Itel CITY 100

At Rs. 28,999, the Itel CITY 100 is a budget phone that wins on extras rather than raw specs. The box includes a magnetic hard-shell case and a magnetic Bluetooth speaker, and the phone itself brings IP64 dust and splash resistance, a slim body, a 5200 mAh battery, a dedicated memory card slot, an IR blaster and a 3.5 mm headphone jack.

The trade-offs are clear: a 720p screen, a single built-in speaker, an average camera and no NFC.

• Against the VGOTEL New 17 (Rs. 27,699): the Itel costs slightly more but doubles the storage to 128GB, adds a bigger battery and IP64 protection.
• Against the Honor X6c (Rs. 44,995): the Honor offers a 120Hz screen, 35W charging, a 50 MP camera and newer Android 15 software, but costs far more.

Verdict: good value for students, riders and first-time smartphone users who want durability, battery and a bundled speaker for music, not for buyers who care mainly about cameras.

Official specs: a 6.75-inch IPS LCD with 720 x 1600 resolution, a 90Hz refresh rate and up to 700 nits in high-brightness mode.

Real-world use: the screen is fairly bright for the price and readable outdoors. Bezels are slim at the sides, though there is a visible chin and a notch at the top rather than a punch-hole. Widevine L1 support means streaming apps can play in HD.

Tip: the refresh rate is set to automatic out of the box. Switching it to a fixed 90Hz in display settings makes scrolling feel noticeably smoother.

Limitations: 720p resolution is the norm at this price, but text and images look softer than on Full HD panels, and an LCD cannot match the deep blacks of AMOLED screens.

The Unisoc T7250 (12 nm) with 6GB of RAM handles everyday tasks such as WhatsApp, Facebook, calls and browsing comfortably for a phone in this price range.

Gaming: PUBG Mobile runs at Smooth graphics with the Ultra frame rate, or HD graphics with the High frame rate, with up to 40fps support. That is playable for casual sessions, but this is not a phone for demanding games at high settings.

Storage: 128GB is built in, with roughly 115GB free out of the box, plus a dedicated microSD slot so you do not have to give up a SIM to expand storage. Reports differ on the storage type: GSMArena lists UFS 2.2, while other reports describe slower eMMC 5.1.

Limitations: the chip is an entry-level part, so heavy multitasking and large games will load more slowly than on phones with stronger MediaTek or Snapdragon chips.

Official specs: a 13 MP main camera with LED flash and an 8 MP front camera. Both cameras record video at up to 1080p at 30fps.

Real-world use:

• Daylight: decent results for social media, but detail falls apart when you zoom into photos, and images tend to be over-sharpened.
• Exposure: bright areas are often pushed too far, so skies and sunlit faces can look washed out, and shaded parts of a face are not always handled well.
• Low light: night mode noticeably improves colours, and the front flash helps selfies in dim rooms.
• Portraits: portrait mode offers 2x zoom, and focus locks quickly.
• Video: 1080p at 30fps only, with a vlog mode. There is a single microphone without a separate noise-cancelling mic, so audio in noisy places is basic.

The camera is good enough for everyday photos to share, but it is the CITY 100's weakest area.

Official specs: a 5200 mAh battery with 18W wired charging and reverse wired charging. An 18W charger and a USB-A to USB-C cable come in the box. Itel also advertises a four-year battery health guarantee.

Real-world use: battery life is a strong point. Screen-on time of roughly seven to eight hours is reported with normal use, which means a full day for most people. Notably, the phone stays slim despite the large battery.

Bypass charging: when you use the phone while it is plugged in, it can run directly on charger power instead of the battery, which helps reduce heat during long sessions.

Limitations: 18W charging is slow for a 5200 mAh battery, so plan for a long charge from empty. There is no wireless charging, even though the case is magnetic.

The CITY 100 runs Android 14 with Itel OS 14.5. The interface is clean, with a redesigned control centre, attractive icons and smooth app animations that are uncommon at this price.

AI features: Itel has added DeepSeek-based AI tools. Long-pressing the power key opens the AI assistant, and you can generate images and wallpapers from text, translate text and use AI search. Call noise reduction is also included.

Other features: face unlock alongside a fast side-mounted fingerprint reader, an IR blaster for controlling an AC or TV, and touch that keeps working with wet or oily fingers.

Updates: Itel has not published an Android update commitment for this phone, so do not count on major version upgrades. Itel also advertises a 60-month fluency guarantee, but has not explained how it measures this.