When the 5.64mm-thick iPhone Air was officially released in September last year, it immediately set the gold standard as the thinnest slab-form smartphone ever made.

It was released with every current flagship iPhone feature, from the A19 (3nm) chip to the Super Retina

XDR display, but it made a compromise in battery size, which is most probably why it earned the title of the world’s slimmest slab-form phone.

Meanwhile, a few other manufacturers have also tried their hands at slim aesthetics since the launch of the iPhone Air, and they are actually not selling their options for too much.

Instead, they offer bigger batteries, more attractive camera specs, and a few other advantages that might make a budget buyer not so envious of someone with a premium device like the iPhone Air.

This review compares and explores the slimmest, most affordable alternatives for consumers in emerging markets like Nigeria.

TECNO Camon Slim, Spark Slim, and Pova Slim

Two from this trio from TECNO (a subsidiary of Transsion) were launched around the same time the iPhone Air was released, while the Camon Slim is the most recent of them, having been released just last month.

While the iPhone Air comes with a slim build and less than a 4,000mAh battery inside, every device here offers more than 5,000mAh while still remaining around or under 6mm thick.

When it comes to camera strength, the Camon Slim maintains a competitive setup, and the only upper hand the iPhone Air might have over it is computational photography.

The Camon Slim and Spark Slim are not designed to be heavy-performance devices like the iPhone Air, as they come with a modest chipset that might fall short for heavy graphics. However, the Helio G200 inside them targets smooth everyday use and entry-level gaming.

Because MediaTek’s Helio G200 also targets ultra-thin device designs, it prioritises thermal efficiency and battery life over raw, high-end performance.

On the other hand, we have the TECNO Pova Slim. It is from the same brand as the Spark and Camon Slim, but there is a difference in performance because the Pova series is actually meant for budget to mid-range gaming.

The biggest upgrade the Pova Slim has over the rest here is cellular speed and processing performance. The Dimensity 6400 supports 5G connectivity and also delivers slightly better performance than the Helio G200 inside the Camon and Spark Slim. Ultimately, they offer similar battery and thermal efficiency.

Main Specifications

Camon Slim

• Thickness:39mm
• Processor: MediaTek Helio G200
• Battery: 5,600mAh
• RAM and storage: 8GB RAM, 128GB/256GB ROM
• Durability: IP68/IP69 water and dust resistance
• Camera: 50MP Sony LYTIA 600 main camera, 32MP front camera
• Price: N300,000 to N350,000

Spark Slim

• Thickness:93mm
• Processor: MediaTek Helio G200
• Battery: 5,160mAh
• RAM and storage: 8GB/256GB
• Durability: IP64 water and dust resistance
• Camera: 50MP rear camera with dual flashes and a 13MP front camera
• Price: N290,000 to N300,000

Pova Slim

• Thickness:95mm
• Processor: MediaTek Dimensity 6400
• Battery: 5,160mAh with 45W charging
• RAM and storage: 8GB RAM with 128GB/256GB storage
• Durability: IP64 water and dust resistance
• Camera: 50MP + 2MP rear cameras, 13MP selfie camera
• Price: Approximately N420,000

Nubia Air Pro

Within the same week TECNO launched the Camon Slim last month, Nubia also released its thinnest phone yet, with a comparatively faster processor than all the TECNO phones here, a heavier camera setup than the iPhone Air, and a durable battery and build that are usually found only in premium phones, all for about half the iPhone Air’s price.

This device was released just last week and sells for around €499 in Europe. When it becomes widely available in Nigeria later this month, it will not be a cheap device, but it can still be considered a cheaper mid-range alternative to the iPhone Air.

Main Specifications

• Thickness:99mm
• Processor: MediaTek Dimensity 7100
• Battery: 5,000mAh
• RAM and storage: 8GB RAM with 512GB storage
• Durability: IP69
• Camera: 108MP rear camera with a 32MP selfie camera
• Price: €499

For buyers who cannot afford the $999 iPhone Air, the devices here are modern alternatives that offer the same slim aesthetics with features that are not really bad for much less money.

Every device reviewed here also comes with an identical display size, an AMOLED panel, and 120Hz – 144Hz refresh rate, which, when combined, offers a more immersive media experience than what Apple offers with the iPhone Air.

All the same, the iPhone Air is an entirely new category that also deserves appreciation for its performance, ergonomic design, and resale value, which none of these devices can offer. However, the smartphone space is now more competitive than ever, and great features can now be accessed even on a budget.

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