In an era of flat screens and straight edges, it’s at least interesting to touch a gadget that doesn’t follow conventional rules. That’s exactly how Tecno Camon 50 Ultra feels—a fresh flagship that seems to be made especially for those who have grown tired of the look of ordinary smartphones. We explain how successful the new device with a “not like everyone else” flair turned out to be.

Thin, smooth, slick

The shape of the body is the first thing you notice when you pick up the Tecno Camon 50 Ultra. And it’s not about the 7.75‑mm thickness, but about its form.

First, the display is curved—the very waterfall screen that was especially popular at the end of the “tens.” Second, this single phone combines rounded corners with tapered edges. Because of this, the device looks very thin, and for the first few minutes it gives the impression that it might jump out of your palm. But the situation can be corrected with the included case.

The body feels metallic, but in reality the display and the back cover are glass, and the edges are plastic. Only the buttons are metal. There are, by the way, three of them: the lock and volume controls on the right side, and the AI assistant trigger button on the left. You can unlock the device with an under‑display fingerprint scanner.

What can we say about the device’s durability? There’s information about certification to the MIL‑STD‑810H standard: it states that the smartphone can withstand 22,000 drops from a short height. We also had an unscheduled test: a journalist checking the Camon 50 Ultra’s cameras was on the street when a scooter rider collided with him. Everyone ended up fine, but the device landed on the curb from almost two meters high. The result—a whole screen, an unbroken back, and a scratch that appeared on the lower edge of the body.

Whether the gadget handled that stress test well or not is up to you to decide.

Unusual, but sturdy screen

The smartphone features an AMOLED display with a 6.78-inch diagonal, a resolution of 1208×2644 pixels, and a peak screen refresh rate of 144 Hz. It also has an oleophobic coating, the image appears smooth, and the display is responsive.

Does the "waterfall" design get in the way when watching videos or playing games? There is a slight feeling that the sloping edges of the screen seem to "eat" into the overall area. However, this sensation disappears on its own after 10-15 minutes of using the smartphone. After that, you only notice the contrast and color saturation, and they are in order here.

The Camon 50 Ultra boasts a 6500 mAh battery with 45W fast charging. It is reported that in certain scenarios, the device can last without recharging for just over two days. From my experience, I can say that you can spend about a day and a half without visiting a power outlet with this new device.

The MediaTek Dimensity 7400 Ultimate processor is responsible for the device's performance, and it runs under the HiOS shell. In terms of configuration, you can expect either 8 or 12 GB of RAM, and in terms of storage, from 256 to 512 GB.

The smartphone works quickly, and there were no problems with throttling or overheating. Yes, during sessions of, for example, Call of Duty: Mobile, the device heats up, but it's tolerable, without feeling like a hot stone. And in simpler tasks, such as shooting or surfing between tabs, overheating was not observed in principle.

The only thing that can be criticized in the conversation about the system is Ella, the AI assistant, which is invoked by pressing one button. The problem is that this button is pressed too easily, and a single press cannot be reassigned, and the AI assistant can appear at times when no one expects it. A rare case where someone manages to be more intrusive than Siri.

Cameras that are not ashamed to shoot with

Within its budget, the Camon 50 Ultra can boast of worthy photo capabilities. This refers to a triple photo module: a "base" 50 MP with a Sony Lytia 700 °C sensor on 1.56 inches, a 50 MP triple telephoto lens, and an 8 MP ultra-wide-angle camera. All this is complemented by a 50 MP front camera, a flash with mode selection, and a flicker sensor.

The device has no problems with either photography or video recording: in the latter case, the image remains quite clear even with tenfold zoom. In terms of photos, both the main camera and the "telephoto lens" are pleasing, producing contrasty shots with good detail. In twilight and at night, of course, the situation is not so cheerful, but not fatal either: the main thing is to give the smartphone time to process the frame.

Artificial intelligence has not disappeared in terms of photography either. With its help, you can crop the desired image, use auto-zoom, remove glare and reflections.

In conclusion, is it a decent smartphone or a faceless release? If briefly, then the Tecno Camon 50 Ultra turned out to be balanced. This is a worthy option for those who want a smartphone with a bright AMOLED display, a battery that will last at least a day, decent cameras, and a price tag that does not exceed 1500 rubles.

One can find fault with the new device only in terms of the materials used for the body and its shape. However, this is already a matter of personal taste, which is a rather complicated territory - here, it seems, one either likes it unequivocally or not at all. There doesn't seem to be a middle ground.

As an alternative to the Tecno Camon 50 Ultra, one can consider the high-performance Infinix Hot 70 Pro with light elements on the back panel, the OnePlus Nord CE6 with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 on board, the futuristic Nubia Neo 5 GT with active cooling, and the Realme 16 Pro with a 7000 mAh battery.

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