There’s no slowing down TECNO in releasing affordable gaming smartphones. Released in July, TECNO POVA 5 and TECNO POVA Neo 3 offer decent hardware for excellent gaming experience on a budget.
TECNO POVA 5 and TECNO POVA Neo 3 may be confusing because both were launched in the same month. While one of the two has an advantage or two, it doesn’t mean the other is a total loser. These handsets cater to users who particularly have a number in mind within their budget. So, which of the two? Let’s break down the specs and features of both smartphones.
But first, check out the overview of the specs:
| Features | TECNO POVA 5 | TECNO POVA Neo 3 |
| Display size | 6.78 inches | 6.82 inches |
| CPU | Helio G99 | Helio G85 |
| RAM | 8GB | 8GB |
| Storage | 256GB | 128GB |
| Main camera | 50MP | 16MP |
| Battery | 6000mAh | 7000mAh |
Display
TECNO POVA 5 has more to offer than TECNO POVA Neo 3 in this area. TECNO POVA 5 sports 1080p display resolution and a higher refresh rate than the other. These matter in watching HD videos and scrolling smoothly on browsers and social media apps.
However, TECNO POVA Neo 3 has a slightly bigger screen of 6.82 inches against the former’s 6.78 inches. Check further details on display below.
Image credit: TECNO
| Features | TECNO POVA 5 | TECNO POVA Neo 3 |
| Display size | 6.78 inches | 6.82 inches |
| Display resolution | 1080 x 2460 pixels | 720 x 1640 pixels |
| Display type | IPS LCD | IPS LCD |
| Refresh rate | 120Hz | 90Hz |
| Aspect ratio | 21:9 | 20.5:9 |
| Screen-to-body ratio | 84.5% | 83.4% |
Camera
While TECNO POVA 5 and TECNO POVA Neo 3 have rear and front cameras, neither are superb in photography and video recording. Both devices cannot record 4K videos or even 1080p at 60FPS. But TECNO POVA 5 features a higher rear camera with 50MP than the 16MP of TECNO POVA Neo 3.
| Features | TECNO POVA 5 | TECNO POVA Neo 3 |
| Rear camera | 50MP, (wide), PDAF 0.08MP, (depth) Dual LED flash | 16MP, (wide), AF 0.08MP, (depth) Dual-LED flash |
| Front camera | 8MP LED flash | 8MP LED flash |
| Video recording | 1440p@30fps, 1080p@30fps (main) 1080p@30fps (front) | 1080p@30fps (main) 1080p@30fps (front) |
| Portrait Beauty mode | Yes | Yes |
Image credit: TECNO
Gaming
This is where TECNO POVA 5 and TECNO POVA Neo 3 shine the most. Casual gamers can play lots of titles in either handset for a reasonable amount of time. Hardware-wise, TECNO POVA’s edge is its MediaTek Helio G99 over TECNO POVA Neo 3’s Helio G85. But both devices are powered by the same GPU, the Mali-G52.
TECNO POVA 5 also has a Vapor Cooling chamber made up of graphite to help disperse heat quickly and ensure that the user can play for longer periods. Unfortunately, TECNO POVA Neo 3 lacks this one as per the official website.
| Features | TECNO POVA 5 | TECNO POVA Neo 3 |
| CPU | Helio G99 | Helio G85 |
| GPU | Mali-G52 | Mali-G52 |
| RAM | 8GB | 8GB |
| Heat management | Yes | No |
| Touch sampling rate | 240Hz | 180Hz |
| Hard gyroscope | Yes | No |
Battery
TECNO POVA Neo is armed with a 7000mAh battery unit, bigger than the 6000mAh of TECNO POVA 5. These two also have a safety battery tech to keep worries away when charging. Yet TECNO POVA 5 received a better charging speed of 45w, while TECNO POVA Neo 3 is stuck with 18w charging speed. Although it isn’t the end of the world, that slower “fast charging” speed kind of defeats the 7000mAh battery of TECNO POVA Neo 3.
Operating System
TECNO POVA 5 and TECNO POVA Neo 3 come with Android 13 and HiOS 13. According to TECNO, HiOS 13 features include AI-powered gallery, Ring Flash notifications, and high-resolution audio. Speaking of audio, both phones have dual-firing speakers with DTS certification.
Conclusion
TECNO POVA 5 is the big brother of TECNO POVA Neo 3, so it’s more expensive. On Shopee’s listings, TECNO POVA 5 has a regular price of ₱8,999 while TECNO POVA Neo 3 is at ₱6,799. If you can stretch your budget a bit more for extra power, get TECNO POVA 5 in exchange for HD display, better performance, and better camera. But if you’re okay with a 720p budget-gaming phone, TECNO POVA Neo 3 should be enough with decent performance and longer battery life.
