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Chinese technology brand, Tecno, has launched its latest smartphone ranges in South Africa – the POVA 7 Series and the SPARK 40 Series. And from what we’ve seen at the launch event, Tecno is presenting some serious specs for a decent price, especially on the SPARK range.

Everyday performance: SPARK 40 Series

The SPARK 40 Series offers four models – the SPARK 40, SPARK 40C, SPARK 40S, and SPARK 40 Pro – designed with everyday use in mind. Slim builds and colourful finishes give the range a modern look, with the SPARK 40 Pro measuring just 6.69 mm thick.

Battery performance is a key focus: the SPARK 40C comes with a 6000 mAh cell, while the SPARK 40 Pro supports 45W fast charging and a 5200 mAh battery. The Pro variant also leads the range with a 6.78-inch AMOLED 1.5K display, 144 Hz refresh rate, and Dolby Atmos stereo sound, positioning it as the standout model for entertainment. Oh, and it has Gorilla Glass 7i to help with those unforeseen scratches.

All devices in the series come with IP64 water and dust resistance, and the SPARK 40 Pro offers drop resistance up to 1.5 metres, as well as touch sensitivity designed to withstand wet or oily conditions.

There is also a number of AI driven features powered by Tecno and Google, alongside Android 15 and Techno’s HIOS 15.1 UI, although the range locally does not offer 5G capabilities.

Most of the SPARK 40 Series is already on sale through selected retail partners, with the following recommended prices:

• SPARK 40C – R1 699
• SPARK 40 – R2 499
• SPARK 40S – R3 999
• SPARK 40 Pro – R6 999, set to become available in the coming weeks.

Power for gamers: POVA 7 Series

Making its South African debut is Tecno’s POVA range, with the POVA 7 Series aimed squarely at gamers and heavy users looking for robust performance. The line-up features the POVA 7 5G and POVA 7 Pro 5G, both powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7300 Ultimate AI processor.

Each handset offers a solid 6000 mAh Li-Po battery with support for 45W fast charging and 30W wireless charging, along with advanced cooling to handle long sessions of multitasking and gaming, according to Tecno. The units’ displays boast 144 Hz refresh rates and up to 4500 nits brightness, ensuring smooth playback and visibility even in bright sunlight. It is, however, the Pro winning out on the display front, boasting a better resolution at 1224 x 2720 pixels, also being AMOLED. If this, and a better camera system, are worth the R2k extra would be buyers’ choice.

Audio has been fine-tuned for immersion, while we really enjoyed the LED light arrangement around the camera system.

Check the interesting moving light around the camera cluster on the back of the Tecno Pova 7 Pro. pic.twitter.com/cFGqiWzYtQ

— TechSmart (@TechSmartZA) September 18, 2025

The POVA 7 Series will be available in the coming weeks from Vodacom stores, priced at R10 999 for the POVA 7 5G and R12 999 for the POVA 7 Pro 5G.