Back in October 2017, Tecno unleashed the premium Phantom 8 in Uganda days after the global launch event in Dubai. The device came with lots of revolutionary features, as expected of any high-end device, and was on top of the ranks for the releases of its kind.
A year and nine months later – a time space that has welcomed numerous technologies and trends in the mobile industry – the successor to the phablet came, the Tecno Phantom 9.
At the time of the Phantom 8’s launch, it came with exclusive features that were not as common on even some flagship devices. The Phantom 9 differs, with lots of its specifications having become a trend in one way or the other on mid-range smartphones already on the market today.
Let’s look at the similarities and differences between the two Phantoms.
Similarities
Given the period between the time of release of the two phones, there is not much that these phones have in common. Both phones accept two SIM cards, both serve up to 4G network connectivity, and both have a RAM of 6 GB as well as battery capacity of 3,500 mAh.
Differences between the Tecno Phantom 8 and Phantom 9
The first difference to notice when holding the Phantom 8 and 9 is on the screen display. The Phantom 9 comes with a U-shaped notch on its 6.4 inch screen, something that was not yet though of in the Phantom 8 era that could only afford a 5.7 inch display. Additionally, the 9 comes with a 19.5:9 aspect ratio, a far-fetch for the 16:9 on the 8.
Phantom 8 display 
Phantom 9 display
When it comes to the camera, the Phantom 8 has a dual rear combination of 12 + 13 MP cameras, and a front facing cam of 20 MP. The Phantom 9 has a triple rear camera array of 16 + 8 + 2 MP and a 32 MP selfie camera – all capable of perfect photography in the dark.
Phantom 9 back side 
Phantom 8 back side
Performance wise, the Phantom 9 comes with a 128 GB internal storage which is a double of what comes with the Phantom 8; it comes with a MediaTek Helio P35 processor, an upgrade from the P25 in the predecessor; and it runs on an Android 9 + HiOS 5 combo that is steps ahead of the Android 7 + HiOS for the Phantom 8.
It is on the Phantom 9 that we see the first Tecno smartphone sporting an in-display fingerprint scanner, with the Phantom 8 having a scanner on its back side. Also, the Phantom 8 came with a USB-C port but its failure to interest the public could have resulted in Tecno opting for the micro-USB on the Phantom 9.
When it comes to price, the Phantom 8 cost UGX 1,200,000 at launch while the Phantom 9 cost UGX 919,000 at launch.
Read About: Tecno Phantom 9 First Impressions
Tecno Phantom 8 Specifications
SIM: Dual Micro + Nano SIM
OS: Android™ 7.0 Nougat + HiOS
Network: GSM, WCDMA, LTE
Display: 5.7-inch
CPU: MediaTek Helio P25 SoC
Memory: 64 GB ROM, 6 GB RAM, microSD slot
Rear Camera: 13MP + 12MP dual rear cameras
Front Camera: 20MP
Battery: Non -Removable Li-Ion 3500 mAh
Tecno Phantom 9 Specifications
SIM: Dual Nano-SIM
OS: Android™ 9 Pie + HiOS 5
Network: GSM, WCDMA, LTE
Display: 6.4-inch Full HD+, 1080 x 2340 px
CPU: MediaTek Helio P35 SoC
Memory: 128 GB ROM, 6 GB RAM, microSD slot
Rear Camera: 13MP + 8MP + 2MP triple rear cameras
Front Camera: 32MP
Sensors: In-Screen Fingerprint
Battery: Non -Removable Li-Ion 3500 mAh
Verdict
The Phantom 9 is a latter day smartphone sporting the latest trends and coming at a much cheaper launch price than its predecessor, the Phantom 8. You would not ask for a better deal than this.
