TECNO Spark 40 Pro+ Review: Surprisingly Capable, Unapologetically Budget

The TECNO Spark 40 Pro+ is not supposed to be this good. That was my first thought after using it for about a week. I expected something competent—perhaps even decent for the price and after having already reviewed its older- more powerful gaming sibling. What I didn’t expect was to find myself repeatedly asking, “Wait, they included that too?”

No, this phone won’t replace a flagship. It’s not trying to. But it does punch way above its weight class. And that, frankly, makes it worth talking about.

First Impressions: Way More Than I Bargained For

Unboxing the Spark 40 Pro+, you’re greeted with a refreshingly complete package: the device, a slim protective case with wireless charging support (with 30W magnetic wireless charging support), 45W fast charger, USB-C cable, tempered glass for display protection, and even a warranty card. TECNO didn’t cut corners here, and that already sets a tone.

Physically, the phone feels light—only 160g. It’s slimmer than the previous Spark 30 Pro (by nearly 10g), and the matte finish on the back both looks premium and resists fingerprints. I chose the “Moon Titanium” version. It catches light in subtle ways, and doesn’t scream for attention.

Display & Design: Better Than Expected, Honestly

Here’s where I did a double-take. The Spark 40 Pro+ packs a 6.78-inch AMOLED panel, with a 1.5K resolution and 144Hz refresh rate. It’s not just decent—it’s bright, colorful, and surprisingly smooth. Scrolling through social feeds, switching apps, or just watching a YouTube video feels, well, premium.

TECNO displays weren’t always like this. Just a couple of years ago, even their upper mid-range phones came with duller LCDs. So this feels like a leap. Bezels are slim, there’s an in-display fingerprint sensor, and Corning Gorilla Glass 7i covers the front. That last bit is especially rare at this price.

Battery and Charging: Practical, With a Few Smart Tricks

The 5200mAh battery easily gets you through the day, even with moderate-to-heavy usage. I did a full day of calls, streaming, and camera testing, and still had 25% left at bedtime.

Charging is handled via 45W fast charging, and in my test, it went from 0 to 65% in under 45 minutes. More importantly, bypass charging is here—a feature you usually only see on gaming phones. It lets the power bypass the battery and go straight to the mainboard during gaming. No overheating, no battery drain. It works surprisingly well.

Also useful: 10W reverse charging. If your earbuds die, you can charge them directly from the phone.

Durability: It’s Tough Enough

The TECNO Spark 40 Pro+ is IP64-rated, which basically means it can take splashes and a bit of dust. No, don’t drop it in a pool—but if it catches rain or slips into a sink, it should survive. That Gorilla Glass 7i helps too. It’s made for mid-range phones and can withstand drops from chest height. Nothing revolutionary, but again, for a phone in this price bracket, it’s reassuring.

Software Experience: Clean, Fast, and Surprisingly Functional

Out of the box, the Spark 40 Pro+ runs Android 15 with HiOS 15 layered on top. TECNO’s UI has come a long way—it’s now lighter, less cluttered, and mostly intuitive. Animations feel quick, app transitions are fluid, and it doesn’t bog down with unnecessary effects. That said, there are still a few pre-installed apps, but nothing unbearable.

What stands out are the multitasking features. Floating windows, split screen, and the new dynamic ports (think mini pop-ups that notify you of calls or battery status) actually feel useful. I didn’t expect to use them—but I did. A lot.

Also included: a smart panel for shortcuts, screen recording, and a game mode that minimizes distractions. There’s voice assistant integration via Ella, plus subtle AI touches scattered throughout the interface.

The only catch? There’s still no clear promise on long-term updates. TECNO hasn’t confirmed how many OS upgrades this model will get, which could be a sticking point for longevity.

There’s also no visible lag during day-to-day use. App openings are fast, and multitasking is fluid. I still wish TECNO would commit to a longer software update cycle. That part remains unclear.

