Summary
The Tecno Boom J7 is Tecno’s first music smartphone that has received a lot of good reviews for its good sound and music capabilities. The mid-range dual SIM smartphone has a fresh design, good specs, some new apps and functionality that make it a good contender among the various smartphones available on the market.
It’s also worth noting that the Boom J7 is available, accessible and affordable but not without its cons. Tecno could have done better with the battery since the phone makes you want to listen to music a lot. We shall look at all the pros and cons in this detailed review.
If you are looking for a hip mid-range smartphone with great sound, a fresh new design at a price that won’t break your wallet, the Tecno Boom J7 is the device for you. We had our first impressions with the device and we weren’t disappointed. We have now had a full month with the device and bring you a comprehensive feature by feature review of the Tecno Boom J7.
Boom J7 Pros
- The premium earphones, crisp sound and the Boom app
- Good design
- Quick charging
- 2 free phone covers
- Awesome HD Video
- New UI and tricks
- OTA support
- Affordable
Boom J7 Cons
- Quick draining battery
- Phone Speaker could have been a little louder
- Camera Images have a lot of noise
Tecno Boom J7 Unboxing
I have loved most of the Tecno packaging since the Phantom A and the Boom didn’t disappoint either. It’s beautifully wrapped in a black and white hardboard box with the words “It’s Boom Time”
In the box, is the beautifully crafted Tecno Boom J7 on top. After the 1 st layer of packaging is a 2 piece set of colorful protective cases (The ones in this box were blue and grey). In the last layer, are two little white boxes with one containing the Boom J7 manual, a 13 month warranty card, a palm chat flyer and the much hyped all metal earphones in a leather pouch. The other had travel charger with a detached USB cable that you can plug into the charger.
Tecno Boom J7 Specifications
The Tecno Boom J7 has basic specs so if you are a specs junkie, you will probably not be impressed at first sight but the experience with it is what wins you over. The Boom J7 is a dual SIM device with one normal SIM slot and the other a micro SIM slot.
The Boom J7 is a 3G device running Android 4.4.2 Kitkat but with a little flavor added. The version of Kitkat on the Boom J7 has a few extra tricks and functionality that is not on other Tecno phones. The J7 also supports OTA updates meaning that the phone can be updated to say Android 5.0 Lollipop. Unfortunately not even the flagship Phantom Z has received that update making it unlikely for the other Tecno phones.
The device has a 5 inch HD display with a 720×1080 display and a 320 DPI. The device features a 1.3 GHz MediaTek quad core processor with 1GB RAM and 16GB ROM. Of the 16GB, only about 11 is available. The good thing though is that the memory is expandable up to 32 GB.
The Boom J7 comes with an 8MP rear camera with an LED flash and a 2MP front facing camera. It also has an FM Radio, GPS, WiFi, Bluetooth, USB OTG, HotKnot, a 3.5mm earphone jack and a 5pin micro USB port. Tecno also shows that the J7 only has 3 sensors – the G-Sensor or accelerometer as we know it, light and proximity sensor all manufactured by MediaTek.
Let’s talk Music and Entertainment
When we got the news that Tecno had launched a music smartphone, I was very skeptical to be honest – wondering what they would do differently to sell a music phone. To my surprise, they pulled it off. It starts with the quality all metal earphones that deliver a crisp sound across all devices and not just the J7 (Of course the sound is better on the J7)
The quality phone speaker also delivers a crisp sound that is rich and distinct. The downside is that the location of the speaker means that you have to put the phone upside down as putting it upright would block the speaker sound. The radio allows you listen to your favorite stations anytime anywhere.
The J7 comes with the Boom app pre-installed. It’s another music player that lets you stream and download music on your phone. With a quick login feature, we were able to stream and download both African and western music in multiple genres.
To seal it, the Boom J7 comes with 16GB ROM expandable to 32GB that allows you to load all your favorite music, videos and movies. The 5inch HD display with good viewing angles offers a good viewing experience for all your HD quality videos and movies.
