itel S25 Ultra Review: Budget-Friendly Phone with AMOLED Display, Reliable Battery, and More
The itel S Series is known for offering budget-friendly smartphones with AMOLED displays, standard camera specs, and long-lasting batteries. Launched in November 2024, the itel S25 Ultra continues this trend, but what sets the "Ultra" version apart? Let’s dive into its key features.
Key Features of itel S25 Ultra
Design and Build Quality
The itel S25 Ultra boasts a sleek and lightweight design, measuring just 6.9 mm in thickness and weighing 163 grams, making it a slim and lightweight device. The phone's rear panel features a premium dual-shade pattern and comes in three attractive colors: Bromo Black, Meteor Titanium, and Komodo Ocean. The RGB ring notification light on the back is a standout feature, adding a modern touch.
Additionally, the device is IP64 certified for dust and water resistance, offering some level of protection against splashes. Compared to its predecessor, the itel S24, which is bulkier at 192 grams and 8.3 mm thick, the S25 Ultra is more refined and ergonomic.
However, against the similarly priced competitors realme P3x and Xiaomi Redmi 14C 5G, which have stronger builds with IP68 ratings and better materials like glass and aluminum frames, the S25 Ultra falls behind in durability.
Display Quality
The itel S25 Ultra comes with a stunning 6.78-inch AMOLED display that supports 1 billion colors, 1080 by 2436 resolutions, about 393 PPI density, a 120Hz refresh rate, and a peak brightness of 1400 nits. This makes it an excellent device for content consumption, offering vibrant colors and deep contrasts. The Corning Gorilla Glass 7i protection adds an extra layer of durability.
Compared to the itel S24, which features an IPS LCD with just a 90Hz refresh rate and lower resolution (720 by 1612 pixels), the S25 Ultra provides a significantly better visual experience. However, when stacked against the realme P3x and Xiaomi Redmi 14C 5G, which offer 120Hz IPS LCDs, the itel S25 Ultra’s AMOLED panel has the upper hand in display quality, providing richer colors and better contrast.
Camera Performance
The itel S25 Ultra is equipped with a dual-camera setup, featuring a 50 MP primary sensor and an auxiliary lens. It can record videos at 1440p@30fps and 1080p@30fps. The front camera houses a 32 MP sensor, ensuring crisp and detailed selfies. Compared to the itel S24, which has a superior 108 MP main sensor, the S25 Ultra falls short in terms of raw camera resolution.
However, the S25 Ultra's image processing software has been improved, leading to better color accuracy and detail in daylight shots. Against the realme P3x and Xiaomi Redmi 14C 5G, both of which also sport 50 MP primary sensors, the S25 Ultra performs on par in well-lit conditions but struggles with low-light photography due to the absence of advanced night modes and OIS support.
Processor Performance
Under the hood, the itel S25 Ultra runs on the Unisoc T620 chipset, a 12nm octa-core processor that includes two Cortex-A75 cores clocked at 2.2 GHz. While the performance is adequate for daily tasks, it lacks the power needed for heavy multitasking and demanding applications. Compared to the itel S24, which runs on the MediaTek Helio G91 Ultra, the S25 Ultra offers better power efficiency but marginally slower processing speeds.
The Realme P3x, powered by the Mediatek Dimensity 6400 (6 nm) chipset, and the Xiaomi Redmi 14C 5G, running on the Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 (4 nm) processor, both provide significantly better performances, especially in multitasking and app loading speeds. The lack of 5G connectivity in the itel S25 Ultra is also a downside when compared to its competitors.
Gaming Performance
Gaming on the itel S25 Ultra is decent but not exceptional. The Unisoc T620 chipset, combined with the Mali GPU, can handle casual and moderately demanding games, but struggles with high-end titles like Call of Duty Mobile or Genshin Impact at higher settings. The 120Hz refresh rate helps smoothen animations, but frame drops and heating issues become noticeable during extended gaming sessions.
In contrast, the Realme P3x and Xiaomi Redmi 14C 5G, both equipped with more powerful chipsets and better GPUs, offer a superior gaming experience with fewer frame drops and better thermal management. The itel S24, while slightly weaker in raw performance, offers similar gaming capabilities due to its MediaTek Helio G91 Ultra chipset.
Battery Life
The itel S25 Ultra houses a 5000 mAh battery, offering solid battery life for moderate users. The phone supports 18W wired bypass charging, which is standard at this price point but slower compared to some competitors. Under normal usage, the battery lasts a full day with ease, but heavy users might need a top-up by the evening. The itel S24 has a similar battery with the same charging speed.
However, the realme P3x takes the lead in terms of endurance and charging speed with its 6000 mAh battery, 45W fast charging, and 5W reverse charging options, which significantly reduces downtime. The Xiaomi Redmi 14C 5G offers quite similar battery and charging as the S25 Ultra.
Software and User Interface
Running on Android 14 with itel OS 14.5, the S25 Ultra provides a fairly smooth user experience with some pre-installed apps. The UI is functional but lacks the polish and customization options found in Realme UI 6.0 on the Realme P3x or HyperOS on the Xiaomi Redmi 14C 5G.
The presence of bloatware is another downside, as users might have to spend time disabling or uninstalling unnecessary apps. The itel S24, which runs on Android 13, feels slightly outdated compared to the S25 Ultra. However, both the Realme and Xiaomi devices offer a cleaner and more feature-rich software experience.
Storage Options
The itel S25 Ultra comes in three storage configurations: 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB, all paired with 8GB of RAM and using UFS 2.2 storage technology. This ensures faster read and write speeds compared to eMMC storage found in older budget-friendly phones. The itel S24, on the other hand, maxes out at 256GB with eMMC 5.1, making the S25 Ultra a better choice for those needing more storage and faster performance.
The realme P3x and Xiaomi Redmi 14C 5G offer expandable storage via microSDXC cards, which the itel S25 Ultra lacks, making the competitors a more flexible choice for users needing additional storage beyond the built-in options.
Pros and Cons of itel S25 Ultra
Pros
- 6.78-inch AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate.
- 8GB RAM with 128GB, 256GB, or 512GB storage options.
- Dual rear cameras with a 50MP primary sensor.
- 32MP front camera for high-quality selfies.
- In-display fingerprint scanner for quick access.
- NFC and infrared port for added functionality.
- 5000mAh battery with 18W fast charging support.
- Runs on Android 14 with itel OS 14.5 UI.
- Always-on display feature for convenience.
- Gorilla Glass 7i protection and IP64 dust & water resistance.
- RGB ring notification light on the back.
Cons
- No 5G support.
- Unisoc T620 processor may limit performance.
- No 4K video recording capability.
- Lacks Gyro-EIS for video stabilization.
- No ultrawide or optical zoom camera.
- No reverse or wireless charging.
- Missing 3.5mm audio jack.
- Heating issues during heavy use.
- No expandable storage via microSDXC card slot.
Price of itel S25 Ultra in Bangladesh
The itel S25 Ultra is priced at BDT 19,990 in Bangladesh. However, the price may vary depending on the sellers.
Takeaways
The itel S25 Ultra can be a good choice for users seeking a stylish phone with a high-refresh AMOLED display and decent cameras at an affordable price. However, it is not ideal for gamers, power users, or those needing 5G connectivity and expandable storage. If performance and future-proofing are priorities, you may consider other alternatives.