TECNO POVA 5 Free Fire Special Edition Review: Ignite Your Gaming Experience!

TECNO officially launched the much-awaited TECNO POVA 5 Free Fire Special Edition smartphone. The co-designed Garena Free Fire is a gaming smartphone with the best-in-class battery and audio-visual experience in its segment at an affordable price point.

 

Combining the power-packed performance of the TECNO POVA 5 with the adrenaline-fueled excitement of Garena's Free Fire, this limited-edition device is attracting a lot of attention among mobile gamers.

TECNO POVA 5 Free Fire Special Edition Specs

HiOS based on Android 13
6.78-inch Full HD+ IPS display, 2460 x 1080 pixel resolution, 396ppi
120Hz refresh rate
2.2GHz MediaTek Helio G99 octa-core processor
Mali-G52 MC2 GPU
8GB RAM
256GB internal storage, expandable via microSD
50MP + QVGA depth sensor rear cameras, LED flash
8MP selfie camera
Side-mounted fingerprint scanner, Face unlock
Dual SIM, Dual standby
4G LTE
WiFi
G-Sensor
Bluetooth
GPS
FM radio
USB Type-C
6,000mAh battery, 45W fast charging, 10W reverse charging
Colors: Amber Gold/Mecha Black/Hurricane Blue
219.4 g

Unboxing
As we received the TECNO POVA 5 Free Fire Special Edition package, it was no ordinary unboxing experience. The triangular shape of the box makes it think of a giant Toblerone.

It boasts artwork depicting the popular Free Fire character on the box sleeve. Inside, we were greeted with an array of exclusive goodies that would delight any Free Fire fan:

TECNO POVA 5 Free Fire Special Edition Smartphone

Protective Case
Wired earphones
Exclusive In-Game Rewards Voucher
Free Fire stickers
SIM Ejector Tool
USB Type-C Charging Cable
44W Fast Charger

Check out the Unboxing video here: https://youtube.com/shorts/z4GQoco8Hcc?feature=share

I was pleasantly surprised by the complete package that includes wired earphones, a notable bonus. Also, the addition of a fast charger is particularly valuable, given the long gaming sessions this device will encourage.

Design
The TECNO POVA 5 Free Fire Special Edition impresses with its 3D mecha design. The stripes on the back panel perfectly complement the smartphone's visual appeal, making it a standout device.

Its sleek and squarish body not only adds to its charm but also provides a comfortable and ergonomic grip, making it really nice to hold and use.

Positioned at the back of the device, I was delighted to find a dual camera setup, featuring a 50-megapixel AI primary camera alongside a QVGA depth sensor. What truly stands out about this smartphone is its creative approach to eliminating the camera bump, setting it apart from others in the market. This distinctive trait not only enhances the device's visual appeal on the back surface but also ensures it rests perfectly flat on a table when laid down.

Located on the right side of the device are the volume rocker and power button, which also serve as a fingerprint scanner. These buttons have efficient functions and offer a pleasant tactile response when pressed.

On the other side, there is a SIM tray capable of accommodating two nano-SIM cards and one microSD card, which can be used to expand the storage capacity.

Located in the bottom part of the device are the type-C port connection, microphone, 3.5mm audio jack, and stereo speaker. Additionally, there is another speaker at the top of the device.

Display
The flat 6.78-inch Full HD+ display on the POVA 5 Free Fire Special Edition is an absolute visual delight. The Full HD+ resolution offers crisp and sharp visuals, making watching videos and browsing content a joy. 

The color reproduction is vibrant and provides an immersive viewing experience, especially for multimedia consumption. The 120Hz refresh rate also played a significant role in enhancing the smoothness of video playback.

In terms of gaming, the 120Hz refresh rate and 240Hz touch sampling rate significantly improved responsiveness, making gameplay incredibly smooth. The larger display allowed for better visibility, giving me a competitive edge in games like Free Fire, where spotting enemies quickly is essential.

Despite its nice full HD+ display, there are a few drawbacks worth mentioning. The display is an IPS LCD panel, which, while offering good overall performance, falls short of the color saturation and deep blacks that AMOLED displays can provide. Additionally, the higher refresh rate and brightness may lead to increased battery consumption during extended gaming sessions or video streaming.

Performance
The POVA 5 Free Fire Special Edition is powered by the MediaTek Helio G99 chipset. This gaming-oriented processor uses TSMC's N6 (6nm-class) chip manufacturing technology, allowing it to be highly power-efficient and deliver a smooth and responsive performance.

It has a total of 16GB of RAM (8 GB of RAM + 8GB of extended RAM), which ensures games load quickly and run smoothly. With a massive 256GB of storage, it provides ample space for installing favorite games, apps, saving media, and more.

In terms of gaming performance, I played several popular titles on this device, including Free Fire, PUBG Mobile, and Asphalt 9: Legends. In Free Fire, the gameplay was remarkably smooth, with good controls and sharp graphics. I was pleased to set the graphics to high settings, which resulted in good visuals without any lag or stutter.