Pre-Installed Apps
The Boom J7 comes with a host of pre-installed apps to help you start up. Apart from the usual Google Apps, the J7 had the Boom Player which is a special app shipping on the J7 only for playing, streaming and downloading music. (We were able to share the app APK with any other smartphone meaning that other phones could use the Boom app too)
The Palm Chat app is more like a chat room (which I used only once) while the Palm Play app replaced the “APK Assistant” we first saw in the Tecno Phantom A+, It’s like an offline app store that has some apps you can install without internet.
The Carlcare app shows you the location and contact details of all Carlcare centers across the continent.
Flash Share is an app that allows you share stuff with another device that has Flash Share installed. It’s more like Air Droid – allowing you share music, images, video, APK’s, documents etc. The latest version of the app allows you to connect your phone to a PC and iPhone wirelessly just like Air Droid.
The pre-installed games were RF 13, the Avengers, Assassin’s Creed, Danger Dash and GT Racing. We were disappointed that they were all demo versions that you could play a few times before you are told to pay for the real version.
The preinstalled apps we are probably all familiar with are WhatsApp, Facebook, BBM, Opera Mini, UC browser Mini, Opera mini, WPS Office, Du Speed Booster, OLX, Touchpal X, SwiftKey and Uber Sync for Facebook. These were much appreciated enabling you use your phone out of the box without spending your data to download all these apps. The downside though is that most of the apps will be asking you to update them almost instantly.
Tecno Boom J7 Features and Tricks
Features:
Flash Share : This app on the J7 allows you share files wirelessly with another flash share enabled device. It’s like Bluetooth on steroids with greater speeds and more functionality. Fortunately Flash Share can be shared with and installed on other non Tecno phones.
Hot Knot: HotKnot is like NFC which allows you share files as well by just bumping your device screens together. Unfortunately it’s mainly Tecno phones that have HotKnot technology in Africa.
Screen Casting: Allows you share your device display onto a bigger display wirelessly. You can play a game or watch a movie or Video on your smart TV from your device wirelessly.
2 power saving modes: These help you push the life of your battery by turning off lots of background features you aren’t using.
Security: Mobile Anti-Theft – lets you control your device by locking it or wiping it remotely using SMS.
Auto start management – Let’s you choose which apps start alongside your mobile phone.
App Permissions – Let you decide whether or not to give access to some apps that for instance want to access your location, phone book, data etc.
USB OTG lets you connect say a mouse, keyboard or even a flash drive to your phone.
Tricks:
Tap to wake – Lets you open the phone by double tapping the screen
Flip to Mute – Lets you mute your phone when it’s ringing by just flipping it over.
Wave hand over phone to pick up call – This is self-explanatory.
Call numbers on the screen by putting the phone on your ear – We had problems with this but this feature lets you call a number on the screen by just putting your phone on your ear.
Music Control – We loved this one. This feature lets you play music with your device screen off by using some gestures. You can literally play, skip, pause or stop a song while your screen is off.
Gesture Control – This feature gives you direct access to applications straight from your off screen using gestures. E.g. you can access the camera directly by drawing the letter C on your screen while it’s off. The J7 lets you program up to 8 gestures to access different services like settings, WhatsApp, Camera, email, browser etc.
Customizable Buttons – Here, the J7 lets you customize what you want the “Home” “Back” and “Menu” buttons to do unlike previously when they had functions that couldn’t be changed.
Shake phone to skip to next song – While listening to music, you can shake your phone to skip to the next song.
Design
Tecno experimented with a new design when it came to the Boom J7. They have been experimenting with new designs since the Phantom A (F7) right to the Phantom Z keeping their devices fresh – aesthetically speaking.
The first was the curved back design making the device look thinner at 8.9mm. They further gave it thin bezels making the display look bigger and also fancy. The device to screen ratio is approximately 70% which is still fine. We weren’t able to verify the weight of the device but it’s pretty light.
