snaps and social media posts, but don’t expect too much.
Battery and Charging
The new TECNO POVA 7 Ultra 5G has a large 6,000mAh battery, paired with 70W wired, 30W wireless, and 10W reverse wired charging.
As you can see, it got an unusually low score in our PCMark Battery Test, which could be an optimization issue. But it did get a very impressive score in our 1080p YouTube Video Loop Test — a more real-world test.
From our personal experience, we were able to last for a whole day of light to moderate use, with still a few batteries left to spare.
Select units are bundled with a POVA Magnetic Wireless Power Bank. Apart from a design that matches the overall theme, it’s a convenient way to stay charged.
Plus, it has a capacity of 5,000mAh with 18W speeds. Not much, but enough to keep you juiced up while you’re out and about.
Charging speeds from the 70W adapter are good. A 15-minute charge impressively provides a 0-39% charge, with a full one taking just about 45 minutes. See our full test below:
- 15mins: 0-39%
- 30mins: 67%
- 45mins: 97%
- 47mins: FULL
Verdict
After experiencing it for ourselves, we can confirm that the TECNO POVA 7 Ultra is indeed an incredible device and offers great value for money.
The powerful processor, fast display, and long battery life will appeal to gamers or if you’re just a power user looking for a reliable daily driver.
Of course, there’s the distinct design, LED light, and a cool powerbank accessory that are a special treat for mobile gamers.
But if you want to delve into photography, the cameras on this one just won’t cut it. A confirmation from TECNO regarding software support duration would also be nice.
Still, the fact remains the same: the TECNO POVA 7 Ultra is one of the best phones you can get for the price.
TECNO POVA 7 Ultra pricing and availability
The TECNO POVA 7 Ultra has an SRP of Php16,999 and is now available in the Philippines through physical stores and online channels.
Pros
- Stylish yet clean design
- Large and fast display
- Good stereo speakers
- Solid performance
- Much improved interface
- Long battery life with magnetic power bank
- Speedy charging
Cons
- Disappointing cameras
- Unconfirmed software support