Tecno Spark 40 Pro Review: Budget Brilliance or Just Another Buzz?

July 08, 2025, 08:52 AM
by Farhana Afrose Rini

UNB News
Publish- July 08, 2025, 08:52 AM
Farhana Afrose Rini
Update- July 08, 2025, 09:29 AM

Tecno Spark 40 Pro

Tecno, a brand synonymous with budget innovation, has steadily carved a niche in the affordable smartphone segment, especially in markets like South Asia and Africa. Their Spark series has long been known for offering impressive features at wallet-friendly prices. Released on 7 July 2025, the Spark 40 Pro continues this trend, promising upgrades in camera tech, processing power, and gaming experience. Let's delve into the specs, pros, cons and price of the Tecno Spark 40 Pro in Bangladesh.

Key Features of Tecno Spark 40 Pro

Design and Build Quality

The Tecno Spark 40 Pro does not reinvent the wheel in terms of aesthetics, but it offers a refined look that feels more premium than its price would suggest. Its sleek curves, slim profile, and matte finish back make it comfortable to hold. You get color choices like Ink Black, Moon Titanium, Lake Blue, and Bamboo Green, which bring a fresh, youthful vibe.

When compared to the Tecno Spark 30 Pro, the 40 Pro comes with a more rugged build and higher water/dust resistance at IP64 (vs IP54), which adds a bit more durability. Though both models stick to plastic frames, the Spark 40 Pro feels more solid and less creaky.

The Huawei Nova Y73 steps behind here with a slightly bulkier body and no stereo speakers. However, it does offer drop resistance up to 1.8 m, which is a nice bonus for clumsy users. Meanwhile, the Honor X70i, at just 7.3 mm thick and weighing 178.5 g, edges out all in terms of thinness and portability while also being IP65 certified, offering slightly better water resistance.

Display Quality

This is one of the biggest upgrades in the Spark 40 Pro. The 6.78-inch AMOLED panel with a 144 Hz refresh rate and PWM dimming is impressive at this price point. The resolution is bumped to 1220 x 2712 pixels, which results in around 439 PPI—sharper than both the Spark 30 Pro and the Honor X70i.

In contrast, the Spark 30 Pro features a similar AMOLED panel but with a slightly lower 120 Hz refresh rate and resolution (1080 x 2436), although it gets brighter with a 1700 nits peak. Still, the Spark 40 Pro edges ahead with smoother scrolling and crisp visuals.

Against competitors, Huawei Nova Y73 clearly lags with its 720p IPS LCD screen. The 90 Hz refresh rate and low pixel density (264 PPI) make it feel outdated next to the Spark 40 Pro. On the other hand, the Honor X70i's AMOLED panel is brighter (up to 3500 nits), offering richer visuals outdoors, though its refresh rate stays at 120 Hz.

Camera Performance

Tecno has scaled back slightly in the megapixel war with a 50MP main sensor in the Spark 40 Pro, compared to the 108MP unit in the Spark 30 Pro. However, in actual usage, the difference is not always noticeable. The 50 MP sensor on the Spark 40 Pro uses pixel binning and improved software to deliver well-exposed, detail-rich photos, especially in daylight. In low light, the dual-LED flash and HDR enhancements help, but it still shows grain in darker scenes.

For selfies, the 13 MP front camera with dual LED flash performs decently, producing natural skin tones and balanced exposure. It holds up well in video calls and casual content creation.

Compared to the Huawei Nova Y73, which also sports a 50MP sensor, the Spark 40 Pro offers better image clarity and more consistent colour accuracy, particularly in challenging lighting. The Nova's selfie camera, limited to 8 MP, also cannot match Tecno’s.

The Honor X70i, with its 108 MP sensor, performs better overall, especially in detail capture and sharpness. Its image processing is more mature, thanks to Honor’s superior computational photography software. However, the Spark 40 Pro still stands its ground surprisingly well in good lighting conditions.

Processor Performance

The Spark 40 Pro runs on the MediaTek Helio G100 (6 nm) chipset—the same as its predecessor, the Spark 30 Pro. It is an octa-core processor with 2x Cortex-A76 and 6x Cortex-A55 cores. While this might seem like Tecno is playing it safe, the performance is consistent and efficient for the segment.

Basic multitasking, switching between apps, and even handling multiple social media apps or browser tabs is smooth. But when compared with Honor X70i, which is powered by the more powerful Dimensity 7025 Ultra, there is a clear performance gap. The X70i opens apps faster, handles heavier tasks with ease, and simply feels snappier.

