Tecno isn’t a brand you see plastered on every billboard or topping flagship lists in Western countries—but in emerging markets, they’ve steadily built a name for themselves by offering premium features at reasonable prices. The Camon 40 Premier 5G is the brand’s latest attempt at delivering a near-flagship experience without the heart-stopping price tag. And truth be told, it gets impressively close.

Sitting at the top of the Camon 40 lineup alongside the Camon 40 Pro 5G and the base Camon 40 5G, the Premier version brings a triple 50MP camera setup, slick AMOLED display, solid durability upgrades, and a smart UI that’s starting to mature nicely. On paper, this phone has muscle—and in real-world usage, it’s showing up where it matters.

Camera: 50mp Triple Threat

Let’s get straight to the star of the show—the camera setup.

All three rear lenses are 50MP: a main 23mm f/1.8 sensor with OIS, an ultrawide 14mm f/2.0, and a 3x telephoto periscope lens at 70mm f/2.4. Then there’s the 50MP selfie shooter, complete with autofocus—something you won’t even find in some flagship phones.

Even more impressive, Tecno didn’t just throw pixels at the wall. The main sensor produces balanced, rich images, and unlike the previous generation, colors feel less artificially boosted. Portrait shots offer respectable subject isolation and blurred backgrounds, and while low-light performance can dip on the ultrawide and telephoto, the 1x sensor pulls through with clarity.

Tecno also kept the creative tools coming. There’s “Flashsnap” for fast burst photography, AI Cam for general use, and AI editing tools like an Eraser and Image Extender. Yes, it includes beauty modes and a few gimmicky AI portrait generators—but those are easily turned off if you just want real, clean shots.

Design & Build: A Smaller, Tougher Package

Compared to the Camon 30 Premier, there’s not a huge physical overhaul—but what’s changed, matters.

The display is now 6.67 inches (down from 6.77), using a crisp LTPO AMOLED panel with 2800×1260 resolution and an adaptive 144Hz refresh rate. That means smoother scrolling and gaming, without wrecking the battery. It hits 1600 nits brightness, making outdoor viewing no problem.

Durability gets a significant upgrade here. We’re talking IP68/IP69 water and dust resistance, capable of surviving water jets and 2-meter submersion. Add Corning Gorilla Glass 7i, which handles drops up to a meter on hard surfaces, and this is a phone ready for daily wear and tear.

It still retains that circular rear camera module with the subtle camera ring—a design choice that blends flair and utility. New color options like Galaxy Black and Emerald Lake Green make it pop even more.

Performance & Battery

Running Android 15 right out of the box, the Tecno Camon 40 Premier is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 8350. It’s not the most powerful chipset around, but it handles multitasking, high-res video playback, and moderate gaming with ease.

Battery life is covered with a 5100mAh unit that supports fast charging. There’s no wireless charging, but you do get excellent longevity, easily stretching over a day even with heavy camera use. Tecno promises three major Android updates, so you’re not going to be stuck on outdated software right away.

Is It Worth It?

The Tecno Camon 40 Premier 5G doesn’t break new ground—but it refines what already worked. That triple 50MP rear setup still leads the pack in this price range, and with a more realistic color profile and improved software, it feels more complete than before.

The jump from IP54 to IP68/IP69 is no joke either—this is a phone you can take to the beach or the pool without worrying about it giving up on you after a splash. While the hardware isn’t a huge leap from the Camon 30 Premier, the design tweaks and improved durability could justify an upgrade if you’ve been hanging onto an older model.

At around USD 410, it’s a solid choice for anyone wanting top-tier photography features, premium materials, and rugged durability at a mid-range price.