The Tecno Mobile brand may not be familiar to someone residing in Germany, however, in territories such as Asia, and particularly Africa, they dominate the market. This Chinese company is considered among the top manufacturers in the region. They've built an impressive reputation and a broad customer base by providing cost-effective phones that meet local language and script requirements. Now, for the first time, the Tecno devices are taking a step into the Western market, of which our testing is a part. Our first product under review is the Tecno Spark 10 5G, which costs about €200, comes with faster cellular connectivity, and a relatively lightweight plastic case.

What sets it apart is its somewhat blocky design with smooth edges and the 3D surface on the reverse side that provides a variable shimmer under varying light conditions. The camera module is also smartly embedded. While the case may not provide optimum resistance to pressure, it is well made. Comparable to other devices in this price range, the weight and size are relatively standard. The device includes a USB Type-C port that complies with the USB 2.0 standard, and a 3.5 mm audio port.

For our test purposes, we had the model equipped with 4 GB RAM and 64 GB storage, but internationally 128 GB and 256 GB models are also available. For the Tecno Mobile devices, the displayed RAM always includes the virtual working memory. Actual RAM is lesser, file swapping from data storage expands it when need arises. This somewhat helps with running apps with high RAM needs; however, due to slower working of mass storage, it doesn't offer a complete replacement for dedicated working memory.

A downside is that the device lacks NFC, which means it's not suitable for mobile payment systems. The SIM tray at the front allows for insertion of a microSD, while the back can accommodate two SIM cards. The reader tested with our microSD Angelbird V60 demonstrated decent speed, ensuring reasonable waiting time for data transfers. With a robust number of frequencies, the 5G modem offers regular access to mobile internet overseas. Yet, the Tecno phone cannot be considered a global device usable anywhere.

When it comes to reception, our approximately two-week test phase showed fair results due to its pure plastic casing. Still, it could not match the standards of high-end phones. With its Wi-Fi module, the Tecno Spark 10 managed typical Wi-Fi speeds for Wi-Fi 5, the fastest standard the phone can handle. Despite the relatively stable speeds during our test with the reference Asus ROG Rapture AXE 11000 router, its overall performance was below that of competitive phones within the same price range. The phone came pre-installed with Android 13, and the manufacturer's own software interface, HiOS.

It added modifications to the operating system and provided extra features like a voice distorter for messaging apps, blackout function for secure areas and a multi-window mode. The standby screen displayed motivational quotes. The security patch dated back to June 2023, which seemed old during the time of testing. The system offered updates once every three months currently.