Tecno Spark 50s review: a capable 5G daily driver

• By Dhruv Joshi
Published On: 28 October 2026 | 15:34 IST

Tecno’s Spark series has traditionally focused on the entry-level segment. With the Tecno Spark 50s 5G, the brand is moving the series up the price ladder. The phone costs Rs 19,999 for the base 6GB + 128GB variant, while the 8GB + 128GB model is priced at Rs 22,999.

The higher pricing comes amid rising RAM and storage costs, but the Spark 50s 5G still aims to offer a balanced package for everyday users. The handset packs a 6,500mAh battery, a 120Hz display, a capable MediaTek Dimensity 6400 chipset and an IP64 rating for dust and water resistance. Here’s a closer look at whether it delivers on its promises.

Design: elegant and robust

The Tecno Spark 50s takes clear inspiration from Google’s Pixel lineup, particularly in the layout of its rear camera module. The matte finish on the back gives it a clean look and does a good job of resisting smudges and fingerprints during everyday use. The handset is available in Ink Black and Champagne Gold, with both colour options offering a simple, refined appearance for the price.

At 8.18mm thick and weighing 210g, the Spark 50s feels a little heavy in the hand at first, although it does not take long to get used to. The buttons are well placed, with the power and volume keys sitting at a comfortable height on the right side and remaining easy to reach with the thumb. The phone also retains a 3.5mm headphone jack, which is a welcome addition for users who still prefer wired audio.

In terms of durability, the Spark 50s comes with an IP64 Pro rating and MIL-STD-810H military-grade certification. Tecno says this allows it to withstand dust, light splashes and drops from heights of up to 1.5 metres. While this should offer reasonable protection for everyday use, the IP rating falls short of what some rivals offer at this price.

Display: smooth visuals

The Tecno Spark 50s 5G features a 6.78-inch IPS LCD with a 120Hz refresh rate and a punch-hole cutout. The large screen makes a decent first impression, while brightness levels of around 560 nits are adequate for indoor use. The panel offers a respectable viewing experience for everyday tasks such as scrolling through social media and watching videos.

The HD+ resolution of 760 x 1576 pixels delivers satisfactory results, but I would have preferred a sharper panel. Colour reproduction is fairly neutral, but you can adjust the display settings to make the output warmer or cooler based on your preference.

The 120Hz refresh rate looks good on paper, but its implementation is somewhat underwhelming. Only a handful of apps run at the full 120Hz, while most of the system operates at 90Hz. Outdoor visibility is another limitation, as the 560-nit brightness can struggle under direct sunlight.

For audio, the Spark 50s 5G has a single down-firing speaker. It is adequate for basic use but lacks the depth and separation of a stereo speaker setup. Thankfully, the 3.5mm headphone jack lets you connect wired headphones or earphones. It is a feature I would like to see more smartphone makers retain.

Cameras: likeable daylight results

The Tecno Spark 50S 5G features a 50MP primary camera on the back, paired with a 2MP auxiliary lens, while an 8MP front camera handles selfies. In daylight, the primary camera captures natural-looking images with balanced colours that do not appear overly processed. The sensor also does a good job of retaining details in both bright and darker areas of the same frame.

The front camera delivers satisfactory results as well, avoiding heavy processing and keeping the results closer to reality. The phone handles challenging lighting conditions, such as shooting against a bright sky, quite well.

Low-light photography is less impressive, which isn’t a surprise since that is a known limitation for most affordable phones. Night mode helps to some extent, but the camera struggles with light sources in the frame, often producing softer images with unwanted glare.

Overall, the Spark 50S 5G’s cameras perform best in well-lit outdoor conditions. In these situations, the phone consistently captures good-looking images without requiring much effort from the user.

I compared the Tecno’s camera results with those of the POCO M8x (review), and this is how it performed.

Daylight

In daylight, the Tecno Spark 50s produces photos that look similar to what your eyes see, although slightly more vibrant. The handset also handles bright skies and shadowy areas in the same shot reasonably well. The POCO M8x, meanwhile, captures finer details more sharply, so things like leaves and building textures look crisper when you zoom in.

