This article originally appears in PhilSTAR Tech.
itel has unveiled its latest super-budget phone, the P65. If you’re looking for an entry level phone that does NOT look cheap, consider this. Here are the specs:
SPECS
- 120Hz 6.7″ punch hole display
- 1600×720 resolution
- 8 Octa Core Processor (Unisoc T615)
- G-sensor + GPS + OTG + Fingerprint Biometrics Sensor + Face Unlock
- 5000mAh battery (4 years durable battery life)
- 18W charging via USB-C
- 8MP front camera
- 50MP main rear camera
- 4G network (no 5G support)
- 128GB storage (w/ 10% used for default OS)
- 4GB + 2GB RAM
- Android 14
So yes, as you can see this is a device that really answers the question “I need an Android phone for less than P5,000 but looks mid-range.”
In terms of camera performance, there isn’t much to write home except that it does what it was destined to do: take photos. It only comes with one 50 MP rear camera with no frills. The default camera mode is called AI CAM. It claims to be “wide shot” but to be honest this is really marketing jargon as it doesn’t have true wide mode. And that’s fine. We’re not expecting the world from this device. AI CAM auto adjusts to different scenes — food, night, travel, documents, pets, etc.
Here are some photo samples:
What I do love about this phone is the presence of a hardware button called the FlexButton. This allows me to assign two functions with a long press and short press. In camera mode, it’s also the shutter. In my case I assigned the flashlight for short press and the camera to turn on with a long press. This is such a great hardware feature I wish was present in high end phones, but voila — it’s on an entry level phone less than P5,000.
Verdict
I mean, what else can we say! The itel brand has been well-known to release very affordable phones that look and feel great. For P4,599 we cannot fault it for what it is. This is for the price conscious consumer that needs a functioning Android phone that’s up to date with the latest Android 14 system.
