TECNO Camon 40 Premier New Radio evaluate

The TECNO Camon 40 Premier is likely one of the newest telephones from an organization you might not have heard of. It’s the results of the corporate’s relentless pursuit to deliver high-end experiences to lower cost factors and markets, and it appears to hit the mark.

The telephone makes use of a more moderen MediaTek chip primed for AI efficiency, which is sensible as a result of the Camon 40 Premier comes with a number of AI options to benefit from. Beyond the software program, the telephone has a really succesful digicam system that comes with the corporate’s newest imaging developments, and the battery life and charging specs far surpass these of many flagship telephones in North America.

The TECNO Camon 40 Premier New Radio seems like a full bundle regardless of some shortcomings and questionable (but comprehensible) selections.

TECNO Camon 40 Premier: Price, availability, and specs

The TECNO Camon 40 Premier was introduced alongside the remainder of the Camon 40 collection throughout MWC 2025 on March 4, 2025.

The telephone encompasses a single configuration with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. It additionally is available in black and inexperienced colorways.

As for pricing and availability, TECNO hasn’t revealed an excessive amount of in the intervening time, however the telephone isn’t offered in North America. However, it is going to be obtainable in different areas, together with Africa, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, Latin America, and Europe.

The Camon 30 Premier began at a value of round ₹29,499, which is slightly below $350, so it stands to cause the Camon 40 Premier may value someplace in the identical ballpark and possibly a bit extra.

TECNO Camon 40 Premier: What I like

For a telephone that prices lower than $600, the TECNO Camon 40 Premier has rather a lot going for it. It sits in a bizarre however compelling area of telephones that include flagship options and efficiency however sub-flagship costs. This is an area occupied by telephones just like the Pixel 9 and OnePlus 13R, and the Camon 40 Premier emulates this pretty effectively.

The {hardware} is a giant a part of what makes this an important telephone. The show is a 6.67-inch AMOLED that appears nice, though it would not blow me away. It’s lots shiny, the colour profile is properly tuned in order that it is not oversaturated, and the 144Hz refresh charge makes scrolling and animations easy as butter.

Part of this has to do with the MediaTek Dimensity 8530 chip powering the telephone. While it is an upper-midrange chipset, I’ve no complaints about efficiency. Nearly every thing you do on this telephone is executed rapidly and effortlessly, which ought to come as no shock for a chip that falls slightly below the flagship 9000-series chips.

This extends to gaming as effectively. One of my favourite video games to play Honkai: Star Rail, which may be fairly taxing on a telephone when performed on the larger settings. Usually a telephone will default to the settings it thinks it will possibly deal with, and the Camon 40 Premier was already set to “High” after I began up the sport.

I made a decision that wasn’t sufficient, so I turned issues as much as the best graphics settings and at 60fps as a substitute of the default 30fps. Surprisingly (or not), the telephone is ready to sustain simply high quality, and I didn’t discover a lot in the way in which of stuttering or huge body charge drops.

The software program expertise general is fairly strong, even when HiOS is not my favourite Android pores and skin. It runs Android 15 out of the field, and you will get a number of the extra frequent Android prospers that we see in telephones today, such because the separated notification shade and fast panel.

The good panel is nice for multitasking, whereas the Dynamic Port offers you a Dynamic Island-like (albeit pretty restricted) expertise.

However, I can not actually discuss a brand new telephone in 2025 with out mentioning AI, particularly as it is a large focus for this telephone. TECNO just lately introduced its grand plans for TECNO AI, its suite of options that it is bringing to its smartphone portfolio to assist bridge the hole between the $1000 telephones of the world and the extra inexpensive and accessible telephones. What’s nice is that TECNO makes its AI very current for individuals who need to use it.

When you first activate the Camon 40 Premier, you are taken via the setup course of through TECNO’s AI assistant, Ella. It’s an early introduction to the telephone’s relationship with AI and will get you ready for what’s to come back.

Once arrange, swiping to the left of the house display screen will unveil an AI hub of types known as Zero Screen, the place you may entry a set of TECNO AI options. Up prime is Ella Briefing. Not to be confused with Samsung’s Now Brief (though not less than a part of the concept is comparable), it is a useful “transient” up prime to summarize and remind you of calendar occasions, notifications, and extra.

There’s additionally fairly an abundance of AI instruments you will have entry to, and when you’ll simply discover loads of them all through the UI, like AI Studio within the Gallery app, the Zero Screen places all of them just about at your fingertips and makes it simple so that you can discover use instances for them.

This consists of creating AI-generated artwork utilizing texts or drawings, translating from pictures or whereas in a dialog, summarizing paperwork or creating them from images, and extra.

For probably the most half, these options are fairly well-baked, and TECNO’s AI seems like a fairly mature providing. Accessing the settings for TECNO AI feels very corresponding to Galaxy AI on a Samsung telephone, and lots of options are fairly related.

Going again to the concept of easy accessibility, TECNO has applied an Action Button of types known as the One-Tap Button. Interestingly, tapping it as soon as would not truly do something, however you may customise the double-tap to open any app or carry out sure capabilities like muting the ringer.

A protracted press of the button will evoke the Ella assistant, which is a pleasant various to utilizing the facility button, one thing that different Android OEMs (taking a look at you, Samsung) have defaulted to. I like the added performance of the button, and I hope to see one thing extra like this on different Android telephones.

AI additionally makes its approach into the digicam, and the 50MP triple digicam system is surprisingly good. TECNO has tuned the digicam in order that it will possibly take higher pictures in low-light circumstances and in addition higher reproduce extra pores and skin tones. In my expertise, I’ve been in a position to take loads of respectable images. It’s not the very best, but it surely’s fairly good for this value vary, and I doubt anybody could be disillusioned within the digicam.

