In the sub-Rs 15,000 category, it seems every smartphone is pushing the envelope to offer maximum value on a shoestring budget. The Tecno Pova 6 Neo joins the fray with its eye-catching design, solid performance, and cameras that come with a sprinkle of the latest buzzword—AI. But can it truly stand out while staying affordable? Let’s find out in this review.
Tecno Pova 6 Neo
Rs 12,999
What Is Good?
- Solid performance, gaming at 60fps
- Attractive design
- Great battery life
- Good photography in daylight conditions
- Some AI features are useful
- IP54 rated
What Is Bad?
- Average low light photography
- Slow charging speed
- Bloatware apps
- Competition offers AMOLED display
Tecno Pova 6 Neo Review: Pricing and Availability in India
The Tecno Pova 6 Neo is available in two variants on the Tecno eStore.
| Variant | Pricing |
| 6GB RAM + 128GB Storage | Rs 12,999 |
| 8GB RAM + 256GB Storage | Rs 13,999 |
Tecno Pova 6 Neo Review: Design and Display
The Tecno Pova 6 Neo in Midnight Shadow is eye-catching. The golden rings around the cameras give it a touch of class, and the aura light adds a bit of flair, reminiscent of those Vivo models.
The matte glass back doesn’t attract fingerprints, which is always great for folks with OCD. I used it without a cover, and it felt quite comfortable to hold.
| Design | Specifications |
|---|---|
| Weight | 192 grams |
| Thickness | 7.8mm |
| IP Rating | IP54 |
| Colours | Midnight Shadow, Azure Sky and Aurora Cloud |
| Port and Button Placements | Bottom: 3.5mm headphone jack, Primary microphone, USB port, Speaker grille
Top: Speaker Grille Left Side: SIM tray Right Side: Power button (fingerprint sensor) and volume buttons |
The phone sports a flat design with rounded edges. It’s neither too slim nor overly heavy, but it starts feeling bulky if you keep it in your jeans pocket for too long.
| Display | Specifications |
|---|---|
| Size | 6.67-inch |
| Type | IPS LCD |
| Resolution | 720×1600 pixels |
| Refresh Rate | 120Hz |
| Peak Brightness | Claimed:480 nits, Tested: 356 nits |
| Minimum Brightness | 03 nits |
Haptic feedback is pretty solid, offering a nice buzz that kept me engaged while typing. The fingerprint sensor built into the power button worked flawlessly each time.
However, the bezels, especially the chin, are a bit of an eyesore. It’s hard to ignore them when watching videos—they’re just too prominent. Brightness is fine indoors, but step outside, and the screen struggles in direct sunlight. The numbers themselves help you get an understanding of the same. Given that competitors like the Lava Blaze X and Realme Narzo 70 are offering AMOLED displays with a slight price difference, Tecno seems to have missed an opportunity here.
I spent some quality time watching Modern Family and high-quality YouTube videos. While the detail isn’t top-notch, it’s decent for the price. The phone supports Widevine L1 for Netflix but lacks HDR support. HDR would have definitely elevated the viewing experience.
When it comes to audio, the phone is just okay. It’s neither stellar nor terrible. I did catch some audio distortion while jamming to music or watching videos, and I even felt the vibrations around the camera module on the back. It might be a minor annoyance, but it’s not enough to ruin the overall experience.
Tecno Pova 6 Neo Review: Performance and Software
The MediaTek Dimensity 6300 SoC also powers the Infinix Hot 50 5G, Realme 13, OPPO K12x, and Vivo T3 Lite. In benchmarks, the OPPO K12x and even the Tecno Pova 6 Pro lag slightly behind the Pova 6 Neo—so, that’s good.
| Hardware | Specifications |
| Processor | MediaTek Dimensity 6300 |
| RAM | Up to 8GB |
| Storage | Up to 256GB |
| Storage Test | 445874 |
| CPU Throttling Test | 95 per cent of its max performance |
| Software Version | HiOS 14.5, based on Android 14
Two years of OS updates and three years of security patches |
| Connectivity Details | Dual-band Wi-Fi |
I’ve been using this phone for a while, and it’s been smooth sailing for calls and messages, scrolling through Instagram, and binging YouTube. The 120Hz refresh rate? Total game-changer. Zero complaints during my time with it. It’s not something new, but always good to have.
I tested out Subway Surfers and Call of Duty: Mobile on it. Subway Surfers was a breeze, but Call of Duty was a mixed bag. On Medium and High settings, I hit 60 fps, but there were constant dips to 52 fps. On Low and Very Low settings, it held steady at 60 fps. However, after just two sessions, the phone started heating up, which definitely threw off my game.
