The Tecno Pop X 5G is the latest entry in Tecno’s affordable Pop lineup, and it arrives with a clear pitch: durability, endurance, and connectivity that works even when the network does not.
Powered by the 6nm MediaTek Dimensity 6400 chipset and a large 6,500mAh battery with 45W fast charging, it is built for users who want an affordable Android phone that simply keeps going.
Compared with its predecessor, the Pop 9 5G, the improvements are substantial. A larger battery, much faster charging (up from 18W), a more capable processor, a larger 6.78-inch 120Hz screen, tougher IP64 Pro and MIL-STD-810H certifications, and Android 16 out of the box. Its headline feature, though, is FreeLink off-grid communication.
Design and Build Quality
Tecno has given the Pop X 5G a fresh look anchored by a horizontal camera visor on the rear, a departure from the round modules common in this segment.
The camera deco is made from 6-series aerospace-grade aluminum, the same material Tecno uses on its pricier Spark devices, lending a more premium feel to a budget handset.
At 8.18mm thick and roughly 210g, it is slim for a phone carrying such a large battery. Durability is a genuine selling point here: the Pop X 5G carries an IP64 rating against dust and water splashes, and adds MIL-STD-810H certification for resistance to drops, vibration, and temperature extremes. A side-mounted fingerprint scanner and a 3.5mm headphone jack round out a practical, hard-wearing design.
Display
The Pop X 5G features a generous 6.78-inch IPS LCD panel with a punch-hole cutout for the selfie camera. The display runs at a smooth 120Hz refresh rate paired with a 240Hz touch sampling rate, so scrolling, navigation, and casual gaming feel fluid and responsive.
Peak brightness is rated at 560 nits, which should be adequate indoors and in moderate daylight, though bright outdoor sunlight may prove challenging. The clear compromise is resolution: the panel is only HD+ (720 x 1,576 pixels), which is the phone’s weakest specification given its price.
Text and fine detail will not look as crisp as on a Full HD+ screen. For social media, streaming, and everyday browsing, it is perfectly serviceable, but pixel-peepers and media enthusiasts may notice the softness.
Camera
Photography is the most pared-back area of the Tecno Pop X 5G. The rear houses a single 50-megapixel main camera accompanied by an LED flash, while an 8-megapixel sensor handles selfies and video calls from the front punch-hole.
Notably, this is a slight on-paper upgrade over the Pop 9 5G, which had a 48MP main shooter, so buyers upgrading from that model should note this.
Tecno leans on software to bridge the gap, bundling its AI imaging suite that includes AI Eraser 2.0 for removing unwanted objects and AI Image Extender for expanding frames.
In good lighting, the main sensor should deliver usable shots for sharing online, but low-light performance and detail are areas where rivals with higher-resolution sensors will likely pull ahead.
Hardware and Software
Under the hood sits the MediaTek Dimensity 6400, a 6nm octa-core chip with two Cortex-A76 cores at 2.5GHz, six Cortex-A55 efficiency cores at 2.0GHz, and an Arm Mali-G57 MC2 GPU.
It is paired with 4GB or 6GB of LPDDR4x RAM and 128GB of UFS 2.2 storage, expandable via microSD up to 2TB through the dual-SIM slot. This is a dependable mid-tier combination suited to multitasking, everyday apps, and light gaming rather than heavy titles at high settings.
Software is a strong point: the Pop X 5G ships with HiOS 16 based on the latest Android 16, complete with Tecno’s Ella AI assistant supporting regional Indian languages, plus AI Noise Cancellation and an AI Writing Assistant. Tecno even claims four years of lag-free performance.
Connectivity
Connectivity is where the Pop X 5G tries hardest to stand out. Alongside dual-SIM 5G (SA and NSA) across a wide band selection, dual 4G VoLTE, dual-band Wi-Fi (802.11ac), Bluetooth 5.3, USB Type-C, and a full suite of satellite positioning systems, Tecno includes USRP 3.0 technology promising up to eight times improved network speeds, plus 4×4 MIMO and 5G+ carrier aggregation for steadier data.
The standout, though, is FreeLink Communication. This lets the Pop X 5G connect directly with nearby compatible devices to make voice calls, send texts, and share files within a 1.5km radius in open areas, all without any cellular network. It targets low-signal settings like basements, warehouses, and remote farms, a genuinely useful feature rarely seen at this price.
Battery and Charging
Endurance is one of the biggest strengths of Pop X 5G. The 6,500mAh battery is notably larger than the 5,000mAh cell in the Pop 9 5G, and combined with the power-efficient 6nm chipset and HD+ display, it should comfortably deliver well over a day of mixed use for most people, and likely two days for lighter users.
Just as important is the charging upgrade: 45W wired fast charging replaces the previous generation’s modest 18W, dramatically cutting top-up times. For a budget device, this pairing of a very large battery with genuinely fast charging is one of the most compelling reasons to consider the phone.
