Tecno’s Spark 8p is the latest in a long line of affordable smartphone offerings from the Chinese device maker.
However, for what started out as an ultra-budget alternative to smartphone alternative to people in Kenya and beyond, at the Spark 8p’s asking price, the device appears to be going out of range, what’s up?
Well, as we soon learn, the proliferation of many sub USD 150 smartphones in Kenya has meant that users are now spoiled for choice and there’s almost everything for everyone. In the case of users or prospective buyers of the Tecno Spar 8p, benchmarking that device with others in a similar price category helps put things in their proper perspective. Are they getting value for their money? Are they getting a better deal sticking with Tecno’s device compared to others?
Have a look at the specifications sheet below and see for yourself:
| Tecno Camon Spark 8p | Samsung Galaxy A12 | |
| Dimensions and weight | 164.51 x 76.05 x 8.85 mm | 164.0 x 75.8 x 8.9 mm, 205g |
| Display | 6.6-inch Full HD+ Dot Notch (2408 x 1080 pixels) | 6.5-inch Dot-in (1600 x 720 pixels) LCD |
| Camera | Selfie camera: 8MP with dual flash Main camera: 16MP triple lens setup with quad flash | Selfie camera: 8MP Main camera: 48MP + 5MP + 2MP + 2MP |
| Processor | MediaTek Helio G35 | MediaTek Helio P35 |
| Memory | 4GB RAM, 128GB onboard storage (expandable via microSD) | 4GB RAM, 64 GB onboard storage (expandable via microSD - up to 1TB) |
| Operating System | HiOS 7.6 based on Android 11 | Same |
| Battery | 5,000mAh | 5,000mAh |
| Network | 3G, 4G | 3G, 4G |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, microUSB | Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, USB Type-C |
| Colour options | Tahiti Gold and others | Black, Blue, Red |
| Others | Fingerprint sensor (on the side) | Fingerprint sensor (on the side) |
As can be seen from the spec sheet above, the Spark 8p manages to go toe to toe with a smartphone that is similarly-priced from Samsung and manages to one-up it in some aspects while also having features we flagged in our unboxing, like the lack of USB Type-C, going against it.