Running on HiOS 14.5, the Pova 6 Neo packs a bunch of AI tricks usually seen in high-end phones. You’ll find all the details in the table below.
| Tecno Pova 6 Neo AI Features | What does it do? | Is it useful? |
| AIGC Portrait | This feature helps to create AI profile pictures or avatars. | I took a few pictures with this feature, and it generated some AI images. Unfortunately, they didn’t look anything like me. |
| AI Cutout | This feature clean cuts images like iPhones. | I used this feature, and while it didn’t cut out the pictures as precisely as I expected, it still got the job done. |
| AI Eraser | It will remove unwanted objects or people that are photobombing your pictures. | The phone attempted to create a new object by removing the previous one. |
| AI Wallpaper 2.0 | It generates wallpapers from text or images. | The feature performs impressively. Every time I gave it a try, it delivered the wallpapers perfectly based on whatever I typed. |
| AI Artboard | Draw something in the notepad and the AI will generate a better drawing. | This feature is awesome. I spent my time drawing, and the AI handled the sketching for me. |
| Ask AI | Select a news article and ask AI to summarise it for you. | This feature works quite well. It summarised the article for me with high-level pointers. |
Now, while I appreciate having these fancy features in a budget phone, I’m not exactly using them daily.
The smartphone throws in an iPhone-inspired dynamic island for notifications and music playback. Sure, it’s not exactly groundbreaking, but props to the company for making it look effortlessly smooth.
Oh, and a heads-up: it comes loaded with pre-installed Tecno apps, which can drag down the overall experience.
Tecno Pova 6 Neo Review: Cameras
The 108-megapixel AI camera delivers solid performance in daylight. While the phone takes a moment to process each shot, the final results are worth the wait—colours pop vividly, with sharp, clear details. For the price, the dynamic range is handled quite well. That said, the cameras do not deal well with photos taken against the light. Images seem a bit too artificial with no details in the shadow.
One downside is the absence of an ultra-wide-angle camera, which could have helped add some more perspective to the overall experience. Portrait shots benefit from excellent edge detection, though the background blur strength could use improvement. On the plus side, the phone does a commendable job of capturing natural skin tones.
| Camera | Specifications |
| Primary Camera | 108-megapixel AI camera |
| Selfie Camera | 8-megapixel selfie camera |
| Video Recording Capabilities | Up to 2K at 30fps |
For selfies, I was impressed by how lifelike they turned out. Tecno has clearly focused on keeping the look as authentic as possible. However, in certain cases, I did notice a reddish tint, particularly on my cheeks and forehead.
In shallow light conditions, landscapes are nearly invisible, with details falling flat. That said, in slightly better lighting, the camera does its best, but it’s not exactly a standout performer.
Tecno Pova 6 Neo Review: Battery and Charging
The phone comes with a solid 5,000mAh battery—definitely a plus.
| Battery | Specifications |
| Battery | 5,000mAh |
| Charging Adapter | 18W, charger in the box |
| Charging Time | 1 hour 30 minutes |
| PCMark Battery Test | Error occurred twice |
Using the 18W charger, the Tecno Pova 6 Neo crawled its way to a full charge in 1 hour and 30 minutes. If you’re in a rush, this wait time might just test your patience—consider this your heads-up!
Now, as mentioned in the table, the PCMark battery test threw an error twice, but, the phone still lasted nearly 13 hours before that happened, which is pretty impressive. When it comes to real-world use, I pushed this phone hard—playing heavy-duty games and streaming high-quality YouTube videos. It held strong for a full day before begging for the charger. So yeah, this phone’s battery life is dependable, and that’s exactly what most users are looking for.
Tecno Pova 6 Neo Review: Verdict
The Tecno Pova 6 Neo brings a sleek design, balanced performance with gaming at 60fps, and software that cleverly incorporates a touch of AI—something you’d usually find in high-end devices. With that said, some of these features can make do with a bit more polish in its current stage. Thanks to its higher megapixel count, the camera captures good details in daylight.
That said, it’s a bit of a letdown that Tecno went with an IPS LCD display, especially when competitors like the Lava Blaze X and Realme Narzo 70 boast AMOLED screens with an additional charge of about Rs 1,000 or Rs 2,000. To add to that, the phone only includes an 18W charging adapter, and its camera struggles in low-light situations.
Sure, nothing’s ever perfect, but does that mean I’ll lower my expectations? No. Despite its limitations, Tecno has clearly tried to pack in as much as possible for the price. All things considered, this phone definitely gives you your money’s worth. If your main concern is design or display, a small price bump can get you the Realme P1 or CMF Phone 1, among other alternative already listed.
