Ignite the AI Spark in
your selfies

The Tecno Spark 20 is part of Tecno’s latest flagship smartphone lineup, which includes the 20 Pro and 20 Pro+. The stylish, charcoal-coloured phone is lightweight with curved edges, adding a touch of elegance and enhancing the overall user experience.

The device runs on Android 13, introducing an array of features and enhancements aimed at enhancing overall user experience. It also offers strengthened security measures to ensure the protection of user data and the establishment of a secure digital space.

The device’s 90Hz refresh rate enhances screen responsiveness and visuals without compromising battery life or affordability. This offers seamless and enjoyable user experience across various applications and activities. 

Operating on Tecno’s HiOS interface, the device comes with pre-installed utility applications that free up memory, freeze backgound applications, and limit data use, further enhancing the user experience. The phone is equipped with a MediaTek G85 octa-core gaming processor, delivering balanced performance and a good gaming experience. The Spark 20 features 256GB of storage and 8GB of expandable RAM, enhanced by Memory Fusion technology (8GB + 8GB), enabling users to download more games, music, and videos.

The phone’s 5000mAh battery capacity, combined with its 18W fast charge, provides substantial battery life with the added convenience of quick recharging. Power Boost and ultra power-saving features ensure users have ample power to get through the day and can quickly recharge when needed.

The Spark 20 boasts a high-resolution photography system with a 32 MP front camera and a 50 MP dual rear camera that incorporates an auxiliary lens, producing clear and crisp images. The rear camera’s quality is evident in the vibrant colours and sharp images it produces. It maintains image quality even when zoomed in 10x and performs well in various lighting conditions. Its impressive picture and video quality, especially its zoom feature, avoids blurriness or graininess even when images are zoomed in.

With enhanced camera capabilities, including night mode, portrait mode, and AI enhancements, capturing professional-quality photos is effortless. The camera excels in ambient light conditions, delivering clear, crisp images, while AI integration further enhances both photos and videos. As a selfie enthusiast, I appreciated the three light modes available on both the ultra-clear rear camera and the front camera.  

The phone’s video capabilities are also good, and it comes pre-installed with video editing tools. 

The Spark 20 includes an AI-powered translation feature Ella Translate, that supports over 100 languages, enabling users to translate text, speech, and images. Users can take photos of text, such as signs or menus, and the app will translate the text in the image.

The device tends to overheat during intensive usage, for example when gaming. Its speakers are also powerful, with superb audio quality. The audio is clear, balanced, and has greater separation and depth than phones with single speakers, enhancing the auditory experience and balancing out high-quality sound.

What does it cost? 

The phone retails for R6,999

Why does it matter? 

The latest mid range phones have powerful processors and CPUs, which make them quick and ideal for downloading apps, playing games, and editing videos. More and more mid-range phones are now using AI to deliver a more opulent user experience and seamless usage at a lower cost. The Spark 20 is part of this trend, and boasts AI capabilities, good video and image quality, a fashionable design, and the newest chips and processors.   

What are the biggest negatives?

• Not sturdy
• Does not support 5G network connectivity
• Overheats when used extensively

What are the biggest positives?

• Very lightweight
• Good surround sound
• Great camera quality
• Uses the latest Android 13
• Charges fast

*Angelique Mogotlane is content manager of Gadget.co.za, World Wide Worx.