Tecno Spark 20C Review: Is it Worth the Frustration?

My Honest Review of the Tecno Spark 20C: A Phone That's More Frustration Than Functionality

summarizeEditor's Summary

I've had the chance to use the Tecno Spark 20C, a phone my mom's been rocking for a year now. We've used it to watch cartoons, take pics, and record vids together. While it's got some decent specs, I gotta say, it's been a total letdown. The build quality's not bad, but the performance's been sluggish, and the cameras are a total joke. Battery life's okay, but it's not like it's a game changer or anything. I've had to deal with it freezing up on me more times than I can count, and don't even get me started on the display resolution. It's just not worth the hassle, if you ask me.

settingsSpecifications

RAM3GB

Fiyat8/10

Kalite5/10

Battery5000mAh

Display6.52 inches, 720 x 1600 pixels

Storage32GB

VerdictKötü

Paketleme7/10

Performans3/10

Büyüklük6/10

Rear Camera13MP + 2MP

Front Camera8MP

EkranKalitesi4/10

KameraKalitesi2/10

Hello everyone!

I'm sharing my honest thoughts about the smartphone my mom's been using for a year now. We often use it to watch cartoons or take pictures and videos together.

Last year, my mom's phone broke, and we needed to get a new one ASAP.

The key things for me were plenty of memory, a reasonable price, and fast performance with a good battery.

I pushed my mom to get a slightly more expensive phone with a payment plan, like an older iPhone.

I'm not a fan of these Chinese brands, to be honest...

We looked at a bunch of them in the store, and all of them had terrible cameras, were super slow, and the screens weren't even as good as my old iPhone.

But my mom, like many seniors, is wary of payment plans, banks, and credit cards.

In the end, I said I didn't like any of the phones, and my mom chose this Tecno Spark 20C on her own.

Since I use it sometimes too, I've had some thoughts about it, and I want to share them with you.

Ugh, this thing is driving me crazy!

So, I'll tell you about the good and the bad, show you how it takes photos with the front and rear cameras, and maybe my review will help you avoid a bad purchase.

Using this thing is just impossible at times!

Main specs:

Screen size: 6.6 inches

Internal memory: 128 GB, 256 GB

RAM: 4 GB, 8 GB

Version: Global for Russia

Number of main cameras: 3

Main camera resolution: 50 MP

Screen refresh rate: 90 Hz

Battery: 5000 mAh

Processor: MediaTek Helio G36

Sim cards: Dual nano SIM

Operating system: Android 13

When it comes to connectivity, this phone has got you covered with 2G, 3G, 4G LTE, and 5G standards.

The build quality is decent, with an IP53, IP54, or IP68 rating, depending on the model.

It weighs in at 188 grams, which is pretty standard for a phone of this size.

I've found that you can pick this phone up from a variety of retailers, including MVideo, DNS, Yandex Market, VTB, and Ozon.

Prices seem to vary between 8,000 and 20,000 rubles, but we managed to snag it for 9,500.

The packaging includes a charging cable, a decent-sized case (which is a nice touch), and a plug that you can stick into the wall.

The phone itself is pretty big, with a bright but not particularly vibrant screen – it's no iPhone, that's for sure.

The charging and headphone ports are pretty standard.

Here are the phone's specs:

The back of the phone has three cameras in an iPhone-esque style, but they're completely useless.

Honestly, the design is just okay, nothing special.

The photos taken with this camera are pretty mediocre.

For me, camera quality is super important. I'm always snapping pics and editing videos, so a good camera is a must. I've been eyeing a new phone with a great camera for ages.

My mom, on the other hand, didn't care much about the camera.

The camera is super slow (just like the rest of the phone), and I've never managed to take a decent pic quickly.

By the time it focuses, the moment's gone.

Daytime photos with natural light.

If the lighting's better, the pics turn out way better.

Here's a pic of me and my daughter at the temple - she loves lying on the floor, by the way.

Mom took it from behind, though.

Selfie taken indoors with the front camera.

Ugh, it's not great.

But if I'm outside in the sunlight, I can get a somewhat decent pic.

Macro-wise, it's pretty decent.

Now, let's talk about what I love about this phone.

It's super glitchy and slow!

I'm seriously about to throw it against the wall - it's that frustrating!

I'm used to my iPhone flying, quickly switching between screens, tabs, and typing without any lag...

But this Android is a different story.

It can freeze for 30-40 minutes and just shut down!

Or it won't even respond to touches - like when my mom tries to answer my call, she's just tapping the screen and nothing's happening.

This phone is super unreliable. I wouldn't even recommend it to a senior citizen.

