With all honesty, when I received the Tecno L9 Plus, I didn’t expect that much from it. I actually shelved it for 10 days, and only went back to it to “check on it”. I have used the device for a while now, however I will not be giving the device a full review treatment, I will just mention 5 things about it that I absolutely love and the reason I actually told my colleagues that the L9 Plus is my favourite Tecno yet.
Battery Life
So, I just mentioned that I had shelved the L9 plus for ten days, what I didn’t tell you is at that time, the device was at 100 percent battery. 10 days later, with the Wi-Fi on and notifications streaming in, I found the device at 41 percent. Forgive me for being impressed but my OnePlus 3 does not last that long. Since then, I have used the Tecno L9 Plus on the daily as my secondary device and I don’t remember the last time I ran to plug it in.
I watch YouTube videos, play games and occasionally log on to my social media apps. The 6000 mAh battery bundled inside the L9 Plus is worth it. If you have been looking for a powerhouse, look no further.
Software Experience
The Tecno L9 Plus comes with a near-stock Android 7.0 Nougat. Impressive. Since Tecno launched HiOS, I have not been a fan and I know many more people who haven’t been either. Seeing that Tecno had decided to tone down the software tweaks on the L9 Plus, was super impressive.
Stock android is beautiful and fast. That is exactly what you get on the L9 Plus. I know some people claim that stock Android is overrated, but until you use bad OEM overlays like HiOS, that’s when you will appreciate stock Android.
Design
Gone are the days when Tecno phones would be considered cheaply made. The L9 Plus, like most Tecno midrange devices, comes clad in an aluminum build. The device feels really premium and the 2.5D glass at the front, covering the screen, compliments the design. There’s no denying that the L9 Plus looks beautiful.
Packed with a 6000mAh battery, you’d expect to get a really thick device. No. You will not believe how compact the L9 Plus is, considering its screen and battery size.
Display
Maxed-out at 720P, most people would think the display is just average. The 720P HD display is sufficient. No lies. I know, the L9 Plus being a 6 inch device, should probably have had a 1080P display but keep in mind that it is a mid-ranger and the prices need to be as low as they can get. So far, I have been satisfied by the display quality. Good enough for YouTube and even watching movies.
The Little Extras
Seeing that smartphones are all basically the same – a brick design with a screen upfront – it is the little extra things that make the experience much more enjoyable.
The Tecno L9 Plus comes with a dedicated battery saver button on the left side of the phone. Pressing this button will put the device in battery saver mode, ensuring that it can last longer. Honestly, I have never had to use this button, but I appreciate the addition.
The L9 Plus also comes with an option to enable floating navigation buttons, which comes in handy seeing that the device is a whopping 6 inches.
We also see Tecno including a rear-mounted fingerprint reader on the L9 Plus, which is a welcome addition.
You can also quickly launch the camera by pressing the power button twice.
This is not to say that the L9 Plus is perfect. The processor (MT6753) powering the device is not exactly the best. We have 2GB of RAM, which works well most of the time but one will experience some slow downs here and there. The 13MP camera on the back takes really good shots, but it could be better. For the selfie, it is a 5MP shooter with a front facing flash that I have no complaints about.
Anyway, for Ksh. 17,000, I would say you get value for your money with the Tecno L9 Plus.