Tecno Spark 50s

POCO M8x

Portrait

In portrait mode, the Tecno Spark 50s retains facial details well, even though the skin tones may not look accurate. The background blur is applied cleanly, with the edges around the subject separated well enough. The POCO M8x has a stylised look; its skin tones look accurate. Additionally, the image has more precise edge separation.

Tecno Spark 50s

POCO M8x

Selfie

In selfies, the Tecno Spark 50 5G produces more natural-looking skin tones and holds onto facial details better. It also handles bright backgrounds more gracefully, keeping the face well-exposed without losing too much of the background. The POCO M8x produces a warmer image, which has less accurate colours by comparison.

Tecno Spark 50s

POCO M8x

Lowlight

With night mode on, the Spark 50s maintains its lead. It controls stray light and lens flares more effectively, although the image does turn out a little overexposed. The details are sharper than the POCO M8x, but the colours aren’t as accurate. The POCO M8x tends to lose focus easily in low light, so the image details look softer in comparison.

Tecno Spark 50s

POCO M8x

Performance and software: good enough for most

The Tecno Spark 50S 5G is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 6400 SoC, paired with up to 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, which can be expanded using a microSD card. Everyday use, like app launches, social media and casual browsing, feels smooth, and most users looking for a phone for routine tasks should find it capable enough.

If you push it hard, however, then its limitations become more obvious. Heavy multitasking and demanding tasks can cause some lag, although the 8GB RAM variant we got for review managed to pass by just fine. The lower 6GB RAM variant may face more difficulties, but that isn’t an issue limited to this phone alone. It still remains one of the best performers at this price.

Gaming is a more pleasant surprise as Tecno appears to have optimised the phone for popular FPS titles, particularly BGMI and CoD: Mobile, both of which run comfortably at around 60fps on low graphical settings. For other demanding titles like Genshin Impact, you may need to keep the graphics settings low to get a playable experience.

On the software front, the Spark 50S 5G runs HiOS, Tecno’s custom Android skin based on Android 16. The interface feels clean, responsive and fluid during everyday use. Its main highlight is the range of handy features, including Active Noise Cancellation, AI WhatsApp Assistant, Ella Alarm Announcement, AI Writing Assistant, AI Eraser 2.0, AI Image Extender and other Ella-powered tools.

There are several third-party apps pre-installed, although most can be uninstalled. Overall, HiOS offers a functional, straightforward experience with a useful set of additional features.

That said, Tecno has not officially confirmed the software support period for this device. Based on previous Spark series launches, it may not receive any major Android version upgrades, which is worth considering if you plan to keep the phone for several years.

Battery: decent backup with quick charging

The Tecno Spark 50S 5G packs a 6,500mAh battery, which should comfortably last beyond a day on paper. In practice, too, its endurance mostly performs as I expected. Battery drain during regular use is better than what some rivals manage, and gaming performance is pretty good too. If you run games at 90FPS or higher, in particular, the battery drain increases by a substantial amount; it was still under 15 per cent for over an hour of gaming during our internal testing.

Our PCMark results reflect decent endurance; however, heavier users and those who game frequently may need to charge it by the end of the day. Nevertheless, the phone supports 45W fast charging and takes around 60 minutes to go from 20 to 100 per cent. That is a good result for a battery of this size and adds to its impressive endurance.

Final verdict

Starting at Rs 19,999 for the 6GB RAM variant and Rs 22,999 for the 8GB variant, the Tecno Spark 50s 5G gets several basics right. The handset offers a clean design, a camera that delivers good results in daylight, and 45W charging that helps replenish its large battery without keeping you waiting too long. For those seeking a 5G smartphone for everyday use, it has a few compelling features to offer.

However, the phone has its share of shortcomings. The phone may not receive any Android updates, and its low-light camera performance lacks clarity. Additionally, there are some promising rivals in the price segment. The POCO M8x (review), for instance, is worth considering if you want longer battery life and longer software support, with up to four OS updates.

As long as you are prioritising battery and long-term software support, the Tecno Spark 50s 5G remains a compelling proposition for its near all-around performance.

Editor’s Rating: 8.3/10

Reasons to buy:

• Clean, well-built design with decent durability
• Good daylight camera performance
• Fast charging for the battery size
• 3.5mm headphone jack

Reasons not to buy:

• The software update policy is lacking
• Low-light camera performance could be better