Even with the default graphics settings, the device's performance impressed me while playing Call of Duty: Mobile. The gameplay was seamless, and the controls were highly responsive, ensuring an enjoyable gaming experience. Lastly, in Asphalt 9: Legends, the device effortlessly handled high-speed racing, allowing me to enjoy the stunning visuals and gameplay.

The TECNO POVA 5 Free Fire Special Edition is equipped with a cooling solution with a 399.65 mm Vapor Chamber and a 9349.39 mm Graphene heat sink, which makes cooling performance 2x better than the previous generation. Vapor Chamber cooling utilizes the principles of evaporation and condensation to dissipate heat efficiently. As the device heats up during intensive tasks like reloading game scenes, the Vapor Chamber absorbs and vaporizes the heat, evenly distributing it on the back panel.

Overall, this device proves to be a reliable gaming device, offering smooth performance and nice graphics. The POVA 5 Free Fire Special Edition can handle a wide range of game apps with ease. The ability to set graphics settings from medium to high without any compromise on performance makes gaming more fun. While the device warms up during extended gaming sessions, thanks to its cooling system it does not hinder the enjoyment of the gameplay.

The TECNO POVA 5 Free Fire Special Edition scored 430,789 points on the AnTuTu Benchmark. This score reflects the device's overall performance, including its CPU, GPU, memory, and UX capabilities. The score indicates it can handle a wide range of tasks, from gaming to multitasking, with ease.

POVA 5 Free Fire Special Edition performance on Benchmark apps

When it comes to audio, the POVA 5 Free Fire Special Edition is equipped with Dual Speakers enhanced by DTS technology and Hi-Res audio support. The speaker delivers a decent volume level, making it loud enough for gaming sessions in a quiet room. While the sound quality is good, there is nothing extraordinary. For an optimal audio experience while listening to music or watching videos, using earphones is better, as they provide better sound clarity and immersion. Overall, the audio performance is satisfactory.

HiOS based on Android 13
Out of the box, this device runs on HiOS based on Android 13, with a Free Fire theme. 

The theme is a striking addition to the HiOS interface. From the moment I unlock the device, the dynamic Free Fire-themed wallpapers and icons make it feel like a gaming phone. 

The theme extends throughout the system, wallpapers, and lock screen. HiOS offers a smooth and fluid user interface, navigating through the menus and apps feels responsive and intuitive, thanks to optimizations for improved touch response and system animations.

Camera
Despite being primarily focused on gaming, this device does not disappoint in the camera department. The 50-megapixel AI dual-camera setup can capture vibrant images in areas with good lighting conditions. The addition of a QVGA depth sensor provides depth information. This allows the camera to capture portraits with a bokeh effect, which blurs the background and emphasizes the subject.

However, the camera's performance limitations are apparent in low-light conditions. In low-light environments, the images suffer from noise and a decrease in quality. The night view helps to enhance it to some extent, but it does not provide the same level of clarity as in well-lit situations.

It's capable of recording up to 2K 30pfs videos, offering decent video quality for everyday use. However, the absence of 4K video recording capability may disappoint users looking for higher video resolution for high-quality content creation.

The 8-megapixel selfie camera can shoot decent selfies with acceptable sharpness and color reproduction. Selfies taken in bright light tend to come out nice and worthy of sharing on social media. However, similar to the rear camera, the front-facing camera struggles in low-light conditions, resulting in a drop in image quality and an increase in noise.

Battery
The POVA 5 Free Fire Special Edition comes equipped with a large 6,000mAh battery, backed by 45W fast charging and 10W reverse charging capability. On a full charge, the battery provides an impressive 11 hours of gaming, which is impressive.

The POVA 5 Free Fire Special Edition comes equipped with a large 6,000mAh battery, backed by 45W fast charging and 10W reverse charging capability. On a full charge, the battery provides an impressive 11 hours of gaming, which is impressive.

Charging the battery using the 45W fast charger can fill up the battery 50% in just 21 minutes and get it fully charged in just 66 minutes, which is great since you can spend less time waiting and more time playing games. Additionally, the 10W reverse charging capability adds a level of versatility to the device. It allows the TECNO POVA 5 Free Fire Special Edition to serve as a power bank.

Pros:
Cool 3D Mecha design
Nice Fire-themed wallpapers
Great gaming performance
Large and vibrant Full HD+ display
Massive 6000mAh battery with fast 45W charging
Complete package

Impressive cooling system

Cons:
Slightly bulky
Pre-installed bloatware
Camera performance could be improved

Verdict
The TECNO POVA 5 Free Fire Special Edition is a budget-friendly gaming device that performs above its category. It's designed for gamers and Free Fire fans who want a device that not only performs well in gaming but also offers a nice large display, a capable camera, and impressive battery life. The Free Fire-themed design and wallpapers add a fun touch, making it a must-have for fans of the game. The TECNO POVA 5 Free Fire Special Edition is a great option for any gamer on a budget.

Fans can now buy the TECNO POVA 5 8GB+128GB variant for only ₱7,999 and the 8GB+256GB variant for only ₱8,499 via the official TECNO e-commerce platforms: TikTok Shop, Lazada, and Shopee. It's available in three stunning colors: Amber Gold, Hurricane Blue, and Mecha Black.

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