AI Features: Some Gimmicks, Some Surprises

TECNO claims the Spark 40 Pro+ has 13 AI features. Let’s be honest—not all are useful. A few are just fancy labels slapped onto regular functions.

That said, three stood out to me:

• Ella Voice Assistant: It’s more functional than I expected. It can create to-do lists, write short posts, and even help draft messages.

• Circle to Search: Like Google’s Pixel feature, you can draw a circle around any on-screen object to find it online. It works better than I assumed, especially with images or product searches.

• Recording Summary: You record a conversation or meeting, and the AI generates a text summary. For someone who forgets half of what’s said in meetings—this is a godsend.

There’s also real-time translation, which worked decently when I tested it with basic French. Not perfect, but usable.

Performance: Surprising Headroom

The Spark 40 Pro+ is powered by the MediaTek Helio G99 Ultimate, paired with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage. For a phone at this price, that combination feels generous—almost suspiciously so. You’d expect 128GB max, maybe expandable. But here? Everything’s just already there, ready to go.

Daily usage feels smooth. Switching between apps, browsing, handling maps and music simultaneously—it never broke a sweat. Even with multiple apps in split-screen or floating window mode, performance held steady. In gaming tests, it handled Call of Duty: Mobile at medium graphics and high frame rate without a single hiccup. PUBG even ran at ultra frame rates with smooth visuals. That’s not common in this segment.

The Geekbench score clocks in around 1888 for multi-core and 717 for single core, which doesn’t break records but aligns with mid-range competitors. Thermals are well managed. It gets warm under load, but not to the point where you’d feel like the phone’s struggling or throttling hard. Overall, this chipset isn’t just a placeholder—it actually delivers. If you’re a light to moderate gamer, or just someone who expects responsiveness without a flagship price tag, the Spark 40 Pro+ handles itself better than expected.

Cameras: Social-Ready, If You Help Them Out

Cameras on budget phones used to be a clear compromise. The Spark 40 Pro+ changes that—sort of. The main sensor is 50MP with EIS (electronic image stabilization technology), while the front-facing camera is 13MP. Both can shoot 2K video at 30fps, which is unusual at this tier.

In daylight, results are sharp and vibrant. The main lens handles contrast well, though colors sometimes lean warm. Portrait mode, surprisingly, delivers solid edge detection even with tricky backgrounds. Subject separation is clean, and skin tones aren’t overly smoothed out—though that can vary by lighting.

Low light? It’s mixed. Super Night Mode improves brightness and reduces noise, but details can feel soft, and dynamic range still struggles. That’s expected. You’ll need decent lighting to get the best out of it.

The front camera holds up for selfies and casual video calls. It’s not groundbreaking, but it gets the job done. The surprise feature is dual video mode—you can record with both the front and rear cameras simultaneously. It’s ideal for content creators or casual vloggers, and it’s rare at this price.

Overall, these cameras won’t compete with flagships—but for social media-ready content, they’re more than capable when used in the right conditions.

Audio: Surprisingly Loud, Not Tinny

Dual stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos certification? Yup. They’re loud. Surprisingly full, too. Music playback is solid. Gaming audio gives you actual directionality, and voices in calls come through clearly. Honestly, the speakers are one of my favorite little surprises on this device.

The Free Link Feature: A Niche Perk, But Interesting

TECNO’s Free Link lets you call or text other TECNO devices without internet or SIM. It’s limited—you can only use it with other compatible TECNO phones—but if you’re in a school or workplace where lots of people use them, it could be a cool offline communication tool. Niche, but neat.

Final Thoughts: Value King?

Is the TECNO Spark 40 Pro+ perfect? No. It lacks a clear update policy, and low-light photography is still a bit rough. But nearly everything else surprised me in a good way. From the vibrant display to the massive storage, useful AI tools, and thoughtful extras like bypass charging—it’s clearly a device that overdelivers.

It’s not just another cheap phone. It’s a well-rounded, feature-rich device that doesn’t act like it knows its place. And maybe that’s the most refreshing thing about it.