Tecno Pop X Pricing and Availability
The Tecno Pop X 5G price in India starts at ₹16,999 for the 4GB + 128GB model and ₹18,999 for the 6GB + 128GB variant. Tecno Pop X 4G price starts at around ₹9,999 in India.
Rivals such as the vivo T4x 5G, Motorola Moto G96, Samsung Galaxy F36 5G, iQOO Z10x 5G, and realme Narzo 90x 5G often offer sharper Full HD+ or AMOLED displays and higher-resolution cameras at a similar price.
Against them, the Pop X 5G competes on durability, battery and charging, clean Android 16 software, and the unique FreeLink feature rather than on-screen sharpness or megapixels. If ruggedness, battery life, and connectivity matter more to you than display resolution and photography, it makes a strong case.
| General | |
|---|---|
| Announced / Released | April 20, 2026 / April 24, 2026 |
| Predecessor | Tecno Pop 9 5G |
| Colours | Midnight Blue, Ripple Green |
| Design and Build | |
| Dimensions | 167.9 × 79.3 × 8.18 mm |
| Weight | 210 g |
| Build | Plastic frame, 6-series aerospace-grade aluminum camera deco |
| Durability | IP64 Pro (dust and splash resistant), MIL-STD-810H certified, drop-tested |
| Display | |
| Type | 6.78-inch IPS LCD, 120Hz refresh rate, 240Hz touch sampling |
| Resolution | 720 × 1,576 (HD+), 19.5:9, ~256 ppi |
| Brightness | 560 nits (peak) |
| Performance | |
| Chipset | MediaTek Dimensity 6400 (6 nm) |
| CPU | Octa-core (2×2.5 GHz Cortex-A76, 6×2.0 GHz Cortex-A55) |
| GPU | Arm Mali-G57 MC2 |
| RAM / Storage | 4 / 6 GB · 128 GB (LPDDR4x · UFS 2.2, expandable up to 2 TB via microSD) |
| Camera | |
| Main | 50 MP (wide), autofocus, LED flash |
| Front | 8 MP, f/2.0 |
| Video | 1080p @ 30fps |
| Battery, Software, and Connectivity | |
| Battery | 6,500 mAh, 45W wired fast charging |
| Software | Android 16, HiOS 16 · Ella AI, AI Eraser 2.0, AI Image Extender, AI Noise Cancellation, AI Writing Assistant, Circle to Search |
| Connectivity | 5G (SA/NSA), Dual 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11ac (2.4/5 GHz), Bluetooth 5.3, USB Type-C 2.0, 3.5mm headphone jack, GPS/GLONASS/Galileo/QZSS |
| Network Features | USRP 3.0 (up to 8× network speed), 4×4 MIMO, 5G+ carrier aggregation |
| Special Feature | FreeLink Communication — off-grid voice calls, texts, and file sharing with nearby devices up to 1.5 km, no cellular network required |
| Security | Side-mounted fingerprint sensor |
| SIM | Dual Nano-SIM + dedicated microSD |
| Price | |
| Starting Price | ₹16,999 (4/128 GB) · ₹18,999 (6/128 GB) — India |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What processor does the Tecno Pop X 5G use? It is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 6400, a 6nm octa-core chipset with an Arm Mali-G57 MC2 GPU, paired with 4GB or 6GB of RAM and 128GB of expandable storage.
How big is the battery, and how fast does it charge? The Pop X 5G packs a 6,500mAh battery with 45W wired fast charging, a major upgrade over the 5,000mAh battery and 18W charging on the Pop 9 5G.
What is FreeLink Communication? FreeLink lets the phone connect directly to nearby compatible devices for voice calls, texting, and file sharing within about a 1.5km radius in open areas, with no cellular network required, useful in low-signal locations.
Does the Tecno Pop X 5G have a good display? It has a large 6.78-inch IPS LCD with a smooth 120Hz refresh rate and 560 nits peak brightness, but only HD+ resolution, which is its main limitation compared with Full HD+ rivals.
What camera setup does it have? A single 50-megapixel rear camera with an LED flash and an 8-megapixel front camera, supported by Tecno’s AI tools, including AI Eraser 2.0 and AI Image Extender.
Is the Tecno Pop X 5G durable? Yes. It carries an IP64 rating for dust and splash resistance, MIL-STD-810H certification for shock and environmental resistance, and an aerospace-grade aluminum camera deco.
Which Android version does it run? It ships with HiOS 16 based on Android 16, including Tecno’s Ella AI assistant and a suite of AI features.
Where can I buy it and how much does it cost? In India, it is available priced at Rs 16,999 (4GB + 128GB) and Rs 18,999 (6GB + 128GB) for the 5G models, and at Rs 9,999 for the 4G model.
