Tecno Pova Curve 2 5G Review: The case for bigger batteries in slim phones

Updated : Feb 20, 2026 13:19
|
Sahil Maniktala
Key Specifications
Price : ₹27,999
6.78-inch 144Hz AMOLED  Dimensity 7100 13MP Selfie
50MP Main + 2MP  8000mAh + 45W Charging 2 Years OS + 3 Years Security
Our Review
8 / 10
Design8.5/10
Display8.5/10
Performance7.5/10
Camera7/10
Software7.5/10
Battery life9/10
Pros
  • Outstanding two-day battery life
  • Slim despite massive capacity
  • Bold, unique design
  • Smooth 144Hz AMOLED panel
  • Curved AMOLED feels immersive
Cons
  • Cameras are average for price
  • Plastic frame and back panel
  • Performance not class-leading
  • Some preloaded apps out of the box

Tecno isn’t hiding what the Pova Curve 2 5G is about. This is a phone built around one clear headline: an 8,000mAh battery inside a slim 7.42mm body. In a mid-range market where big batteries usually translate into bulky designs, Tecno is betting that this combination alone is enough to grab attention. 

Pair that with a curved AMOLED display and an unapologetically bold design, and the Pova Curve 2 positions itself as a device that wants to stand out visually and practically.

That positioning carries into the pricing. The Pova Curve 2 5G is available in two variants: 8GB RAM with 128GB storage at ₹27,999, and 8GB RAM with 256GB storage at ₹29,999. Tecno is also offering cashback benefits of up to ₹3,000 through select banks and NBFC partners, which brings the effective price closer to more aggressively priced rivals. 

At these numbers, Tecno isn’t chasing value-for-money headlines alone. Instead, it’s asking buyers to pay for endurance, design, and day-to-day usability.

The bigger question, then, is whether the Pova Curve 2 delivers beyond its standout battery and design. To answer that, it’s worth looking closely at how it holds up in real-world use across display quality, performance, cameras, software experience, and charging.

Tecno Pova Curve 2 5G Design & Build

Tecno clearly wasn’t interested in playing it safe with the Pova Curve 2, and that’s evident the moment you flip the phone over. 

The back is dominated by a triangular camera module with dual cutouts, a layout that feels deliberately unconventional in a market obsessed with circular islands and iPhone-adjacent rectangles. It’s a look you don’t encounter often, and that alone gives the phone a distinct visual identity. 

Adding to this is a secondary triangular accent near the bottom-right corner, which leans hard into a sci-fi, almost spaceship-like aesthetic. A continuous strip running across the back ties these elements together, making the design feel intentional rather than ornamental.

Design, of course, is deeply personal. But after two decades of watching smartphone aesthetics oscillate between bold experimentation and conservative minimalism, this feels like a refreshing deviation from the norm.

At a time when most brands are content with muted finishes and familiar silhouettes, the Pova Curve 2 dares to be loud. That also means it won’t appeal to everyone. If your taste runs toward clean lines and understated elegance, this phone may feel a bit too expressive. For everyone else, it’s a guaranteed head-turner.

Despite the visual drama, the phone itself is impressively slim at just over 7.4mm. In the hand, it feels lighter and thinner than you’d expect, and that slimness is immediately noticeable during everyday use. There are compromises, though. 

Both the frame and the rear panel are plastic, which slightly undercuts the premium aspirations of the design. Tecno does try to offset this with small touches, like the textured orange power button. It’s easy to find by feel and adds a bit of character without being gimmicky.

Overall, the Pova Curve 2 feels like a device designed to stand out in a sea of sameness. It may not win over minimalists, but for users who want their phone to look different and aren’t afraid of a bit of sci-fi flair, this is a design that confidently charts its own course.

Tecno Pova Curve 2 5G Display

Tecno’s approach with the Pova Curve 2 display is clearly about creating impact first and refining the experience around it. Front and centre is a large 6.78-inch AMOLED panel that stretches edge to edge with a subtle curve along the sides. 

The curvature is restrained rather than dramatic, which helps avoid accidental touches and keeps the phone practical for daily use. Resolution sits at Full HD+, sharp enough for everything from social feeds to long video sessions.

