Foldable phones are still a long way off from being considered as mainstream smartphones, and for good reason — they’re either too expensive or there’s a perception that these handsets aren’t durable enough to last more than a couple of years. However, the quality of folding screens has improved considerably over the past few years, while foldable phones are slowly becoming more accessible in terms of pricing. Earlier this year, Motorola launched the
Tecno Phantom V Flip main and wide-angle camera samples (tap to see full size)
Images captured using the primary camera are crisp and sharp, especially when you enable the “64MP” mode that enables pixel-binning for shots — and takes a split second longer to save the image. During the day, you get a lot of detail and colours were accurate. When you switch to the wide-angle camera during the day, there’s a noticeable drop in quality, especially when it comes to exposure and colour accuracy.
The smartphone also takes good photos at dusk when lighting conditions are less favourable, capturing ample detail without adding too much noise. I found myself disabling the AI features on the camera for better results, but your mileage may vary. In dark scenarios, the Super Night mode works very well on the primary camera and captured enough detail within seconds.
While you can take selfies with the 32-megapixel camera on the inner display, the dual-display design of the Phantom V Flip allows you to click a photo of yourself using the 64-megapixel rear camera while using the cover display to preview your shot. The outer camera captures sharper images and you can also use features like Super Night mode when clicking photos of yourself in places without enough lighting.
Tecno Phantom V Flip main and wide-angle camera samples (tap to see full size)
You can shoot up to 4K videos at 30fps with the primary camera on the Tecno Phantom V Flip — and this is the only camera worth recording videos with. However, when shooting in low-light conditions, it is better to switch to 1080p at 60fps, but it will still appear dark and noisy — a far cry from the performance of the Super Night mode for still photos.
Verdict
The Tecno Phantom V Flip brings foldable phones to a more affordable price point, but it makes some compromises along the way. For example, unlike its more expensive counterparts, you don’t get a larger external display that can run apps or even games, like the Moto Razr 40 Ultra — this phone’s outer screen is similar in size to the Moto Razr 40, which is also priced similarly. Similarly, the primary camera is the only one I enjoyed using on the Phantom V Flip, to the point where I was also using it to capture selfies.
The display on the Tecno Phantom V Flip is fluid and responsive and apps load smoothly thanks to the capable MediaTek processor and the 120Hz refresh rate. Battery life is also quite reliable and the 45W wired charging is useful to have — it is faster than the Galaxy Z Flip 5 which supports 25W charging via a PPS charger. If you don’t mind some of the caveats mentioned above, you can consider the Phantom V Flip if you’re looking for a foldable phone under the Rs. 60,000 mark.
Tecno Phantom V Flip vs Motorola Razr 40 comparison
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| Key Specs | ||
| Display (Primary) | 6.90-inch | 6.90-inch |
| Processor | MediaTek Dimensity 8050 | – |
| Front Camera | 32-megapixel | 32-megapixel |
| Rear Camera | 64-megapixel + 13-megapixel | 64-megapixel + 13-megapixel |
| RAM | 8GB | 8GB |
| Storage | 256GB | 128GB |
| Battery Capacity | 4000mAh | 4200mAh |
| OS | Android 13 | Android 13 |
| Resolution | – | 1080×2640 pixels |