Imagine not being able to respond to a call or text because the phone just froze - it's a nightmare!

It's the same for kids in school.

A simple feature phone would even be more reliable than this...

In my opinion, it's not worth its $950 price tag.

I'd say it's worth maybe $500, max. Although, I wouldn't even pay that much for its constant lag, glitches, and random shutdowns.

I've lost count of how many times I couldn't reach my mom because her phone just wouldn't turn on!

You know, when the basic functions are hard to use, you start to forget about the 'cool features' like NFC.

No, maybe we just got a dud.

But at first, it didn't seem all that glitchy... Now I barely remember it.

My mom had a phone even dumber than this one, so she was happy with what she got.

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So, if you need a reliable phone, it's better to spend a bit more on a decent brand.

No money? Get it on layaway.

Anything's better than buying this clunker for 9000 bucks, which will just infuriate you.

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I wouldn't recommend this phone:

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1. It's super glitchy and slow.

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2. It keeps turning off and won't turn back on.

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3. The cameras are terrible, especially the front one.

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4. The screen isn't very realistic, compared to an iPhone - it's like night and day.

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5. It has a ton of memory, but what's the point?

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6. It's ridiculously overpriced.

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Two thumbs down!

My old Sony Ericsson smartphone worked better than this one.

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More of my tech reviews:

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I got my first iPhone, but I'd go back to a good Android any day...

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Restaurant at your place! Food turned out tastier than at fancy, expensive cafes. Wi-Fi multicooker. 300 modes, easy and no extra dishes. I'll show you some interesting recipes I brought to life)

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I bought it for the beautiful, blurry background and use it for taking photos of everything around me:) Lots of pics! Review from a simple mortal)

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What I've been shooting with for the past 12 years - my trusty Canon! I'll show you the most varied photos I've taken over the years, from portraits to nature and still life shots.

live_helpFeatured FAQ

Is the Tecno Spark 20C a good phone for seniors?

Honestly, I think it's a bit too complicated for seniors. The interface can be a bit overwhelming, and the performance's not great. If you're looking for a phone for your mom or dad, I'd say look elsewhere.

Can I use the Tecno Spark 20C for mobile payments?

Yeah, the Tecno Spark 20C has NFC, so you can use it for mobile payments. Just make sure you've got a compatible bank and a decent internet connection.

How's the battery life on the Tecno Spark 20C?

It's okay, but it's not like it's a game changer or anything. You'll get a day's use out of it, but that's about it.

Can I use the Tecno Spark 20C with my old iPhone?

Yeah, you can use the Tecno Spark 20C with your old iPhone, but it's not like it's gonna make a huge difference. The performance's not great, so you might experience some lag.

Is the Tecno Spark 20C water-resistant?

No, it's not water-resistant. You'll need to be careful not to get it wet, or you might end up with a bricked phone.

Can I customize the home screen on the Tecno Spark 20C?

Yeah, you can customize the home screen to some extent. You can change the wallpaper and add some widgets, but that's about it.

How's the display quality on the Tecno Spark 20C?

It's not great, to be honest. The display resolution's not great, so everything looks a bit pixelated.

Can I use the Tecno Spark 20C with a payment plan?

Yeah, you can use the Tecno Spark 20C with a payment plan. Just make sure you've got a compatible bank and a decent credit score.

Does the Tecno Spark 20C have a headphone jack?

No, it doesn't have a headphone jack. You'll need to use wireless headphones or a USB-C adapter.

Can I expand the storage on the Tecno Spark 20C?

Yeah, you can expand the storage on the Tecno Spark 20C using a microSD card. Just make sure you've got a compatible card.

check_circlePros

•The speakers are pretty loud and clear, which is a plus for watching vids
•It's got a decent amount of memory, so you can store a bunch of pics and vids
•The NFC feature's a nice touch for mobile payments
•The build quality's not bad, but it's not like it's premium or anything
•Battery life's okay, but it's not like it's a game changer or anything
•It's got a pretty standard set of features, so you won't be missing out on anything major
•The phone looks pretty sleek, I'll give it that
•It's got a decent battery life, but it's not like it's impressive or anything

cancelCons

•It's got a tendency to freeze up on me, which is super frustrating
•The cameras are a total joke - pics are blurry and vids are shaky
•The display resolution's not great, so everything looks a bit pixelated
•It's just not that fast, which makes it hard to use for anything serious
•I've had to deal with it shutting down on me more times than I can count
•The price is a bit steep for what you get, if you ask me
•The phone's interface can be a bit overwhelming, especially for seniors
•The performance's not great, so you might experience some lag

Tecno Spark 20C 8/128GB