Where the panel tries to flex its muscles is in smoothness. The screen is rated for a 144Hz refresh rate, but in real-world usage, it behaves more intelligently than aggressively. Most interactions feel fluid without the phone constantly locking itself to the highest refresh setting. Only select games are able to tap into the full 144Hz capability, which is in line with how most high-refresh displays are handled today.

Brightness is another headline feature, with Tecno claiming a peak output of 4,500 nits. Indoors and in shaded environments, the display looks vibrant and punchy, with colours that don’t appear oversaturated. Outdoors, the screen generally holds up well, though in very bright sunlight, you may still find yourself squinting or angling the phone slightly to read finer text.

One area Tecno seems keen to emphasise is eye comfort. The Pova Curve 2 uses high-frequency PWM dimming, which essentially means the display manages brightness changes at a speed fast enough to reduce perceived flicker.

During late-night use, the screen felt easy on the eyes, with no immediate discomfort during extended scrolling or video playback. However, this is the kind of feature that reveals its true value only after weeks, not days, of use.

Sound output is handled by speakers tuned with Dolby Atmos support. Volume levels are more than adequate for casual viewing, and dialogue in shows and videos comes through clearly. The stereo effect is present, but the bottom speaker does most of the heavy lifting, so how you hold the phone can affect the listening experience.

Tecno Pova Curve 2 5G Performance

At the core of the POVA Curve 2 is MediaTek’s Dimensity 7100, a 6nm chipset that prioritises efficiency and consistency over raw firepower. It’s paired with generous memory and storage configurations, including 8GB of physical RAM with additional virtual expansion, and UFS 2.2 storage in both 128GB and 256GB variants. 

On paper, this places the phone squarely in familiar mid-range territory, especially when you consider that some battery-centric rivals, like Realme’s Power series with the Dimensity 7300 and Dimensity 7400, do offer a noticeable step up in outright performance.

In everyday use, though, the Curve 2 holds its own. App launches are quick, multitasking feels fluid, and the phone doesn’t show signs of hesitation during routine workloads. More importantly, the performance feels predictable rather than spiky, which matters far more than peak scores.

Gaming performance reflects the same philosophy. Titles like BGMI and Call of Duty Mobile run comfortably at 60fps for extended sessions, with no obvious stutters or aggressive throttling. 

The phone doesn’t chase ultra-high frame rates or maxed-out graphics, but it delivers stable gameplay without turning warm or dropping frames unexpectedly. For casual and mid-level gamers, it’s more than adequate.

Where Tecno genuinely tries to carve out a point of difference is in connectivity. The POVA Curve 2 adopts a triple-chipset setup, pairing the Dimensity 7100 with two dedicated signal-processing chips.

In theory, this approach shifts network-related tasks off the main processor and onto specialised hardware, which should help maintain more consistent call and data performance in challenging conditions like crowded areas or weak-signal zones.

In real-world use with a Jio 5G SIM, the impact felt more subtle than transformative. I didn’t notice a dramatic improvement compared with other phones in this segment, but just as importantly, I also didn’t run into connectivity problems. 

Calls remained stable, data throughput stayed consistent, and 5G signals held up where expected. It’s the kind of feature that quietly underpins a reliable experience rather than one that jumps out as a game changer.

There’s also an added emphasis on off-grid communication. The phone supports direct device-to-device connectivity over distances of up to two kilometres, without needing mobile data, Wi-Fi, or even a SIM. It’s a niche feature, but one that could prove genuinely useful in emergencies or outdoor scenarios where networks are unreliable.

Tecno Pova Curve 2 5G Software

Software on the Pova Curve 2 feels more deliberate than flashy. HiOS 16, based on Android 16, doesn’t try to overwhelm you with features, but it does show that Tecno is paying closer attention to how the phone actually gets used. The interface leans into softer visuals and layered effects, which makes it feel lighter and less cluttered than older versions of HiOS.

One feature that quietly improves daily use is Tecno’s Dynamic Port. Instead of being a visual gimmick, it surfaces useful information like OTPs at the top of the screen, letting you glance and move on without breaking your flow. It’s the kind of addition that fades into the background once you get used to it, which is usually a good sign.

Ella, Tecno’s in-house AI assistant, replaces Google’s offering by default. It handles basic tasks well enough, and the company’s focus on local data handling may appeal to some users. That said, the option to switch to another assistant remains, which is the right approach.

