The Tecno Phantom X2 series was officially launched last month in Dubai and will soon be available in Kenya.
The Phantom series has always been Tecno’s flagship line of smartphones and the latest series, the Phantom X2 does not disappoint.
Sporting a selection of high-end features, from a powerhouse Mediatek Dimensity 9000 processor to blazing-fast memory and storage, through to super-quick charging, and a striking unibody double-curved design, the Tecno Phantom X2 series is set to shake up the smartphone industry.
The line up consists of two models, namely Tecno Phantom X2 and Tecno Phantom X2 Pro.
In this article we’ll have a look at what each model offers.
Tecno Phantom X2 Pro
The Phantom X2 Pro has a rather striking look, entirely by design. Its huge, centered camera island with color accents on the lenses is quite memorable.
Tecno calls the X2 Pro’s design “unibody double-curved” since both the display and the phone’s backside are rather symmetrically curved into the middle frame.
Performance, Battery and Connectivity
Under the hood, the Tecno Phantom X2 Pro is powered by MediaTek’s robust Dimensity 9000 processor and is supported by LPDDR5x 12GB of RAM.
Combine this with a 5,160mAh battery with 45W rapid charging, and you’ve got a device that’s ready for anything you throw at it at a moment’s notice.
The smartphone offers multiple connectivity options, such as dual SIM, 5G, dual-band WiFi, Bluetooth 5.3, GNSS, NFC, and USB 2.0 (Type-C). Interestingly, it lacks dual stereo speakers.
There’s an in-screen fingerprint sensor present too.
Cameras
The Tecno Phantom X2 Pro’s spotlight feature is its camera setup, the pop-out telephoto/portrait camera module in particular. The pop-up is motorized and pokes out of the phone’s body automatically whenever in use.
The lens has a 2.5x zoom level compared to the main camera, but due to the unusually wide F/1.5 aperture, Tecno is marketing it as a portrait cam rather than a telephoto cam for zooming purposes.
The phones main camera is based on the 50 MP Samsung s5kjnv sensor, a custom sensor previously used in the Vivo X80 series. For the portrait camera, we have the 50 MP Samsung s5kjn1tele sensor and for the ultrawide camera, we have the 13 MP Samsung S5K3L6 sensor.
Finally, we have the 32MP fixed-focus selfie camera. This is the same selfie camera as seen on the Tecno Camon 19 Pro.
All three rear cameras on the Tecno Phantom X2 Pro have autofocus but there’s no Optical Image Stabilization (OIS), which in my opinion, is a bad omission.
Tecno Phantom X2
Just like its bigger sibling, the Phantom X2 has a rather striking look, mainly due to its distinctive camera housing.
The Phantom X2 goes for soft lines and rounded corners all around. This also extends to the cameras, where all of the edges have been rounded off, creating something Tecno calls 3.5D “lunar craters”.
Design-wise, the Phantom X2 and X2 Pro are not very different from one another.
Performance, Battery and Connectivity
The Phantom X2 runs on Android 12 and Tecno’s custom HiOS 12 on top of that, just like its Pro sibling.
The Phantom X2 is also rocking the flagship Dimensity 9000 4nm SoC but comes with 8GB of RAM instead of 12 like on the Pro.
The handset is also driven by a beefy 5,160mAh battery with a 45W fast charging solution, similar set up to the Phantom X2 Pro.
In terms of connectivity, the Phantom X2 offers 5G, 4G LTE, dual-band Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.3, and more.
Cameras
The camera setup is the one significant difference between the Phantom X2 Pro and the regular Phantom X2.
The vanilla model doesn’t get the 50MP retractable portrait telephoto camera, which is sort of the highlight of the X2 Pro. A bit of a shame, really.
On the flip side, however, the Phantom X2 has a higher resolution 64MP main camera equipped with OIS, which is not found on any of the cameras on the Pro model.
For the main camera, we the 64MP Samsung S5KGWB sensor. If I’m not wrong, this is the exact same camera found in the Tecno Camon 19 Pro.
Then there is the 13MP ultrawide camera. It is based on the Samsung S5K3L6 sensor and can also double as a macro camera.
Finally, there is a 2MP supplementary camera on the back and is based on the GalaxyCore GC02M1 sensor.
Flip the phone to the front and you’ll find a 32MP selfie camera.
Pricing, Availability and Pre-orders
The Phantom X2 series comes in various color options. The Phantom X2 Pro comes in Stardust Grey and Mars Orange while the base model comes in Moonlight Silver and Stardust Grey.
To pre-order the Phantom X2 in Kenya, one will need to put down a deposit of Ksh 6,000 for the base model Phantom X2 and Ksh 8,000 for the X2 Pro.
You can do this on TECNO’s official retail stores, the official Website, on Jumia, or Safaricom Shops.
You will also get goodies with these pre-orders. Some of these perks include a leather backpack worth about Ksh 3000 and TECNO B1 Pro earphones worth Ksh 3899.
The preorder period will run from January 5th to 18th.
Pricing Update
Tecno has officially launched the Tecno Phantom X2 series in Kenya. The Phantom X2 will go for Ksh 67,999 for the 8GB + 256GB variant, while it’s bigger sibling, the Phantom X2 Pro, will cost Ksh 82,999 for the 12GB + 256GB variant
TECNO Phantom X2 Series Summary Specs
| Specs | TECNO Phantom X2 | TECNO Phantom X2 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Screen Size | 6.8 inches AMOLED with 120Hz Refresh Rates | 6.8 inches AMOLED with 120Hz Refresh Rates |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels | 1080 x 2400 pixels |
| Processor | MediaTek Dimensity 9000 Chip | MediaTek Dimensity 9000 Chip |
| Back Camera | Camera setup. – 64 MP Main camera and, – 13 MP ultrawide – 2MP Depth Sensor | Camera setup – 50 MP Main camera and, – 50 MP potrait retractable lens – 13 MP ultrawide |
| Front Camera | 32 MP camera | 32 MP camera |
| Battery | 5,160 mAh with 45W fast charging | 5,160 mAh with 45W fast charging |
| RAM/Storgae | – 64GB 4GB RAM – 128GB 4GB RAM – 256GB 8GB RAM | – 64GB 4GB RAM – 128GB 4GB RAM – 256GB 8GB RAM |
| Software | – Andriod 12 – HIOS 12 | – Andriod 12 – HIOS 12 |
| Network and Connectivity | – Bluetooth 5.3 – 5G – WiFi 6 – USB Type-C | – Bluetooth 5.3 – 5G – WiFi 6 – USB Type-C |
| Color | – Stardust Grey – Moonlight Silver | – Mars Orange -S tardust Grey |
| Price | – $720 | – $930 |
