Unboxing and First Impressions of a TECNO Phantom 9

Nearly 2 years since we saw a new device in the Tecno Phantom series, Tecno Mobile finally decided to release another device on the series, the Phantom 9.

The phone which was launched on the Ugandan market in mid-July succeeds the Tecno Phantom 8 which was launched in November 2017.

I received a review piece of the Phantom 9 earlier this week but I am unable to do a review since I am still trying to understand the device.

I however, was able to perform an unboxing and this is what you should expect to get.

First off, the phone comes in a simple grey box with some specifications written at the back.

Unboxing

When you open the box, unlike most phones, you are welcomed by an envelope which contains a sim card plate ejector, specifications manual, User manual and a warranty card.

In the envelope you will also find a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) phone jacket with a very good texture to give a user firm grip of the device.

After removing the envelope, on the next layer, you will finally land at the bride.

The Tecno Phantom 9 comes in only one colour – Lapland Aurora. It lies there, face up with a sticker covering the screen.

Pulling off the sticker covering the screen, you will realize the device comes with a pre-applied screen protector.

It’s now time to try the device in the TPU case.

Mine fit so well. Don’t hesitate to let me know how yours fits by commenting on my Twitter (@oworugambo) or in the comments section below this article.

Going further to the bottom compartment, you have a standard charger, a micro-USB cable and a pair of black earphones.

Device’s Look and feel

On the front, you have a 6.4 inch full HD+ Amoled display screen with 19.5:9 aspect ratio and a resolution of 2340×1080.

On top of the display, you have a water drop notch that houses a 32MP camera with dual flash and an ear piece. Notches are among the latest trends in the smartphone industry as phone manufacturers make effort to reduce bezels (chins).

At the back of the device, you have a 16MP primary camera, an 8MP camera for depth sensing and a 2MP ultra wide lens with a quad flash.

On the left you have a sim tray that houses two 4G LTE nano simcards and a micro SD card.

On the right, you have a power button and volume rocker keys.

On the top, you have a only a microphone and the rest of the area is free.

On the bottom, you have a 3.5mm headphone jack, a microphone, a micro-USB port and a speaker

The device’s back and frame are made of plastic and the back has indistinct lines that cut across diagonally. The Phantom 9 is without a doubt the cutest phone from Tecno this year.

It has highly reduced bezels, the smallest ever seen in a Tecno phone; nonetheless, the notch can’t be hidden.

One you get a hold of the phone, you will realise that unlike all other Tecno phones, it doesn’t have a finger print sensor.

That is because the scanner is hidden underneath the display.

I know the device has more to offer than what we can see on the outside.

I will be publishing a full review after 14 days of using the device.

Paul Mugume