TECNO POVA 5 Pro vs. ZTE nubia Neo 5G: Which is the true king of gaming?

The face-off between TECNO POVA 5 Pro and ZTE nubia Neo 5G is here and it’s a close fight. Here, I’ll break down the essentials in gaming experience and subtle differences before you make your pick.

Display

These two gaming mid-rangers have the same display stats. TECNO POVA 5 Pro features a 6.78-inches display with 120Hz refresh rate, while ZTE nubia NEO sports a 6.6-inches display with 120Hz as well. Check the quick stats below.

Thus, what you need to find out when choosing between these two is which one supports the 10-finger multitouch. But if your games don’t require this support, either device will be a good pick.

Performance

A gaming smartphone must have a powerful SoC to load and run multiple games consistently for long periods. In between TECNO POVA 5 Pro and ZTE nubia Neo, the Unisoc T820 of nubia Neo 5G may be better than the Dimensity 6080 of POVA 5 Pro in clock speed. However, the difference is so little that users may not even feel. Plus, both smartphones are equipped with the same GPU as well.

Here’s a bit of technical info about their SoC:

At the end of the day, it boils down how optimize a game is on a phone, and developers also play a part in making their apps run smoothly on any phone.

Game Optimizer

Speaking of optimization, both TECNO POVA 5 Pro and ZTE nubia Neo offer software-based optimizers to run games at the smoothest level.

Let’s start with TECNO POVA 5 Pro. According to TECNO, its gaming handset has Game Space 2.0 that comes with an interface to let you instantly switch between modes to meet performance demands. It runs on Panther Engine and can display performance stats, like CPU and GPU metrics. But for a quick fix when games lag, the feature offers one-click temperature control to stabilize frame rate, enhance gaming fluency, and reduce power consumption.

To counter the limitations of battery use during gaming, TECNO added Bypass Charge to literally bypass the battery and draw power directly from the charger. It will let the motherboard perform at full capacity, lower heat levels, and extend the battery’s lifespan.

ZTE nubia Neo features a Game Space too and it comes with three performance presets, as per the official website. You can go for Eco mode to extend battery for long gaming periods, Balance mode for proper allocation of CPU and GPU resources, or Rise mode for the best gaming performance. Rise mode will drain more power and generate more heat than the other two modes.

Though ZTE nubia Neo isn’t just about optimizing performance as it also boasts a plugin library. This will give gamers access to auxiliary functions like a plugin crosshair, auxiliary line, and even sound equalizer. To let users play for hours, this smartphone offers Charge Bypass to draw power from the charger directly to fully support the Rise mode preset. Theoretically, bypassing the battery to power up the device should cut down heat generation even if that present is on.

Both devices have a 256GB internal storage and 8GB of RAM with expandable memory. TECNO POVA 5 Pro can dynamically increase its memory by 8GB while ZTE nubia Neo can do it by 10GB.

Heat Management

Playing games will always generate a lot of heat, be it a smartphone, tablet, PC, or laptop, so you need effective cooling to prevent your device from burning up. TECNO POVA 5 Pro combats heating in three ways. One, the one-click temperature control mentioned earlier. Two, draw power from the charger and bypass the battery. And third, a Vapor Chamber Cooling that looks like a small pipe to move the heat away from the chipset.

ZTE nubia Neo can also fight overheating and keep its internal parts cool during heavy use. The phone uses the same three steps with a bit of difference. First, draw power directly from the charger and bypass the battery. Two, a heat dissipation system comprising several layers to conduct heat and move it away from warming components. And three, select the lowest performance mode preset to drop the demand from the CPU and GPU.

Remember, only the hardware-based dissipation system in TECNO POVA 5 Pro and ZTE nubia Neo works passively. The other two methods will require your intervention.

Battery

TECNO POVA 5 Pro and ZTE nubia Neo have large battery units – 5000mAh in the former and 4500mAh in the latter. But TECNO POVA 5 Pro got an edge in the charging department with 68w charge rate, while ZTE nubia Neo only supports 22.5w charging speed. TECNO claims that POVA 5 Pro can reach 100% in 45 minutes. ZTE nubia Neo, on the other hand, can give half a day of game time for one hour of charging.

Conclusion

TECNO POVA 5 Pro and ZTE nubia Neo are powerful gaming mid-rangers with a few subtle differences, such as their design, chipset, and screen size. The finisher, however, will be based on your current setup. If you’re a 5G main, ZTE nubia Neo may have the edge because of its 5G dual-SIM support, where it switches to the SIM with the better 5G connection. 

If you’re delicate in charging your phone, TECNO POVA 5 Pro has a detector in the charging port to alert you of hazards, like liquids and debris. If you often use your phone outside, ZTE nubia Neo may deliver a better viewing experience under bright lights.

And lastly, the aesthetics as a whole. Both have the futuristic mecha-style but ZTE nubia Neo has a war-damaged, yellow-colored variant for the indomitable spirit theme. TECNO POVA 5 Pro offers the silvery, metallic visuals for a sophisticated tech persona. Though the TECNO phone has an LED strip at the back that lights up when you do something or receive a notification.

Combining all these elements, ZTE nubia Neo for raw power and brassy looks while TECNO POVA 5 Pro for glowing vigor and flashy appearance.