The Huawei Nova Y73, on the other hand, comes with a dated Kirin 710A (14 nm) chip, which struggles under heavy load and is less power-efficient. So, the Spark 40 Pro sits nicely in the middle ground—better than Huawei, but below Honor.

Gaming Performance

Gaming on the Spark 40 Pro is decent, but do not expect flagship-level performance. Popular titles like PUBG Mobile, Call of Duty: Mobile, and Free Fire run well on medium graphics with stable frame rates. Thanks to the 144 Hz refresh rate display, games feel smoother, although the GPU (Mali-G57 MC2) cannot fully utilise the refresh rate in heavier games.

Compared to the Spark 30 Pro, the experience is quite similar since both share the same chipset. However, slightly better thermal management and UI optimisation on the 40 Pro give it an edge in prolonged gaming sessions.

Huawei Nova Y73 is not ideal for gaming—it suffers from frequent frame drops in graphic-intensive games and gets warm quickly. In contrast, Honor X70i is clearly superior in this department. The Dimensity 7025 and IMG BXM-8-256 GPU combo allows for high settings in demanding titles and better FPS consistency, offering a near mid-range experience.

Battery Life

The 5200 mAh battery on the Spark 40 Pro ensures all-day usage even with heavy tasks. With casual use—browsing, streaming, light gaming—it can stretch into the second day. Charging is also improved with a 45W fast charger, which takes the battery from 0 to 50% in under 30 minutes.

It outpaces the 5000 mAh/33 W combo on the Spark 30 Pro and the 40W charger on the Huawei Nova Y73, despite the latter's larger 6620 mAh capacity, which takes significantly longer to recharge. The Honor X70i, although powerful, has a 6000 mAh battery and slower 35W charging, meaning it takes longer to juice up despite lasting long.

In terms of battery optimisation, the Spark 40 Pro’s balance between display, processor, and software makes it one of the more efficient budget phones currently available.

Software and User Interface

Running Android 15 with HIOS 15.1, the Tecno Spark 40 Pro offers a smooth, clean user experience. Tecno has come a long way with HIOS—it is now more streamlined, less bloated, and more customisable. Features like smart panel, lightning multi-window, and gesture control improve usability.

There are still a few minor annoyances—pre-installed bloatware and occasional ad prompts—but far fewer than what older Tecno users might remember.

Compared to the Spark 30 Pro’s HIOS 14 and Huawei Nova Y73’s EMUI 12 (Android 12, no Google Play Services), the 40 Pro is clearly ahead in terms of OS version and long-term support. Honor X70i’s MagicOS 9, based on Android 15, is equally modern, with smoother animations and deeper system-level integration, but it is more resource-hungry.

Storage Options

Tecno gives users flexibility here with 128GB and 256GB storage options, both paired with 8GB of RAM and additional virtual RAM support. The best part? It supports microSDXC cards, which neither the Honor X70i nor the Huawei Nova Y73 offer.

This expandable storage is a win for content creators and media hoarders who do not want to rely solely on internal memory. Spark 30 Pro also offers the same configuration, but 40 Pro’s improved read/write speeds and file management enhancements make it feel faster in day-to-day use.

Pros and Cons of Tecno Spark 40 Pro

Pros

- Large 6.78-inch AMOLED display with 144Hz refresh rate.
- High-resolution screen (1220×2712 pixels) for sharp visuals.
- Comes with 8GB RAM and 128GB/256GB storage options.
- Stereo dual speakers deliver rich sound.
- Has an Infrared port for remote control use.
- Big 5200mAh battery lasts long.
- 45W fast charging powers up quickly.
- Android 15 with clean HIOS 15.1 software.
- Expandable storage via microSD card.

Cons

- No support for 5G network.
- Same old Mediatek Helio G100 chipset.
- Camera downgraded from previous model (50MP vs 108MP).
- Still comes with some bloatware.
- No major design upgrade over Spark 30 Pro.

Price of the Tecno Spark 40 Pro in Bangladesh

The Tecno Spark 40 Pro is expected to cost around BDT 24,000 in Bangladesh for the 8GB+128GB variant.

Final Words

The Tecno Spark 40 Pro is ideal for budget-conscious users seeking a sharp display, long battery life, and solid daily performance. It is great for students, casual gamers, and content streamers. However, power users, mobile photographers, or those needing 5G connectivity should consider alternatives with faster chips and better cameras.