The itel P65, launched in August 2024, continues itel’s focus on delivering accessible and feature-rich smartphones for the budget-conscious consumer. Aimed at providing a solid everyday experience, the P65 combines a modern design, a smooth display, a capable camera, and a robust battery, all within an affordable price bracket.
Design and Display
The itel P65 sports a sleek and contemporary design, adopting a flat-edge aesthetic with a slim profile, measuring just 7.89mm in thickness and weighing 192 grams. It’s available in stylish colors like Cyber Black and Cyber Titanium, and notably features an LED notification ring on the back, adding a touch of flair. For security and convenience, it comes with a side-mounted fingerprint sensor.
The display is a significant highlight for its price point. It features a large 6.7-inch IPS LCD panel with an HD+ resolution (720×1600 pixels). Crucially, it boasts a 120Hz refresh rate, which is excellent for a budget phone, providing noticeably smoother scrolling and a more fluid user experience during daily interactions and light gaming. The screen offers a decent pixel density of ~262 ppi and a 20:9 aspect ratio for an immersive viewing experience.
Performance and Software
Under the hood, the itel P65 is powered by the Unisoc T615 chipset (12nm). This octa-core processor, comprising two 1.8 GHz Cortex-A75 cores and six 1.6 GHz Cortex-A55 cores, delivers reliable performance for typical smartphone usage. It handles everyday apps, social media Browse, and multimedia consumption with ease. While it’s not designed for heavy gaming, it performs adequately for casual titles. The phone offers flexible memory configurations, including 4GB, 6GB, or 8GB of LPDDR4X RAM and 128GB or 256GB of UFS 2.2 internal storage, which is expandable via a microSDXC card slot for ample storage.
The device runs on the latest Android 14 with itel OS 14 on top. This ensures users get access to the newest Android features, security updates, and a customized, user-friendly interface. Some models also feature NFC for convenient tap-to-pay functionality.
Camera Capabilities
The itel P65 features a dual-camera setup on the rear, highlighted by a 50MP main camera with an f/1.8 aperture. This primary sensor is capable of capturing detailed and vibrant photos in good lighting conditions. It’s complemented by an auxiliary lens, typically a 0.08MP sensor. The camera app includes various functions like LED flash, HDR, Panorama, Super Night Mode, AI Clear Portrait, and even “Skyshop” for enhancing photos. For selfies and video calls, there’s an 8MP front camera. Both front and rear cameras support 1080p video recording at 30fps.
Battery Life
A major selling point of the itel P65 is its robust battery. It comes equipped with a large 5000mAh non-removable battery, ensuring excellent longevity. Users can expect the phone to comfortably last a full day, or even up to 2-3 days with light usage, on a single charge. The device supports 18W wired fast charging via a USB Type-C port, allowing for quick top-ups (itel claims 40% in 30 minutes). Some bundles even offer a complementary 2400mAh charging case, further extending battery life on the go.
Price and Value
The itel P65 is strategically priced to offer maximum value in the budget segment. With an estimated price of around ₹7,999 in India and starting from approximately ₦139,900 in Nigeria (for the 4GB/128GB variant), it delivers a strong combination of a large 120Hz display, capable performance for daily tasks, a good main camera, and exceptional battery life with fast charging. It stands as a very competitive option for those seeking a reliable and modern 4G smartphone without spending much.
Conclusion
The itel P65 is a compelling budget smartphone that delivers a well-rounded experience. Its modern design, smooth 120Hz display, reliable performance for everyday use, and outstanding battery life with fast charging make it a strong contender in its price category. While it remains an entry-level device, the P65 offers more than just the basics, providing a genuinely satisfying user experience for its target audience.