There’s some preloaded software, and a bit of early notification noise, but nothing that can’t be cleaned up quickly. More than anything, HiOS 16 here feels calmer and more considered. It doesn’t redefine the Android experience, but it no longer feels like an afterthought either.

The phone ships with HiOS 16 based on Android 16 out of the box and is guaranteed two major Android version updates, along with three years of security patches. That puts it in line with what most mid-range phones in this price bracket offer, without overselling longevity.

Tecno Pova Curve 2 5G Cameras

Camera hardware on the Pova Curve 2 5G is fairly straightforward, and Tecno isn’t pretending otherwise. The phone relies on a 50MP main rear sensor, paired with a secondary 2MP unit that plays more of a supporting role than a meaningful creative one.

Video recording goes up to 2K at 30fps from the rear camera, which is still not a given in this price segment and is a practical win for users who shoot a lot of clips for social media.

In good daylight, the main camera delivers serviceable results. Photos have enough detail and contrast for everyday use, but the processing can be inconsistent. Colours tend to lean on the punchy side, and fine textures occasionally break down into visible grain, even when lighting is favourable. It’s not a deal-breaker, but it does remind you that this isn’t a camera-first device.

Low-light performance is where the limitations become more apparent. Noise creeps in quickly, and the camera struggles to preserve detail without aggressive smoothing. Night shots are usable for casual sharing, but expectations need to be kept in check. This is a camera that prioritises speed and convenience over accuracy.

The 13MP front camera mirrors the rear setup in philosophy. It supports 2K video recording, which is great to have for video calls and vlogging, but still images can be hit or miss. Skin tones sometimes look a little over-processed, and dynamic range is limited, especially under harsh lighting.

Overall, the Pova Curve 2’s cameras are adequate rather than impressive. They get the job done for social media, video calls, and quick captures, but they don’t stand out in a crowded mid-range market. Tecno’s strengths with this phone lie elsewhere, and the camera setup feels like a functional addition rather than a headline feature.  

Tecno Pova Curve 2 5G Battery & Charging

Big batteries in slim phones are no longer rare. We’ve already seen several devices with 7,000mAh to 7,500mAh cells manage respectable thickness without feeling cumbersome in daily use. Tecno isn’t breaking new ground by pairing a large battery with a slim profile.

Where the POVA Curve 2 stands apart is in how far it stretches that formula. Stepping up to an 8,000mAh battery usually introduces compromises, but here the phone remains just 7.42mm thick. In the hand, it doesn’t feel like a typical “power bank phone,” and the weight distribution stays comfortable even during long sessions.

That extra capacity delivers tangible gains in endurance. For most users, the phone can comfortably last close to two full days on a single charge. With heavier usage, including gaming, streaming, and constant connectivity, it still gets through a long day with enough reserve to avoid charging anxiety. Lighter usage patterns can push it well beyond the 48-hour mark.

Charging such a large battery is handled sensibly rather than aggressively. The POVA Curve 2 supports 45W fast charging, and Tecno includes the charger in the box. A full charge takes roughly an hour and forty minutes, which is reasonable given the battery size. More importantly, short charging sessions are genuinely useful, adding several hours of use in a brief plug-in.

The result is a phone that doesn’t chase extremes in one direction. The POVA Curve 2 doesn’t just offer a big battery for the sake of numbers; it integrates it into a slim, usable design, delivering endurance that feels practical rather than excessive.

Tecno Pova Curve 2 5G Review: Verdict

The Tecno Pova Curve 2 5G is a phone that knows exactly what it wants to be. Its biggest win is battery life, delivering long, stress-free usage without turning the phone into a heavy or uncomfortable slab. The slim design and curved display help it feel more premium than most battery-focused phones, and everyday performance remains stable and predictable.

That focus does come with compromises. Camera performance is serviceable but unremarkable, the chipset prioritises efficiency over raw speed, and the software experience, while improved, still requires some cleanup out of the box. None of these are deal-breakers, but they do define the kind of user this phone is meant for.

If you want a phone that looks different, lasts significantly longer than most, and handles daily tasks without fuss, the Pova Curve 2 makes a compelling case at its effective pricing. It doesn’t try to be the best at everything, but it executes its core strengths well, and in a crowded mid-range segment, that clarity works in its favour.

Techtech reviewTecno

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