Tecno Spark Slim
By Muhammad Tahir · Updated July 2026 · how we review
The concept phone Tecno showed at MWC 2025 actually shipped, and at 5.93mm and 156g it remains one of the most striking objects you can buy for $165 — provided you accept 4G-only radios and an estimated 2028 support cut-off.
Is the Spark Slim still supported?
Our estimateSupported until October 2028 · Buy-by October 2026
✓ Yes — the Spark Slim is expected to be supported until October 2028, roughly 2.1 more years.
Apple doesn't publish an end date, but iPhones have a consistent ~3-year update track record — on that basis the Spark Slim should be supported until around October 2028. Buying it today still gets you about 2.1 years of safe use, and Apple's written legal minimum is 5 years (verified July 2026).
Source: Tecno's official policy · last verified 2026-07-20 · how we compute this · what happens when support ends
TrueCost
Street price ÷ months of safe use remaining. How we compute it.
2% above the under-$300 median ($6.50/mo, dying phones excluded)
Should you buy the Spark Slim in 2026?
Pros
- 5.93mm and 156g, among the thinnest phones ever put into production
- 6.78-inch curved 1.5K AMOLED at 144Hz with a 4500-nit peak
- Gorilla Glass 7i front and MIL-STD-810H testing despite the thinness
- 45W wired charging fills the 5,160mAh battery in about 57 minutes
- NFC and an infrared blaster both included
Cons
- 4G only — the Helio G200 has no 5G modem
- Effectively a single-camera phone
- Wi-Fi generation is unremarkable for the price
- Estimated support to October 2028 with nothing in writing
Full specifications
Display
| Screen | 6.78-inch curved AMOLED, 1.5K (1224 x 2720), 144Hz, 4500 nits peak, Gorilla Glass 7i |
|---|
Performance
| Chipset | MediaTek Helio G200 |
|---|---|
| RAM | 8GB |
| Storage | 256GB |
Cameras
| main | 50MP — PDAF, dual-LED flash |
|---|---|
| front | 13MP |
Battery & charging
| Battery | 5,160 mAh |
|---|---|
| Charging | 45W wired (about 57 minutes to full), 10W reverse wired, bypass charging |
Build
| Dimensions | 164.2 x 75.9 x 5.9 mm |
|---|---|
| Weight | 156 g |
| Materials | Gorilla Glass 7i front, glass-fibre reinforced plastic back |
| Water resistance | IP64 (MIL-STD-810H tested) |
Software & connectivity
| Software | Android 15 with HiOS 15 at launch |
|---|---|
| Connectivity | 4G LTE only, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, USB-C, infrared, FM radio |
| Update policy | ~2 years of updates (our estimate from Tecno's track record — written minimum is 5 years) |
Better-value alternatives
Similar price, lower cost per month of safe ownership.
Frequently asked questions
How long will the Tecno Spark Slim get software support?
Tecno does not publish support commitments, so our estimate is two Android version upgrades and roughly three years of security patches from the October 2025 release — an effective end of support around October 2028. That is a reasonable window for a budget phone, but it is a projection based on Tecno's past behaviour rather than a guarantee, and we would not buy this phone expecting support beyond 2028.
Is the Tecno Spark Slim actually usable at 5.93mm?
Yes — and that is the surprising part. Tecno fitted a 5,160mAh battery, 45W charging, NFC and an infrared blaster into the body, so it is not a phone that trades away everything for thinness. What it does give up is the camera system, which is effectively a single 50MP sensor, and 5G connectivity.
Does the Tecno Spark Slim have 5G?
No. It runs a MediaTek Helio G200, a 4G-only chip. For a phone that is otherwise so forward-looking in design, this is the most dated thing about it, and it is the main reason to consider the Pova Slim 5G instead if you want the thin form factor with a modern modem.
Compare it
Specs are collected from manufacturer documentation; prices reflect major US retailers and change often. Support end dates follow each brand's official policy (or, for Apple, its documented historical pattern). Last verified 2026-07-20.