Itel it1511 review

itel's first big offering is a selfie phone, the it1511. Is this entry-level smartphone pretending to be a polished mid-segment piece? We find out.

Is this entry-level smartphone pretending to be a polished mid-segment piece? We find out.

Itel is among the new players entering the Indian market, this time with a offline-only strategy. Its first big offering is a selfie phone, the it1511. The phone has the ‘IT’ factor missing, but makes up for the loss by getting its pricing right.

For Rs 6,999, this 4G-enabled ‘selfie pro’ comes with an 8MP rear and 2MP front camera. To top it all off, it is packed with the latest Android Marshmallow version. Is this entry-level smartphone pretending to be a polished mid-segment piece? We find out.

The five-inch HD display seems to be the best thing about the it1511 as it makes watching videos a good experience.

Price: Rs 6,999

What is good?

The design shows that itel has no pretensions of building something unique to establish its brand. The phone looks plain and simple: The same carbon copy design that comes out of every smartphone assembly line. The faux leather finish on the back looks gimmicky and the “gold champagne” colour makes it even worse.

The faux leather finish on the back looks gimmicky and the “gold champagne” colour makes it even worse.

The 2,500 mAh doesn’t make the phone seem too heavy, but it is not the lightest we have seen in this segment. The five-inch HD display seems to be the best thing about the it1511 as it makes watching videos a good experience.

The cameras at front and back are amped up with flash, especially the back which must come with a warning of avoiding taking close ups. But more on the camera below.

What is bad?

The hardware does not seem like it can deliver a smooth Marshmallow experience. Running multiple tasks on the phone consumes a lot of memory than usually required. Even using apps, such as WhatsApp, that do not necessarily consume a lot of memory seems to make them crash after a point.

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The camera, the phone’s alleged USP, does not even come with the standard manual options seen in stock Android phones. itel, itel it1511, it1511 review, itel it1511 review, itel it1511 price, itel it1511 specifications, itel it1511 features, 4G smartphone, cheap 4G phone, smartphones, technology, technology news

The autofocus is another area itel needs to work on as the phone sensors take some coaxing to focus on an object.

The camera, the phone’s alleged USP, does not even come with the standard manual options seen in stock Android phones. The autofocus is another area itel needs to work on as the phone sensors take some coaxing to focus on an object. The camera works swimmingly in natural light, but the noise-level seems to increase inside artificially-lit areas. On the other hand, the front camera is passable while taking selfies or for making short video calls. That’s it.

Verdict

The 4G-enabled phones have arrived much before most telecos began offering these services. This has certainly lowered the bar for the rest to gain entry into the 4G club. Now, the most basic smartphones come equipped with all the razzmatazz. What was once unique has now become a bare essential. As price points differ, including specs and the works, it has come down to user experience. The itel has everything an average user would seek in a budget smartphone, but the experience may not be all that pleasurable.