The Red Ring was also a new one from the universal Android buttons we know. Tecno started with the illuminating square with rounded corners on the Phantom Z which later appeared on the H6 and other devices. The Boom J7 is the first device to have a red ring and two dots.
We have the volume button on the left side and the power button on the right which is what most people are used to. Tecno placed the charging port on the left hand corner of the device and the earphone jack at the top right hand corner.
On the back, we have a slightly protruding camera with the LED flash right below it. About a centimeter below the flash is the TECNO branding. The speaker was placed at lower center of the phone. Even though the back cover isn’t polycarbonate or leather, the plastic matte finish isn’t a finger print magnet and seems to scratch less.
Tecno Boom J7 Battery
As with many smartphones, the Boom J7 also has an average battery. The 2020 mAh battery took us only 5 hours on 3G and 10 hours on 2G. We believe that Tecno could have done better with the battery. With 3G switched on only when we needed it, we managed to get up to 10 hours. This means that a not so heavy user would be fine. But with consistent use of 3G, the device is brought to its knees and one would need a battery bank to stay juiced up the entire day.
On a lighter note, the Boom J7 charges faster gaining a full charge in only 90 minutes. Also, to compensate for the not so good battery, the Tecno has two power saving modes that help prolong the life of your battery when you need it the most. When activated, “Power saving mode” kills a lot of background functionality to save on your battery. It also lets you select what processes to kill keeping you in control.
“Ultra lower power” mode literally kills all functionality leaving you only the basics like calling, messaging, and calculator. When activated, this mode can give you up to 2 hours for just 5% battery.
It’s also a plus that the Boom J7 battery is removable and can be replaced should you need to unlike the Phantom Z and Z mini which have unremoveable batteries.
Tecno Boom J7 Camera
The Boom J7 camera features an 8MP rear camera with an LED flash and a 2MP front camera. Tecno has overtime improved its camera with more mega pixels in some models, faster shutter speeds and lots of customizable features and functionality. For any smartphone, Camera is important especially in the selfie where we have many photography enthusiasts and selfie lovers.
The boom J7 camera in particular has a fast shutter speed to help minimize blurred images. It also has a lot features that spice up the camera adding a lot functionality to it. We will look at a few of the Boom J7 camera features. You can read the full camera review that has sample images and all the camera feature reviews.
The J7 camera is highly customizable allowing you manipulate multiple settings like Exposure, ISO, sharpness, hue, saturation, brightness and contrast. For both photo and video, the J7 allows you select the quality you want. The J7’s inbuilt photo editor also came in handy in adding some magic to the photos we shot.
We loved the J7 cameras’ macro capabilities, daylight photography and the crisp HD videos we were able to shoot. We didn’t like the poor low light photography producing images with a lot of noise (grain)
Tecno Boom J7 Price and Availability
The Tecno Boom J7 is available in Uganda and can be found at multiple stores. The Boom J7 goes for the price of Ugx 470,000 450,000 at Banana Phone World Stores located at Lugogo Mall and Kampala road. The device can also be found at Airtel Uganda stores and other phone vendors.
Wrapping it up
Apart from the not so good battery and the camera that produces images with a lot of digital noise, the Tecno Boom J7 is another foot print by Tecno clearly showing that they are a brand to reckon with. The Tecno Boom J7 offers you a premium design, quality sound and an awesome user experience at a very affordable price in comparison to its counterparts who offer less at a higher price.
Tecno Boom J7 Gallery
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About Onyait Odeke
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Talkio Mobile , Uganda’s newest telecommunications service provider, is excited to announce a groundbreaking partnership with Banana Life Investments, a leading chain of mobile phone and retail shops. This strategic alliance aims to bring Talkio’s innovative telecom services closer to Ugandans.
This collaboration will leverage Banana Life Investments’ extensive retail network of 26 stores strategically located across Uganda in major malls, towns, and cities to provide customers with unparalleled convenience. Through this partnership, Talkio Mobile will offer its full suite of services, including SIM cards, airtime, and exclusive product offerings at any Banana Life Investment location.
