Tecno’s Phantom V Fold 5G is the most affordable Galaxy Z Fold 4 alternative you can’t buy in the US

While those outside of the US are gaining more and more options when choosing a foldable smartphone with the likes of Honor and Oppo launching new devices, for US dwellers it boils down to which generation of Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip or Z Fold you can afford to buy. Another brand to add to that list is Tecno whose brand new Phantom V Fold smartphone comes with flagship Dimensity 9000+ performance, the largest battery seen on a foldable, and a larger display with a higher resolution than the Galaxy Z Flip 4. All at a far more affordable price than Samsung's best but with a familiar caveat in that it won't come to the US market,

Powered by MediaTek's very capable Dimensity 9000+ chipset, the Phantom V Fold also benefits from 12GB of RAM and 256/512GB of built-in storage. The 6.42-inch LTPO AMOLED cover display features FHD+ resolution (1080 x 2550) and a 120Hz refresh rate. The internal panel measures up at 7.85-inches and has a 2000 x 2296 resolution, along with a 120Hz refresh rate.

As for the crease, it's basically only noticeable when viewing from an angle, much like the experience with Oppo's Find N2 and Honor's Magic Vs foldables.

The rear panel houses a trio of cameras which includes a 50MP main sensor, a 50MP telephoto lens with 2x optical zoom, and a 13MP ultra-wide lens. The cover display sports a handy 32MP camera and there's also a 16MP selfie camera located in a punch-hole on the internal display, in case you needed yet more imaging options.

That 5,000mAh of battery capacity is split into two units, and while wireless charging has been omitted the wired charging is capable of speeds up to 45W which Tecno says is good for 40% in 15 minutes, and 100% in under an hour.

As for pricing, the Tecno Phantom V Fold will launch in India first with the 12/256GB variant costing around $1,100 and the 12/512GB version coming in around $1,220. The Phantom V Fold is available in Black which has a classic leather finish and White which is crafted with ‘organic silicon leather'.

Whilst its availability options may be disappointing, the Phantom V2 Fold is an exciting phone from a brand many of us haven't heard of before. Indeed, MWC 2023 is Tecno's first venture into displaying its wares in Europe and judging from the attendees of the trade show, it was a very successful one. Hopefully, we'll get our hands on a review unit to see how it performs.