The Tecno PhonePad 3 is the latest addition to Tecno’s tablet range. It is the successor to the PhonePad 7II that was launched last year.
The PhonePad 3 like the others in the range, is an interesting smartphone-tablet combo. I took the PhonePad 3 for a spin and these were my thoughts on it.
Out of the box
- PhonePad 3 phone
- Cover
- Charger
- USB cable
- SIM port pin
- Earphones
- User guide
Operating system
The PhonePad 3 runs on Android 6.0 Marshmallow together with Tecno HIOS running on top. I was expecting that Tecno would add some features to take advantage of the larger screen but unfortunately that’s not the case.
Performance
The PhonePad 3’s 2GB RAM and Quad Core MT6735 processor helps the phone run smoothly. However, the phone runs well except a few lags when you play video continuously and use multiple apps simultaneously.
Screen
It comes with an awesome 7-inch (720 x 1280 pixels) IPS touchscreen. The screen is quite good and very clear when viewing documents and even pictures. The screen is pretty clear even when in direct sunlight.
The big screen is ideal for watching videos. Video calls via Skype also work well without a hitch.
Design
The PhonePad 3 comes with a length of 188mm, 98mm breath and with a thickness of 7.85mm. It has a steel body with curved comfortable edges.
The power button is on the right together with the volume, up and down, buttons. There is also a finger print reader on the right. On the left there is the SIM port, that carries two MicroSIMs and a memory card port. The headphone jack is at the top and the charging port is at the bottom together with the speakers.
Battery
The battery life on the PhonePad 3 is amazing. I was able to get about 48 hours from 4100 mAh non-removable battery with heavy use.
Camera
The PhonePad 3 comes with a 13 Megapixel back camera and a 5 Megapixel front camera. The two cameras take quite decent pictures.
Connectivity
The PhonePad 3 is a 4G phone. The calls on it are pretty clear especially on 4G. Mobile internet is good as well, and as with calls, 4G is better. Wi-Fi of course works like a charm.
Business features
Tecno has touted the business aspect of this device. I think before anything, the battery life would make any businessperson’s life easier. Having a device that you don’t have to charge all the time can only be a good thing. The large screen is also a plus. Someone can be able to read emails, view documents and pictures clearly. It can also be used to watch movies and videos on the road.
Additionally, the PhonePad 3 comes with third party business apps under a folder named “Biz Assistant”. The apps include:
- WPS Office – One can use it to create, read and edit documents.
- Xender – One can use it to help you send files to another device.
- CamCard – One can use it to digitize business cards
- CamSCanner – One can use it to scan documents
- TrustLook – This one is an antivirus
- Calendar
- Notebook
- Sound Recorder.
Storage
The PhonePad 3 has a 16GB internal storage, and SD Card support. This combined with the big screen, make the PhonePad 3 the perfect entertainment hub at this price point.
Fingerprint reader
The fingerprint reader is on the side, which is unique. It however, doesn’t work some of the time which might be because of its placement.
Conclusion
The Tecno PhonePad 3 is quite capable as a business device. The screen, battery life, business apps and other features combine well to make it a device that would be beneficial to a business person. Additionally, its price of Ksh. 22,000 is quite reasonable for a tablet. I would definitely recommend it.