TECNO POVA 7 Ultra 5G Review; Big Battery, Bigger Performance

A big screen, bold performance, and a battery that seems built for endless gaming marathons – that's the promise of the TECNO POVA 7 Ultra 5G. Can it hold its ground as a strong gaming smartphone in an increasingly competitive and crowded midrange market? We put it to the test.

DESIGN and BUILD:

The TECNO POVA 7 Ultra 5G steps into the spotlight with a bold, Mecha-inspired design. Its rear panel sports a pseudo-transparent finish accented by sharp lines and markings that scream “gaming.” While it shares familiar aesthetics with other gaming smartphones, TECNO sets it apart with a striking triangular accent light encircling the camera module.

TECNO POVA 7 Ultra 5G

Pseudo-transparent, Mecha design

One thing we appreciate about the rear LED light is its dedicated home screen widget for quick access. Unlike other devices we’ve tested, which force you to dig through the settings just to toggle the accent LED, the POVA 7 Ultra 5G makes it effortless. 

Rear LED light

Beyond aesthetics, the LED also works as a status indicator, lighting up for incoming calls, text messages, app notifications, active timers, in-game alerts, and low-battery warnings.

Despite its all-plastic build, the TECNO POVA 7 Ultra 5G carries a reassuring weight that gives it a sturdy, durable feel. It comes with the usual set of ports and buttons, plus a notable extra—a dedicated button for Ella, TECNO’s AI-powered voice assistant.

The TECNO POVA 7 Ultra 5G has a special button to summon Ella, TECNO's AI-powered voice assistant.

The TECNO POVA 7 Ultra 5G ships in PUBG Mobile-themed packaging—fitting for an official PMSL SEA tournament gaming phone. Inside, you’ll find plenty of extras, including a MagSafe-style frosted case, a 5000mAh magnetic wireless power bank, three collectible “trendy cards,” and a DITO prepaid gaming SIM.

Related: TECNO POVA 7 Ultra 5G; Unleashing Power Without Limits

TECNO POVA 7 Ultra 5G package inclusions and freebies

DISPLAY:

The TECNO POVA 7 Ultra 5G features a 6.67-inch AMOLED display with 1.5K resolution and a 144Hz refresh rate, delivering sharp, fluid visuals. With Gorilla Glass 7i protection and a peak brightness of up to 4,500 nits, the device offers both durability and excellent outdoor visibility. Thankfully, the TECNO POVA 7 Ultra 5G keeps its bezels slim enough to stay unobtrusive.

TECNO POVA 7 Ultra 5G display

Flat edges, tiny bezels, and a punch hole notch on the TECNO POVA 7 Ultra 5G

Enhancing the TECNO POVA 7 Ultra 5G’s multimedia experience are its Dolby Atmos speakers. The audio quality is solid overall, though pushing the volume to the maximum introduces some noticeable distortion.

PERFORMANCE:

Under the hood, the TECNO POVA 7 Ultra 5G runs on a MediaTek Dimensity 8350 Ultimate chipset. Its 4nm processor promises improved efficiency and performance, while its clock speeds reaching up to 3.35GHz can handle demanding tasks such as gaming, multitasking, and streaming like a breeze.

Read more: One Month with the TECNO Camon 40 Pro 5G; Sleek and Smooth

TECNO POVA 7 Ultra 5G benchmark results

The chipset not only ensures smoother gameplay but also optimizes power consumption, making it a strong match for the phone’s high-refresh AMOLED display and massive battery.

PUBG on the TECNO POVA 7 Ultra 5G

Packing up to 24GB of RAM, 256GB of UFS 4.0 storage, and TECNO’s Hyper Gaming Engine, the TECNO POVA 7 Ultra 5G confidently stakes its claim as a true gaming powerhouse. As an official tournament gaming smartphone, expectations for a lag-free, immersive experience were high—and the device delivered.

Another gaming-focused feature on the TECNO POVA 7 Ultra 5G is GameSpace, a hub where users can manage all their installed games in one place, tweak performance settings, monitor real-time CPU and GPU usage, and block unwanted notifications during play. It also offers quick access to tools like screen recording.

The GameSpace app is accessible via the HiOS folder on the home screen.

GameSpace interface

High Boost gaming feature on the TECNO POVA 7 Ultra 5G

On top of Android 15, the TECNO POVA 7 Ultra 5G comes with the HiOS 15 Special, a fully revamped version of the brand's own operating system. It highlights a modern look with smoother animations and built-in optimization features for performance-heavy apps. 

Users can customize the design of the app icons on the TECNO POVA 7 Ultra 5G, thanks to HiOS 15 Special

The device also has Ella, TECNO's AI-powered voice assistant integrated with DeepSeek for smarter and more intuitive interactions. Though it doesn’t yet match the breadth of global assistants like Google Assistant or Siri, the pairing of Ella and DeepSeek strengthens the phone’s smart ecosystem, offering seamless on-device AI support offering convenience and efficiency.

See also: Five interesting AI features on the TECNO CAMON 40 PRO 5G

Ella AI Voice Assistant

Speaking of AI, the TECNO POVA 7 Ultra 5G has a built-in AI Studio for photo editing with tools such as AI Eraser, AI Sharpness Plus, and AI Extender.

AI Studio

CAMERA:

Shots from the TECNO POVA 7 Ultra 5G’s 108MP main lens and 8MP ultrawide camera impress with sharp details and well-balanced color saturation. Its AI Camera also performs decently in night photography, producing usable low-light shots.

The TECNO POVA 7 Ultra 5G has two rear cameras.

Rear camera video recording is supported up to 4K @ 60FPS, while its 13-megapixel selfie camera can record 4K @ 30FPS clips.

We'll upload our camera samples on the TeknoGadyet Facebook page.

BATTERY:

Powering the TECNO POVA 7 Ultra 5G is a massive 6,000mAh battery that, in our experience, easily lasts through a full day of heavy multitasking, streaming, and gaming. It also supports 70W fast wired charging, 30W wireless charging, and 10W reverse charging for added versatility.

We recorded the 70W charging duration of the TECNO POVA 7 Ultra 5G:

15 minutes — 18% to 51%

30 minutes — 85%

43 minutes — 100%

70W wired charging on the TECNO POVA 7 Ultra 5G

CONCLUSION:

The TECNO POVA 7 Ultra 5G offers effortless gaming and multitasking, thanks to its powerful internals and generous battery life. Additionally, cameras perform well in daylight and decently at night. A plethora of AI features also come in handy, adding convenience to daily productivity.

TECNO POVA 7 Ultra 5G

The TECNO POVA 7 Ultra 5G hits the sweet spot for gamers and power users seeking the right mix of performance, endurance, and smart features for a relatively affordable price of P16,999.