15 is greater than 12, right? But is it the same case with TECNO’s Camon 15 against the Camon 12? Let’s find out.
The Camon 15 is TECNO’s latest entry into the Camon line and is the undisputed successor to the Camon 12 that launched a year before. As is the case with most iterations, we expect changes under the hood so we are here to explore what’s new, what’s changed, and possibly if the Camon 15 is worth an upgrade.
Related: The TECNO Camon 15 review: What does it have to offer?
In our recent review, we found out that Camon 15 is a good phone for the price (read UGX 688,000) however much it doesn’t check all the boxes and so was the Camon 12 before it. Check out their respective specs below;
| Specifications | Camon 12 | Camon 15 |
| Display | 6.52-inch HD+ (~269 ppi density + ~81.6% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.6 Inch HD+ Dot-in Display (~266 ppi density + ~83.9% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Front Camera | 16 MP (records are 1080p@30fps) | 16MP (records are 1080p@30fps) |
| Rear Camera | 16 MP + 8 MP + 2 MP (records are 1080p@30fps) | 48MP + 2MP + 2MP + QVGA (records are 1080p@30fps) |
| OS | Android 9.0 (Pie); HIOS 5.5 | Android™ 10; HiOS 6.0 |
| Network | 4G/3G/2G | 4G/3G/2G |
| Memory | 4GB RAM + 64GB ROM (eMMC 5.1) | 4GB RAM + 64GB ROM (eMMC 5.1) |
| Processor | 2.0GHz Octa-Core (MT6762 Helio P22) & PowerVR GE8320 GPU | 2.0GHz Octa-Core (MT6762 Helio P22) & PowerVR GE8320 GPU |
| Connectivity | Micro-USB,GPS, Wi-Fi, FM, BT | Micro-USB,GPS, Wi-Fi, FM, BT, OTG |
| Battery | 4000mAh | 5000mAh |
The Similarities Between The Camon 15 and 12
Similarities are quite many between the two phones. Both have the same memory configurations of 4GB RAM + 64GB of eMMC 5.1 storage, the same 2.0GHz Octa-Core Helio P22 processor with the GE8320 GPU and also share common connectivity standards like Micro-USB 2.0, GPS, Bluetooth 5.0 and WiFi Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n.
Not to say they’re no differences, but many underpinnings between the two phones are exactly the same. So what differentiates the two devices, let’s find out as well.
Related: The TECNO Camon 12 Review: AI everything Camera
The differences
Much as the two phones share the same memory & processors, it doesn’t mean the experience between the two is the same thanks to these differences.
The Camon 15 has a slightly larger screen to body ratio than the Camon 12 and this affords it less bezels but not without the sacrifice of pixel density.
The cameras are also different both at the back and front. Much as both selfie cameras are 16MP and record video at 1080p@30fps, the Camon 12’s is wide-angle meaning it has a larger field of view. However, the primary rear cameras are totally different with the Camon 15 having a Quad setup of 48MP + 2MP + 2MP + QVGA for main shots, depth and macro photography whereas the Camon 12 has a tri camera setup of 16MP + 8MP + 2MP for normal shots, wide-angle and depth.
Also, the Camon 15 is powered by the newer Android 10 with TECNO’s HiOS 6.0 on top whereas the 12 has the older Android 9 Pie with HiOS 5.5. I found the former offering a much better experience than my encounter with the latter.
The biggest draw to the Camon 15 is actually it’s larger 5000mAh battery compared to the 12’s 4000mAh. This affords one extended use since the larger battery lasts longer between charges.
In conclusion
The Camon 15 packs a slightly larger screen, a new operating system, a refined design language with less bezels, “shiner cameras” with TECNO’s TAIVOs for better low-light photography among others but at least we can attest that a fluid experience is all but specs.
Specs matter, however, how they’re optimized to work best and give the end-user the best experience is what really matters. One would assume TECNO rebadged the Camon 12 with a slightly larger screen, newer cameras and operating system to give us the Camon 15 but you could be wrong. The two phones offer a totally different experience having used both of them and if I were to choose between the Camon 15 and Camon 12, I’d opt for the 15 but not without reservations.
