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Hands-on with the super slim iPhone 17 Air, Galaxy S25 Edge rival that you can't buy (and neither can I)

By Sebastian Pier

Published: Mar 05, 2025, 4:21 AM

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This one is 5.75mm thin and with a bonkers battery, well ahead of Apple and Samsung.

Image credit – PhoneArena

MWC is far from over. We've seen some pretty cool mobile gadgets like the MagSafe-like camera module on a custom-made Xiaomi 15, phones that use ambient light to get recharged, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra monster of a flagship, an earbuds case that can charge your phone wirelessly, and whatnot.

There was also a tri-fold concept phone by Tecno and their new flagship – the Tecno Camon 40. This moniker makes me think of somebody shouting "Come on!" at the top of their lungs at the horse races, after betting twelve dollars on a horse named Forty.

At the Tecno booth (well, the Tecno brand name itself is also quite ambiguous, but that's that) there was another fascinating device – a super thin phone under the Tecno Spark Slim moniker.

Here it is:

Image credit – PhoneArena

If you had to guess, would you say that this 5.75mm thin phone packs a 5,200 mAh capacity battery? Yeah, I'm amazed as well. That's more than the Galaxy S25 Ultra, Galaxy S24 Ultra and other flagships offer with their 5,000 mAh battery cells.

The 6.78-inch AMOLED display was so bright that this phone should be great for outdoor use, as the sun shouldn't affect its visibility as it does with displays that are not so bright. It's got a 144Hz refresh rate, and a 1224x2720 px resolution.

The performance of the unit at the Tecno booth was also excellent – the phone is snappy, responsive, premium. 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage, plus an octa-core CPU: for an exhibit unit, there's no need for more.

Image credit – PhoneArena

On its back, it has got two 50 MP cameras, while the selfie snapper is a 13 MP one.

The phone feels really premium, as I mentioned above. It's almost 2mm thinner than the iPhone 16 and it's a rival to the upcoming Galaxy S25 Edge and iPhone 17 Air – two ultra-thin phones that should set the 2025 trend. The Tecno Spark Slim is between the two, when it comes to thickness – and if the rumors so far are true. The Galaxy S25 Edge could arrive at 5.84mm, while the iPhone 17 Air could be 5.44mm at its thinnest.

Image credit – PhoneArena

Neither the Galaxy S25 Edge nor the iPhone 17 Air are about to pack a 5,200 mAh battery, though, as earlier reports hint at much smaller batteries.

The worst part about the Tecno Spark Slim is that it's a concept phone, meaning it's not in production – and those who like it, will just have to wait until (and if) it materializes. Nevertheless, it looks and feels premium – and with its huge capacity battery, it goofs on Apple and Samsung, the giants that can't offer what Tecno does.

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Sebastian, a veteran of a tech writer with over 15 years of experience in media and marketing, blends his lifelong fascination with writing and technology to provide valuable insights into the realm of mobile devices. Embracing the evolution from PCs to smartphones, he harbors a special appreciation for the Google Pixel line due to their superior camera capabilities. Known for his engaging storytelling style, sprinkled with rich literary and film references, Sebastian critically explores the impact of technology on society, while also perpetually seeking out the next great tech deal, making him a distinct and relatable voice in the tech world.