Itel S25

At Rs. 33,499, the Itel S25 offers features usually found in pricier phones, making it one of the strongest feature packages in its budget.

• Strengths: bright 120Hz AMOLED screen, fast in-display fingerprint scanner, NFC, IR blaster, IP54 splash protection, 32MP selfie camera with 2K video, and an 18W charger plus a case in the box
• Weaknesses: the screen rarely runs at 120Hz, the plastic body scratches easily and is not built for drops, there is a single speaker, video has no stabilisation, gaming is limited, battery life varies a lot with use, and resale value is low

The Samsung Galaxy A07 costs Rs. 35,599 and offers longer software support and faster charging, but it has a dimmer HD+ LCD, no NFC and no charger in the box.

Verdict: a very good buy for media, selfies and everyday use. Gamers and buyers who want many years of updates should consider alternatives.

The display is the S25's biggest strength. It is a 6.78-inch AMOLED panel with 1080 x 2436 resolution and 1 billion colours, rated at 1200 nits in high brightness mode and 1800 nits peak. It is very bright and easy to read in direct sunlight, and the bezels are slim with a centred punch-hole camera.

• Refresh rate: it is sold as 120Hz, but there is no fixed 120Hz setting; you choose between a standard rate (the default) and Auto, and in practice it mostly runs below 120Hz
• Fingerprint scanner: the in-display scanner is fast and reliable
• Protection: no named Gorilla Glass, and it ships with a plastic screen protector, so adding a glass protector is wise
• Always-on display: it only stays on for about 10 seconds after you tap, rather than staying on
• Streaming: there is no HDR support, and reports differ on whether streaming apps play in Full HD

Haptics are decent for the price, though not as refined as on mid-range phones.

The Unisoc T620 is a 12nm budget chip that scores around 330,000 in AnTuTu. In daily use it runs social media, YouTube and calls smoothly, though app opening and closing animations feel a little slow; speeding up the animation settings helps.

• Gaming: this is not a gaming phone; light games are fine, but heavy gaming brings lag, heat and fast battery drain
• Memory: 6GB RAM plus up to 6GB of virtual RAM, with 128GB of UFS storage (not slower eMMC)
• Storage expansion: the tray holds two SIM cards and a memory card at the same time
• Network: 4G+ carrier aggregation and VoLTE work well, signal strength and call quality are strong, and it has NFC and an IR blaster for controlling TVs and air conditioners

The S25 has a 50MP main camera with an auxiliary lens and a 32MP selfie camera, and it is among the better cameras in its price range.

• Daylight: photos show good detail and accurate colours, though exposure sometimes struggles
• Default resolution: photos are saved at a lower resolution to save space; use Ultra HD mode for full 50MP or 32MP shots
• Portraits: a 2x portrait mode gives good edge detection and background separation
• Selfies: the 32MP front camera is a highlight, and the front flash noticeably improves indoor and low-light selfies
• Low light: opinions differ, from acceptable to clearly better than rivals
• Video: both cameras record up to 2K at 30fps with good microphone pickup, but there is no stabilisation, so handheld walking shots look shaky; slow motion is limited to 720p
• Colour profiles: Standard, Bright and a cooler itel Master mode

Long camera sessions drain the battery faster, and long video recordings make the phone warm.

The S25 has a 5000mAh battery with 18W charging, and the charger is included in the box. A full charge takes roughly 1 hour 38 minutes, which is slow by today's standards. Bypass charging is supported for gaming while plugged in.

Battery life reports differ. With normal use, about 6 hours of screen-on time is reachable, which gets most people through a day. With heavy internet, camera or gaming use, some users need to charge twice a day.

The bright AMOLED screen is the main drain. To stretch battery life, turn off high brightness mode, keep the refresh rate on Auto rather than forcing higher rates, and avoid long camera sessions away from a charger.

The S25 runs itel OS 14.5 on Android 14, and itel promises 2 major Android upgrades, which is better than many budget phones but well behind Samsung's promise on its cheaper models.

• Design: the interface feels polished, with good-looking icons, widgets and wallpaper blur options
• AI tools: the Aivana assistant can chat and summarise text on screen, and an AI wallpaper generator is built in
• Calling: Clear Voice Capture reduces background noise during calls and is on by default, and automatic call recording can be turned on in settings
• Warranty: the box lists a 12-month warranty