I like that the Camon 40 Premier has a telephoto digicam with 3x optical zoom, one thing I really feel continues to be fairly unusual at this value level. It does effectively in the course of the day, with images taken at 6x popping out fairly crisp, though the sensor struggles a bit at evening.

You may take pictures at a second’s discover with FlashSnap, which might seize images with a really excessive shutter pace whereas retaining the picture crisp with diminished noise. So not solely can it hold you from lacking a second, however it will possibly additionally seize moments routinely primarily based on the scene, which is fairly helpful.

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Finally, you may be completely happy to know that battery life is excellent. The 5,100mAh battery retains the telephone going all day, and I’ve been in a position to common about 7 hours or extra of screen-on time. The 70W charging may prime up the telephone very quickly in any respect, with the telephone going from 1-100% in simply over half-hour. Take that, Samsung!

TECNO Camon 40 Premier: What I do not like

The TECNO Camon 40 Premier is a fairly strong telephone, because of its IP68 and IP69 water and dirt resistance scores. Unfortunately, it would not really feel as strong as it’s. The again panel, which has a reasonably uninspired design regardless of the brightly coloured inexperienced, feels fairly low-cost in hand. I typically simply follow the included case, which is way grippier and nonetheless options the identical colour.

I additionally discovered myself a bit postpone by the quantity of bloatware on the telephone after setting it up. You’ll probably spend fairly a little bit of time uninstalling numerous apps you might or might not have heard of or simply don’t need in your telephone.

And talking of issues you might not need in your telephone, TECNO’s AI is generally fairly well-rounded, however Ella seems like a lesser model of Gemini. Don’t get me improper, I feel it is commendable that Ella even exists, as one of many greatest advantages of utilizing Ella over different assistants is that it makes use of extra native languages for higher accessibility amongst creating and developed areas.

That mentioned, regardless of Ella being built-in with Gemini, it simply feels slower and would not show data in the identical coherent approach I might get with Gemini. For instance, I requested Ella and Gemini about measles signs and if I ought to be involved about contracting it as a result of latest outbreak. Ella slowly spat out the knowledge at me whereas Gemini relayed the knowledge in a really clear method, even creating clear lists throughout the app.

Also, TECNO has determined to combine DeepSeek R1 into Ella, which is a curious determination. As a Chinese-based firm, it is sensible to make use of the latest AI mannequin, particularly after it just lately went fairly viral. However, given the privateness issues, anybody exterior of China might need to chorus from utilizing it.

Fortunately, TECNO allows you to select when to make use of DeepSeek R1. When opening Ella, there is a very distinguished DeepSeek R1 button that you could press to toggle the mannequin on or off. It’s good that the choice is there, even when I do not plan to make use of it.

Even higher, you continue to have the choice to make use of Gemini as a substitute of Ella for those who want. Unfortunately, that does not apply to the Ella One-Tap Button shortcut, however you may nonetheless set Gemini because the double-tap choice to open the app (though it would not routinely allow voice enter).

A extra minor situation I’ve with the TECNO Camon 40 Premier is the shortage of wi-fi charging. It’s not a very large deal, as wi-fi charging continues to be not generally discovered on midrange telephones. Plus, the 70W charging greater than makes up for its absence, however it’s at all times good to have the choice.

Lastly, the in-display fingerprint sensor works rapidly, however just like the Moto G Stylus New Radio 2024 and Honor 200 Pro it is simply approach too low on the show, making it a bit awkward to make use of except you are holding the telephone in a selected approach. Not a deal breaker, however undoubtedly an annoyance.

TECNO Camon 40 Premier: Competition

For a telephone at this value level, there are a selection of similarly-priced low-cost Android telephones. The Pixel 9a continues to be very a lot new and solely $499 regardless of its flagship-level Tensor G4 chipset. It is able to lots of the identical AI options because the flagship Pixel 9 collection, simply at a fraction of the associated fee. That mentioned, its {hardware} specs aren’t almost as strong, with slower charging, much less RAM, and a decrease refresh charge show. Plus, as of writing, the telephone is not on retailer cabinets but after it was delayed.

The Moto G Power 2025 is one other contender in the same value bracket because the Camon 40 Premier. It provides nice worth for the value and is a fantastically designed telephone that encompasses a vegan leather-based end, nice battery life, wi-fi charging, and an IP68/69 score for defense. However, it has a much less spectacular MediaTek chip and is missing int he AI division, making this a a lot much less thrilling telephone than the Camon.

TECNO Camon 40 Premier: Should you purchase it?

You should purchase this if…

• You’re in search of an inexpensive telephone.
• You desire a telephone with quick charging.
• You desire a good digicam that may rapidly seize moments.

You should not purchase this if…

• You reside in North America.
• You want wi-fi charging.
• You do not need to take care of bloatware.

The Camon 40 Premier New Radio is feels prefer it’s TECNO’s model of a Pixel. It’s a incredible midrange telephone that has all of the makings of a great flagship. The MediaTek chip is greater than sufficient for what the telephone is attempting to perform, and the AI suite feels very complete, even when a few of its implementation could possibly be improved.

Despite the shortage of wi-fi charging and questionable selections with fingerprint sensor placement and collection of AI fashions, battery life and nice digicam high quality make up for any shortcomings the telephone might have, of which there are few. And whereas it is not offered in North America, the TECNO Camon 40 Premier New Radio is a telephone it’s best to take into account shopping for if it is in your market.