This partnership is more than a business initiative—it’s a shared commitment to transforming lives. By integrating Talkio Mobile’s forward-thinking services & nationwide reach with Banana Life Investments’ retail footprint, the two brands are setting a new standard for customer convenience and inclusivity.
READ ALSO: 5 Things You Need to Know About Talkio Mobile: New Telecom Company in Uganda
“This partnership aligns perfectly with our mission of connecting Ugandans to innovative and transformative telecom solutions,” said Vianne Allan Ahura, CEO of Talkio Mobile. “By leveraging Banana Life Investments’ trusted presence and nationwide footprint, we are not only expanding our agent network but also bringing our services closer to the communities we serve. This collaboration ensures that our online customers can now enjoy a seamless offline experience right at their doorstep. Together, we are empowering Ugandans with the tools they need to stay connected, grow their businesses, and unlock new opportunities.”
Solomon Ssemuyaba, the assistant general manager at Banana Life Investments, echoed this sentiment: “We are proud to join hands with Talkio Mobile to deliver innovative, customer-centric solutions. This partnership represents our shared vision of fostering a connected future for Uganda. Together, we are redefining what convenience and accessibility mean for our customers.”
The partnership goes beyond retail distribution, introducing joint initiatives aimed at value addition and personalized service. Customers can expect seamless access to:
- SIM Card Sales : Available at all Banana Life Investments locations.
- Talkio phone number bookings : Book your preferred Talkio number at any Banana Life Investments location.
- Airtime Services : Recharge easily through in-store purchases.
- Customer Support : Friendly and knowledgeable staff trained to assist with Talkio Mobile products and services.
Additionally, the two companies plan to launch promotional campaigns and expand services to even more locations, ensuring no Ugandan is left behind in the digital transformation.
Solomon Obwot is a tech writer based in Kampala, Uganda, with extensive experience in the local tech startup ecosystem. He covers the latest news and analysis on consumer tech, writes in-depth smartphone reviews, and conducts insightful interviews with industry experts. Solomon is also a passionate podcaster, sharing his knowledge and engaging in discussions about Africa’s rapidly growing tech landscape. Send emails to [email protected]
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The Mobile World Congress (MWC) Barcelona , the world’s largest exhibition for the mobile industry, has just concluded. This annual event gathers leading technology brands to unveil groundbreaking mobile, AI, and digital solutions innovations. At MWC 2025, TECNO showcased a range of AI-driven products, reinforcing its commitment to cutting-edge technology.
The key launches included:
- CAMON 40 Series – AI-powered smartphones with One-Tap FlashSnap and advanced mobile imaging features.
- MEGABOOK S14 – The world’s lightest 14-inch OLED laptop, featuring AI-enhanced multitasking and Snapdragon® X Elite.
- MEGABOOK T14 Air & K15S – Lightweight ultrabooks with AI capabilities and extended battery life.
- TECNO AI Glasses Series – Smart eyewear integrating AI imaging, translation, and AR display.
Jan Stryjak, Associate Director at Counterpoint Research, shared, “In the past year, we have observed significant advancements in the field of AI. AI will continue to drive transformative changes in our daily lives. In this critical period for the economic development of emerging markets, TECNO’s AI technologies are unlocking potential for diverse needs.”
“The application of AI technologies is crucial and urgent in emerging markets. We’re committed to bridging the digital gap between emerging and mature markets,” said TECNO CMO, Laury Bai. “TECNO is taking a practical approach to make AI more accessible, ensuring users in emerging markets can access AI and cutting-edge technologies.”
Laury Bai, TECNO CMO
Driven by its commitment, TECNO has forged a robust partnership with MediaTek, establishing a joint AI laboratory dedicated to accelerating advancements in AI. At the event, James Chen, Vice President of Product and Technology Marketing at MediaTek, emphasized, “The synergistic R&D efforts between TECNO and MediaTek are set to democratize AI technology. Our collaboration powers a seamless, interconnected AI experience, bringing users a future of truly connected intelligence.”
