itel S24 Review: A Budget Phone That Doesn’t Look Like One

Budget smartphones are getting a lot better in 2024, where, one no longer needs to splurge a lot to get a device that offers a solid experience, which includes a good display, cameras, and solid battery life. Itel, with its recently announced S24 is catering to the same demographic, where, the device claims to offer a solid user experience while being budget-friendly.

I have been testing the itel S24 as my daily driver smartphone for over a week, and here is my detailed review of this 4G phone in the 5G era.

PROS

• Long-lasting Battery
• Fast 90Hz Display
• 108MP AI Camera
• Dual Speaker Setup

CONS

• Lacks 5G Connectivity
• Low Resolution HD+ 720p Display
• Dated Android 13 OS

Key Features

• 108MP Camera
• MediaTek Helio G91 Processor
• 6.6-inch punch-hole display with 90Hz Refresh Rate
• 5000mAh Battery with 18W Type-C Fast Charging

The itel S24 price in India is set at Rs 10,999 for the sole 8GB/128GB model.

Design and Display

I got my hands on the white variant (Dawn White) of the itel S24, which has a glossy finish with a colour-changing back panel that turns pink when exposed to sunlight, and the phone also comes in a Starry Black colour option. It has an 8.3mm ultra-slim body with flat sides, similar to that of an iPhone 15, but the frame on the S24 is made using plastic.

On the front, the handset has a punch-hole cutout to house the selfie camera. With a 2.5D curved IPS LCD panel, the display measures 6.56-inch and offers HD+ resolution (720 x 1612 pixels), 480 nits of peak brightness, and a maximum refresh rate of 90Hz. While it is good to see a higher refresh rate panel in this price range, the lower resolution panel looks pixelated, as there are similarly-priced smartphones that also offer FHD+ resolution along with a slightly higher refresh rate.

However, I feel the itel S24 doesn't let you down when it comes to design. It has a modern circular camera module, which is placed at the left corner of the rear panel. It also features a 3.5mm headphone jack, which allows you to use your old wired headphones.

In my opinion, owning this one phone is equivalent to having two separate phones, thanks to its colour-changing back panel, I know most girls like me will definitely like it.

The itel S24 is powered by the MediaTek Helio G91 SoC paired with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of onboard storage, up to 8GB of which can be utilized as virtual RAM. The processor is capable of handling normal usage including casual gaming, while we were trying to run Antutu but it crashed.

On the software front, the itel S24 runs the older Android 13 version with the company's custom itel OS 13.5 skin on top. Moreover, itel did not promise anything regarding the software updates. The highlight is here its Dynamic Bar feature, which displays notifications like battery status and incoming call alerts. While the itel S24 might not be ideal for heavy gamers, one can definitely play casual games like Temple Run, Teen Patti, and Candy Crush Saga.

Cameras

The camera on the itel S24 is its highlight. It features a 108MP Samsung ISOCELL HM6 primary camera sensor with 3x zoom and an f/1.6 aperture and can easily beat other budget-frinedly phones in the segment, which usually offer a 50MP sensor. As the camera is not just about resolution, the itel S24 can also deliver stunning shots, thanks to its wide aperture.

The main lens is paired with a secondary QVGA depth sensor, which doesn't really offer much value. Upfront, the phone has an 8MP selfie camera. You will also get all the camera features like Portrait, Super Night mode, Slow Motion, Panorama, and Dual Video mode.

Overall the itel S24 offers satisfactory camera performance for its asking price. As for the selfie camera, it is capable of taking quite clear pictures in daylight conditions, while the indoor picture quality is not so clear. Here are some samples straight from the itel S24's camera.

Battery Life

The itel S24 packs a large 5,000 mAh battery with an 18W USB Type-C charger (in the box) which takes around 1 hour and 45 minutes to charge from 20 per cent to 100 per cent.

Battery life is quite impressive. After a full charge, I used the phone throughout the day, including watching videos on YouTube, at the end of the day the phone ended up with still 50 per of the battery. If you are using the itel S24 for normal calling and messaging, it can last up to two days on a single charge.

Verdict

If you want a good-looking phone for normal use like internet browsing and making calls, the itel S24 can be a good buy. However, it is a bit expensive compared to its offerings, as most phones in this segment offer 5G connectivity with upgraded features in display or performance.

If you only value camera and design over performance, you can consider the itel S24, while also keeping an eye on the other budget-centric phones available under Rs 12,000 in India.