James Chen, Vice President, Product and Technology Marketing at MediaTek
CAMON 40 Series Powered by AI One-Tap FlashSnap Revolutionizes Smartphone Snapshot Photography
TECNO’s Global Product Launch Officer, Olivier Mas, officially unveiled TECNO’s next-generation AI-driven products. Attendees at TECNO’s launch event witnessed the highly anticipated debut of TECNO’s new CAMON 40 Series, a device that embodies TECNO’s legacy of excellence in mobile imaging. Featuring One-Tap FlashSnap Mode and TECNO AI, the series sets a new benchmark in smartphone photography, delivering exceptional snapshot capabilities and AI-enhanced user experiences.
Olivier Mas, TECNO Global Product Launch Officer
The CAMON 40 Series exemplifies a commitment to innovation that transcends hardware and software, extending into strategic partnerships that deliver cutting-edge AI solutions to emerging markets. Matt Waldbusser, Managing Director of Global Solutions and Consumer AI at Google Cloud, remarked, “Our collaboration with TECNO on the CAMON 40 Series is a standout example. Leveraging Google Cloud’s capabilities, we’ve introduced groundbreaking features such as Ask Ella, AI Image Generator, AI Writing, and AI Translate. I am particularly impressed by the industry-leading and competitive edge of some of these innovations. For instance, TECNO’s AI supports text translation in 136 languages, voice translation in 44 languages, and photo translation in 51 languages. We are excited to further strengthen our partnership with TECNO, unlocking limitless potential to bring advanced yet practical AI capabilities to emerging markets in a convenient and secure manner.”
Matt Waldbusser, Managing Director of Global Solutions and Consumer AI at Google Cloud
The CAMON 40 Series’ innovative One-Tap FlashSnap leverages AI to enhance imaging capabilities, revolutionizing mobile photography. AI optimizes camera startup and continuous shooting for instant captures, while AI-powered multi-frame processing intelligently reduces noise and enhances details, delivering sharper, more refined images. Additionally, the BestMoment algorithm analyzes motion patterns, automatically selecting the optimal frames for precise, high-quality shots in dynamic scenarios, ensuring users an unparalleled mobile imaging experience.
TECNO CAMON 40 Demonstrates the Cutting-Edge FlashSnap Capability
To delve deeper into the imaging prowess of the CAMON 40 Series, TECNO invited Frédéric Guichard, CEO of DXOMARK, to share the image performance of CAMON 40 Pro. Frédéric highlighted, “The CAMON 40 Pro 5G has demonstrated exceptional imaging and performance capabilities in our rigorous evaluations. We’ve been particularly impressed with photo performance being the best for devices under 600$, and the 1st eligible device to our Smart Choice Label.”
Onsite photo of Frédéric Guichard, CEO of DXOMARK
Beyond its advanced rapid-capture functionality, the integration of TECNO AI further enhances the device’s capabilities. Intelligent imaging, a 360° AI Call Assistant, and productivity tools elevate creativity and efficiency. Powered by MediaTek’s latest chipsets, the series ensures smooth performance, fast processing, and extended battery life. With a sleek, durable, and water-resistant design, it seamlessly blends style with practicality for modern users.
MEGABOOK S14, the World’s Lightest 14-inch OLED Laptop, Inspires Creators and Game Lovers
The MEGABOOK S14 is TECNO’s first OLED laptop and the industry’s lightest 14-inch OLED laptop, featuring a 2.8K OLED display and incredibly weighing only 899g (31.7oz). The laptop is equipped with the outstanding power of the Snapdragon® X Elite compute platform, the flagship chipset for AI PCs from Qualcomm Technologies, and integrates TECNO’s world’s first self-developed edge-side large-scale AI model, to achieve AI-enhanced multitasking.
World’s Lightest 14-inch Laptop MEGABOOK S14
Specifically designed for next-gen AI productivity, TECNO AI enhances the Ella AI Assistant, AI-powered PPT generation, AI-driven image search, smart albums, and offline meeting transcription with multilingual support. The External Graphics Dock, equipped with a powerful NVIDIA graphic card, delivers scalable, high-performance capabilities for design, gaming, and content creation. The laptop’s 2.8K OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate ensures exceptional visuals, while DTS:X Ultra dual 2W speakers, Wi-Fi 6E, fingerprint login, and PC Manager optimize connectivity and user experience.
TECNO’s strategic partnership with Qualcomm Technologies was a highlight of the TECNO AI Ecosystem Product Launch event, demonstrating a shared vision for the future of AI PCs. Kedar Kondap, SVP & GM of Compute and Gaming at Qualcomm, took the stage to discuss the integration of Qualcomm’s cutting-edge PC chipset into the new MEGABOOK S14 laptop, underscoring TECNO’s commitment to delivering high-performance computing solutions.
Kedar Kondap, SVP & GM of Compute and Gaming at Qualcomm
In addition, TECNO also introduced several standout new products. The featherlight 999g (35.2oz) ultrabook MEGABOOK T14 Air, features high-speed storage and LPDDR5 memory, while the ultra-thin, all-metal MEGABOOK K15S, equipped with a powerful 70Wh battery and supported by a 65W PD GaN charger, offers a smarter and more long-lasting user experience. Both devices are empowered by TECNO AI with advanced AI capabilities such as AI Album and AI Voice Assistant, making them perfect companions for all aspects of life.
The Next Game-Changing Tech Innovation: See the World with the TECNO AI Glasses Series
TECNO’s new AI Glasses Series also took center stage with the introduction of TECNO AI Glasses Pro and TECNO AI Glasses, reimagining eyewear with cutting-edge imaging, intelligent interactions, and a sleek aesthetic. The TECNO AI Glasses feature an aviator design, while the Pro model showcases a browline style, both embodying timeless elegance and modern fashion.
TECNO AI Glasses Redefine the Way People See the Future
Equipped with a 50MP high-definition camera, the series integrates an OV50D sensor, a 100° ultra-wide-angle custom lens, and an AI ISP imaging chip, forming a mobile-grade imaging system. This system lets users capture stunning, high-resolution photos with advanced AI noise reduction and HDR capabilities. With real-time translation supporting over 100 languages, TECNO AI’s Ella empowers accurate translation even for less common languages, as well as voice control, AI-powered object recognition, and intelligent information summaries for ultimate convenience.
Additionally, the AI Glasses Pro features a MicroLED display with 7th-gen resin waveguide technology, offering a 30° field of view, over 1,500 nits of brightness AR display, and a lightweight, ultra-thin design. The AR display allows users to effortlessly enjoy features like translation display, navigation, information prompts, and teleprompting.
Equipped with a 250mAh battery, these glasses offer over 11 hours of music playback and 8 hours of mixed use with just 30 minutes of charging. An advanced ultra-linear speaker, bass enhancement, and spatial sound deliver an immersive audio experience, while Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.4 ensure seamless connectivity.
With these innovative launches, TECNO is setting new standards in mobile imaging and AI-enhanced technology, shaping a more connected and empowered future for consumers in emerging markets. Once again, TECNO has showcased its cutting-edge innovation on the global stage at MWC. With the brand essence of “Stop at Nothing”, TECNO’s relentless pursuit of innovation is making AI-powered technology more accessible, allowing consumers to experience the future ahead of time.
Solomon Obwot is a tech writer based in Kampala, Uganda, with extensive experience in the local tech startup ecosystem. He covers the latest news and analysis on consumer tech, writes in-depth smartphone reviews, and conducts insightful interviews with industry experts. Solomon is also a passionate podcaster, sharing his knowledge and engaging in discussions about Africa’s rapidly growing tech landscape. Send emails to [email protected]
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